Luke 1-2

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:5-25

The inauguration of the dispensation of grace. From the prologue about the historic certainty of the Christian faith, we now proceed to the first stage of the wonderful history in the annunciation of the birth of the Baptist. In this we have Luke mounting higher than either Matthew or Mark. We can understand this since he was writing for a Gentile audience, and the speculative turn of Grecian minds would certainly lead to inquiries as to the origin of the leaders in the dispensation of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

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

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:7

And they had no child . This, as is well known, was a heavy calamity in a Hebrew home. In the childless house there was no hope of the long looked-for Messiah being born in it. It was not unfrequently looked on as a mark of the Divine displeasure, possibly as the punishment of some grave sin. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:9

His lot was to burn incense ; more accurately, he obtained by lot the duty of entering and offering incense . The office of burning incense gave the priest to whom this important lot fell the right of entering the holy place. It was the most coveted of all the priestly duties. The Talmud says the priest who obtained the right to perform this high duty was not permitted to draw the lot a second time in the same week, and as the whole number of priests at this time was very large—some say... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:10

And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense . This would indicate that the day in question was a sabbath or some high day. Dean Plumptre suggests that, lost among that praying crowd, were, "we may well believe, the aged Simeon ( Luke 2:25 ) and Anna the prophetess ( Luke 2:36 ), and many others who waited for redemption in Jerusalem." read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:11

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord . Critics have especially found grave fault with this "Hebrew" portion of our Gospel, complaining that it needlessly introduces the marvelous, and brings uselessly into everyday life beings from another sphere. Godet well answers these criticisms by observing "that as Christianity was an entirely new beginning in history, the second and final creation of man, it was natural that an interposition on so grand a scale should be accompanied by a... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:12

He was troubled . This was ever the first effect produced by the sight of a spirit-visitant. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:13

Thy prayer is heard . What was the nature of this prayer? The Greek word ( δεήσις ) used here implies that some special supplication had been offered, and which the angel tells had been listened to at the throne of grace. The righteous old man had not, as some have thought, been praying for a son,—he had long resigned himself in this private sorrow to the will of his God; but we may well suppose that on that solemn occasion he prayed the unselfish patriotic prayer that the long looked... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:13-17

Parental ambition. "What would we give to our beloved?" asks one of our poets. What would we ask for our children if we might have our hearts' desire? When the young father or mother looks down on the little child, and then looks on to the future, what is the parental hope concerning him? What is that which, if it could only be assured, would give "joy and gladness"? The history of our race, the chronicles of our own time, even the observation of our own eyes, give abundant proof that the... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:14

Many shall rejoice at his birth . The gladness which his boy's birth was to bring with it was to be no mere private family rejoicing. The child of his old age, who was to be born, would be the occasion of a true national joy. read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:5-25

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:6

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:7

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:9

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:11

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:12

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:13

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:13-17

The Pulpit Commentary - Luke 1:14

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