Luke 1:6 ESV

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:6

And they were both righteous before God . "One of the oldest terms of high praise among the Jews ( Genesis 6:9 ; Genesis 7:1 ; Genesis 18:23-28 ; Ezekiel 18:5-9 , etc.). It is used also of Joseph ( Matthew 1:1-25 : 19), and is defined in the following words in the most technical sense of strict legal observance, which it had acquired since the days of Maccabees. The true Jashar (upright man) was the ideal Jew. Thus Rashi calls the Book of Genesis 'The book of the upright, Abraham,... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Luke 1:6

Both righteous - Both “just” or holy. This means here more than external conformity to the law. It is an honorable testimonial of their “piety” toward God.Walking in ... - Keeping the commandments. To walk in the way that God commands is “to obey.”Ordinances - Rites and customs which God had ordained or appointed. These words refer to all the duties of religion which were made known to them.Blameless - That is, no fault or deficiency could be found in them. They were strict, exact, punctual.... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Luke 1:6

Luke 1:6. They were righteous before God They were sincerely and really righteous; they were so in God’s sight, whose judgment, we are sure, is according to truth; they approved themselves to him who searcheth the heart; and he was graciously pleased to accept them. It is a happy thing when those that are joined to each other in marriage are both joined to the Lord! And it is especially requisite that the priests, the Lord’s ministers, should, with their yoke-fellows, be righteous before... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Luke 1:5-25

2. Birth of John the Baptist foretold (Luke 1:5-25)Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, was a priest. Because all male descendants of Aaron were priests, there were, even in Old Testament times, too many priests for the amount of work to be done. David therefore divided them into twenty-four divisions, and each division served for two weeks each year. Zechariah belonged to the division of Abijah (Luke 1:5; cf. 1 Chronicles 24:1-19). (All priests would be required for duty during the... read more

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Luke 1:6

before. The Texts read enantion, not enopion (= in the presence of, as Luke 1:19 ). Both are found in the Papyri in this sense. God . App-98 . ordinances = legal requirements. Greek. Plural of dlkaioma, which should always be so rendered in its other nine occurrences (Romans 1:32 ; Romans 2:26 ; Luke 5:16 , Luke 5:18 ; Luke 8:4 ; Hebrews 9:1 , Hebrews 9:10 ; Revelation 15:4 ; Revelation 19:8 ). Compare Numbers 36:13 . Sometimes rendered "judgments" (Exodus 21:1 ; Exodus 24:3 ), where LXX... read more

James Burton Coffman

Coffman Commentaries on the Bible - Luke 1:6

And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.It should be noted that this verse has Luke's words, and that he who was the companion of the great apostle to the Gentiles and thus fully knowledgeable of Paul's teaching about "the righteousness of God," here gave what is tantamount to a definition of that "righteousness," the same being not some kind of an inheritance through faith alone, but a state marked by the most careful and... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Luke 1:6

Luke 1:6. In all the commandments and ordinances— The critics are generally agreed that these words signify, the one the moral, the other the ceremonial precepts of the law; butthey are greatly divided in fixing the particular sense of each. The truth is, undoubted examples may be produced, to prove that both words were used promiscuously in both senses; for which reason, to dispute nicely about them is needless. The plain meaning is, that this exemplary couple were faithfully observant both of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Luke 1:6

6. commandments and ordinances—The one expressing their moral—the other their ceremonial—obedience [CALVIN and BENGEL], (Compare Ezekiel 11:20; Hebrews 9:1). It has been denied that any such distinction was known to the Jews and New Testament writers. But Hebrews 9:1- :, and other passages, put this beyond all reasonable doubt. read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 1:5-7

1. The introduction of John’s parents 1:5-7 read more