Read & Study the Bible Online - Bible Portal
Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Luke 1:78-79

God’s loving compassion motivated Him to give salvation. The Greek word anatole, translated "visit" (NASB) and "come" (NIV), can describe the rising of a heavenly body or the growing of a plant shoot. " Dayspring" (Luke 1:78, AV) means "sunrise." This is perhaps a double reference to messianic prophecies about the star arising out of Jacob (Numbers 24:17) and the shoot growing out of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1-2). [Note: Marshall, The Gospel . . ., pp. 94-95.] Luke 1:79 continues the first allusion... read more

John Dummelow

John Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:1-80

Birth of John. The Annunciation1-4. Preface. To write a preface to a history is not a Jewish, but a classical custom, and by following it St. Luke shows himself a true Gentile, trained in Greek culture and imitating classical models. Here he affects classical elegance and correctness of expression, but in the course of his Gospel he generally imitates the simpler synoptic style.This Preface contains all that is really known as distinguished from what is guessed about the sources of the Synoptic... read more

Charles John Ellicott

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers - Luke 1:79

(79) To give light to them that sit in darkness.—The words are an echo of those of Isaiah 9:2, which we have already met with in Matthew 4:16, where see Note. Here they carry on the thought of the sunrise lighting up the path of those who had sat all night long in the dark ravine, and whose feet were now guided into “the way of peace,” that word including, as it always did, with the Hebrew, every form of blessedness. read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Dictionary of Texts - Luke 1:1-80

St. Luke's Gospel Luke 1:3-4 Our information concerning St. Luke is scanty. It is conjectured by some that he was one of the seventy disciples sent forth by our Lord, in addition to the twelve Apostles (Luke 10:1 ). There seems no reason to doubt that he was the companion of St. Paul in his travels, and that he was a 'physician' (Colossians 4:14 ). Some have thought that his profession as a physician may be traced in his manner of describing our Lord's miraculous cures of diseases, and his... read more

William Nicoll

Expositor's Bible Commentary - Luke 1:57-80

Chapter 2THE MUTE PRIEST. Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:57-80.AFTER his personal prelude, our Evangelist goes on to give in detail the pre-Advent revelations, so connecting the thread of his narrative with the broken-off thread of the Old Testament. His language, however, suddenly changes its character and accent; and its frequent Hebraisms show plainly that he is no longer giving his own words, but that he is simply recording the narratives as they were told him, possibly by some member of the Holy... read more

Arno Clemens Gaebelein

Arno Gaebelein's Annotated Bible - Luke 1:1-80

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE Analysis and Annotations I. The Birth and Childhood -- Chapter 1-2:52 CHAPTER 1 1. The Introduction. (Luke 1:1-4 ) 2. Zacharias and Elizabeth; the Vision. (Luke 1:5-12 ) 3. John the Baptist, his birth and ministry announced. (Luke 1:13-17 ) 4. Zacharias’ Unbelief and Punishment. (Luke 1:18-26 ) 5. The Angel’s Announcement to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:27-33 ) 6. Mary’s Question and the Answer. (Luke 1:34-38 ) 7. Mary Visits Elizabeth (Luke 1:39-45 ) 8. The Virgin... read more

John Calvin

Geneva Study Bible - Luke 1:79

1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and [in] the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the {q} way of peace.(q) Into the way which leads us to true happiness. read more

L.M. Grant

L. M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible - Luke 1:1-80

LUKE'S GOSPEL WRITTEN FOR A GENTILE RULER (vs.1-4) Luke's introduction shows that, though he was concerned about giving exact information in this letter to Theophilus, he had not thought of being an instrument directly inspired by God. Theophilus was evidently a Gentile authority of whom nothing more is said in scripture, except in Acts 1:1, where only his name is mentioned. Many others had been energized to write an orderly history of those things concerning the Lord Jesus, and Luke was... read more

James Gray

James Gray's Concise Bible Commentary - Luke 1:1-80

THE EARLY YEARS OF JESUS There is a preface to Luke’s Gospel (Luke 1:1-4 ). While Matthew and Mark tell us of whom they write (Matthew 1:1 ; Mark 1:1 ), Luke and John tell us why they write (compare John 20:31 ). Luke wrote for the instruction of Theophilus (compare Acts 1-2) whose name indicates that he was a Greek, while “most excellent” suggests that he may have been of high rank. There were many records of our Lord (Luke 1:1 ), received from eyewitnesses (Luke 1:2 ), but Luke “had... read more

Robert Hawker

Hawker's Poor Man's Commentary - Luke 1:67-79

(67) And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, (68) Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: for he hath visited and redeemed his people, (69) And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; (70) As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets which have been since the world began; (71) That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; (72) To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to... read more

Group of Brands