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
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