Matthew 26

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Plot to Kill Jesus	The Plot to Kill Jesus	Jesus' Death	The Plot Against Jesus	The Conspiracy Against Jesus
26:1-5	26:1-5	26:1-2	26:1-2	26:1-2
		26:3-5	26:3-5	26:3-5
The Anointing at Bethany	The Anointing at Bethany		Jesus Anointed at Bethany	The Anointing at Bethany
26:6-13	26:6-13	26:6-13	26:6-9	26:6-13
			26:10-13
Judas'Agreement to Jesus	Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus		Judas Agrees to Betray Jesus	Judas Betrays Jesus
26:14-16	26:14-16	26:14-16	26:14-16	26:14-16
The Passover with the Disciples	Jesus Celebrates Passover with His Disciples	The Last Supper	Jesus Eats the Passover Meal with His Disciples	Preparations for the Passover Supper
26:17-25	26:17-30	26:17-19	26:17	26:17-19
			26:18
			26:19
				The Treachery of Judas Foretold
		26:20-25	26:20-21	26:20-25
			26:22
			26:23-24
			26:25a,b
			26:25c
The Institution of the Supper			The Lord's Supper	The Institution of the Eucharist
26:26-30		26:26-29	26:26	26:26-29
			26:27-29
		Gethsemane		Peter's Denial Foretold
		26:30	26:30	26:30-35
Peter's Denial Foretold	Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial		Jesus Predicts Peter's Denial
26:31-35	26:31-35	26:31-35	26:31-32
			26:33
			26:34
			26:35a
			26:35b
The Prayer in Gethsemane	The Prayer in the Garden		Jesus Prays in Gethsemane	Gethsemane
26:36-46	26:36-46	26:36-46	26:36-38	26:36-37
				26:38-46
			26:39
			26:40-41
			26:42-43
			26:44-46
The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus	Betrayal and Arrest in Gethsemane		The Arrest of Jesus	The Arrest
26:47-56	26:47-56	26:47-56	26:47-48	26:47-56
			26:49
			26:50a
			26:50b-54
			26:55-56a
			26:56b
Jesus Before the Council	Jesus Faces the Sanhedrin	Jesus Before Caiaphas	Jesus Before the Council	Jesus Before the Sanhedrin
26:57-68	26:57-68	26:57-68	26:57-61	26:57-58
				26:59-66
			26:62-63
			26:64
			26:65-66a
			26:66b
			26:67-68	26:67-68
Peter's Denial of Jesus	Peter Denies Jesus, and Weeps Bitterly		Peter Denies	Peter's Denials
26:69-75	26:69-75	26:69-75	26:69	26:69-75
			26:70-71
			26:72
			26:73
			26:74a
			26:74b-75

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY FOR 26:1-35

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:1-2
¹When Jesus had finished all these words, He said to His disciples, ²"You know that after two days the Passover is coming, and the Son of Man is to be handed over for crucifixion."

26:1 "When Jesus had finished all these words" This referred to Jesus' eschatological discourse in Matthew 24-25. This phrase is a literary marker which Matthew used to mark off Jesus' discourses (cf. Matt. 7:28; 11:1; 13:53; 19:1; 26:1).

26:2 "after two days the Passover is coming" There is much confusion over the exact date of the Lord's Supper and, for that matter, the whole itinerary of the last week of Jesus' ministry. The Lord's Supper was obviously linked to the Passover symbolism (cf. John. 1:29). The Synoptic Gospels say it was the Passover meal, but John says it was the day before. There is some evidence that because the high priesthood had been corrupted by being purchased from the Roman occupiers that several sects of the Jews had Passover on a different day (i.e., the Essenes of the Dead Sea Scrolls used a solar calendar and had Passover one day earlier) than the official feast.

John's dating of the Supper one day earlier emphasizes Jesus as the Passover lamb killed to save the family. If so, John may have altered the date for theological purposes, as he may have altered the cleansing of the temple early for theological presentation of Jesus' life. The Gospel writers under inspiration had the right to select, adapt, and arrange the words and deeds of Jesus so as to present Him to different groups (Gordon Fee, Doug Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth).

▣ "Son of Man" See note at Matt. 8:24:30.

▣ "is to be handed over for crucifixion" Jesus had warned the disciples of this several times (cf. Matt. 16:21; 17:9,12,22-23; 20:18-19; 27:63). These predictions would embolden His followers in the days after the Passion week. Jesus knew future events. Jesus laid down His own life (cf. Mark 10:45; John. 10:11,15,18). He was always in control of the timing and events themselves.

▣ "crucifixion" This was a form of public torture developed by either the Phoenicians or in Mesopotamia to deter rebellion and crime but perfected (i.e., where it lasted several days) by the Romans. No Roman citizen could be crucified. It involved a public beating and nailing to a cross. The shape of the cross could be a capital "T" or a small "t" or an "X." It is even possible that a scaffolding was used when several persons were crucified together. Death finally occurred by asphyxiation. The condemned person had to push up on his nailed feet to breathe. This is why breaking the legs of those criminals crucified with Jesus caused their rapid death (cf. John. 19:32).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:3-5
³Then the chief priests and the elders of the people were gathered together in the court of the high priest, named Caiaphas; ⁴and they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him. ⁵But they were saying, "Not during the festival, otherwise a riot might occur among the people."

26:3 "the chief priests and the elders" This was the short designation for the Sanhedrin. See Special Topic at Matt. 20:18.

▣ "in the court of the high priest" This referred to the central courtyard of Caiaphas'and possibly Annas'mansion.

▣ "Caiaphas" Caiaphas was the High Priest, appointed by Rome, in exchange for a price, from a.d. 18-36. He was the son-in-law of Annas, High Priest from a.d. 6-15. This powerful family was motivated more by politics and wealth than by spirituality. It is unfair to judge all Sadducees or, for that matter, the Sanhedrin, by them.

26:4 "they plotted together to seize Jesus by stealth and kill Him" They decided early in His ministry to kill Him, but they were seeking an opportunity when the common people were not present (cf. Matt. 12:14; Mark 14:1; Luke 22:2; John. 5:18; 7:1,19,25; 8:37,40; 11:53). They were jealous of His popularity and fearful of His teachings and actions.

26:5 "during the festival" The Passover was combined with the Feast of the Unleavened Bread to form an eight day feast (cf. Exodus 12 and Josephus'Antiquities of the Jews 3.10.5).

▣ "a riot might occur among the people" Many pilgrims from Galilee and the Diaspora were present in Jerusalem for observance of the Passover. The Passover was required for all male Jews of twenty years and above (cf. Lev. 23:2, 4, 17, 44; Num. 29:39). Jerusalem swelled to three times its normal population during the three mandatory annual feasts. The Romans always brought in extra soldiers during the feast days (cf. Matt. 27:24).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:6-13
⁶Now when Jesus was in Bethany, at the home of Simon the leper, ⁷a woman came to Him with an alabaster vial of very costly perfume, and she poured it on His head as He reclined at the table. ⁸But the disciples were indignant when they saw this, and said, "Why this waste? ⁹For this perfume might have been sold for a high price and the money given to the poor." ¹⁰But Jesus, aware of this, said to them, "Why do you bother the woman? For she has done a good deed to Me. ¹¹For you always have the poor with you; but you do not always have Me. ¹²For when she poured this perfume on My body, she did it to prepare Me for burial. ¹³Truly I say to you, wherever this gospel is preached in the whole world, what this woman has done will also be spoken of in memory of her."

26:6 "the home of Simon the leper" Mary and Martha served the meal (cf. John. 12:1ff.), but it was not at their home (cf. Mark 14:3). It is possible they were somehow related, all being from the same small village, Bethany. Simon was apparently (although not recorded) healed by Jesus earlier.

26:7 "a woman" John. 12:3 says it was Mary, the sister of Lazarus. This account is not to be confused with the prostitute of Luke 7:37-39.

▣ "alabaster vial of very costly perfume" This was a white/yellow stone vase from Egypt. The contents were made from an aromatic Indian herb called "nard" or "spikenard" (cf. Song of Songs 1:12; 4:13-14; Mark 14:3; John. 12:3). It was very expensive and may have been Mary's wedding dowry.

▣ "poured it on His head" John. 12:3 says that she put the nard on His "feet." Since this vial contained 12 ounces, or one Roman pound, there was enough to cover His whole body. Once the vial was opened it could not be resealed.

26:8 "the disciples were indignant" John 12:4 says it was Judas Iscariot who was upset.

26:9 "for a high price" This high price was three hundred denarii (cf. John. 12:5). A denarius was the daily wage of a soldier or laborer. The implication is that Judas was thinking of the needs of the poor. However, he probably wanted some of the money for himself (cf. John 12:6).

26:10 "she has done a good deed to Me" The noun "deed" and the verb are from the same root. It intensifies the statement or was an idiom (cf. John 3:21; 6:28; 9:4; Acts 13:41; 1 Cor. 16:10).

26:11 "For you always have the poor with you" This was not a callous statement toward poverty, but a recognition of the uniqueness of Jesus' presence.

26:12 "to prepare Me for burial" Mary was a disciple; maybe she understood more than the Apostles! This perfume was used to anoint the body of the dead before burial (cf. John. 19:40).

26:13 "in the whole world" Jesus assumed His gospel (Matthew uses the term for Jesus' actions in Matt. 4:23; 9:35; and Jesus uses the term in Matt. 24:14; 26:13) would be preached everywhere (cf. Matt. 24:9,14,32; 28:19-20). This fulfills the OT universal predictions (especially Isaiah, i.e., 2:1-4; 42:6; 49:6; 51:4-5; 56:7)!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:14-16
¹⁴Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests ¹⁵and said, "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?" And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. ¹⁶From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

26:14 "Iscariot" There are several theories concerning this word (the word is spelled differently in various Greek manuscripts). It could refer to

1. a man of Kerioth, a city of Judah

2. man of Kartan, a city of Galilee

3. the leather bag used to carry money

4. the Hebrew word for "strangling"

5. the Greek word for assassin's knife

If #1 is true he was the only Judean in the Twelve. If #5 is true he was a zealot like Simon.

There has recently been written a book that interprets Judas in a positive light. The book is entitled Judas, Betrayer or Friend of Jesus? by William Klassen, Fortress Press, 1996. My problem with it is that id does not take the comments in John's Gospel seriously.

26:15 "What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you" The motive seems obvious (cf. John. 12:6). The tragedy of Judas is unexplainable. Many modern theories suppose him to be trying to force Jesus to be the expected militant Jewish messiah. The Gospel of John asserts he was a thief.

▣ "thirty pieces of silver" This fulfilled the prophecy of Zech. 11:12-13 (cf. Matt. 27:9-10). Jesus was the rejected Shepherd. It was the price paid in the OT for a gored slave (cf. Exod. 21:32). Chapters 9-14 of Zechariah are quoted several times as a prophetic source in relation to Jesus' ministry.

1. Matt. 21:4-5 quote Zech. 9:9

2. Matt. 24:3 quotes Zech. 12:10

3. Matt. 26:15 quotes Zech. 11:12-13

4. Matt. 26:31 quotes Zech. 13:7

5. Matt. 27:9-10 quotes Zech. 11:12-13

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:17-19
¹⁷Now on the first day of Unleavened Bread the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Where do You want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?" ¹⁸And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is near; I am to keep the Passover at your house with My disciples." '" ¹⁹The disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.

26:17 "the first day of Unleavened Bread" The exact chronology of the last week is confusing. Often the Synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke) and John (13:1; 19:14,31,42) do not agree. This eight day feast involved two Sabbaths, Passover being the first (cf. Lev. 23:4-8; Deut. 16:8).

▣ "the disciples" Luke 22:8 identified Peter and John as these disciples.

▣ "Passover" It was eaten on Nisan 15 at 6:00 p.m. The exact day of the week varied year to year because of the Jewish lunar calendar (cf. Matt. 26:20).

26:18 "to a certain man" Luke 22:10 says he was to be identified by "carrying a pitcher of water," an activity traditionally considered women's work.

NASB, NRSV,
NJB"My time is near"
NKJV"My time is at hand"
TEV"My hour has come"

This was a cryptic phrase used by Jesus for His time of rejection, betrayal, and crucifixion (cf. John. 2:4; 7:6, 8, 30; 8:20; 12:23; 13:1; 17:1).

▣ "at your house with My disciples" Many believe this was the home of John Mark who was

1. Barnabas'cousin (Col. 4:10)

2. missionary helper (Acts 12:25; 13:5,13; 15:37,39)

3. the scribe of Peter's memoirs, the Gospel of Mark (1 Pet. 5:13)

It is also surmised that this was the location of the upper room (cf. Acts 1:13; 12:12), where the disciples waited for the Spirit to come (Acts 1:5; 2:1).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:20-25
²⁰Now when evening came, Jesus was reclining at the table with the twelve disciples. ²¹As they were eating, He said, "Truly I say to you that one of you will betray Me." ²²Being deeply grieved, they each one began to say to Him, "Surely not I, Lord?" ²³And He answered, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me. ²⁴The Son of Man is to go, just as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been good for that man if he had not been born." ²⁵And Judas, who was betraying Him, said, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself."

26:20 "reclining at the table" Tables and chairs were only used in Egypt in this period of time. In Palestine they laid on their left elbows at a low table with their feet behind them (cf. Mark 14:18). This is how Mary could easily anoint His feet (cf. John. 12:3).

26:21 "betray" This is the Greek term "to give over" (paradidōmi). It is always translated "betray" by English Bibles, but this is not an established meaning. It can mean

1. a positive meaning of entrust (cf. Matt. 11:27)

2. restore or commend (cf. Acts 14:26; 15:40)

3. a negative sense of to hand someone over to the authorities

4. to put someone in Satan's hands (cf. 1 Cor. 5:5; 1 Tim. 1:20)

5. for God to abandon someone to his own idolatry (cf. Acts 7:42)

It is obvious that context must determine the meaning of the common verb.

26:22 "Surely not I, Lord" Each disciple asked the question. The Greek grammatical construction expected a negative answer. Their asking the question shows their confusion.

26:23 "He who dipped his hand with Me in the bowl is the one who will betray Me" For one to betray a host was the height of shame in the East (cf. Ps. 41:9). Judas had the seat of honor next to Jesus on His left side. Jesus was still trying to reach Judas!

▣ "the bowl" This was a traditional Passover sauce of nuts, raisins, dates, figs, and vinegar.

26:24 Jesus knew who He was and what He must do (cf. John 13:1). Jesus came to reveal God, to give mankind an example to follow, and to die for their sin (cf. Mark 10:45; Acts 2:23-24; 2 Cor. 5:21). His life was revealed in OT prophecy (cf. Matt. 26:31,54,56; 11:10; 21:42).

▣ "if" This is a second class conditional sentence. Judas'betrayal was a necessary, predicted act for which he will suffer the punishment. This is the mystery of election and free will!

26:25 "Surely it is not I, Rabbi" Note Judas used the title "rabbi" (i.e., my teacher) not "Lord" as the other disciples had.

▣ "You have said it yourself" Jesus was still trying to reach Judas. The idiomatic phrase was also used in Matt. 26:64 and 27:11.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:26-29
²⁶While they were eating, Jesus took some bread, and after a blessing, He broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, "Take, eat; this is My body." ²⁷And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for forgiveness of sins. ²⁹But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father's kingdom."

26:26 "While they were eating" The focus of the seder meal, to which this alludes, was the third cup of blessing after the meal itself. Jesus wanted to identify with the deliverance of the Exodus. He was the lamb of God, but He chose the bread and wine, not the Passover lamb, as the symbol for the new covenant.

Matthew often depicts Jesus as the second Moses, the new law-giver. Jesus brings the new exodus from sin.

▣ "bread" This referred to flat, unleavened bread cakes used in the Passover meal (cf. Exod. 12).

26:26-28 "this is My body. . .this is My blood" The first recorded Lord's supper is Paul's account in 1 Cor. 11:17-34.

The Synoptic Gospels were written after some of the NT letters. The exact date is uncertain but they were not the first church writings (cf. William L. Blevins'book Birth of a New Testament, personal publication, Carson-Newman College).

26:28 "this is My blood of the covenant" This may be an allusion to Exod. 24:8. Some ancient uncial Greek manuscripts add "new" before covenant: MSS A, C, D, and W. This would reflect Jer. 31:31-34. However, many other good ancient manuscripts (MSS P³⁷, א , B, and L) do not make this addition. It may have been assimilated from Luke 22:20. It is absent in Mark 14:24. The UBS⁴ gives the shorter reading a "B" rating (almost certain).

▣ "poured out for many" This is an allusion to Isa. 53:11-12. See SPECIAL TOPIC: POURED OUT at Matt. 23:35. There has been much discussion about the relationship between "the many" of Isa. 53:11,12 and "us all" of Isa. 53:6. The parallelism of Rom. 5:17-19 may answer this question. The "all men" of Matt. 5:18 is the same as "the many" of Matt. 5:19. Jesus died for all humans (cf. John. 3:16); all are potentially saved in Him!

▣ "for forgiveness of sins" This is the thrust of the New Covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34) and the significance of Jesus' name (" YHWH saves," cf. Matt. 1:21).

26:29 "I will not drink. . .until. . .My Father's Kingdom" This was a reference to the Messianic end-time banquet (cf. Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:28-30; note Mal. 1:11). This was often connected to the Wedding Feast of Jesus and the Church (cf. Eph. 5:23-29; Rev. 19:7). See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD at Matt. 4:17.

SPECIAL TOPIC: BIBLICAL ATTITUDES TOWARD ALCOHOL AND ALCOHOLISM

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:30
³⁰After singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

26:30 "singing a hymn" The hymn was probably one or more of the Hallel Psalms 113-118, or 146-150, traditionally used at the close of the Passover ceremony or it may have been the Great Hallel (cf. Psalm 136).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:31-35
³¹Then Jesus said to them, "You will all fall away because of Me this night, for it is written, 'I will strike down the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered.'³²But after I have been raised, I will go ahead of you to Galilee." ³³But Peter said to Him, "Even though all may fall away because of You, I will never fall away." ³⁴Jesus said to Him, "Truly I say to you that this very night, before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." ³⁵Peter said to Him, "Even if I have to die with You, I will not deny You." All the disciples said the same thing too.

26:31 "You will all fall away" This states clearly that Jesus' disciples will abandon Him in His hour of need (cf. Matt. 26:56.) Only John stayed with Him and Peter followed at a distance. The rest fled!

▣ "for it is written" This is a quote from Zech. 13:7. It is interesting that the first eight chapters of Zechariah are quoted often in the book of the Revelation, while the last six are often quoted in the Gospels. It is YHWH who strikes the Shepherd (cf. Isa. 53:6,10; Rom. 8:32). This was always God's plan of redemption (cf. Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:28; 13:29). See SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN at Matt. 24:14.

▣ "sheep" Sheep became the animal metaphor used for the followers of Christ.

1. Matt. 7:15 (false sheep)

2. Matt. 9:36; 26:3; Mark 14:27 (scattered flock)

3. Matt. 10:6; 15:24 (lost sheep of Israel)

4. Matt. 10:16; Luke 10:3 (lambs among wolves)

5. Matt. 18:12; Luke 15:6 (parable)

6. Matt. 25:32-33 (sheep and goat judgment)

7. Mark 6:34 (sheep with no shepherd)

8. John 10:1-18 (Jesus as the Good Shepherd)

9. John 21:16-17 (Peter, feed my lambs and sheep)

10. 1 Pet. 2:25 (Isa. 53:6, sheep going astray)

26:32 "after I have been raised" See Special Topic at Matt. 27:63.

▣ "I will go ahead of you to Galilee" This post-resurrection meeting is mentioned several times (cf. Matt. 26:32; 28:7,10,16-20; 1 Cor. 15:6; and John. 21). This should have been a great encouragement to the disciples, but they apparently did not understand.

26:33 "Even though all may fall away" Peter's presumption is clearly seen. This is much like Matt. 16:22-23, where Peter denies the Lord's prediction.

26:34 "Truly I say to you" This is literally "amen," which originally meant "to be firm," but came to mean "I agree" or "I affirm." Jesus used this term uniquely to begin significant statements. See Special Topic at Matt. 5:1.

▣ "a rooster crows" This occurred between 12:00 a.m. and 3:00 a.m. It must have been a Roman rooster because the Jews did not allow them in the holy city. There has been some speculation that there was a Roman trumpet signal called "The Crow of the Rooster," which was sounded at the end of the watch at 3 a.m. However, this is still uncertain.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the religious leaders want to kill Jesus?

2. What about the chronological problems among the four Gospels? Is the Bible in error?

3. Is Judas responsible for his action? What did he do? Why did he do it?

4. What is the significance of the Lord's Supper?

5. Did Judas take the Lord's Supper?

6. Why was the prediction of the disciples'apostasy recorded?

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY FOR 26:36-75

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:36-38
³⁶Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and said to His disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." ³⁷And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and distressed. ³⁸Then He said to them, "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death; remain here and keep watch with Me."

26:36 "Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane" "Gethsemane" meant "oil press" in Hebrew. It apparently was a private garden just outside the city limits of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. It was illegal to have gardens within the city because the manure needed for the plants made the city ceremonially unclean. Apparently Jesus came to this garden quite often. It is even possible that during Passion Week He bivouacked here with His disciples. Judas knew the place well.

26:37 "And He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee" From Mark 14:33 and John 4:21 we know the other two were James and John. This was the inner circle of leadership among the disciples (cf. Matt. 17:1; Mark 5:37). They were present with Jesus on several special occasions when the other disciples were not. Apparently this led to both special training and jealousy on the part of the other disciples. Exactly why Jesus had an inner circle is uncertain. The list of the Twelve is always in four groupings of three. The groups never change. It is possible that the groups formed a rotating schedule for the disciples to go home periodically and check on their families.

▣ "began to be grieved and distressed" These were strong terms in Greek (cf. Mark 14:33). We are on very holy ground here in the garden as we see the Son of God in what may have been His most vulnerable human moment. Jesus must have related this account to His disciples after His resurrection. Apparently it was meant to be helpful for those who face temptation and for those who seek to understand the agony and cost of the Calvary experience.

26:38 "My soul is deeply grieved, to the point of death" This was an Old Testament idiom (cf. Ps. 42:5; Jonah 6:9), which expressed the tremendous intensity which was involved in the redemption of sinful mankind. Something of the struggle can be seen in the parallel of Luke 22:43-44, which records that an angel came to minister to Him and He sweat great drops of blood. The victory over the evil one was won here in the garden. The insidiousness of Satan's temptation in Matt. 4 and of Peter's supposedly helpful, but extremely destructive, comments in Matt. 16:22, are fully revealed in this passage.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:39-41
³⁹And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will." ⁴⁰And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, "So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? ⁴¹Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."

26:39 "And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed" The beautiful contemporary pictures of Jesus kneeling in the Garden of Gethsemane by a rock are moving, but inaccurate. The Greek text here asserts that He was completely prostrate in agony and distress, even to the point of physical death, during these moments. It has often been asked what terrified Jesus so much. Some have speculated that it was the fear of physical death, or His fear that the disciples could not lead the Church. Jesus, who had known intimacy with the Father moment by moment, was on the verge of having to experience the last great aspect of human lostness-a breach of fellowship with God. It was this breach of fellowship and having to carry the burden of sin for all people of all time that terrified the Son. If we can see this kind of intense anguish on the part of Jesus of Nazareth, the unique Son of God, how awesome and destructive must separation from fellowship with God really be!

▣ "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me" There are several extremely important aspects to this phrase. From Mark's parallel we understand that He used the Aramaic term "Abba," which referred to an intimate, family relationship. It is often translated "Daddy." In a few brief hours this will change to "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" (cf. Matt. 27:46). The phrase "if it is possible" (first class conditional sentence) is found in the Markan parallel (cf. Mark 14:36) in the phrase "all things are possible." The slight variation between Matt. 26:35 and 42 and the variation between the Gospels do not minimize the fact that, from Matt. 26:44, we realize that Jesus prayed the same prayer three times.

The concept of "the cup" in biblical usage reflected an Old Testament symbol for the destiny of a person, usually in the sense of the judgment of God (cf. Ps. 75:8; Isa. 51:17,22; Jer. 25:15,16,27,28). The cup of judgment that God had prepared for rebellious mankind was consumed to the dredges by the innocent Son of God (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13).

▣ "yet not as I will, but as You will" The pronouns "I" and "You" are in the emphatic position in the Greek. This, combined with the use of first class and Third class conditional sentences in Matt. 26:42, shows us the intent of the Son in His prayer. Though His human nature cries out for deliverance, His heart is set on fulfilling the will of the Father in substitutionary atonement (cf. Mark 10:45).

26:40 "And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping" Before we are too quick to condemn the disciples, let's note that in Luke 22:45 the phrase, "they were asleep from sorrow," describes that they were unable to bear the pain of Jesus' prophecy about His own death and their subsequent scattering. Though Jesus longed to have human fellowship and intercession at this time of ultimate crisis in His life, He had to face this moment alone, and He faced it for all believers!

26:41 "keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation" These are both present imperatives. There must be constant vigil! Temptation is an ongoing reality (cf. Matt. 4:11; Luke 4:13; Romans 7).

There have been several theories as to what "temptation" referred in this context

1. to the disciples sleeping instead of praying

2. to the disciples desertion of Jesus in Matt. 26:56

3. to Peter's denial in Matt. 26:69-75

4. to governmental or religious trials (cf. Matt. 5:10-12; John 9:22; 16:2)

The term "temptation" (peirasmos) had the connotation of "to tempt or try with the goal of destruction" (see Special Topic at Matt. 4:1, cf. Matt. 6:13; Luke 11:4; James 1:13). It is often contrasted with another Greek term for test (dokimazo) which had the connotation of "to try or tempt with a view toward strengthening." However, these connotations are not always present in every context. Theologically it can be said that God does not test or tempt His children to destroy them but He does provide opportunities for spiritual growth through trials (cf. Gen. 22:1; Exod. 16:4; 20:20; Duet. 8:2,16; Matt. 4; Luke 4; Heb. 5:8). However, He always provides a way through (cf. 1 Cor. 10:13).

▣ "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak" This was the self-confession of Jesus who knows fully our humanity and its weaknesses (cf. Heb. 4:15). And, knowing us, He loved us and died for us (cf. Rom. 5:8) and now intercedes for us (cf. Rom. 8:34; Heb. 7:25; 9:24; 1 John 2:1). Hallelujah!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:42-46
⁴²He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, "My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done." ⁴³Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. ⁴⁴And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. ⁴⁵Then He came to the disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and resting? Behold, the hour is at hand and the Son of Man is being betrayed into the hands of sinners. ⁴⁶Get up, let us be going; behold, the one who betrays Me is at hand!"

26:42 "if this cannot pass away unless I drink it" This is a combination of a first class conditional and a third class conditional sentence. It implies that Jesus knew it was God's will that He go to the cross, but He knew He could express His concern to the Father. It is good to know that God will not reject us because of our fears and confusion, but will work with us in love and faith as He worked with Jesus. We cannot even pray ourselves out of the will of God.

26:44 "prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more" Jesus prayed three times. This is similar to Paul's three prayers concerning this thorn in the flesh (2 Cor. 12:8). There is something of the Hebrew idiom of emphasis in the three-fold repetition (cf. Isa. 6:3; Jer. 7:4). We can bring to God our concerns any time, as often as we feel the need.

26:45

NASB, NKJV,
TEV"Are you still sleeping and resting?"
NRSV"Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?"
NJB"You can sleep on now and have your rest."

It is hard to interpret this Greek idiom. Is it a question? Is it irony? Is it a statement? Is it a command? Although the meaning is uncertain, it is obvious that Jesus has won the victory and He now stands erect, ready to face the night trials, the morning beatings and crucifixion.

▣ "the hour is at hand" "Hour" was a significant idiom used throughout the Gospels, particularly John (cf. Matt. 12:23;13:1,32; 17:1), to describe this moment (cf. Mark 14:35,41). See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOUR at Matt. 24:36.

▣ "is being betrayed into the hands of sinners" This is the fulfilled prophecy of Matt. 16:21.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:47-50
⁴⁷While He was still speaking, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs, who came from the chief priests and elders of the people. ⁴⁸Now he who was betraying Him gave them a sign, saying, "Whomever I kiss, He is the one; seize Him." ⁴⁹Immediately Judas went to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and kissed Him. ⁵⁰And Jesus said to him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and seized Him.

26:47 "Judas, one of the Twelve, came up accompanied by a large crowd with swords and clubs" There has been much discussion about the motivation of Judas. It must be said that this remains uncertain. His kiss of Jesus in Matt. 26:49 either (1) was a sign to the soldiers that this was the man to arrest (cf. Matt. 26:48) or (2) lends support to the modern theory that He was trying to force Jesus' hand to act, (cf. Matt. 27:4). Other Gospel passages state that he was a robber and an unbeliever from the beginning (cf. John 12:6).

From Luke 22:52 we know the makeup of this crowd. There were Roman soldiers involved because they were the only ones who could legally carry swords. Also, the Temple police were involved because they usually carried clubs. Representatives from the Sanhedrin were also present at the arrest (cf. Matt. 26:47, 51).

26:48 "kiss" This was a sign of respect and greetings among rabbis. In Matt. 26:49 Judas calls Jesus "Rabbi" (" my teacher").

26:50

NASB"Friend, do what you have come for"
NKJV"Friend, why have you come"
NRSV"Friend, do what you are here to do"
TEV"Be quick about it, friend"
NJB"My friend, do what you are here for"

There has been some disagreement over the meaning of this Greek idiom. It could be

1. a question (NKJV)

2. a reproach (TEV)

3. an idiom for "do what you came to do" (NASB, NRSV, JB)

The American Standard Version and the Williams translation agree that it is a statement of irony or purposeful understatement. However, King James and the Revised Standard Version see it as a question, also of veiled irony. The use of the term "friend" may have been an attempt to remind Judas of their discussions in the Upper Room (cf. Matt. 26:23) or an idiom of sarcasm (cf. Matt. 20:13; 22:12).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:51-54
⁵¹And behold, one of those who were with Jesus reached and drew out his sword, and struck the slave of the high priest and cut off his ear. ⁵²Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its place; for all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword. ⁵³Or do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels? ⁵⁴How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled, which say that it must happen this way?"

26:51 From the parallel in John 18:10 and Luke 22:50-51, we know that this was Peter and the servant was Malchus. The disciples had previously been admonished to buy swords (cf. Luke 22:36-38), but obviously, they had misunderstood Jesus' true meaning concerning this issue. It must be said on Peter's behalf that he was fully willing to die for his Lord at this point. In the face of great odds, he drew one of two swords. But, again, the inappropriateness and impulsiveness of his actions characterized his personality.

26:52 "all those who take up the sword shall perish by the sword" This was a cultural proverb (cf. Rev. 13:10). It was not meant to be taken as a literal truth in every individual example, but a characteristic truth that is obvious in itself. This is also like the biblical book of Proverbs. It may relate to the fact that Jesus was being arrested as a common criminal. His disciples then are also seen as bandits and robbers, those who carry swords! See Special Topic: Apollumi at Matt. 2:13.

26:53 Jesus knew who He was (cf. John 13:1). He knew the resources of His Father, but now He was resolved to die (cf. John 10:17-18)!

▣ "more than twelve legions of angels" A Roman legion had 6,000 men, but the term was also an idiom for several thousand.

see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE NUMBER TWELVE at Matt. 14:20.

26:54, 56 "How then will the Scriptures be fulfilled" If this phrase in Matt. 26:54 relates to the same phrase in Matt. 26:56, then this is a general statement that everything has happened according to a predetermined divine plan (cf. Luke 22:22; Acts 2:23; 3:18; 4:28). We know that John accompanied Jesus through the trials and the crucifixion and that Peter followed at a distance (cf. Matt. 26:58). Therefore, this is a general reference going back to Isa. 53:6. Jesus knew that events were proceeding just as they should to fulfill the Father's purpose.

It is possible that this refers to the sufferings Jesus had foretold the disciples several times (first in Matt. 16:21-28), involving a suffering, rejected Messiah (i.e., Gen. 3:15; Psalm 22; Isaiah 53; Zech. 9; 12).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:55-56
⁵⁵At that time Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as you would against a robber? Every day I used to sit in the temple teaching and you did not seize Me. ⁵⁶But all this has taken place to fulfill the Scriptures of the prophets." Then all the disciples left Him and fled.

26:55 Jesus brings into clear light the plotting of the religious leaders (cf. Matt. 12:14; John 11:53). They were seeking an opportunity to arrest Him away from the crowds of pilgrims and followers (cf. Matt. 26:4; Luke 22:2).

NASB, NKJV"robber"
NJB"brigand"

The term denotes a violent, lawless person (cf. Luke 10:30). It was later used in Josephus for an insurrectionist, like Barabbas (cf. Matt. 27:16-17).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:57-58
⁵⁷Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were gathered together. ⁵⁸But Peter was following Him at a distance as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and entered in, sat down with the officers to see the outcome.

26:57 "Those who had seized Jesus led Him away to Caiaphas, the high priest" From the parallel in John 18:12, we realize that He was taken first to the residence of Annas, who was really the power behind the office. Apparently Annas and Caiaphas lived in the same home. Selected members of the Sanhedrin were already being assembled there. The phrase, "the scribes and the elders," along with the High Priest, describes the full designation of the Sanhedrin.

SPECIAL TOPIC: Illegalities of the Sanhedrin's Night Trial, Matt. 26:57-68

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:59-64
⁵⁹Now the chief priests and the whole Council kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus, so that they might put Him to death. ⁶⁰They did not find any, even though many false witnesses came forward. But later on two came forward, ⁶¹and said, " This man stated, 'I am able to destroy the temple of God and to rebuild it in three days.'" ⁶²The high priest stood up and said to Him, "Do You not answer? What is it that these men are testifying against You?" ⁶³But Jesus kept silent. And the high priest said to Him, "I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God." ⁶⁴Jesus said to him, "You have said it yourself; nevertheless I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven."

26:59 "kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus" This seems to imply that they were looking for two witnesses who could agree on some charge because OT legal precedent required two witnesses to condemn a person (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15).

The Sanhedrin could not find two consistent testimonies against Jesus (Matt. 26:60-61). Finally they found two similar testimonies (cf. Mark 14:59) connected with Jesus' statement about destroying the temple (cf. John 2:19).

There were many illegal elements in this night trial (see Special Topic at Matt. 26:57). These Jewish leaders would have rationalized this by illegally sacrificing this one man to save the whole nation from Roman retaliation.

26:61 This is an allusion to Jesus' statement recorded in John 2:19, although He may have made the statement often. He is referring to the coming destruction of the temple in a.d. 70 by Titus and His new resurrection body (cf. Matt. 16:21; 17:23; 20:19), which will be the new focus of worship for YHWH's people. The sacrificial system is replaced by the once-and-for-all sacrifice of Christ (cf. Hebrews). The central focus of acceptance and worship has changed! Jesus is the new temple (cf. John 2:19-21), as are His followers (cf. 1 Cor. 3:16-17; 2 Cor. 6:19).

26:63 "But Jesus kept silent" This was also true during his later trial which was recorded in Matt 27:12, 14. This fulfilled the prophecy of Isa. 53:7.

▣ "And the high priest said to Him, 'I adjure You by the living God, that You tell us whether You are the Christ, the Son of God'" Self-incrimination by means of an oath was illegal but effective, for Jesus would not be silent in the face of an oath in the name of YHWH. The name "YHWH," from Exod. 3:14, was from the Hebrew verb "to be," which means the " ever-living, only-living God" (cf. Matt. 16:16). It was the covenant name for the God of Israel.

These leaders recognized that Jesus, at least by His words and deeds, was claiming to be the promised Messiah (note how the titles "Messiah" and "Son of God" are equated). They saw Him as one of many false Messiah's because He was not committed to the oral traditions and their authority.

26:64

NASB"You have said it yourself"
NKJV"It is as you said"
NRSV"You have said so"
TEV"So you say"
JB"The words are your own"
NJB"It is you who say it"

This same affirmative idiom is found in Matt. 26:25. It was somewhat ambiguous. Possibly Jesus was saying, "Yes, I am the Messiah, but not in the sense you think" (cf. Mark 14:62).

▣ "I tell you, hereafter you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming on the clouds of heaven" These Hebrew scriptural idioms affirmed His self-understanding. Being at the right hand of the power (i.e., YHWH) was an allusion to Ps. 110:1. Coming on the clouds in heaven was an allusion to Dan. 7:13 (cf. Mark 13:26; Matt. 24:30; and Rev. 1:7). With these OT phrases, Jesus was asserting unambiguously His full and divine Messiahship. He knew this would lead to His death for blasphemy (i.e., claiming to be equal with God).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:65-66
⁶⁵Then the high priest tore his robes and said, " He has blasphemed! What further need do we have of witnesses? Behold, you have now heard the blasphemy; ⁶⁶what do you think?" They answered, "He deserves death!"

26:65 "Then the high priest tore his robes" This was a sign of a deeply disturbed spirit caused by the blasphemy (cf. Acts 14:14). The penalty for blasphemy from Lev. 24:15 was death. Jesus deserved to die on the basis of Deut. 13:1-3 and 18:22 if He was not the Coming One, the Messiah, the Son of God, the Savior of the world. There is no middle ground here. Either He is who He claimed to be or He is a blasphemer who deserved death (cf. Josh McDowell's, Evidence That Demands a Verdict).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:67-68
⁶⁷Then they spat in His face and beat Him with their fists; and others slapped Him, ⁶⁸and said, "Prophesy to us, You Christ; who is the one who hit You?"

26:67-68 It is uncertain whether these acts were perpetrated by the members of the Sanhedrin themselves and by their attendants. Mark 14:65 states they blindfolded Him, hit Him, and demanded He tell them who did it! This may be a fulfillment of Isa. 53:3.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 26:69-75
⁶⁹Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." ⁷⁰But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about." ⁷¹When he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and said to those who were there, " This man was with Jesus of Nazareth." ⁷²And again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man." ⁷³A little later the bystanders came up and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; for even the way you talk gives you away." ⁷⁴Then he began to curse and swear, "I do not know the man!" And immediately a rooster crowed. ⁷⁵And Peter remembered the words which Jesus had said, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." And he went out and wept bitterly.

26:69-73 The exact order of these three accusations differs from Gospel to Gospel. The fact that Peter denied Jesus three times with successive emphasis is common to all of the accounts. The fact that they differ is evidence of eyewitness accounts, not historical inaccuracies.

26:71 "Jesus of Nazareth" See Special Topic at Matt. 2:23.

26:72 "I do not know the man" This Greek idiom was a veiled statement of contempt.

26:73 "for even the way you talk gives you away" Those who lived in Galilee could be recognized by the differences in accent and pronunciation of the guttural sounds of the Aramaic language.

26:74 "Then he began to curse and swear, 'I do not know the man'" This again was an idiom which reflected contempt and is tragic in that he used God's name in affirming this lie. If anyone deserved to be damned, it is Peter for, in the face of such love, forgiveness, prophecy and miracles, he denied, three times with vehemence and an oath, the One whom he claimed to love. If Peter can be saved, anyone can be saved! The only difference between Peter and Judas was that Judas did not turn back to Jesus in faith.

▣ "And immediately a rooster crowed" This must have been a Roman rooster for the Jews were not allowed to keep chickens in Jerusalem because they caused the ground to be unholy (see note on 26:34).

From Luke 22:61, we know that Jesus looked at Peter. This implies that Annas and Caiaphas lived in the same house and that Jesus could either see the courtyard or He was being transferred between the two residences.

26:75 "And he went out and wept bitterly" Peter was fulfilling prophecy in his denials and giving hope for all believers who have denied Jesus with their tongue, with their lives and with their priorities. There is hope for anyone who turns back to Him in faith (cf. John 21).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Jesus go to a place that Judas knew?

2. What so distressed Jesus in the garden that He felt he was almost going to die?

3. What is Jesus really asking God to do in this thrice repeated prayer?

4. Why did Judas bring such a large crowd to arrest Jesus?

5. Why did Jesus condemn Himself by His obvious statement in verse 64?

6. Why do the Gospel accounts differ as to the order of Peter's denials?

Matthew 27

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Jesus Brought Before Pilate	Jesus Handed Over to Pilate	Jesus Before Pilate	Jesus Taken to Pilate	Jesus is Taken Before Pilate
27:1-2	27:1-2	27:1-2	27:1-2	27:1-2
The Death of Judas	Judas Hangs Himself		The Death of Judas	The Death of Judas
27:3-10	27:3-10	27:3-10	27:3-4a	27:3-10
			27:4b
			27:5
			27:6-8
			27:9-10
Jesus is Questioned by Pilate	Jesus Faces Pilate		Pilate Questions Jesus	Jesus Before Pilate
27:11-14	27:11-14	27:11-14	27:11a	27:11-14
			27:11b-12
			27:13
			27:14
Jesus Sentenced to Die	Taking the Place of Barabbas		Jesus Sentenced to Death
27:15-26	27:15-26	27:15-23	27:15-18	27:15-18
			27:19	27:19
			27:20-21a	27:20-26
			27:21b
			27:22a
			27:22b
			27:23a
			27:23b
		27:24-26	27:24
			27:25
			27:26
The Soldiers Mock Jesus	The Soldiers Mock Jesus	The Crucifixion	The Soldiers Make Fun of Jesus	Jesus is Crowned with Thorns
27:27-31	27:27-31	27:27-31	27:27-31	27:27-31
The Crucifixion of Jesus	The King on a Cross		Jesus Nailed to the Cross	The Crucifixion
27:32-44	27:32-44	27:32-37	27:32-34	27:32-36
			27:35-38
				27:37-38
		27:38-44
				The Crucified Christ is Mocked
			27:39-40	27:39-44
			27:41-43
			27:44
The Death of Jesus	Jesus Dies on the Cross	The Death of Jesus	The Death of Jesus	The Death of Jesus
27:45-56	27:45-56	27:45-54	27:45-46	27:45-50
			27:47-48
			27:49
			27:50
			27:51-53	27:51-54
			27:54
		27:55-56	27:55-56	27:55-56
The Burial of Jesus	Jesus Buried in Joseph's Tomb		The Burial of Jesus	The Burial
27:57-61	27:57-61	27:57-61	27:57-61	27:57-61
The Guard at the Tomb	Pilate Sets the Guard		The Guard at the Grave	The Guard at the Tomb
27:62-66	27:62-66	27:62-66	27:62-64	27:62-66
			27:65
			27:66

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects. Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY FOR 27:1-56

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:1-2
¹Now when morning came, all the chief priests and the elders of the people conferred together against Jesus to put Him to death; ²and they bound Him, and led Him away and delivered Him to Pilate the governor.

27:1 "Now when morning came" Romans held court early each day, probably because of the heat. Most of the pilgrims and citizens of Jerusalem were not awake yet. It would have been around 6 a.m.

▣ "all the chief priests" The plural referred to the priestly family of Annas, who had purchased this office from the Romans. He was succeeded by several of his sons and sons-in-law.

▣ "conferred together" Jesus' statements in Matt. 26:64 condemned Him in their minds of blasphemy, which was punishable by stoning, but they wanted Him to bear the curse of crucifixion (cf. Deut. 21:23). Therefore, they had to come up with a charge that the Romans would act on. This is where the charge that He claimed to be King of the Jews was used as a political threat against Roman rule.

27:2 "bound Him" Jesus was bound during these trials possibly because (1) they were afraid of His performing magic to release Himself; (2) it was a way to humiliate Him; or (3) it was the common procedure with criminals.

▣ "Pilate the governor" Probably this took place at the Roman Fortress of Antonia which was built next to the Temple, although it could have been at Herod's palace, which was made available to the Roman officials when they were in Jerusalem. The Romans stationed extra troops from Caesarea by the Sea in Jerusalem during the Jewish feast days in case of riot (cf. Matt. 27:24). Pilate was appointed Governor from a.d. 26-36. History depicts him as a cruel, ruthless man.

It has been surmised that the Jewish leadership brought Jesus to Pilate

1. to fulfill Jesus' prophecy about being killed by Gentiles

2. to have the Romans crucify Him because in this day the Sanhedrin did not have the authority of capital punishment

However, Jesus was accused of blasphemy and, therefore, should have been stoned. The Jews did this very thing to Stephen in Acts 7 and did not ask permission from the Romans. I think these Jewish leaders wanted Jesus crucified to have the divine curse of Deut. 21:23 enacted on Him. They wanted this Messianic pretender cursed by God! Jesus did bear the "curse" (cf. Gal. 3:13; Col. 2:14) for us!

There is a Greek manuscript variation here. In several good ancient manuscripts Pilate's first name, Pontius, is present, (cf. MSS A, C, W, and the Vulgate). It also appears in Luke 3:1; Acts 4:27 and 1 Tim. 6:13. The two names are the norm in the early church literature. However, it is absent in MSS א, B, and L, as well as Mark 15:1 and Luke 23:1.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PONTIUS PILATE

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:3-10
³Then when Judas who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned, he felt remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, ⁴saying, "I have sinned by betraying innocent blood." But they said, "What is that to us? See to that yourself!" ⁵And he threw the pieces of silver into the temple sanctuary and departed; and he went away and hanged himself. ⁶The chief priests took the pieces of silver and said, "It is not lawful to put them into the temple treasury, since it is the price of blood." ⁷And they conferred together and with the money bought the Potter's Field as a burial place for strangers. ⁸For this reason that field has been called the Field of Blood to this day. ⁹Then that which was spoken through Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: "And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of the one whose price had been set by the sons of Israel; ¹⁰and they gave them for the Potter's Field, as the Lord directed me."

27:3 "Then when Judas who had betrayed Him, saw that He had been condemned" This phrase involves an ambiguous pronoun antecedent, He. The Williams and Phillips translations of the NT assume that it refers to Judas, but all the other modern translations refer this pronoun to Jesus. Notice the capital "He" in NASB. NIV, TEV, JB, and NRSV even insert the name "Jesus" for the pronoun.

▣ "he felt remorse" There were two words in Greek which translate "repentance." The one used here was not the normal word used in Matt. 3:2, which meant "a change of mind and actions." Here the word meant " sorrow afterwards" but with the implication of no real change (cf. Matt. 21:29; 2 Cor. 7:8). The best context in the NT to compare the connotations of these terms is 2 Cor. 7:8-10. See SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT at Matt. 3:2.

▣ "thirty pieces" This is an allusion to Zech. 11:12. This was the price of a gored slave (cf. Matt. 26:15; Exod. 21:32).

27:4 "innocent blood" There is a Greek manuscript variant at this point. All of the English translations which are compared in this commentary have "innocent." However, the ancient uncial manuscript B originally had "innocent," but a later copyist put "righteous" from Matt. 23:35. This was followed by the Vulgate and the Diatessaron. The Septuagint uses both adjectives to describe the noun "blood" ; " innocent" appears fourteen times and "righteous" appears four times in the LXX. UBS⁴ gives "innocent" a "B" rating (almost certain).

27:5 "into the Temple sanctuary" This Greek word usually referred to the Central Shrine made up of the Holy Place and Holy of Holies as separate from the complete Temple area (cf. John 2:9).

▣ "hanged himself" This was not a theological proof-text about suicide bringing damnation. There are several suicides mentioned in the OT: Judges 9:54; 16:30; 1 Sam. 31:4,5; 2 Sam. 17:23; 1 Kgs. 16:18. Nothing negative is ever said about these acts. It was Judas'lack of true repentance that sealed his lostness, not his taking his own life.

The account of Judas'death in Acts 1:18 does not contradict Matthew's account but supplements it. Apparently Judas hanged himself over a cliff and later the rope broke and his body fell and broke open.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ISCARIOT

27:6 "it is the price of blood" They had no qualms about giving the money for Jesus' betrayal, but they felt uncomfortable taking it back! What irony!

27:7 "they. . . bought the Potter's Field" This was possibly a clay quarry which had been depleted and, therefore was of little value. It may have been an allusion to Jer. 18-19. From Jerome's time (4^th century a.d.) it was said to have been in the valley of Hinnom near Jerusalem.

27:8 "Field of Blood" This translates the Aramaic term Hakeldama, found in Acts 1:19. Jerome's Vulgate puts the Aramaic term in this verse.

27:9 "spoken through Jeremiah the prophet" This is a direct quote from Zech. 11:12-13. Jeremiah 18:119 also speaks of a potter and Jer. 32:7-9 mentions the buying of a field. This has caused commentators great problems.

1. Augustine, Beza, Luther, and Keil said Matthew quoted the name Jeremiah in error

2. The Peshitta, a 5^th century a.d. Syriac translation and the Diatessaron just removed the prophet's name from the text

3. Origen and Eusebius said a copyist caused the problem

4. Jerome and Ewald said it is a quote from an apocryphal writing ascribed to Jeremiah

5. Mede said Jeremiah wrote Zechariah, chapters 9-11

6. Lightfoot and Scofield said Jeremiah was listed first in the Hebrew division of the canon known as "the prophets" and, therefore, his name stands for that section of the canon

7. Hengstenberg said that Zechariah quoted Jeremiah

8. Calvin said an error has crept into the text

9. F. F. Bruce and a JB footnote said it was a composite quote from Zechariah and Jeremiah

I think #6 is the best explanation.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:11-14
¹¹Now Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor questioned Him, saying, "Are You the King of the Jews?" And Jesus said to him, "It is as you say." ¹²And while He was being accused by the chief priests and elders, He did not answer. ¹³Then Pilate said to Him, "Do You not hear how many things they testify against You?" ¹⁴And He did not answer him with regard to even a single charge, so the governor was quite amazed.

27:11 "Are You the King of the Jews" This was the question which implied treason against Rome. It was the political issue that concerned Pilate.

27:11

NASB, NKJV"It is as you say"
NRSV"You say so"
TEV"So you say"
NJB"It is you who say it"

Jesus' answer was an enigmatic phrase which implied, "Yes!" but with qualification (cf. John 18:33-37), which shows His kingdom was not earthly.

27:12 "accused" See Luke 23:2.

▣ "He did not answer" This relates to the Messianic prophecy of Isa. 53:7. He answered Pilate in private, but would not address the charges in the presence of the Jewish leaders or Herod.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:15-18
¹⁵Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the people any one prisoner whom they wanted. ¹⁶At that time they were holding a notorious prisoner, called Barabbas. ¹⁷So when the people gathered together, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you? Barabbas, or Jesus who is called Christ?" ¹⁸For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over.

27:15 "the feast" This refers to the Passover, one of the three annual feasts which all Jewish males above the age of twenty were required to attend (cf. Lev. 23).

▣ "the governor was accustomed" There is no historical corroboration for this except Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 20.9.3.

27:16, 17 "Barabbas" Some later translations have " Jesus Barabbas," but this is not as much a textual option as a tradition. A good discussion is in Bruce Metzger's A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 67-68, from United Bible Societies. "Barabbas" meant son of a father or rabbi. He was truly guilty of the treasonous charge of which Jesus was accused.

27:18 "For he knew that because of envy they had handed Him over" Pilate tried several ways to release Jesus because of his contempt for the Jewish leaders and their manipulative practices.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:19-23
¹⁹While he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him a message, saying, "Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him." ²⁰But the chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas and to put Jesus to death. ²¹But the governor said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release me for you?" And they said, "Barabbas." ²²Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Crucify Him!" ²³And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they kept shouting all the more, saying, "Crucify Him!"

27:19 "his wife sent him a message, saying, 'Have nothing to do with that righteous Man; for last night I suffered greatly in a dream because of Him'" This information is unique to Matthew. They must have talked about Jesus. She used a Messianic title for Him, but how much she knew is uncertain! The irony is that a pagan woman saw what the Jewish leaders did not (cf. Matt. 27:54; John 1:11).

27:20 "put to death" See Special Topic: Apollumi at Matt. 2:13.

27:23 "Why, what evil has he done" Pilate was not convinced of Jesus' guilt. This text was a way for the early church (also the trials in Acts) to show that Christianity was not a threat to Roman rule.

▣ "they kept shouting all the more" An imperfect tense phrase, this could be rendered "they began shouting" or " they shouted again and again." This crowd was not the same as the pilgrims involved in the Triumphal Entry. This was possibly the friends of Barabbas who had gathered for the purpose of trying to gain his release! Some have seen this crowd as a set up by the Sanhedrin.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:24-26
²⁴When Pilate saw that he was accomplishing nothing, but rather that a riot was starting, he took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this Man's blood; see to that yourselves." ²⁵And all the people said, "His blood shall be on us and on our children!" ²⁶Then he released Barabbas for them; but after having Jesus scourged, he handed Him over to be crucified.

27:24 "a riot was starting" This was always a possibility during feasts with Jerusalem being so crowded with exuberant pilgrims. Rome always stationed extra troops from Caesarea in the Fortress Antonio during feast days.

▣ "washed his hands in front of the crowd" This was a Jewish custom, not a Roman practice (cf. Deut. 21:6-7; Ps. 26:6; 73:13).

27:25 "His blood shall be on us and on our children" This was a grave oath, especially in light of the OT view of corporate guilt (cf. Exod. 20:5-6; 2 Sam. 3:29). This was a self-curse! It was fulfilled in a.d. 70.

27:26 "scourged" This was a severe punishment! It is often fatal. It always preceded crucifixion, but it seems initially from John 19:1, 12 that this possibly was another attempt by Pilate to gain sympathy for Jesus.

The Gospels use different words to describe this brutal beating.

1. phragelloō in Matt. 27:26; Mark 15:15, translated by NASB as " scourged"

2. derō in Luke 22:63, translated by NASB as "beating"

3. mastigoō in John 19:1, translated by NASB as "scourged" (cf. Matt. 20:19; Mark 10:34; Luke 18:33)

This terrible beating always preceded crucifixion. It was so severe that many died from it. A person was unclothed and their hands tied to a stake in the ground. Then a whip of leather thongs with pieces of rock, metal, or bone braided into the end of the nine thongs was lashed across the exposed back. It is recorded that these thongs

1. blinded the victim

2. opened the ribs to the bone

3. knocked out teeth

There was no limit to the number of lashes given by the two soldiers, one on each side.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:27-31
²⁷Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the Praetorium and gathered the whole Roman cohort around Him. ²⁸They stripped Him and put a scarlet robe on Him. ²⁹And after twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on His head, and a reed in His right hand; and they knelt down before Him and mocked Him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" ³⁰They spat on Him, and took the reed and began to beat Him on the head. ³¹After they had mocked Him, they took the scarlet robe off Him and put His own garments back on Him, and led Him away to crucify Him.

27:27

NASB, NKJV,
NJB"Praetorium"
NRSV, TEV"the governor's headquarters"

This was located in the Fortress Antonio or at Herod's palace which became the Roman governor's residence when in Jerusalem. Some have surmised that it was the site of the soldiers'barracks.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PRÆTORIAN GUARD

▣ "cohort" This was about 600 men, but in reality, only some of them were on duty at one time.

27:28 "scarlet robe" This word comes from an insect which was used to dye clothes dark red. Mark 15:17 and John 19:2 have " purple." This was probably a faded Roman officer's red cloak. Purple was the color of royalty. The early church saw this as symbolic of Jesus' kingly position (as they did the stephanos crown of thorns). The ancients were not as precise in naming colors as moderns.

27:29-30 The soldiers take out their hostility toward the Jewish population on Jesus in their kingly mockery of Him. The "crown of thorns" may allude to (1) mocking Jesus' claim to kingship or (2) the curse of Gen. 3:18 (cf. Gal. 3:13). Thorns are a symbol of rejecting the gospel (cf. Heb. 6:8).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:32
³²As they were coming out, they found a man of Cyrene named Simon, whom they pressed into service to bear His cross.

27:32 "man of Cyrene named Simon" Cyrene is modern Libya, but the man's name is Jewish. The fact that he was in Jerusalem at this time says he was a Jew or a proselyte. There was a synagogue in Jerusalem for Cyrenian Jews (cf. Acts 6:9). His racial or ethnic background is uncertain, but he was probably a Jew of the Diaspora.

▣ "pressed into service" This is a Persian word used in Matt. 5:41. Occupying military forces had the right to command local citizens to perform certain tasks.

▣ "to bear His cross" Whether the cross-bar or the entire cross was carried to Golgotha is uncertain. The shape of the cross may have been a capital "T," a small "t," an "X," or a scaffolding holding several persons.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:33-34
³³And when they came to a place called Golgotha, which means Place of a Skull, ³⁴they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall; and after tasting it, He was unwilling to drink.

27:33 "Golgotha" This Hebrew word meant " skull." " Calvary" is from the Latin. The term referred to a low, bald hill, not a full skull.

27:34 "they gave Him wine to drink mixed with gall" The Babylonian Talmud says the women of Jerusalem gave this strong drink to condemned prisoners to ease their pain (cf. Mark 15:23, where "gall" means " myrrh"). This was possibly a prophetic reference to Psalm 69:21.

▣ "He was unwilling to drink" This has nothing to do with the modern denominational issue of total abstinence (see Special Topic at Matt. 26:29). Jesus does later accept the cheap wine of the soldiers (cf. Matt. 27:48). He is refusing to take anything to dull either the pain or His senses.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:35-37
³⁵And when they had crucified Him, they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots. ³⁶And sitting down, they began to keep watch over Him there. ³⁷And above His head they put up the charge against Him which read, "THIS IS JESUS THE KING OF THE JEWS."

27:35 "they crucified Him" The Gospels do not dwell on the physical aspect of Jesus' death (cf. Ps. 22:16). This form of death was developed in Mesopotamia and was taken over by the Greeks and Romans. It was meant to be an extended, excruciating death taking several days. Its purpose was to humiliate and cause fear as a deterrent to rebellion against Rome. A thorough article is in the Zondervan Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia, Vol. 1, pp. 1040-42.

▣ "they divided up His garments among themselves by casting lots" This is an allusion to Ps. 22:18. Jesus was possibly naked or, more probably, clothed in just His loin cloth.

The Textus Receptus manuscripts add to the text several phrases that come from John 19:24, which quoted Ps. 22:18; these however are not original in Matthew. These additions are not in the Greek uncial manuscripts א , A, B, D, L, or W, nor in the Latin or Syriac translations.

"Casting lots" is used in the NT both as a game of chance, as here, and a way of knowing God's will as in Acts 1:26. This followed the OT precedent of the Urim and Thummim. This mechanical means of knowing God's will has passed away. This shows that the Bible records things that it does not necessarily advocate. Another good example of this same idea would be Gideon's fleece (cf. Jdgs. 6:36-40).

27:37 "the charge against Him" From John 19:20 we learn the charge was written in three languages (Aramaic, Latin and Greek). Pilate worded it on purpose in such a way so as to anger the Jewish leaders. The charge is given differently in the four Gospels:

Matthew: "This is Jesus the King of the Jews"

Mark: "The King of the Jews" (cf. Mark 15:26)

Luke: "This is the King of the Jews" (cf. Luke 23:38)

John: "Jesus the Nazarene, the King of the Jews" (cf. John 19:19)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:38-44
³⁸At that time two robbers were crucified with Him, one on the right and one on the left. ³⁹And those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads ⁴⁰and saying, "You who are going to destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save Yourself! If You are the Son of God, come down from the cross." ⁴¹In the same way the chief priests also, along with the scribes and elders, were mocking Him and saying, ⁴²"He saved others; He cannot save Himself. He is the King of Israel; let Him now come down from the cross, and we will believe in Him. ⁴³He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him; for He said, 'I am the Son of God.'" ⁴⁴The robbers who had been crucified with Him were also insulting Him with the same words.

27:38 "two robbers were crucified with Him" This is an allusion to Isa. 53:12. Josephus'use of this term "robbers" suggests these may have been "zealots," like Barabbas.

27:39 "those passing by were hurling abuse at Him, wagging their heads" This is an allusion to Ps. 22:7. Golgotha must have been near a main roadway into Jerusalem. The purpose of crucifixion was to deter crime and revolt.

27:40 "If You are the Son of God" This is a first class conditional sentence, which the speaker assumes to be true for the purpose of making a point (cf. Matt. 4:3). These leaders had no doubt who Jesus claimed to be!

27:41 "chief priest. . .scribes. . .elders" This was the full designation of the Sanhedrin.

27:43 "He trusts in God; let God rescue Him now, if He delights in Him" This is a quote from Ps. 22:8. This psalm of David describes Jesus' crucifixion in amazing detail.

27:44 Matthew states that both of the zealots crucified with Jesus insulted Him at first, but Luke 23:39 says only one of the criminals hurled abuses at Him. Again this is not contradictory but complementary. They were both angry and insolent at first, but one mellowed and repented.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:45-54
⁴⁵Now from the sixth hour darkness fell upon all the land until the ninth hour. ⁴⁶About the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?" that is, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?" ⁴⁷And some of those who were standing there, when they heard it, began saying, "This man is calling for Elijah." ⁴⁸Immediately one of them ran, and taking a sponge, he filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and gave Him a drink. ⁴⁹But the rest of them said, " Let us see whether Elijah will come to save Him." ⁵⁰And Jesus cried out again with a loud voice, and yielded up His spirit. ⁵¹And behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth shook and the rocks were split. ⁵²The tombs were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised; ⁵³and coming out of the tombs after His resurrection they entered the holy city and appeared to many. ⁵⁴Now the centurion, and those who were with him keeping guard over Jesus, when they saw the earthquake and the things that were happening, became very frightened and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"

27:45 "from the sixth hour. . .until the ninth hour" This refers to Roman time (i.e., noon to 3 p.m.). It is often difficult to know, especially in John's gospel, if the time designations are referring to Roman time, which begins at dawn, or Jewish time which begins at evening. Here it is obvious.

▣ "darkness" Darkness was one of the plagues on Egypt which turned into a covenant curse if God's commands were not kept (cf. Exod. 10:21ff; Deut. 28:29; Joel 2:10; and Amos 8:9). Theologically, it was a symbol of God's turning away from His Son as He bore the sins of the world. This personal spiritual separation, as well as the burden of all the sins of all mankind, was what Jesus feared most.

27:46 "Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani"Jesus combines Hebrew and Aramaic words from Ps. 22:1. Matthew and Mark (Mark 15:34) use slightly different words. Matthew translates them for his readers, who spoke only Aramaic. From Matt. 27:47 it is obvious Jesus' words were misunderstood by the crowd gathered to watch the crucifixion.

▣ "My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me" These are the first words of Psalm 22. By quoting them Jesus wants to bring to His hearers'minds the complete Psalm. Jesus was experiencing separation from God, the last great experience of sinful mankind (cf. Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:21). However, the Psalm also expresses faith in YHWH's faithfulness!

27:47 "This man is calling for Elijah" Elijah was to be the precursor of the Messiah (cf. Mal. 4:5). It is probable that Jesus' Aramaic "Eloi" (cf. Mark 15:34) or possibly "Eliya" sounded like the name of the prophet.

27:48

NASB, NKJV,
NRSV"sour wine"
TEV"cheap wine"
NJB"vinegar"

This was the cheap wine that the soldiers drank. Offering this wine was not an act of compassion on the part of the soldiers, but a way to prolong the agony of the crucifixion. Jesus took some because His mouth was so dry that He could not speak (cf. Ps. 22:15). This may have fulfilled Ps. 69:21

27:49 At this point there is another added phrase from John 19:34. It is absent in the ancient Greek uncial manuscripts A, D, K, and the Greek texts of Origen, Jerome, and Augustine, but present in א , B, C, and L. It is hard to decide on the originality of this passage because (1) it seems to be an assimilation from John; (2) it seems to be out of chronological order; yet (3) it is present in several good manuscripts. Was Jesus pierced before He died? The UBS⁴ gives the shorter text a "B" rating (almost certain). In the context of Matthew, Jesus had not died yet!

27:50 "Jesus cried out again with a loud voice" Compare John 19:30; Ps. 22:15; Luke 23:46; Ps. 31:5.

27:51 "the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom" This was the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies, called the inner veil (cf. Exod. 26:31-35). This act by God indicated that the way was now open for all to come to God! It was torn from the top, which symbolized God's act of removing barriers to His presence and making Himself accessible to all people.

27:52 "the tombs were opened" This was caused by the earthquake (cf. Matt. 27:54). Exactly when the people came back to life is uncertain. This resuscitation seems linked to Jesus' resurrection (cf. Matt. 27:53). But the text seems to place the event at Jesus' death. There is ambiguity here as to who, when, where and why. This information is unique to Matthew.

▣ "saints" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SAINTS

▣ "who had fallen asleep" Sleep is an OT euphemism for death (i.e., used mostly in Kings and Chronicles). This is not a proof-text for the theory of "soul sleep." The Scripture must be interpreted in light of the meaning of the words to the first hearers/readers!

27:54

NASB, NKJV"Truly this was the Son of God!"
NRSV"Truly the man was God's Son!"
TEV"He really was the Son of God!"
NJB"In truth this was a son of God!"

There is no article with "son." This soldier was surely impressed by all that happened. He asserts Jesus was "a son of God." However, in the parallel in Luke 23:47 he is proclaiming Jesus as " righteous" or "innocent." The irony is that this Roman soldier saw what the Jewish leaders did not (cf. Matt. 27:19; John 1:11).

This is literally "this man was a son of God." The image of God in mankind has been restored! Intimate fellowship is again possible. However the absence of the article does not automatically mean it is not definite (cf. Matt. 4:3,6; 14:33; 27:43; and Luke 4:3,9). This was a hardened Roman soldier. He had seen many men die (cf. Matt. 27:54). This may be "the focal passage" of Mark because this Gospel was specifically written to Romans. Mark's Gospel has many Latin words and very few OT quotes. Also Jewish customs and Aramaic phrases are translated and explained. Here is a Roman centurion professing faith in a crucified Jewish insurrectionist!

It is possibly purposeful that passers by, chief priests, and even fellow prisoners mock Jesus, but a Roman centurion responds in affirmation and awe!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF GOD

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:55-56
⁵⁵Many women were there looking on from a distance, who had followed Jesus from Galilee while ministering to Him. ⁵⁶Among them was Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons of Zebedee.

27:55 "many women" Mark 15:40 has a parallel list. These women were traveling companions of Jesus and the Twelve. They may have even supported Jesus and the Disciples financially as well as cooking for them and meeting the needs of other women who Jesus and the Apostles ministered to. See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN WHO TRAVELED WITH JESUS AND HIS DISCIPLES

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did the Sanhedrin go to Pilate? Why not kill Jesus by stoning?

2. How is Judas'repentance different from Peter's?

3. Why does Pilate try to release Jesus?

4. What is the purpose of finding so many OT allusions to Christ's death?

5. Why did it turn dark when Jesus was on the cross? Why did Jesus feel forsaken?

6. List the signs that followed Jesus' death. What was their purpose?

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY (The context includes 27:57-28:20)

(The parallels to this Gospel are in Mark 15:42-16:8, Luke 23:50-24:12, John 19:30-20:10)

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:57-61
⁵⁷When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph, who himself had also become a disciple of Jesus. ⁵⁸This man went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus. Then Pilate ordered it to be given to him. ⁵⁹And Joseph took the body and wrapped it in a clean linen cloth, ⁶⁰and laid it in his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock; and he rolled a large stone against the entrance of the tomb and went away. ⁶¹And Mary Magdalene was there, and the other Mary, sitting opposite the grave.

27:57 "When it was evening" This phrase means it was close to the beginning of the Passover which began at 6:00 p.m. or twilight. The Jews had two evenings. The first at 3 p.m. and the second at 6 p.m., which started a new day.

▣ "a rich man from Arimathea, named Joseph" Several passages describe this man.

1. he was rich and a disciple of Jesus (cf. Matt. 27:57)

2. he was a highly honored member of the Sanhedrin (cf. Mark 15:43)

3. he was a good and upright man (cf. Luke 23:50)

4. he was a secret disciple of Jesus for fear of the Jews (cf. John 19:38)

27:57-58 This was a brave act on the part of Joseph for the following reasons.

1. he was publicly identifying himself with a man convicted of treason

2. he was willing to be ceremonially unclean for the Passover

3. this would surely ostracize him from the Sanhedrin

27:59 Joseph hurried to prepare Jesus' body before 6 p.m., which started Passover. The exact time when the stone was rolled into place is uncertain. It was before 6 p.m. However brief the time, it was counted as one day in the three days Jesus was in the grace.

27:60 "his own new tomb, which he had hewn out in the rock" This is a fulfillment of the prophecy of Isa. 53:9.

27:61 "Mary Magdalene" See Matt. 27:55-56 for a listing of the three women.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 27:62-66
⁶²Now on the next day, the day after the preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together with Pilate, ⁶³and said, "Sir, we remember that when He was still alive that deceiver said, 'After three days I am to rise again.'⁶⁴Therefore, give orders for the grave to be made secure until the third day, otherwise His disciples may come and steal Him away and say to the people, 'He has risen from the dead,'and the last deception will be worse than the first." ⁶⁵Pilate said to them, "You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how." ⁶⁶And they went and made the grave secure, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone.

27:62-66 This account is unique to Matthew (cf. Matt. 28:2-4,11-15).

27:62 "Now on the next day, the day after the preparation" This is an obvious reference to the Sabbath. Being in Pilate's presence and court would have made the Jewish leaders ceremonially unclean and thus unable to participate in the Passover. This very act shows how fearful they were of Jesus and His power and predictions.

▣ "the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered together" It is so ironic (1) that they met at all; (2) that it was the Sabbath of Passover week; (3) that the Sadducees did not even believe in the resurrection; and (4) that they became powerful, though unwilling, witnesses to the resurrection!

27:63 It is ironic that Pilate is called Kurie (translated "sir") by these Jewish leaders and Jesus the Lord is called "that deceiver."

NASB, NKJV"that deceiver"
NRSV, NJB"that impostor"
TEV"that liar"

This word (planos) may be literally rendered "wanderer," explaining the derivation of our English word "planet" from the same term for " wandering" celestial lights. It originally referred to the orbit of planets that did not follow the standard pattern of the constellations. The term had a negative connotation in Greek. It was applied to errors or liars.

NASB"After three days I am to arise again"
NKJV"After three days I will rise"
NRSV, NJB"After three days I will rise again"
TEV"I will be raised to life three days later"

Literally, "after three days I am raised." This is a present passive. The context implies that Pilate assigned Roman soldiers to guard the tomb. The Jewish leaders knew of Jesus' predictions (cf. Matt. 12:40; 16:4) and feared them. The disciples were surprised by the resurrection-what irony!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE RESURRECTION

27:65 "You have a guard" This is an idiom (i.e., an imperative, not an indicative) for permission to the Jewish delegation for Roman soldiers to guard the tomb.

▣ "go, make it as secure as you know how" " Go" is a present active imperative followed by an aorist middle (deponent) imperative. There is a bit of sarcasm here (i.e., "as you know how"). These priestly leaders were no friends of Pilate, but they shared a desire of political expediency.

27:66 "they went" This refers to the representatives of the Jewish leadership and the Roman soldiers. These leaders wanted to make sure the tomb was sealed and guarded! Their representatives may even have helped seal the tomb themselves!

The phrase "the living God" is a word play on the title YHWH (cf. Exod. 3:14; Ps. 42:2; 84:2; Matt. 16:16). This same word play is often found in biblical oaths, "as the Lord lives."

▣ "made the grave secure" This referred to an official sealing which used two blobs of wax placed at the juncture of the round stone and the wall of the tomb imprinted with an official Roman seal, with a string between them.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Was Joseph of Arimathea present at the night trial?

2. Why was Pilate so willing to have the bodies disposed of?

3. List the prophet's predictions in this section.

4. What role did the women who followed the apostolic group serve?

5. Explain the irony of Matt. 27:64 and the sarcasm of Matt. 27:65.

Matthew 28

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Resurrection of Jesus	He Is Risen	The First Easter	The Resurrection	The Empty Tomb; The Angel's Message
28:1-10	28:1-8	28:1-10	28:1-4	28:1-8
			28:5-7
			28:8
	The Women Worship the Risen Lord			Appearance to the Women
	28:9-10		28:9-10	28:9-10
The Report of the Guard	The Soldiers are Bribed	Bribing the Guard	The Report of the Guard	Precautions Taken by the Leaders of the People
28:11-15	28:11-15	28:11-15	28:11-14	28:11-15
			28:15
The Commissioning of the Disciples	The Great Commission	Jesus' Commission to His Disciples	Jesus Appears to His Disciples	Appearance in Galilee; The Mission to the World
28:16-20	28:16-20	28:16-20	28:16-20	28:16-20

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 28:1-7
¹Now after the Sabbath, as it began to dawn toward the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary came to look at the grave. ²And behold, a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone and sat upon it. ³And his appearance was like lightning, and his clothing as white as snow. ⁴The guards shook for fear of him and became like dead men. ⁵The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; for I know that you are looking for Jesus who has been crucified. ⁶He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where he was lying. ⁷Go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead; and behold, He is going ahead of you into Galilee, there you will see Him; behold, I have told you."

28:1 "after the Sabbath" This Greek phrase refers to sundown on Saturday (cf. Vulgate "on the Sabbath evening"). In Mark the Greek phrase refers to sunrise on Sunday. There is much confusion in the chronology of the last week of Jesus' life, especially events surrounding the resurrection. It is the mentioning of the term "dawning" that causes one to think that the reference may be to Roman time, not Jewish time. There are instances of both being used in the Gospels.

▣ "Mary of Magdalene and the other Mary" Both Mark 16:1 and Luke 24:10 mention other women, while John 20:1 mentions Mary of Magdalene alone.

28:2 "a severe earthquake had occurred, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled away the stone" This is unique to Matthew. Two explanations for how the stone was removed are given side by side. There must have been two earthquakes (1) one at Jesus' death in Matt. 27:54, and (2) another to remove the stone and allow Jesus' followers inside the empty tomb. See note on "an angel of the Lord" at Matt. 1:20.

28:3 "and His appearance was like lightning" This is a reference to the angel who was wearing white linen cloth, a symbol of purity. Luke 24:4 and John 20:12 record two angels. This variation between one or two persons or angels is common among the Gospels, but the number is reversed, usually it is Matthew's Gospel that has "two." Other examples are: (1) the Gadarene demoniac (Mark 5:1; Luke 8:26) and the two demoniacs (Matt. 8:28); and (2) the blind man (Mark 10:46; Luke 18:35) and two blind men (Matt. 20:30).

28:5 "Do not be afraid" This is exactly what Jesus told them in verse 10. It was the common statement when the supernatural realm broke into the natural.

1. Jesus' words in Matt. 14:27; 17:7; 28:10; Mark 6:50; Luke 5:10; 12:32; John 6:20; Rev. 1:17

2. angels in Matt. 28:5; Luke 1:13, 30; 2:10

28:6 "He has risen" In this context the Father's acceptance and approval of the Son's words and works are expressed in two great events.

1. Jesus' resurrection from the dead

2. Jesus' ascension to the Father's right hand

See SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA) at Mark 10:37b.

28:7 "He is going ahead of you into Galilee" Jesus had told them He would meet them on a mountain in Galilee (cf. Matt. 26:32, 28:7, 10; 1 Cor. 15:6). This was a way to assert His resurrection and give them hope. He had a final message for them (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:46-47; Acts 1:8).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 28:8-10
⁸And they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to report it to His disciples. ⁹And behold, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they came up and took hold of His feet and worshiped Him. ¹⁰Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and take word to My brethren to leave for Galilee, and there they will see Me."

28:8 Fear and great joy characterize the first resurrection encounters. The spiritual realm breaking into physical reality also caused fear (which was to cease, cf. Matt. 28:10, but the great joy would continue), but this time it was the message of the risen Christ which brought "great joy" and still does!

They ran to report it. This is the same thrust as Matt. 28:19-20. The followers must go and tell!

28:9

NASB"and greeted them"
NKJV"rejoice"
NRSV, NJB"Greetings"
TEV"Peace be to you"

This was Jesus' common greeting. It came from a word that meant "rejoice."

SPECIAL TOPIC: Jesus' POST RESURRECTION APPEARANCES

▣ "they" Characteristically, Mark and Luke named one women, while Matthew named two.

▣ "took hold of His feet" John 20:17 records only Mary taking hold of Jesus' feet. This was the oriental way of showing submission, respect, and even worship.

28:10 "My brethren" What a designation for these fearful disciples (cf. Matt. 12:15)!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 28:11-15
¹¹Now while they were on their way, some of the guard came into the city and reported to the chief priests all that had happened. ¹²And when they had assembled with the elders and consulted together, they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers, ¹³and said, " You are to say, 'His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep.'¹⁴And if this should come to the governor's ears, we will win him over and keep you out of trouble." ¹⁵And they took the money and did as they had been instructed; and this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day.

28:11 It is surprising that Roman guards reported to Jewish priests! Some of these must have told Matthew!

28:12 "they gave a large sum of money to the soldiers" What these soldiers must have thought, knowing the truth and telling a lie!

These Jewish leaders (i.e., Sanhedrin) would do anything to destroy Jesus. They

1. used betrayal to find and arrest Jesus

2. held an illegal night trial to accuse Him

3. used lying witnesses to charge Him

4. then used bribery to silence witnesses

28:13 "His disciples came by night and stole Him away while we were asleep" If they were sleeping, how did they know the disciples stole His body? However, this account does emphasize that by the report of the Roman guards, the women, and the disciples, the tomb is empty.

28:14 "keep you out of trouble" Roman guards falling asleep at their posts was a grave offense, sometimes punishable by death.

28:15 "this story was widely spread among the Jews, and is to this day" Remember that Matthew was written for a Jewish audience. A similar account was given in Justin Martyr's (a.d. 114-115) Dialogue with Trytho (i.e., 108). It was the Sadducees and Romans who were to prevent the body of Jesus from being stolen.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 28:16-20
¹⁶But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated. ¹⁷When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some were doubtful. ¹⁸And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, ²⁰teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age."

28:16 "But the eleven disciples proceeded to Galilee, to the mountain which Jesus had designated" Jesus had told the disciples earlier (cf. Matt. 26:32; 27:7,10) that He would meet them there. If they had listened closely they would have expected the resurrection, but they did not. This was not the mount of Ascension. Jesus' ascension took place on the Mount of Olives forty days after the resurrection (cf. Luke 24:50-51; Acts 1:4-11).

28:17

NASB"but some were doubtful"
NKJV, NRSV"but some doubted"
TEV"some of them doubted"
NJB"some hesitated"

This could not refer to the 120 disciples who had seen Him three times in Jerusalem in the Upper Room. Possibly it refers to the larger number of followers (upward of 500) that Paul mentioned in 1 Cor. 15:6. Apparently Jesus appeared at a distance and walked closer to them. There was some physical difference in Jesus' appearance after the resurrection (cf. John 20:14; 21:4; Luke 24:13,31).

The significance of this is that the Great Commission was not given to the Apostles alone, not even the hundred and twenty disciples of the Upper Room, but to the whole church. It is for all Christians, not just the church's leadership! It was given on at least three different occasions.

1. upper room, resurrection evening (cf. Luke 24:46-47; John 20:21)

2. on a mountain in Galilee (cf. Matthew 28)

3. on the Mount of Olives just before the ascension (cf. Acts 1:8).

28:18 "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth" What a tremendous statement (cf. Matt. 11:27; Luke 10:22; John 3:35; 13:3; Eph. 1:20-22; Col. 1:16-19; 2:10; 1 Pet. 3:22)! Jesus must have been either the Messiah or a liar. His resurrection confirmed His claims!

28:19 "Go" This is an aorist passive (deponent)participle used as an imperative. This should not be interpreted "as you are going" because this would translate a present imperative, not an aorist. "Going" may be the most accurate option. All Christians are commanded to be lifestyle witnesses (cf. 1 Pet. 3:15 and possibly Col. 4:2-6). It is a priority. This is the Great Commission-not the Great Option.

▣ "make disciples" This is an aorist active imperative. The term "disciples" meant "learners." The Bible does not emphasize decisions, but lifestyle faith. The key to evangelism is discipleship. However, discipleship must start with a repentant faith profession and continue in the same way unto obedience and perseverance.

▣ "of all the nations" This must have been a shocking statement to the Jews, but it follows Dan. 7:14 which speaks of a universal, eternal kingdom (cf. Revelation 5). This is a reversal of Jesus' previous orders (cf. Matt. 10:5-6). Notice the number of times that the inclusive "all" appears in this paragraph.

See SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN at Matt. 24:14.

▣ "baptizing" This is a present active participle used as an imperative. This is balanced with "teach" (v.20). The two purposes of the Church are evangelism and discipleship. They are two sides of one coin. They cannot and must not be separated!

SPECIAL TOPIC: BAPTISM

▣ "in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit" This three-Person formula may reflect Isa. 42:1. Notice "in the name" is singular. The name of God is Triune (cf. Matt. 3:16-17; John 14:26; Acts 2:32-33, 38-39; Rom. 1:4-5; 5:1,5; 8:1-4, 8-10; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21; 13:14;Gal. 4:4-6; Eph. 1:3-14, 17; 2:18; 3:14-17; 4:4-6; 1 Thess. 1:2-5; 2 Thess. 2:13; Titus 3:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2; Jude 20-21). See Special Topics: The Trinity at Matt. 3:17 and The Personhood of the Spirit at Matt. 12:31.

The baptismal formula of Acts 2:38, "in Jesus' name," cannot be exclusive to this formula in the Great Commission. Salvation is a series of acts both initial and continual: repentance, faith, obedience, and perseverance. It is not a liturgical formula or sacramental procedure. It is an intimate, daily, growing, personal relationship with God. This was/is the purpose of creation.

28:20 "teaching them" This is a present active participle used as an imperative. Notice that "what we teach" is not simply facts about Jesus, but obedience to all of His teachings. Christian maturity involves

1. a repentant faith profession

2. a life of Christlike living

3. a growing doctrinal understanding

▣ "I am with you always" This is emphatic. The personal presence of Jesus is always with believers. Emmanuel came (cf. Matt. 1:23) and remains! There is a real fluidity between the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the indwelling Son (cf. Rom. 8:9-10; 2 Cor. 3:17; Gal. 4:6; Phil. 1:19; Col. 1:27). In John 14:23 both the Father and the Son indwell believers. In reality all three persons of the divine essence participate in all redemptive events. The One who has "all authority" and who is "with us always" has commanded us to evangelize and disciple all nations (note the four uses of "all" in the Great commission). With His presence and power we can to it!

▣ "to the end of the age" This refers to the two Jewish ages and was a reference to the Second Coming or consummation of the Kingdom of God. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME at Matt. 12:31.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought provoking, not definitive.

1. Why do the accounts of the events of the resurrection differ so greatly between the four Gospels?

2. Why did God move the boulder when Jesus was already gone?

3. Why did the women visit the tomb? How many times? How many women?

4. Why did Jesus meet with His disciples in Galilee?

5. What is the implication that the Great Commission was given to the church as a whole, not the leadership?

Appendix 7: Abbreviations Used In This Commentary

AB	Anchor Bible Commentaries, ed. William Foxwell Albright and David Noel Freedman
ABD	Anchor Bible Dictionary (6 vols.), ed. David Noel Freedman
AKOT	Analytical Key to the Old Testament by John Joseph Owens
ANET	Ancient Near Eastern Texts, James B. Pritchard
BDB	A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by F. Brown, S. R. Driver and C. A. Briggs
IDB	The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible (4 vols.), ed. George A. Buttrick
ISBE	International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (5 vols.), ed. James Orr
JB	Jerusalem Bible
JPSOA	The Holy Scriptures According to the Masoretic Text: A New Translation (The Jewish Publication Society of America)
KB	The Hebrew and Aramaic Lexicon of the Old Testament by Ludwig Koehler and Walter Baumgartner
LAM	The Holy Bible From Ancient Eastern Manuscripts (the Peshitta) by George M. Lamsa
LXX	Septuagint (Greek-English) by Zondervan, 1970
MOF	A New Translation of the Bible by James Moffatt
MT	Masoretic Hebrew Text
NAB	New American Bible Text
NASB	New American Standard Bible
NEB	New English Bible
NET	NET Bible: New English Translation, Second Beta Edition
NRSV	New Revised Standard Bible
NIDOTTE	New International Dictionary of Old Testament Theology and Exegesis (5 vols.), ed. Willem A. VanGemeren
NIV	New International Version
NJB	New Jerusalem Bible
OTPG	Old Testament Passing Guide by Todd S. Beall, William A. Banks and Colin Smith
REB	Revised English Bible
RSV	Revised Standard Version
SEPT	The Septuagint (Greek-English) by Zondervan, 1970
TEV	Today's English Version from United Bible Societies
YLT	Young's Literal Translation of the Holy Bible by Robert Young
ZPBE	Zondervan Pictorial Bible Encyclopedia (5 vols.), ed. Merrill C. Tenney

Appendix 8: Glossary

Adoptionism. This was one of the early views of Jesus' relation to deity. It basically asserted that Jesus was a normal human in every way and was adopted in a special sense by God at his baptism (cf. Matt. 3:17; Mark 1:11) or at His resurrection (cf. Rom. 1:4). Jesus lived such an exemplary life that God, at some point, (baptism, resurrection) adopted Him as His "son" (cf. Rom. 1:4; Phi. 2:9). This was an early church and eighth century minority view. Instead of God becoming a man (the Incarnation) it reverses this and now man becomes God!

It is difficult to verbalize how Jesus, God the Son, pre-existent deity, was rewarded or extolled for an exemplary life. If He was already God, how could He be rewarded? If He had pre-existent divine glory how could He be honored more? Although it is hard for us to comprehend, the Father somehow honored Jesus in a special sense for His perfect fulfillment of the Father's will.

Alexandrian School. This method of biblical interpretation was developed in Alexandria, Egypt in the second century a.d. It uses the basic interpretive principles of Philo, who was a follower of Plato. It is often called the allegorical method. It held sway in the church until the time of the Reformation. Its most able proponents were Origen and Augustine. See Moises Silva, Has The Church Misread The Bible? (Academic, 1987)

Alexandrinus. This fifth-century Greek manuscript from Alexandria, Egypt includes the Old Testament, Apocrypha, and most of the New Testament. It is one of our major witnesses to the entire Greek New Testament (except parts of Matthew, John, and II Corinthians). When this manuscript, which is designated "A," and the manuscript designated "B" (Vaticanus) agree on a reading, it is considered to be original by most scholars in most instances.

Allegory. This is a type of Biblical interpretation which originally developed within Alexandrian Judaism. It was popularized by Philo of Alexandria. Its basic thrust is the desire to make the Scripture relevant to one's culture or philosophical system by ignoring the Bible's historical setting and/or literary context. It seeks a hidden or spiritual meaning behind every text of Scripture. It must be admitted that Jesus, in Matthew 13, and Paul, in Galatians 4, used allegory to communicate truth. This, however, was in the form of typology, not strictly allegory.

Analytical lexicon. This is a type of research tool which allows one to identify every Greek form in the New Testament. It is a compilation, in Greek alphabetical order, of forms and basic definitions. In combination with an interlinear translation, it allows non-Greek reading believers to analyze New Testament Greek grammatical and syntactic forms.

Analogy of Scripture. This is the phrase used to describe the view that all of the Bible is inspired by God and is, therefore, not contradictory but complementary. This presuppositional affirmation is the basis for the use of parallel passages in interpreting a biblical text.

Ambiguity. This refers to the uncertainty that results in a written document when there are two or more possible meanings or when two or more things are being referred to at the same time. It is possible that John uses purposeful ambiguity (double entendres).

Anthropomorphic. Meaning "having characteristics associated with human beings," this term is used to describe our religious language about God. It comes from the Greek term for mankind. It means that we speak about God as if He were a man. God is described in physical, sociological, and psychological terms which relate to human beings (cf. Gen. 3:8; I Kgs. 22:19-23). This, of course, is only an analogy. However, there are no categories or terms other than human ones for us to use. Therefore, our knowledge of God, though true, is limited.

Antiochian School. This method of biblical interpretation was developed in Antioch, Syria in the third century a.d. as a reaction to the allegorical method of Alexandria, Egypt. Its basic thrust was to focus on the historical meaning of the Bible. It interpreted the Bible as normal, human literature. This school became involved in the controversy over whether Christ had two natures (Nestorianism) or one nature (fully God and fully man). It was labeled heretical by the Roman Catholic Church and relocated to Persia but the school had little significance. Its basic hermeneutical principles later became interpretive principles of the Classical Protestant Reformers (Luther and Calvin).

Antithetical. This is one of three descriptive terms used to denote the relationship between lines of Hebrew poetry. It relates to lines of poetry which are opposite in meaning (cf. Pro. 10:1, 15:1).

Apocalyptic literature. This was predominantly, possibly even uniquely, a Jewish genre. It was a cryptic type of writing used in times of invasion and occupation of the Jews by foreign world powers. It assumes that a personal, redemptive God created and controls world events, and that Israel is of special interest and care to Him. This literature promises ultimate victory through God's special effort.

It is highly symbolic and fanciful with many cryptic terms. It often expressed truth in colors, numbers, visions, dreams, angelic mediation, secret code words and often a sharp dualism between good and evil.

Some examples of this genre are (1) in the OT, Ezekiel (chapters 36-48), Daniel (chapters 7-12), Zechariah; and (2) in the NT, Matthew 24; Mark 13; II Thessalonians 2 and Revelation.

Apologist (Apologetics). This is from the Greek root for "legal defense." This is a specific discipline within theology which seeks to give evidence and rational arguments for the Christian faith.

A priori. This is basically synonymous with the term "presupposition." It involves reasoning from previously accepted definitions, principles or positions which are assumed to be true. It is that which is accepted without examination or analysis.

Arianism. Arius was a presbyter in the church at Alexandria Egypt in the third and early fourth century. He affirmed that Jesus was pre-existent but not divine (not of the same essence as the Father), possibly following Proverbs 8:22-31. He was challenged by the bishop of Alexandria, who started (a.d. 318) a controversy which lasted many years. Arianism became the official creed of the Eastern Church. The Council of Nicaea in a.d. 325 condemned Arius and asserted the full equality and deity of the Son.

Aristotle. He was one of the philosophers of ancient Greece, a pupil of Plato and teacher of Alexander the Great. His influence, even today, reaches into many areas of modern studies. This is because he emphasized knowledge through observation and classification. This is one of the tenets of the scientific method.

Autographs. This is the name given to the original writings of the Bible. These original, handwritten manuscripts have all been lost. Only copies of copies remain. This is the source of many of the textual variants in the Hebrew and Greek manuscripts and ancient versions.

Bezae. This is a Greek and Latin manuscript of the sixth century a.d. It is designated by "D." It contains the Gospels and Acts and some of the General Epistles. It is characterized by numerous scribal additions. It forms the basis for the "Textus Receptus," the major Greek manuscript tradition behind the King James Version.

Bias. This is the term used to describe a strong predisposition toward an object or point of view. It is the mindset in which impartiality is impossible regarding a particular object or point of view. It is a prejudiced position.

Biblical Authority. This term is used in a very specialized sense. It is defined as understanding what the original author said to his day and applying this truth to our day. Biblical authority is usually defined as viewing the Bible itself as our only authoritative guide. However, in light of current, improper interpretations, I have limited the concept to the Bible as interpreted by the tenets of the historical-grammatical method.

Canon. This is a term used to describe writings which are believed to be uniquely inspired. It is used regarding both the Old and New Testament Scriptures.

Christocentric. This is a term used to describe the centrality of Jesus. I use it in connection with the concept that Jesus is Lord of all the Bible. The Old Testament points toward Him and He is its fulfillment and goal (cf. Matt. 5:17-48).

Commentary. This is a specialized type of research book. It gives the general background of a Biblical book. It then tries to explain the meaning of each section of the book. Some focus on application, while others deal with the text in a more technical way. These books are helpful, but should be used after one has done his own preliminary study. The commentator's interpretations should never be accepted uncritically. Comparing several commentaries from different theological perspectives is usually helpful.

Concordance. This is a type of research tool for Bible study. It lists every occurrence of every word in the Old and New Testaments. It helps in several ways: (1) determining the Hebrew or Greek word which lies behind any particular English word; (2) comparing passages where the same Hebrew or Greek word was used; (3) showing where two different Hebrew or Greek terms are translated by the same English word; (4) showing the frequency of the use of certain words in certain books or authors; (5) helping one find a passage in the Bible (cf. Walter Clark's How to Use New Testament Greek Study Aids, pp. 54-55).

Dead Sea Scrolls. This refers to a series of ancient texts written in Hebrew and Aramaic which were found near the Dead Sea in 1947. They were the religious libraries of sectarian Judaism of the first century. The pressure of Roman occupation and the zealot wars of the 60's caused them to conceal the scrolls in hermetically sealed pottery jars in caves or holes. They have helped us understand the historical setting of first century Palestine and have confirmed the Masoretic Text as being very accurate, at least as far back as the early b.c. era. They are designated by the abbreviation "DSS."

Deductive. This method of logic or reasoning moves from general principles to specific applications by means of reason. It is opposite from inductive reasoning, which reflects the scientific method by moving from observed specifics to general conclusions (theories).

Dialectical. This is the method of reasoning whereby that which seems contradictory or paradoxical is held together in a tension, seeking a unified answer which includes both sides of the paradox. Many biblical doctrines have dialectical pairs, predestination-free will; security-perseverance; faith-works; decision-discipleship; Christian freedom-Christian responsibility.

Diaspora. This is the technical Greek term used by Palestinian Jews to describe other Jews who live outside the geographical boundaries of the Promised Land.

Dynamic equivalent. This is a theory of Bible translation. Bible translation can be viewed as a continuum from "word to word" correspondence, where an English word must be supplied for every Hebrew or Greek word, to a "paraphrase" where only the thought is translated with less regard to the original wording or phrasing. In between these two theories is "the dynamic equivalent" which attempts to take the original text seriously, but translates it in modern grammatical forms and idioms. A really good discussion of these various theories of translations is found in Fee and Stuart's How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth, p. 35 and in Robert Bratcher's Introduction to the TEV.

Eclectic. This term is used in connection with textual criticism. It refers to the practice of choosing readings from different Greek manuscripts in order to arrive at a text which is supposed to be close to the original autographs. It rejects the view that any one family of Greek manuscripts captures the originals.

Eisegesis. This is the opposite of exegesis. If exegesis is a "leading out" of the original author's intent, this term implies a "leading in" of a foreign idea or opinion.

Etymology. This is an aspect of word study that tries to ascertain the original meaning of a word. From this root meaning, specialized usages are more easily identified. In interpretation, etymology is not the main focus, rather the contemporary meaning and usage of a word.

Exegesis. This is the technical term for the practice of interpreting a specific passage. It means "to lead out" (of the text) implying that our purpose is to understand the original author's intent in light of historical setting, literary context, syntax and contemporary word meaning.

Genre. This is a French term that denotes different types of literature. The thrust of the term is the division of literary forms into categories which share common characteristics: historical narrative, poetry, proverb, apocalyptic and legislation.

Gnosticism. Most of our knowledge of this heresy comes from the Gnostic writings of the second century. However, the incipient ideas were present in the first century (and before).

Some stated tenets of Valentian and Cerinthian Gnosticism of the second century are: (1) matter and spirit were co-eternal (an ontological dualism). Matter is evil, spirit is good. God, who is spirit, cannot be directly involved with molding evil matter; (2) there are emanations (eons or angelic levels) between God and matter. The last or lowest one was YHWH of the OT, who formed the universe (kosmos); (3) Jesus was an emanation like YHWH but higher on the scale, closer to the true God. Some put Him as the highest but still less than God and certainly not incarnate Deity (cf. John 1:14). Since matter is evil, Jesus could not have a human body and still be Divine. He was a spiritual phantom (cf. I John 1:1-3; 4:1-6); and (4) salvation was obtained through faith in Jesus plus special knowledge, which is only known by special persons. Knowledge (passwords) was needed to pass through heavenly spheres. Jewish legalism was also required to reach God.

The Gnostic false teachers advocated two opposite ethical systems: (1) for some, lifestyle was totally unrelated to salvation. For them, salvation and spirituality were encapsulated into secret knowledge (passwords) through the angelic spheres (eons); or (2) for others, lifestyle was crucial to salvation. They emphasized an ascetic lifestyle as evidence of true spirituality.

Hermeneutics. This is the technical term for the principles which guide exegesis. It is both a set of specific guidelines and an art/gift. Biblical, or sacred, hermeneutics is usually divided into two categories: general principles and special principles. These relate to the different types of literature found in the Bible. Each different type (genre) has its own unique guidelines but also shares some common assumptions and procedures of interpretation.

Higher Criticism. This is the procedure of biblical interpretation which focuses on the historical setting and literary structure of a particular biblical book.

Idiom. This word is used for the phrases found in different cultures which have specialized meaning not connected to the usual meaning of the individual terms. Some modern examples are: "that was awfully good," or "you just kill me." The Bible also contains these types of phrases.

Illumination. This is the name given to the concept that God has spoken to mankind. The full concept is usually expressed by three terms: (1) revelation-God has acted in human history; (2) inspiration-He has given the proper interpretation of His acts and their meaning to certain chosen men to record for mankind; and (3) illumination-He has given His Spirit to help mankind understand His self-disclosure.

Inductive. This is a method of logic or reasoning which moves from the particulars to the whole. It is the empirical method of modern science. This is basically the approach of Aristotle.

Interlinear. This is a type of research tool which allows those who do not read a biblical language to be able to analyze its meaning and structure. It places the English translation on a word for word level immediately under the original biblical language. This tool, combined with an "analytical lexicon," will give the forms and basic definitions of Hebrew and Greek.

Inspiration. This is the concept that God has spoken to mankind by guiding the biblical authors to accurately and clearly record His revelation. The full concept is usually expressed by three terms: (1) revelation-God has acted in human history; (2) inspiration-He has given the proper interpretation of His acts and their meaning to certain chosen men to record for mankind; and (3) illumination-He has given His Spirit to help mankind understand His self-disclosure

Language of description. This is used in connection with the idioms in which the Old Testament is written. It speaks of our world in terms of the way things appear to the five senses. It is not a scientific description, nor was it meant to be.

Legalism. This attitude is characterized by an over-emphasis on rules or ritual. It tends to rely on the human performance of regulations as a means of acceptance by God. It tends to depreciate relationship and elevates performance, both of which are important aspects of the covenantal relationship between a holy God and sinful humanity.

Literal. This is another name for the textually-focused and historical method of hermeneutics from Antioch. It means that interpretation involves the normal and obvious meaning of human language, although it still recognizes the presence of figurative language.

Literary genre. This refers to the distinct forms that human communication can take, such as poetry or historical narrative. Each type of literature has its own special hermeneutical procedures in addition to the general principles for all written literature.

Literary unit. This refers to the major thought divisions of a biblical book. It can be made up of a few verses, paragraphs or chapters. It is a self-contained unit with a central subject.

Lower criticism. See "textual criticism."

Manuscript. This term relates to the different copies of the Greek New Testament. Usually they are divided into the different types by (1) material on which they are written (papyrus, leather), or (2) the form of the writing itself (all capitals or running script). It is abbreviated by "MS" (singular) or "MSS" (plural).

Masoretic Text. This refers to the ninth century a.d. Hebrew manuscripts of the Old Testament produced by generations of Jewish scholars which contain vowel points and other textual notes. It forms the basic text for our English Old Testament. Its text has been historically confirmed by the Hebrew MSS, especially Isaiah, known from the Dead Sea Scrolls. It is abbreviated by "MT."

Metonymy. This is a figure of speech in which the name of one thing is used to represent something else associated with it. As an example, "the kettle is boiling" actually means "the water within the kettle is boiling."

Muratorian Fragments. This is a list of the canonical books of the New Testament. It was written in Rome before a.d. 200. It gives the same twenty-seven books as the Protestant NT. This clearly shows the local churches in different parts of the Roman Empire had "practically" set the canon before the major church councils of the fourth century.

Natural revelation. This is one category of God's self-disclosure to man. It involves the natural order (Rom. 1:19-20) and the moral consciousness (Rom. 2:14-15). It is spoken of in Ps. 19:1-6 and Rom. 1-2. It is distinct from special revelation, which is God's specific self-disclosure in the Bible and supremely in Jesus of Nazareth.

This theological category is being re-emphasized by the "old earth" movement among Christian scientists (e.g. the writings of Hugh Ross). They use this category to assert that all truth is God's truth. Nature is an open door to knowledge about God; it is different from special revelation (the Bible). It allows modern science the freedom to research the natural order. In my opinion it is a wonderful new opportunity to witness to the modern scientific western world.

Nestorianism. Nestorius was the patriarch of Constantinople in the fifth century. He was trained in Antioch of Syria and affirmed that Jesus had two natures, one fully human and one fully divine. This view deviated from the orthodox one nature view of Alexandria. Nestorius' main concern was the title "mother of God," given to Mary. Nestorius was opposed by Cyril of Alexandria and, by implication, his own Antiochian training. Antioch was the headquarters of the historical-grammatical-textual approach to biblical interpretation, while Alexandria was the headquarters of the four-fold (allegorical) school of interpretation. Nestorius was ultimately removed from office and exiled.

Original author. This refers to the actual authors/writers of Scripture.

Papyri. This is a type of writing material from Egypt. It is made from river reeds. It is the material upon which our oldest copies of the Greek New Testament are written.

Parallel passages. They are part of the concept that all of the Bible is God-given and, therefore, is its own best interpreter and balancer of paradoxical truths. This is also helpful when one is attempting to interpret an unclear or ambiguous passage. They also help one find the clearest passage on a given subject as well as all other Scriptural aspects of a given subject.

Paraphrase. This is the name of a theory of Bible translation. Bible translation can be viewed as a continuum from "word to word" correspondence, where an English word must be supplied for every Hebrew or Greek word to a "paraphrase" where only the thought is translated with less regard to the original wording or phrasing. In between these two theories is "the dynamic equivalent" which attempts to take serious the original text, but translates it in modern grammatical forms and idioms. A really good discussion of these various theories of translations is found in Fee and Stuart's How to Read the Bible For All Its Worth, p. 35.

Paragraph. This is the basic interpretive literary unit in prose. It contains one central thought and its development. If we stay with its major thrust we will not major on minors or miss the original autho's intent.

Parochialism. This relates to biases which are locked into a local theological/cultural setting. It does not recognize the transcultural nature of biblical truth or its application.

Paradox. This refers to those truths which seem to be contradictory, yet both are true, although in tension with each other. They frame truth by presenting if from opposite sides. Much biblical truth is presented in paradoxical (or dialectical) pairs. Biblical truths are not isolated stars, but are constellations made up of the pattern of stars.

Plato. He was one of the philosophers of ancient Greece. His philosophy greatly influenced the early church through the scholars of Alexandria, Egypt, and later, Augustine. He posited that everything on earth was illusionary and a mere copy of a spiritual archetype. Theologians later equated Plato's "forms/ideas" with the spiritual realm.

Presupposition. This refers to our preconceived understanding of a matter. Often we form opinions or judgments about issues before we approach the Scriptures themselves. This predisposition is also known as a bias, an a priori position, an assumption or a preunderstanding.

Proof-texting. This is the practice of interpreting Scripture by quoting a verse without regard for its immediate context or larger context in its literary unit. This removes the verses from the original author's intent and usually involves the attempt to prove a personal opinion while asserting biblical authority.

Rabbinical Judaism. This stage of the life of the Jewish people began in Babylonian Exile (586-538 b.c.). As the influence of the Priests and the Temple was removed, local synagogues became the focus of Jewish life. These local centers of Jewish culture, fellowship, worship and Bible study became the focus of the national religious life. In Jesus' day this "religion of the scribes" was parallel to that of the priests. At the fall of Jerusalem in a.d. 70, the scribal form, dominated by the Pharisees, controlled the direction of Jewish religious life. It is characterized by a practical, legalistic interpretation of the Torah as explained in the oral tradition (Talmud).

Revelation. This is the name given to the concept that God has spoken to mankind. The full concept is usually expressed by three terms: (1) revelation-God has acted in human history; (2) inspiration-He has given the proper interpretation of His acts and their meaning to certain chosen men to record for mankind; and (3) illumination-He has given His Spirit to help mankind understand His self-disclosure.

Semantic field. This refers to the total range of meanings associated with a word. It is basically the different connotations a word has in different contexts.

Septuagint. This is the name given to the Greek translation of the Hebrew Old Testament. Tradition says that it was written in seventy days by seventy Jewish scholars for the library of Alexandria, Egypt. The traditional date is around 250 b.c. (in reality it possibly took over one hundred years to complete). This translation is significant because (1) it gives us an ancient text to compare with the Masoretic Hebrew text; (2) it shows us the state of Jewish interpretation in the third and second century b.c.; (3) it gives us the Jewish Messianic understanding before the rejection of Jesus. Its abbreviation is "LXX."

Sinaiticus. This is a Greek manuscript of the fourth century a.d. It was found by the German scholar, Tischendorf, at St. Catherine's monastery on Jebel Musa, the traditional site of Mt. Sinai. This manuscript is designated by the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet called "aleph" [א]. It contains both the Old and the entire New Testaments. It is one of our most ancient uncial MSS.

Spiritualizing. This term is synonymous with allegorizing in the sense that it removes the historical and literary context of a passage and interprets it on the basis of other criteria.

Synonymous. This refers to terms with exact or very similar meanings (although in reality no two words have a complete semantic overlap). They are so closely related that they can replace each other in a sentence without loss of meaning. It is also used to designate one of the three forms of Hebrew poetic parallelism. In this sense it refers to two lines of poetry that express the same truth (cf. Ps. 103:3).

Syntax. This is a Greek term which refers to the structure of a sentence. It relates to the ways parts of a sentence are put together to make a complete thought.

Synthetical. This is one of the three terms that relates to types of Hebrew poetry. This term speaks of lines of poetry which build on one another in a cumulative sense, sometimes called "climatic" (cf. Ps. 19:7-9).

Systematic theology. This is a stage of interpretation which tries to relate the truths of the Bible in a unified and rational manner. It is a logical, rather than mere historical, presentation of Christian theology by categories (God, man, sin, salvation, etc.).

Talmud. This is the title for the codification of the Jewish Oral Tradition. The Jews believe it was given orally by God to Moses on Mt. Sinai. In reality it appears to be the collective wisdom of the Jewish teachers through the years. There are two different written versions of the Talmud: the Babylonian and the shorter, unfinished Palestinian.

Textual criticism. This is the study of the manuscripts of the Bible. Textual criticism is necessary because no originals exist and the copies differ from each other. It attempts to explain the variations and arrive (as close as possible) to the original wording of the autographs of the Old and New Testaments. It is often called "lower criticism."

Textus Receptus. This designation developed into Elzevir's edition of the Greek NT in 1633 a.d. Basically it is a form of the Greek NT that was produced from a few late Greek manuscripts and Latin versions of Erasmus (1510-1535), Stephanus (1546-1559) and Elzevir (1624-1678). In An Introduction to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament, p. 27, A. T. Robertson says "the Byzantine text is practically the Textus Receptus." The Byzantine text is the least valuable of the three families of early Greek manuscripts (Western, Alexandrian and Byzantine). It contains the accumulation errors of centuries of hand-copied texts. However, A.T. Robertson also says "the Textus Receptus has preserved for us a substantially accurate text" (p. 21). This Greek manuscript tradition (especially Erasmus' third edition of 1522) forms the basis of the King James Version of a.d. 1611.

Torah. This is the Hebrew term for "teaching." It came to be the official title for the writings of Moses (Genesis through Deuteronomy). It is, for the Jews, the most authoritative division of the Hebrew canon.

Typological. This is a specialized type of interpretation. Usually it involves New Testament truth found in Old Testament passages by means of an analogical symbol. This category of hermeneutics was a major element of the Alexandrian method. Because of the abuse of this type of interpretation, one should limit its use to specific examples recorded in the New Testament.

Vaticanus. This is the Greek manuscript of the fourth century a.d. It was found in the Vatican's library. It originally contained all the Old Testament, Apocrypha and New Testament. However, some parts were lost (Genesis, Psalms, Hebrews, the Pastorals, Philemon and Revelation). It is a very helpful manuscript in determining the original wording of the autographs. It is designated by a capital "B."

Vulgate. This is the name of Jerome's Latin translation of the Bible. It became the basic or "common" translation for the Roman Catholic Church. It was done in the a.d. 380's.

Wisdom literature. This was a genre of literature common in the ancient near east (and modern world). It basically was an attempt to instruct a new generation on guidelines for successful living through poetry, proverb, or essay. It was addressed more to the individual than to corporate society. It did not use allusions to history but was based on life experiences and observation. In the Bible, Job through Song of Songs assumed the presence and worship of YHWH, but this religious world view is not explicit in every human experience every time.

As a genre it stated general truths. However, this genre cannot be used in every specific situation. These are general statements that do not always apply to every individual situation.

These sages dared to ask the hard questions of life. Often they challenged traditional religious views (Job and Ecclesiastes). They form a balance and tension to the easy answers about life's tragedies.

World picture and worldview. These are companion terms. They are both philosophical concepts related to creation. The term "world picture" refers to "the how" of creation while "worldview" relates to "the Who." These terms are relevant to the interpretation that Genesis 1-2 deals primarily with the Who, not the how, of creation.

YHWH. This is the Covenant name for God in the Old Testament. It is defined in Exod. 3:14. It is the causative form of the Hebrew term "to be." The Jews were afraid to pronounce the name, lest they take it in vain; therefore, they substituted the Hebrew term Adonai, "lord." This is how this covenant name is translated in English.

Luke 1

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS*

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
Dedication to Theophilus	Dedication to Theophilus	Introduction	Introduction	Prologue
1:1-4	1:1-4	1:1-4	1:1-4	1:1-4
		The Births of John and Jesus (1:5-2:40)
The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold	John's Birth Announced to Zacharias		The Birth of John the Baptist is Announced	The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
1:5-20	1:5-25	1:5-7	1:5-7	1:5-7
		1:8-20	1:8-17	1:8-10
				1:11-22
			1:18
			1:19-20
1:21-25		1:21-23	1:21-22
			1:23-25	1:23-25
		1:24-25
The Birth of Jesus Foretold	Christ's Birth Announced to Mary		The Birth of Jesus is Announced	The Annunciation
1:26-38	1:26-38	1:26-38	1:26-28	1:26-38
			1:29-33
			1:34
			1:35-37
			1:38
Mary Visits Elizabeth	Mary Visits Elizabeth		Mary Visits Elizabeth	The Visitation
1:39-45	1:39-45	1:39-45	1:39-45	1:29-45
Mary's Song of Praise	The Song of Mary		Mary's Song of Praise	The Magnificat
1:46-55	1:46-55	1:46-55	1:46-55	1:46-55
1:56	1:56	1:56	1:56	1:56
The Birth of John the Baptist	Birth of John the Baptist		The Birth of John the Baptist	The Birth of John the Baptist and Visit of the Neighbors
1:57-66	1:57-58	1:57-58	1:57-58	1:57-58
	Circumcision of John the Baptist			The Circumcision of John the Baptist
	1:59-66	1:59-66	1:59-60	1:59-66
			1:61-62
			1:63-66
The Prophecy of Zacharias	Zacharias' Prophecy		Zacharias' Prophecy	The Benedictus
1:67-79	1:67-79	1:67-79	1:67-75	1:67-79
			1:76-79	The Hidden Life of John the Baptist
1:80	1:80	1:80	1:80	1:80

* Although they are not inspired, paragraph divisions are the key to understanding and following the original author's intent. Each modern translation has divided and summarized the paragraphs. Every paragraph has one central topic, truth, or thought. Each version encapsulates that topic in its own distinct way. As you read the text, ask yourself which translation fits your understanding of the subject and verse divisions.
In every chapter we must read the Bible first and try to identify its subjects (paragraphs), then compare our understanding with the modern versions. Only when we understand the original author's intent by following his logic and presentation can we truly understand the Bible. Only the original author is inspired—readers have no right to change or modify the message. Bible readers do have the responsibility of applying the inspired truth to their day and their lives.
Note that all technical terms and abbreviations are explained fully in the following documents: Brief Definitions of Greek Grammatical Structure, Textual Criticism, and Glossary.

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS

A. Luke the Historian

1. Verses 1-4 have several rare Greek words that relate to Hellenistic histography. Luke is trying to express his purpose of accurately recording what his research discovered about Jesus' His life and ministry. Luke was a well educated citizen of the first century Greco-Roman world.

2. The problem about Luke's Greek orientation has to do with the nature of Greek history. Often it was very selective and written more for entertainment and propaganda than modern history. Luke uses Hellenistic terms to describe his methods, but records Jesus' life in a Hebrew historical fashion. The best historians in the Ancient Near East (i.e., most accurate) were Hittites and Hebrews.

3. The real question is what is history? Modern western history is chronological and cause/effect driven. Yet even modern history is significantly colored by who writes it and why! History, by its very nature, is a biased selection and description of past events.

4. Luke's Gospel is not modern history or biography, but it is good and true history. The four Gospels are, in reality, gospel tracts, written for evangelistic purposes and targeting selected groups. Events and their relationship to each other are not necessarily chronologically arranged and interpreted for maximum impact. This is not to imply they are concoctions or fabrications, but they are eastern, not western; they are theological as well as historical. Different does not mean bad or false!

See Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart, How To Read The Bible For All Its Worth, pp. 127-148.

5. Luke has used the best traditions of his day to present Jesus Christ as God's promised Messiah, sent to redeem all humanity. He is surely influenced by Paul's Gentile mission. Luke is writing to convert Gentiles (as well as encourage believers), not just historically inform them.

6. The four Gospels are different, very different, yet they are true—true eyewitness accounts, true summaries of Jesus' words and activities—but they are not modern histories.

7. Luke clearly wants to put Jesus' life and ministry into a Palestinian and Roman historical framework.

a. a vision of Zacharias in reign of Herod, King of Judea (cf. Luke 1:5)

b. birth connected to a decree of Caesar Augustus (cf. Luke 2:1)

c. birth connected to Quirinius' presence in Syria (cf. Luke 2:2)

d. preaching of John (cf. Luke 3:1-2)

(1) Tiberius Caesar's (fifteenth year of his reign)

(2) Pontius Pilate governor of Judea

(3) Herod tetrarch of Galilee

(4) Phillip tetrarch of Ituraea

(5) Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene

(6) Annas and Caiaphas were high priests

B. The Blessings of Chapters One and Two

1. It must be remembered that they are given in a mindset of OT prophecies. Jesus surely fulfilled these OT expectations, but moved beyond them. These blessings must be seen as precursors of the gospel. They are OT pictures which will be universalized (i.e., not Jew vs. Gentile, but believer vs. unbeliever; not Israel, but all the world). The Gospel affects more than Israel and Palestine (cf. Luke 24:47).

2. It needs to be remembered that Luke, in chapter one, is recording the blessing of those who were first informed about and impacted by Jesus' birth. These blessings are in OT poetic form (cf. Luke 1:46-55 and 67-79) and contain OT content. OT poetry is a genre called wisdom literature. It has special interpretive procedures (See Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp. 206-230).

a. "the Magnificat" (song of Mary), Luke 1:46-55

b. "the Benedictus" (song of Zechariah), Luke 1:68-79

c. "Gloria in excelsis" (song of the angels), Luke 2:14

d. "Nunc dimittis" (song of Simeon), Luke 2:29-32

C. The parallels between John the Baptist and Jesus

1. devout parents

2. birth announced by Gabriel

3. supernatural conceptions

4. mothers both glorify God

5. babies named by an angel

6. both babies fulfill prophecy

7. the circumcision of both under Mosaic Law is specifically mentioned

8. normal physical and emotional growth, but superior spiritual growth

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:1-4
¹In as much as many have undertaken to compile an account of the things accomplished among us, ²just as they were handed down to us by those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word, ³it seemed fitting for me as well, having investigated everything carefully from the beginning, to write it out for you in consecutive order, most excellent Theophilus; ⁴so that you may know the exact truth about the things you have been taught.

1:1-4 This is one long involved Greek sentence.

1:1

NASB, NKJV"In as much as"
NRSV"Since"
NJB"Seeing that"

The Greek word epeidē per is used only here in the NT. It is not used at all in the Septuagint, but is used in the Koine papyri found in the garbage dumps of Egypt (see James Moulton and George Milligan, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament). Itbasically means "since indeed" or "considering that." Luke is setting out the reason he is writing an account of Jesus' life when there are several already in existence. This probably includes Mark's Gospel (which forms the literary outline of much of Matthew and Luke), as well as "Q" (sayings of Jesus used by both Matthew and Luke). It also implies that by the a.d. 60s there were several written accounts of Jesus' life circulating in the churches.

NASB"an account"
NKJV"a narrative"
NRSV"an orderly account"
TEV"a report"
NJB"accounts"

This is another Greek term (diē gēsis) found only here in the NT. It is used twice in the Septuagint in Judges (cf. Judges 5:14; 7:15) for a scribe recording something. In Greek literature it has the connotation of a full and complete narrative. Luke is describing the careful, historical research of Jesus' life that preceded his own writing (cf. Luke 1:3).

NASB"the things accomplished"
NKJV"those things which are most surely believed"
NRSV"the events which have been fulfilled"
TEV"the things that have taken place"
NJB"events that have reached their fulfilment"

This verb is a perfect passive participle, which denotes the abiding results of the fulfilled promises concerning Jesus, His teachings, His actions, and His death and resurrection. The passive voice surely implies that God the Father's eternal purposes were fully accomplished in Christ.

The term plērophoreō has a dual connotation.

1. Paul uses it for being fully persuaded in Rom. 4:21; 14:5; Col. 2:2; 4:12 (cf. NKJV).

2. The Papyri uses it of "accomplished" or "fully completed" (cf. NASB, NRSV, NJB).

Theophilus needs to accept both connotations! The OT promises have come to completion in Jesus of Nazareth.

1:2 "they were handed down to us" This is the Greek word paradidōmi, often translated "traditions" (cf. Mark 7:3,5,8,9,13; 1 Cor. 11:2,23; 15:3). Luke is asserting that he had received information about the life of Jesus from eyewitnesses. This implies

1. the accuracy of his accounts

2. the admission that he was a second-generation believer

▣ "those who from the beginning" This refers to a larger number than the Twelve Apostles. Some examples would be

1. the women who followed Jesus and the Apostles (cf. Luke 8:2-3)

2. the one hundred and twenty disciples in the upper room on the day of Pentecost (cf. Acts 1:15)

3. the several men to choose from in replacing Judas (cf. Luke 1:21-22)

SPECIAL TOPIC: ARCHĒ

NASB, NRSV"servants of the word"
NKJV, NJB"ministers of the word"
TEV"who proclaimed the message"

These "from the beginning" eyewitnesses were responsible proclaimers of the gospel (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1). To know truth is to be a steward of that truth (cf. 1 Cor. 4:1,2; Titus 1:7; 1 Pet. 4:10)!

The term logos (word) is used of Jesus Himself in John 1:1, but here (cf. Luke 8:12) and in Acts 6:4; 8:4; 10:36; 11:19; 14:25 it refers to the gospel about Jesus.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HEBREW AND GREEK BACKGROUND OF LOGOS

1:3 This verse is the main clause of verses 1-4 and has several key terms that relate to Luke's research method.

1. "having investigated." This is a perfect active participle of a word that means "to follow." The metaphorical usage of this word meant "to make an extensive effort to learn the details and truth about something" (See Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 1, p. 331 and Josephus, Against Apion 1.10).

2. "carefully." This is the Greek term akribōs, which is translated "accurately," "diligently," or "precisely" (cf. Josephus Against Apion 1.10). Louw and Nida, vol. 1, p. 674, "pertaining to strict conformity to a norm or standard; involving both detail and completeness." It is used several times in the Septuagint (cf. Deut. 19:18; Dan. 7:19). Possibly the most relevant usage is that this term was used by Galen (a physician) for the careful checking of symptoms.

3. "from the beginning." This means from the source. In this case (1) the beginning events of John and Jesus' births or (2) the eyewitnesses from the beginning of Jesus' ministry (i.e., the Apostles, cf. Acts 1:21-22).

4. "in consecutive order." This term means "in a continual order," "successively," or "consecutively."

Luke is piling up word after word describing his faithful, accurate, and sequential arrangement of facts about Jesus' life and ministry. His account is not a fabrication or exaggeration.

▣ "most excellent" This is a first century title of honor and respect. This man may have been Luke's literary patron. The title is used in Acts of Felix (23:26; 24:3) and Festus (26:25), who were Roman regional officials. It is also used in the Septuagint as "best" (cf. 1 Sam. 15:15; Ps. 15:6; 22:5) or "chief" (cf. Amos 6:2), but not of people.

▣ "Theophilus" This was a common name in the Mediterranean area, used of both Jews and Gentiles. Theo means God, plus philos which means (1) loved, thus "God lover," "loved by God" or (2) friend, thus, "friend of God."

▣ "carefully investigated" This is also a medical term used by Galen to denote the careful checking of symptoms.

1:4 "in order" This is a purpose clause (hina with the subjunctive).

▣ "so that you may know" This is an intensified form (epiginōskō) which usually denotes full and complete knowledge by experience. It may well imply that Theophilus already knew something of the gospel.

▣ "the things" This is the Greek word logos, which has a wide semantic range. In Luke 1:2 it refers to (1) the truths about Jesus (cf. Luke 7:17) recorded by Luke or (2) the content of what Theophilus has been taught. This may be an additional evidence he was a new believer (although we must be careful of reading too much into the words of this introduction which only much later take on a technical usage in the church).

▣ "taught" From this Greek word we get the English "catechism." This may imply that Theophilus was a new convert, but this is uncertain because the word is a general, common term.

NASB"the exact truth about the things"
NKJV"the certainty of those things"
NRSV"the truth concerning the things"
TEV"the full truth about everything"
NJB"how well founded the teaching is"

The term asphaleia is used in two related senses in the Koine Greek Paypri found in Egypt: (1) safety, security and (2) certainty as to a belief.

Luke is trying to reassure Theophilus, his first century readers, and later readers of his diligence and accuracy as a researcher and Gospel author. Luke's presentation is accurate and trustworthy. Believers can fully rely on God, on Christ, on the Gospels!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:5-7
⁵In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. ⁶They were both righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord. ⁷But they had no child because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both advanced in years.

1:5 "Herod" This refers to Herod the Great (37-4 b.c.), an Idumean (from Edom), who, through political maneuvering and the support of Mark Antony, managed to be appointed ruler of a large part of Palestine (Canaan) by the Roman Senate in 40 b.c. See Special Topic: The Family of Herod at Luke 3:1.

▣ "Zechariah" His name meant "remembered by YHWH" (BDB 272). This was John the Baptist's father.

▣ "the division of Abijah" Only four of the twenty-four divisions of Levites returned from the Exile (cf. 1 Chr. 24:7-18; 2 Chr. 23:8). They were then sub-divided (cf. Ezra 2:36-39) so that different ones officiated at the Temple on different weeks. The Abijah division was considered to be the least prestigious of the divisions. For a complete discussion of the priestly divisions see Encyclopaedia Judaica, vol. 12, pp. 89-93.

▣ "he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron" His wife, Elizabeth, was also from a priestly family. Her Hebrew name could mean (1) "God is swearer" or (2) "God fully satisfies."

1:6 "they were both righteous in the sight of God" "righteous" is used in this context like Matthew's definition (cf. Matt. 6:1), not Paul's (cf. Romans 4). This does not imply sinlessness, but someone who faithfully responds to their understanding of God's will and ways (cf. Deut. 6:25. Old Testament examples are Noah, Gen. 6:9; 7:1 and Job, Job 1:1). This phrase is included to show that this couple was experiencing childlessness because of physical problems, not spiritual ones. See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

1:7 Barrenness was considered a divine curse in Jewish culture (cf. Gen. 20:18; 29:31; 30:2; Exod. 23:26; Lev. 20:20-21; Deut. 7:14; 1 Sam. 1:5; Jer. 22:30). There are several barren women mentioned in the Bible:

1. Sarah, Gen. 11:30; 16:1

2. Rebekah, Gen. 25:21

3. Rachel, Gen. 29:31; 30:1

4. Manoah's wife, Jdgs. 13:2,3

5. Hannah, 1 Sam. 1:2,5

Not only was Elizabeth barren, but now she was past the time of conception (like Sarah). This condition is theologically used as a way of asserting God's direct control in the affairs of men. This was not a virgin birth, but a birth with supernatural assistance (like Isaac, cf. Genesis 18; like Joseph, cf. Gen. 30:22-24; like Samson, cf. Judges 13; like Samuel, cf. 1 Samuel 1; like Hezekiah, Isa. 7:14-16). John the Baptist will fulfill Old Testament prophecy about the one who would prepare the way for the Messiah (cf. Isaiah 40 and Malachi 3).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:8-17
⁸Now it happened that while he was performing his priestly service before God in the appointed order of his division, ⁹according to the custom of the priestly office, he was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. ¹⁰And the whole multitude of the people were in prayer outside at the hour of the incense offering. ¹¹And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. ¹²Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. ¹³But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. ¹⁴You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. ¹⁶And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. ¹⁷It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to the children, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."

1:8 "while he was performing his priestly service before God" The Mishnah (part of the Talmud) says there were so many priests at this time that each offered incense only once in his lifetime; others, not at all.

1:9 "he was chosen by lot" Lots were a mechanical way to determine the will of God (cf Acts 1:21-26). There were several priests on duty at one time. This was the regular way to determine which offered the ritual.

In the OT the "lot" originally referred to the Urim and Thummim (cf. Lev. 16:8), which was carried behind the breastplate of the High Priest. It was a mechanical way of determining the will of God, usually for the King.

It was used as a way to divide the Promised Land among the tribes in Joshua 13-19.

The casting of lots was used by the early church to choose a new apostle to replace Judas in Acts 1.

▣ "to burn the incense" This procedure is described in Exod. 25:6; 30:7; 31:11. The incense itself is described in Exod. 30:34-38.

1:10 Obviously this was a set time of prayer associated with the sacrifice of the Continual (a twice daily sacrifice and burnt offering of a lamb) at 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. Jewish sources advocate the offering of incense twice a day in connection to "the Continual" sacrifice (cf. Exod. 30:7-8). Incense was a physical symbol of prayer rising to God.

1:11 "an angel of the Lord" This phrase is used two ways in the OT.

1. an angel (cf. Gen. 24:7,40; Exod. 23:20-23; 32:34; Num. 22:22; Jdgs. 5:23; 1 Sam. 24:16; 1 Chr. 21:15ff; Zech. 1:28)

2. as a way of referring to a physical manifestation of YHWH (cf. Gen. 16:7-13; 22:11-15; 31:11,13; 48:15-16; Exod. 3:2,4; 13:21; 14:19; Jdgs. 2:1; 6:22-24; 13:3-23; Zech. 3:1-2).

Luke uses the phrase often (cf. Luke 1:11,13; 2:9; Acts 5:19; 7:30; 8:26; 12:7,11,23; 10:3; 27:23) in the sense of #1 above. The NT does not use sense #2, "an angel of the Lord," unless Acts 18:26 and 29 is in a reference to the Holy Spirit.

▣ "standing to the right of the altar of incense" The altar of incense was located in the Holy Place, next to the veil of the Holy of Holies. The description of this golden incense altar is found in Exod. 30:1-10. This would place the angel between the incense altar and the seven pointed candle stand (Menorah).

1:12 Fear is the common human response in the presence of the spiritual realm (cf. Gen. 15:1; 21:17; Exod. 14:13,31; Jos. 8:1; 10:8; Dan. 10:12,19; Rev. 1:17). However, again and again the divine message is a clear "fear not" (cf. Luke 1:13,30; 2:10).

1:13 "Do not be afraid" This is a present middle (deponent) imperative with the Negative particle, which usually means stop an act already in progress. We get the English term "phobia" from this Greek term (phobos).

▣ "your petition has been heard" Zacharias was still praying for a child. The incense he was offering to God was a symbol of prayer. In Zacharias' priestly circle the offering of incense was considered a great honor. It was also considered to be a special time for personal requests.

▣ "John" In Hebrew it means "one whom God has graciously given" or "YHWH is gracious" (BDB 220).

1:14 John's birth will be a blessing, not only to Zacharias and his family, but to Israel and to all the earth.

1:15 "he will be great in the sight of the Lord" This is an idiom for "he will serve God's plan and kingdom in a special way." He is the promised precursor of the Messiah (cf. Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1; 4:5,6). In Luke 1:32 this same term "great" is used of Jesus.

▣ "he will drink no wine or liquor" This is a strong double negative with an aorist active subjunctive. He was to be a Nazarite (cf. Numbers 6), which was a special dedicatory life given completely to God's service.

For alcohol (fermentation) and alcoholism (addiction) see Special Topic at Luke 22:18.

▣ "he will be filled with the Holy Spirit" This was an OT way of affirming God's power and giftedness (cf. Exod. 28:3; 31:3; 35:31,35, where it refers to those who helped build the tabernacle). This special presence and activity of the Spirit had been missing for 400 years. In Jesus the new age of the Spirit had come.

This will become a powerful NT idiom of the power and presence of the Lord with His people (cf. Acts 2:4; 3:10; 4:8,31; 9:17; 13:9; Eph. 5:18). See Special Topic: The Personhood of the Spirit at Luke 12:12.

▣ "while yet in his mother's womb" This shows God's initiation and blessing, not only in conception, but even fetal spiritual development (cf. Luke 1:41). This phrase also parallels God's affirmation to Jeremiah in Jer. 1:4 (cf. Isa. 49:1; Ps. 139:13-16).

1:16 John's primary task was to spiritually prepare Israel for her Messiah (cf. Mark 1:15). His message was repent and be restored. He was the first true prophet (i.e., filled with the Spirit) since Malachi. Huge numbers of spiritually hungry Jews flocked to him.

The Greek verb epistrephō is used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew word for repentance (shub, cf. Num. 10:36; Deut. 30:2). It is used in this sense in Luke 1:16,17; 22:32; Acts 3:19; 9:35; 11:21; 14:15; 15:19; 26:18,20; 28:27. See Special Topic: Repentance at Luke 3:3.

▣ "the Lord their God" This probably reflects the OT combination of the names for deity, as in Gen. 2:4,5,7,8 and many other verses.

1. Lord – YHWH (redeemer and covenant maker, cf. Gen. 3:14-15)

2. God – Elohim (creator, provider, and sustainer of all life, cf. Gen. 1:1)

This seems to reflect Luke's usage in Luke 1:16,32,68. See Special Topic: Names for Deity at Luke 1:68.

1:17 "in the spirit and power of Elijah" This verse is an allusion to the prophecies of Mal. 3:1 and 4:5-6. Elijah was to precede the Messiah. However, John fills the role of Elijah (cf. Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13). The fact that John fulfills the Elijah prophecies should warn us about western literalsim!

As Elisha received the Spirit of Elijah to become a prophet (cf. 1 Kgs. 19:16), Elisha asks for a double portion of Elijah's spirit (cf. 2 Kgs. 2:9). In a sense Elisha continued the ministry of Elijah. This is what John does; he extends the eschatological ministry of Elijah foretold in Malachi 3 and 4.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:18-20
¹⁸Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." ¹⁹The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. ²⁰And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."

1:18 "How will I know" This sounds very much like Abraham (cf. Gen. 15:8) and Mary (cf. Luke 1:34). However, apparently God knows the heart, he asked in a doubting way to which God reacted (cf. Matt. 12:38; 16:1; Mark 8:11-12; John 2:18; 6:30; 1 Cor. 1:22). Modern interpreters are not able to do psycho analysis on biblical characters!

1:19 "Gabriel" This Hebrew name means "God's strong man," "man of God," or "God is my warrior" (BDB 150). This is God's messenger angel (cf. Luke 1:26; Dan. 8:16; 9:21). There are only two angels named in the Bible: (1) Gabriel, who is God's messenger angel to Daniel, Zacharias, and Mary, and (2) Michael (BDB 567), who is the national archangel (cf. Dan. 10:13,21; 12:1; Jude 9; Rev. 12:7).

▣ "who stands in the presence of God" Angeology became a major element of rabbinical theology and speculation following Israel's contact with Zoroastrianism (Persian religion). The Bible is silent and vague about the spiritual realm. What is presented is often in metaphors or symbols. From the OT there are two types of angels surrounding YHWH's throne—Seraphim (cf. Isaiah 6) and Cherubim (cf. Ezekiel 1,10).

Gabriel's authority rests on his relationship with and proximity to God. This is an important message from God for His purposes (i.e., good news).

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHERUBIM

1:20 This verse serves as a powerful warning about rejecting, or at least not fully believing, the message from God. Humans may fear the spiritual realm (angels), but they must respect their message! The consequences of rejection are potent.

NASB, NKJV"behold"
NRSV, TEV"But"
NJB"Look"

This is the Greek term idou, which was an imperative of eidein, "to see." For Luke it has become a literary technique to draw attention to a statement. It is used many times in the Luke's writings and the Revelation.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:21-23
²¹And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. ²²But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. ²³When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.

1:21 "the temple" This is the term naos. Literally it is from the term "to dwell." It came to be used of the central shrine made up of the Holy of Holies and the Holy Place.

1:22 "when he came out, he was unable to speak" According to rabbinical tradition it was customary for the priest to bless the people when he came out from burning incense, using the Aaronic blessing of Num. 6:24-26.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:24-25
²⁴After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, ²⁵"This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."

1:25 This shows how she felt about being barren. It was viewed as a curse from God (cf. Gen. 30:23). See note at Luke 1:7.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:26-38
²⁶Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city in Galilee called Nazareth, ²⁷to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the descendants of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. ²⁸And coming in, he said to her, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you." ²⁹But she was very perplexed at this statement, and kept pondering what kind of salutation this was. ³⁰The angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. ³¹"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. ³²He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; ³³and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end." ³⁴Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" ³⁵The angel answered and said to her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. ³⁶And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceived a son in her old age; and she who was called barren is now in her sixth month. ³⁷For nothing will be impossible with God." ³⁸And Mary said, "Behold, the bondslave of the Lord; may it be done to me according to your word." And the angel departed from her.

1:26 "sixth month" This refers to Elizabeth's pregnancy (cf. Luke 1:36).

▣ "Gabriel" See note at Luke 1:19.

▣ "a city in Galilee called Nazareth" Galilee was known as a Gentile area although many Jews lived there (apparently a small, new community from the royal tribe of Judah lived in Nazareth). Nazareth is never mentioned in the OT or Talmud or by Flavius Josephus. The name Nazareth itself may be related to the Messianic title "Branch" (nezer, cf. Isa. 11:1; Matt. 2:23). See SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE at Luke 4:34. People from this area were generally looked down upon by Judean Jews. This is related to the prophecy of Isa. 9:1.

1:27 "a virgin" The Greek word from the Septuagint pathenon is not ambiguous as the Hebrew Almah (BDB 761 II) is in Isa. 7:4. It specifically means virgin. Matthew and Luke assert that Jesus had no human father (cf. Luke 1:34), that He was the ultimate fulfillment of Isa. 7:14 and Gen. 3:15! This child is of God, not of man (i.e., Immanuel). It is surprising that Luke's source does not mention Isa. 7:14.

Outside of the birth accounts of Matthew and Luke the virgin birth is not specifically mentioned in the NT. It does not appear in any of the sermons of Acts or the later Epistles. This is not because it is not true, but because it might be misunderstood by a polytheistic Greek/Roman culture, which believed that the gods at Olympus regularly took human women and produced offspring. The uniqueness of the biblical account would be lost in this cultural context.

At this point I wold like to use my comments from Isa. 7:14 (see www.freebiblecommentary.org).

"virgin" The Hebrew term here is almah (BDB 761). This term is used for a young woman of marriageable age (cf. Gen. 43:24; Exod. 2:8; Pro. 30:19). It designates a woman who is sexually mature. There is another Hebrew term for virgin, bethulah (BDB 143), which is used by Isaiah in Isa. 23:4, 12; 37:22; 47:1; 62:5. The Septuagint translates this verse with the Greek term "virgin." These terms are semantically overlapping and all of the young girls in Israeli culture were considered to be virgins. However, I do not believe in two virgin births, but one. There was a normal conception in Ahaz's day as a sign and a ("the," MT) virgin conception in Jesus' day (cf. Matt. 1:18-23; Luke 1:26-38). This is a multi-fulfillment prophecy!

I think the reason that the NT does not emphasize this more (only appears in the two birth narratives [i.e., Matt. 1:23; Luke 1:31,34] and never in a sermon in Acts or an Epistle by any Apostle) is because of the possible misunderstanding of Greco-Roman religion where the cohabitation of gods and humans, resulting in offspring, was common.

To try to base a doctrine of sin as transmitted through male sperm and, therefore, show the reason for a virgin birth is, in my opinion, folly! In reality it is similar to the barren wives of the Patriarchs having children only at God's instigation. God is in control of the Messiah! An even greater truth is revealed in the NT where the Messiah is presented clearly as incarnated Deity (i.e., John 1:1; 5:18; 10:33; 14:9-11; Phil. 2:6)! Thus the need for a virgin birth!

▣ "engaged" This is a perfect passive participle. In Jewish culture of the first century, this was legally binding. Only divorce or death could break this arrangement. Girls became marriageable at 12 years of age (bat mitzvah) with a one year betrothal period (Ketubot 4.4-5). For OT background see Deut. 22:23-27.

▣ "Joseph, of the descendants of David" Whether Joseph (BDB 415, meaning "may YHWH add") and Mary both were of Davidic descent or just Joseph is uncertain (cf. Luke 2:5). The issue is significant because of the promises and prophecies of 2 Sam. 7:12-16; Ps. 89:19ff). The obvious differences between the genealogies of Matthew and Luke are probably due to different lineages. Many commentators assume that Luke records the royal genealogy of Mary (Jesus' actual lineage), while Matthew records Joseph's royal lineage (Jesus' Jewish legal lineage). However, this is only speculation.

▣ "name was Mary" In Hebrew this is the name Mara (i.e., "bitter" [BDB 600] of Ruth 1:20). In the Septuagint it is Mariam (BDB 599). Luke (like all the Synoptic Gospels) spells the name Maria (cf. Luke 1:27).

1:28

NASB, REB,
NIV, NET"Greetings"
NRSV, NJB"rejoice"
TEV"peace"

This is a form of the normal term for "greeting" (chairein, cf. Acts 15:23; James 1:1) in the Greco-Roman world of the first century. Its grammatical form is present active imperative. Its basic meaning is "be full of joy" or "continue to rejoice." It may reflect the Messianic passage of Zech. 9:9.

There is the added possibility that this phrase was used in the Septuagint in contexts where

1. the phrase "do not be afraid" is used

2. God's people are told to rejoice because God is about to deliver them

a. Lamentations 4:21-22

b. Zephaniah 3:14-20

c. Joel 2:21-27

d. Zechariah 9:9

The angel's first words are a sound play on chaire and kecharitōmenē (a perfect passive participle), which is "be glad, favored one." These words have different etymological roots, but they sound alike.

▣ "favored one" The Vulgate has "Hail, Mary, full of grace." This is a good translation if we see that Mary is the recipient of God's grace, not the giver of grace (NJB, "you who enjoy God's favor!"). There is only one mediator, Jesus (cf. 1 Tim. 2:5). However, this was a great and unique honor for a young, peasant woman (cf. Luke 1:48). This greeting shocked her (cf. Luke 1:29).

▣ "you" There are several ancient Greek uncial manuscripts (MSS A, C, D) which add the phrase "blessed are you among women." This illustrates one of the recurrent tendencies of copyists (i.e., scribes) to harmonize phrasing (see Luke 1:42). The UBS⁴ critical apparatus gives the absence of the phrase (MSS א, B, L, W) in Luke 1:28 an "A" rating (certain).

1:30 "'Do not be afraid'" This is a present imperative with the negative particle negated, which usually means to stop an act in process. This is a common angelic message to humans (see note at Luke 1:13).

▣ "you have found favor with God" This seems to be an OT idiom for God's special activity in someone's life (cf. Gen. 6:8; 18:3; 19:19; 30:27; Exod. 33:12,17; Acts 7:46). God chooses to use imperfect, but available, humans who choose to trust Him to accomplish His purposes in this world.

1:31 "you will conceive in your womb" Mary could have been stoned for pregnancy outside of marriage (cf. Deut. 22:24-25).

A virgin-born child fulfills the prophecy and promise of Gen. 3:15 (cf. Gal. 4:4). Until this point in progressive relation, neither Isa. 7:14 nor Gen. 3:15 made sense. But now John 1:1-14; Rom. 1:3; 8:3; Phil. 2:6-11 make perfect sense. God became incarnate to deal with human sin.

In Jesus, God's justice,( "the soul that sins it will surely die") and God's grace ("For God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son") meet in a redemptive, loving, sacrificial climax (cf. Isa. 52:13-53:12; Mark 10:45; 2 Cor. 5:21)!

▣ "you shall name Him Jesus" Jesus is the Aramaic equivalent of the Hebrew "Joshua" (BDB 221). Both are a compound of "YHWH" and "salvation." In the Matthew parallel (Matt. 1:21) the name is explained by the angel.

1:32-33 These two verses describe who this male child is and what he will do.

1. He will be great (cf. Micah 5:4).

2. He will be called the Son of the Most High (cf. 2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7).

3. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David (cf. 2 Sam. 7:12; Ps. 132:11; Micah 5:2)

4. He will reign over the house of Jacob (cf. Micah 5:3-4)

5. His kingdom will have no end (cf. Dan. 2:44; 7:14,18,27).

These phrases must have shocked Mary because

1. The Jews were not expecting an incarnation, but an empowering (like the Judges).

2. Her child will be the promised Messiah (cf. Isa. 9:7)

3. His kingdom would be universal and eternal (cf. 2 Sam. 7:13,16; Isa. 9:7; Dan. 2:44; 7:14,18,27; Micah 5:4).

1:32 "the Son of the Most High" In the OT the King is called a "son" (cf. 2 Sam. 7:14; Ps. 2:7). For a note on "Most High" see 1:76.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF GOD

▣ "the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David" That Jesus is a descendant of David is a major Messianic affirmation (cf. 2 Sam. 7; Ps. 89:3-4; 132:11; Isa. 9:6-7; 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15-18; Micah 5:2); it is a recurrent theme of the Gospels (both Matthew's and Luke's genealogies, cf. Luke 1:32,69; 2:4; 3:31; Acts 2:29-31; 13:23; Matt. 15:22; 20:3; 21:9,15; John 7:42); Paul's Epistles (cf. Rom. 1:3; 2 Tim. 2:8); and the book of the Revelation (cf. Luke 3:7; 22:16).

1:33 "He will reign. . .forever, and His kingdom will have no end" This obviously is not a reference to a millennial reign (cf. Rev. 20:1-6, as a matter of fact, Jesus never refers or alludes to a limited Messianic reign), but an eternal kingdom (cf. Ps. 45:7; 93:2; Isa. 9:6,7; Dan. 7:14,18; and implied in Mic. 5:2-5a). For "kingdom" see Special Topic at Luke 4:21.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FOREVER (GREEK IDIOM)

1:34

NASB, NRSV,
TEV"Since I am a virgin"
NKJV"since I do not know a man"
NJB"since I have no knowledge of a man"

The word "know" in Hebrew implies an intimate, personal relationship (cf. Jer. 1:5), even a sexual union (cf. Gen. 4:1; 1 Sam. 1:19). This same idiom is used in the same sense in the Septuagint (cf. Jdgs. 11:39; 21:12).

1:35 "overshadow you" This was not a sexual experience for God or Mary. The Spirit does not have a physical, human body. There is a parallel relationship between "The Holy Spirit will come upon you" and "the power of the Most High will overshadow you." In this context it is not the person of the Spirit that is emphasized, but that OT concept of Him as the power of God that goes forth to do God's bidding (cf. Gen. 1:2). As the power of God came upon Mary (eperchomai) to accomplish His purposes, so too did it come upon the early church (cf. Acts 1:8).

We must be careful not to involve Greek polytheistic ideas in these virgin-birth texts. See note at Luke 1:27. This may be the very reason that this truth does not appear in the sermons of Acts or in the NT Epistles.

"Overshadow" (episkiazō) seems to be related to the OT Shekinah cloud of the Wilderness Wanderings which symbolized God's presence (cf. Septuagint of Exod. 40:35). The same Greek term is used of God's presence overshadowing the inner circle of Apostles on the Mount of Transfiguration (cf. Matt. 17:5; Mark 7:9; Luke 9:34). It showed His personal presence and power.

NASB, TEV"the holy Child"
NKJV"that Holy One who is to be born"
NRSV"the child to be born will be holy"
NJB"the child will be holy"

It is obvious from these English translations there is a problem in the Greek text. Literally the phrase is "wherefore also the thing being born holy." To the participle "being born" (present passive) some ancient Greek manuscripts add "out of (or "from") you" (i.e., Mary, cf. MS C^*). There have been several possible explanations.

1. The two previous clauses have "you."

2. The addition follows the Matthew parallel (cf. Matt. 1:20).

3. This is one of several purposeful theological additions by scribes to deter ancient Christological heresies (cf. Bart D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, p. 139).

This is used in the sense of "sinless" (cf. Acts 3:14; 7:12; 22:14), but also "given to accomplish God's tasks" (cf. Acts 4:27).

Holiness is a family characteristic of God ("holy child" is parallel to "Son of God"). See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: HOLY

▣ "the Son of God" See Special Topic: The Son of God at Luke 1:32.

1:37 "For nothing will be impossible with God" This statement refers to Luke 1:36, but also to Gabriel's message to Mary (Luke 1:26-35). Elizabeth's pregnancy was a way of confirming God's supernatural actions in human conception (cf. LXX of Gen. 18:14). This phrase is an OT idiom of God's power accomplishing His purposes (cf. Job 42:2; Jer. 32:17; Zech. 8:6). It may be an allusion to Gen. 18:14, which deals specifically with the birth of Isaac (another supernatural, but not virgin, birth). It also occurs in a similar affirmation in Mark 10:27 and Luke 18:27.

1:38 "the bondslave of the Lord" The term "Lord" (kurios which reflects adon) obviously refers to YHWH here, but in Luke 1:43 Elizabeth uses the term for Jesus. See fuller note at Luke 1:43 and Special Topic at Luke 1:68.

▣ "may it be done to me according to your word" This is an aorist middle (deponent) optative, which is a prayer or expressed desire. What great faith this young girl displayed! She is not sinless, but has great faith (cf. Luke 1:45). This verse shows the theological balance between God's sovereignty and His covenant mandate (i.e., "if. . .then") of human response. God planned and initiated; Mary cooperated!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:39-45
³⁹Now at this time Mary arose and went in a hurry to the hill country, to a city of Judah, ⁴⁰and entered the house of Zacharias and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the baby leaped in her womb; and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴²And she cried out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! ⁴³And how has it happened to me, that the mother of my Lord would come to me? ⁴⁴For behold, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy. ⁴⁵And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what had been spoken to her by the Lord."

1:39 Zacharias and Elizabeth did not live in Jerusalem, but close by.

1:41 "baby leaped in my womb" This is not unusual for the sixth month of pregnancy, but the timing is miraculous! The eye of faith saw great meaning in a common occurrence. The rabbis asserted that the unborn child could respond to spiritual things (cf. Gen. 25:22). John, who was conceived with God's help, was in the presence of Jesus (both yet unborn).

▣ "filled with the Holy Spirit" Notice that this phrase (so common in Acts) occurs here in a pre-Pentecostal setting. However, Elizabeth's resulting prophetic insight is far-reaching and obviously supernatural.

1:42 "'Blessed. . .blessed" These are both exclamatory forms (Hebrew and Aramaic), like Ps. 1:1 (no verbs). These are also both perfect passive participles. Mary is blessed for a divine purpose. The world is blessed because of her child (cf. Gen. 3:15).

1:43 "my Lord" Elizabeth is using the theologically significant term "Lord" (cf. Exod. 3:14; Ps. 110:1) to refer to the unborn Messiah (cf. Luke 2:14). The filling of the Spirit has clearly opened her eyes as He did for Simeon in Luke 2:26; for Anna in Luke 2:36-38; for Nathanael in John 1:49; and for Peter in Matt. 16:16.

Elizabeth uses the same Greek term, "Lord," of YHWH in Luke 1:45 and 46-47 (by means of His messenger angel). In later Jewish worship the Jews were nervous of pronouncing the covenant name for God, YHWH, so they substituted the Hebrew term Adon (husband, owner, master, lord) for it in their reading of Scripture. This in turn affected later translations like the English ones, which use Lord for YHWH and Lord for Adon (cf. Ps. 110:1). See Special Topic at Luke 1:68.

1:45 "blessed" This is a different Greek word for blessed (makaria) than Luke 1:42 (twice), which is eulogeō. The term in Luke 1:42 is used only of God (once of Mary in Luke 1:42), while the term in Luke 1:45 is used of humans (cf. Luke 6:20-23; Matt. 5:3-11).

▣ "is she who believed" This seems to be a purposeful comparison with Zacharias' expressed doubts and resulting dumbness. However, it could also function as a way to denote the evangelistic purpose of all the Gospels (cf. John 20:30-31). Luke wants his Gentile readers/hearers to also exercise faith in God's word and promises!

SPECIAL TOPIC: Believe, Trust, Faith, and Faithfulness in the Old Testament (אמן)

SPECIAL TOPIC: Faith, Believe, or Trust (Pistis [noun], Pisteuō, [verb], Pistos [adjective])

▣ "that there would be a fulfillment" This is the Greek term teleiōsis, which means "completion" or "accomplishment." Mary believed God's word to her. This is the key to the biblical concept of faith. Throughout the OT God spoke to human beings. Those who would be believers must believe! They must respond to God's word by yielding to His will and purpose. Many surely fit this "faith" category (cf. Hebrews 11).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:46-55
⁴⁶And Mary said: "My soul exalts the Lord, ⁴⁷And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior. ⁴⁸For He has had regard for the humble state of His bondslave; For behold, from this time on all generations will count me blessed. ⁴⁹For the Mighty One has done great things for me; And holy is His name. ⁵⁰And His mercy is upon generation after generation Toward those who fear Him. ⁵¹He has done mighty deeds with His arm; He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. ⁵²He has brought down rulers from their thrones, And has exalted those who were humble. ⁵³He has filled the hungry with good things; And sent away the rich empty-handed. ⁵⁴He has given help to Israel His servant, In remembrance of His mercy, ⁵⁵As He spoke to our fathers, To Abraham and his descendants forever."

1:46-47 "soul. . .spirit" These two terms (psuchē and pneuma) are in a parallel relationship, therefore, these are synonymous (as are "Lord" and "God my Savior"). Humans are a unity, not a dichotomy or trichotomy (cf. Gen. 2:7). This is a controversial issue, so I would like to insert the note from my commentary on 1 Thess. 5:23 (www.freebiblecommentary.org):

"This is not an ontological dichotomy in mankind, but a dual relationship to both this planet and to God. The Hebrew word nephesh is used of both mankind and the animals in Genesis, while spirit (ruah) is used uniquely of mankind. This is not a proof-text on the nature of mankind as a three-part (trichotomous) being. Mankind is primarily represented in the Bible as a unity (cf. Gen. 2:7). For a good summary of the theories of mankind as trichotomous, dichotomous, or a unity, see Millard J. Erickson's Christian Theology (second edition) pp. 538-557; Frank Stagg's Polarities of Man's Existence in Biblical Perspective (p. 133) and W. T. Conner, Revelation and God, pp. 50-51."

▣ "exalts. . .rejoiced" The first is present tense. The second is aorist tense. It is possible that the first phrase refers to the unborn Messiah and the second phrase to Mary's faith in YHWH.

1:46 "Mary" There is an interesting discussion about which name—(1) Mary, (2) Elizabeth, or (3) no name at all—appeared in the original autograph. All Greek witnesses have "Mary" (spelled two different ways), but three Latin texts and comments by Irenaeus and Jerome, commenting on Origen's notes, have given rise to speculation. For further information, see Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, pp. 130-131.

1:47 "God my Savior" Mary recognizes her need for a savior!

As there has been an ambiguity in the use of Lord (kurios), possibly referring to YHWH or the Messiah, it is interesting to me how this possibly "purposeful" ambiguity continues throughout the NT. The Trinitarian aspect of God's nature unifies the Father and the Son. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Luke 3:22.

In Paul's letter to Titus he calls the Father "Savior" three times (cf. Titus 1:3; 2:10; 3:4). In every context he also calls Jesus "Savior" (cf. Titus 1:4; 2:13; 3:6).

1:48 "humble state" God chose a young peasant girl to be the Messiah's mother (cf. Gen. 3:15). Isn’t that just like God! He is in control. He will be magnified. He does not need human merit or performance. He will bring redemption!

▣ "will call me blessed" Elizabeth has already blessed her younger relative twice (cf. Luke 1:42,45). This will be repeated throughout time because of the significance of her Son!

1:49 "the Mighty One" This reflects the Patriarchal name of God, El Shaddai (cf. Exod. 6:3). See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY at Luke 1:68.

▣ "holy is His name" See Special Topic at Luke 1:35.

1:50 "His mercy is upon generation after generation" This is an OT allusion to YHWH's unchanging character of mercy and covenant loyalty toward those who believe (cf. Deut. 5:10; 7:9; Ps. 103:17).

▣ "fear Him" This means to respect or revere Him, to keep Him in a place of awe (of God in Acts 9:31; of government officials in Rom. 13:7; of slave owners in 1 Pet. 2:18).

1:51 "He has done mighty deeds with His arm" This is an anthropomorphic phrase. God does not have a physical body. It is used in the Bible to describe God's power to act (cf. Ps. 98:1; 118:15-16; Isa. 51:9; 52:10). Often Jesus is depicted at the Father's right hand (cf. Matt. 22:44; 26:64; Luke 20:42; 22:69; Acts 2:33,34; 5:31; 7:55,56).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GOD DESCRIBED AS HUMAN (ANTHROPOMORPHISM)

▣ "He has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart" This reflects YHWH's actions in the OT recorded in the Septuagint (cf. Num. 10:35; Deut. 30:1,3; Jer. 51:20-22). God's ways are so different from mankind's ways (cf. Isa. 55:8-9). He exalts those who are weak, powerless, and humble, like Mary (cf. Luke 10:21).

The Greek term for "proud" (huperēphanos) is used often in Isaiah (cf. Isa. 1:25; 2:12; 13:11; 29:20).

For "heart" see Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HEART

1:52 This is parallel to Luke 1:51, as is Luke 1:53. This is known as a "reversal" promise. YHWH will bring down the proud and powerful, but will exalt the lowly!

1:53 This is a quote from Ps. 107:9. The same concept is found in Ps. 146:7-9. God's ways are not mankind's ways (cf. Isa. 55:8-11).

1:54 "to Israel His servant" The term "servant" was originally used in the OT as an honorific title for leaders (e.g., Moses, Joshua, David).

It came to be used in a collective sense for Israel, especially in the Servant Songs of Isaiah (cf. Luke 41:8-9; 42:18-19; 43:10). This collective sense is personified in an ideal Israelite (i.e., the Messiah in Isa. 42:1; 52:13-53:12).

▣ "In remembrance of His mercy" God is and has been faithful to Israel because of His unchanging character (cf. Mal. 3:6) of mercy and covenant love (Hebrew hesed).

1:55 This verse emphasizes the call of Abraham (cf. Gen. 12, 15, 17) and his descendants who will provide a family and a nation for the Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of "the seed" of Abraham (cf. Rom. 2:28-20; Gal. 3:15-19).

▣ "forever" See Special Topic: Greek Idioms for "Forever" at Luke 1:33.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:56
⁵⁶And Mary stayed with her about three months, and then returned to her home.

1:56 "then returned to her home" Obviously to face ridicule. Belief always costs!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:57-58
⁵⁷Now the time had come for Elizabeth to give birth, and she gave birth to a son. ⁵⁸Her neighbors and her relatives heard that the Lord had displayed His great mercy toward her; and they were rejoicing with her.

1:57 For Jews the birth of a child, especially a son, was a blessing from God. Elizabeth had been childless for so long and now had delivered a healthy boy!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:59-66
⁵⁹And it happened that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to call him Zacharias, after his father. ⁶⁰But his mother answered and said, "No indeed; but he shall be called John." ⁶¹And they said to her, "There is no one among your relatives who is called by that name." ⁶²And they made signs to his father, as to what he wanted him called. ⁶³And he asked for a tablet and wrote as follows, "His name is John." And they were all astonished. ⁶⁴And at once his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he began to speak in praise of God. ⁶⁵Fear came on all those living around them; and all these matters were being talked about in all the hill country of Judea. ⁶⁶All who heard them kept them in mind, saying, "What then will this child turn out to be?" For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him.

1:59 "on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child" This was practiced by all of Israel's neighbors except the Philistines (Greek Aegean people). For most cultures it was usually a rite of passage into manhood, but not for Israel. It was instead an initiation rite into the covenant People. It was a sign of a special faith relationship with YHWH (Gen. 17:9-14). Each Patriarch circumcised his own sons (i.e., acted as priest for his own family). Robert Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 214, says the rite of circumcision connected the rite of blood-shedding with the act of circumcision. Blood was connected to covenant forming (cf. Gen. 15:17), covenant breaking (cf. Gen. 2:17), and covenant redemption (cf. Isaiah 53).

The eighth day was the set time for male Jews to have the foreskin of their penises removed (cf. Lev. 12:3; Gen. 17:12). It was so important that even if the eighth day occurred on the Sabbath the ritual was still performed.

1:60 "he shall be called John" Naming was usually the choice of the father, but for both Jesus (cf. Matt. 1:21) and John (cf. Luke 1:13) the messenger angel gave their names.

1:63 "they were all astonished" This is the Greek term thaumazō, which is used often by Luke (cf. Luke 1:21,63; 2:18,33; 4:22; 7:9; 8:25; 9:43; 11:13,38; 20:26; 24:12,41; Acts 2:7; 3:12; 4:13; 7:31; 13:41). Luke's vocabulary is influenced by the Septuagint. This word is also found in several OT contexts (cf. Gen. 19:21; Lev. 19:25; 26:32; Deut. 10:17; 28:50; Job 41:4; Dan. 8:27). The noun form is used of God's miracles (cf. Exod. 3:20; Deut. 34:12; Jdgs. 6:13; and 1 Chr. 16:9).

▣ "fear" These neighbors, family, and friends recognized God's special presence and divine purpose (cf. Luke 1:66) in this conception and birth. This fear (a better word, "awe," cf. NJB) is the common human response to the presence of the supernatural.

1:66 "For the hand of the Lord was certainly with him" Luke adds these personal comments several times (cf. Luke 2:50; 3:15; 7:39; 16:14; 20:20; 23:12).

This was a Semitic idiom for God's presence, power, and plan for individuals who become part of His design for the Kingdom (cf. 1 Chr. 28:19; Ezek. 1:3). By analogy it would apply to the mindset and worldview of all believers. God is with us, for us, and has a plan and purpose for our lives. See Special Topic at Luke 1:51.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:67-79
⁶⁷And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying: ⁶⁸"Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, For He has visited us and accomplished redemption for His people, ⁶⁹And has raised up a horn of salvation for us In the house of David His servant – ⁷⁰As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from of old – ⁷¹Salvation from our enemies, And from the hand of all who hate us; ⁷²To show mercy toward our fathers, And to remember His holy covenant, ⁷³The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, ⁷⁴To grant us that we, being rescued from the hand of our enemies, Might serve Him without fear, ⁷⁵In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days. ⁷⁶And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; For you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways; ⁷⁷To give to His people the knowledge of salvation By the forgiveness of their sins, ⁷⁸Because of the tender mercy of our God, With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us, ⁷⁹To shine upon those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, To guide our feet into the way of peace."

1:67 "was filled with the Holy Spirit" This shows the presence and the power of the Holy Spirit who was active in the world before Pentecost. Be careful about making too radical a distinction between the OT actions of the Spirit and the NT actions of the Spirit. The difference is in the NT personification of the Spirit (see Special Topic at Luke 12:12), not His actions.

▣ "prophesied" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: NEW TESTAMENT PROPHECY

1:68-70 Zacharias, John the Baptist's father, thanks "the Lord God of Israel" for sending His promised Messiah. The context does not mention his own son (i.e., John) until Luke 1:76-77. In this same section, Luke 1:71-75 and 78-79 are also a psalm of thanksgiving to YHWH for the salvation He has brought in His Messiah (cf. Eph. 1:3-12).

1:68 "Blessed" See note at Luke 1:45.

▣ "the Lord God of Israel" This phrase contains a Greek translation of the two most common names for deity.

1. "Lord" reflects YHWH of Exod. 3:14, which denotes God as Savior, Redeemer, and Covenant-making God.

2. "God" reflects the general name for God, Elohim (cf. Gen. 1:1), which denotes God as creator, provider, and sustainer of all life on this planet.

The creator and redeeming God (cf. Gen. 2:4) reveals Himself to the world through His dealings with Abraham and his descendants (cf. Gen. 12,15,17). Israel will be the source of God's promised Messiah.

SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY

▣ "For He has visited us" This visit of YHWH was in the person and work of Jesus. Jesus has brought redemption, not only for Israel, but for the world (cf. Gen. 3:15; 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6).

▣ "redemption" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: RANSOM/REDEEM

1:69 "horn of salvation" In the OT an animal's horns were a symbol of that animal's power (cf. Deut. 33:17; Ps. 92:10; Zech. 1:18-21). It was used to describe the power of the wicked (cf. Ps. 75:10) and the righteous (cf. 1 Sam. 2:1; Ps. 75:10; 89:17; 148:14).

This cultural idiom came to be used for the efficacious power of the altar of sacrifice (cf. Exod. 27:2; 30:10; 1 Kgs. 1:50; 2:28). From this developed the concept of God as the efficacious protector of one's salvation (cf. 2 Sam. 22:2; Ps. 18:2).

▣ "in the house of David His servant" This phrase brings several OT connotations.

1. The key term is "house" and the key context is 2 Samuel 7. From this Messianic promise comes Ps. 132:17 and Isa. 11:1. The Messiah will be from the tribe of Judah (cf. Genesis 49) and the family of Jesse (cf. Matt. 1:1; Luke 1:32; John 7:42; Acts 13:23; Rom. 1:3; Rev. 22:16).

2. "Servant" was an OT title of honor and of Moses and Joshua.

1:70 The "He" of this verse refers to the "Spirit" of Luke 1:67. This is the NT affirmation of the inspiration and relevance of OT prophecy (cf. Rom. 1:2; 3:21; 16:26). It is also an affirmation of the personality of the Spirit. See Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology, 2^nd Ed., pp 875-878. See Special Topic at Luke 12:12.

NASB, NRSV"from of old"
NKJV"who have been since the world began"
TEV"long ago"
NJB"from ancient times"

This phrase relates to the OT prophets. It was inserted between "holy" and "prophets" (cf. Acts 3:21). The theological thrust is that the Messiahship of Jesus was not a recent invention, but ancient, inspired prophecy. He would bring physical (OT) and spiritual (NT) salvation to Israel and beyond (cf. Matt. 28:18-20; Luke 24:47; Acts 1:8).

1:71 "Salvation" In the OT the word "salvation" has a primary meaning of physical deliverance (cf. Luke 1:74). This introduces a quote from Ps. 106:10.

1:72

NASB"to show mercy toward our fathers"
NKJV"to perform the mercy promised to our fathers"
NRSV"thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors"
TEV"He said He would show mercy to our ancestors"
NJB"and show faithful love to our ancestors"

The two lines of Luke 1:72 are parallel. The covenant to Abraham (cf. Gen. 12,15,17) is specifically mentioned in Luke 1:73-75. This was a conditional covenant based on God's promise in Luke 1:73-74a and the appropriate faith response in Luke 1:74b-75.

▣ "holy covenant" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COVENANT

1:73 "The oath which He swore to Abraham our father" God's covenant with Abraham is recorded in Lukes 12 and 15, but this specific oath is recorded in Gen. 22:16-18. Paul mentions this oath/promise several times in Romans 4, where he documents that God's salvation has always been based on (1) God's mercy and covenant initiation and (2) mankind's faith response.

1:74 The infinitive that begins this verse in NASB, NKJV, and NJB is found in Luke 1:73 in UBS⁴ and NRSV.

The purpose of human redemption is human service to God. This is Paul's very point in Romans 6!

Fear of God is caused by sin. The Messiah removes the penalty of sin and restores the "image of God" (cf. Gen. 1:26-27) in fallen mankind, so fellowship without fear is possible again, as it was in the Garden of Eden.

1:75 "holiness" See Special Topic: Holy at Luke 1:35.

▣ "righteousness" See Special Topic at Luke 1:6.

1:76 "you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High" This was a startling statement since there had been no prophet in Israel since Malachi, over 400 years earlier.

The title "Most High" (hupsistos) comes from the Septuagint's translation of the Hebrew Elion. It is first applied to God in Gen. 14:18,19,20,22 in connection with Melchizedek (cf. Heb. 7:1) and again in Num. 24:16 in connection with Balaam.

Moses uses it of God in Deut. 32:8 (cf. Acts 17:26). It is used several times in the Psalms (cf. Luke 18:13; 78:35; 89:27).

The Gospel writers use it several times in connection to Jesus being called the Son of the Most High (cf. Luke 1:32; Mark 5:7; and parallel Luke 8:28) and here in this text, John the Baptist as prophet of the Most High. See Robert B. Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, p. 35.

▣ "you will go on before the Lord to prepare His ways" The Jews were expecting a forerunner to the Messiah and because of Mal. 4:5, they were expecting Elijah to be reincarnated. John the Baptist dressed and lived much like Elijah.

John did not see himself in this role (cf. John 1:21), but Jesus says he fulfilled this prophecy (cf. Matt. 11:14). John describes himself (cf. Luke 3:2-6) by this very quote from Mal. 3:1 (cf. Isa. 40:3-4).

The word "Lord" is a way to translate YHWH. It refers to the Covenant God of Israel (cf. Luke 1:16-17; Mal. 3:1; Isa. 40:3-4). John prepares for the coming of YHWH in His Messiah.

1:77 John's ministry of preparation had a threefold purpose.

1. to accentuate a spiritual sense of need (i.e., baptism of repentance)

2. to bring knowledge of salvation (i.e., repent and believe) in God's mercy, God's Messiah, God's soon-coming provision (cf. Luke 1:15)

3. to point toward Jesus (cf. John 1:29-34, 35-37)

John cannot bring salvation by the forgiveness of sins, but he points toward One who can and will—Jesus of Nazareth.

1:78 "Because of the tender mercy of our God" It was the unchanging character of God the Father (cf. Mal. 3:6, although it could reflect Isa. 9:2 or 60:1), which sent the Messiah (cf. John 3:16). Mercy is the key to "predestination" (cf. Rom. 9:15,16,18; 11:30,31,32).

The Greek term translated "tender" is literally splagchnon, which denoted "the inward parts" of a sacrifice, which the Canaanites ate but the Jews offered to YHWH on the altar of sacrifice at the Tabernacle (cf. Exod. 29:13; Lev. 3:3-4,10,15; 4:8-9; 7:3-4; 8:16,25; 9:10,16).

The Ancients located the feelings in these "lower organs" (liver, kidneys, intestines, cf. Isa. 63:15; Jer. 4:19; and the metaphor is continued in the NT, cf. 2 Cor. 6:12; 7:15; Phil. 1:8; 2:1; Col. 3:12; Philemon 7,12,20).

NASB"With which the Sunrise from on high will visit us"
NKJV"With which the Dayspring from on high has visited us"
NRSV"The dawn from on high will break upon us"
TEV"He will cause the bright dawn of salvation to rise on us"
NJB"In which the rising Sun has come from on high to visit us"

Because there have been several allusions to Malachi in this praise of Zacharias, this is probably an allusion to Mal. 4:2a. "But for you who fear My name the sun of righteousness will rise with healing in its wings."

The word "sun" does not appear in the Greek text, but only the term "rising" (as it does in the LXX of Mal. 4:2). The term "sun" has two possible origins.

1. The Zoroastrians' (i.e., Persian religion during the captivity of Israel) symbol of their high, good god (Ahura Masda) was the sun disk with wings.

2. The title for God, "Most High" (cf. Luke 1:32,76) is a way of referring to God's gift of light/sun (cf. Ps. 19:1-6).

Malachi 4 speaks of a day of salvation coming symbolized by light/healing.

There are Greek manuscript variations as to the verb tense (present/future). The Malachi prophecy is future, but the Christ-event for John the Baptist was present.

1:79 This is a quote from Isa. 9:1-2 (which means Luke 1:78 could also refer to Isa. 9:2). There have been several quotes from Malachi that have had parallels in Isaiah (i.e., prepare the way of the Lord). This seems to be another (i.e., a rabbinical wordplay on "sun rise" and "shine").

Originally the Isaiah prophecy referred to the first defeated tribes in the north of Israel who were taken captive first by the northern invasion of Assyria in the eighth century b.c. Isaiah asserts they will be the first to have good news presented to them. Jesus' first area of ministry was Galilee!

▣ "to guide our feet into the way of peace" This is an aorist active infinitive of the Greek term "to direct." It is used only three times in the NT: here and twice by Paul in his letters to Thessalonica (cf. 1 Thess. 3:11; 2 Thess. 3:5). In all three occurrences it emphasizes God's guidance. In the Septuagint it is linked to "keep one straight" (i.e., on God's path).

OT faith is characterized as a clear path. God's people are to follow the path, stay on the straight path. It is not by accident the early church in Acts is called "the Way."

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 1:80
⁸⁰And the child continued to grow and to become strong in spirit, and he lived in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel.

1:80 "the child continued to grow and to become strong" This is very similar to the description of Jesus' development, both physically and spiritually (cf. Luke 2:40).

SPECIAL TOPIC: BE MADE STRONG

▣ "in spirit" As is often the case, the interpretive issue is, does this refer to the Holy Spirit or to John's human spirit? Possibly to both, based on an allusion to Isa. 11:1-2.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT (PNEUMA) IN THE NT

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is the virgin birth an important biblical concept?

2. How did the Spirit accomplish this task?

3. How do we balance the greatness of Mary's faith with the normalcy of her humanity?

4. What is the important truth revealed in Luke 1:51-53?

5. Why are the titles of the godly king listed in Luke 1:6 so significant in our understanding of Jesus of Nazareth?

6. Why can Zacharias be filled with the Holy Spirit before Pentecost?

7. Why is the Davidic origin of the Messiah so important?

8. Why were the Jews expecting Elijah to be reincarnated?

Luke 2

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Birth of Jesus	Christ Born of Mary	The Birth of Jesus	The Birth of Jesus	The Birth of Jesus and Visit of the Shepherds
2:1-7	2:1-7	2:1-7	2:1-3	2:1-14
			2:4-7
The Shepherds and the Angels	Glory in the Highest		The Shepherds and the Angels
2:8-14a	2:8-13	2:8-14	2:8-12
			2:13
	2:14-20		2:14
2:14b-20
		2:15-20	2:15	2:15-20
			2:16-20
	Circumcision of Jesus		Jesus Is Named	The Circumcision of Jesus
2:21	2:21	2:21	2:21	2:21
The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple	Jesus Presented in the Temple		Jesus is Presented in the Temple	Jesus is Presented in the Temple
2:22-24	2:22-24	2:22-24	2:22-24	2:22-28
	Simeon Sees God's Salvation
2:25-35	2:25-35	2:25-32	2:25-32	The Nunc Dimittis
				2:29-32
				The Prophecy of Simeon
		2:33-35	2:33-35	2:33-35
	Anna Bears Witness to the Redeemer			The Prophecy of Anna
2:36-38	2:36-38	2:36-38	2:36-38	2:36-38
Return to Nazareth	The Family Returns to Nazareth		The Return to Nazareth	The Hidden Life of Jesus at Nazareth
2:39-40	2:39-40	2:39-40	2:39-40	2:39-40
The Boy Jesus in the Temple	The Boy Jesus Amazes the Scholars	The Boy Jesus at Jerusalem	The Boy Jesus in the Temple	Jesus Among the Doctors of the Law
2:41-52	2:41-50	2:41-51	2:41-48	2:41-45
				2:46-50
	Jesus Advances in Wisdom and Favor		2:49-50	The Hidden Life at Nazareth Resumed
	2:51-52	2:52	2:51-52	2:51-52

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:1-7
¹Now in those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus, that a census be taken of all the inhabited earth. ²This was the first census taken while Quirinius was governor of Syria. ³And everyone was on his way to register for the census, each to his own city. ⁴Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, ⁵in order to register along with Mary, who was engaged to him, and was with child. ⁶While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. ⁷And she gave birth to her firstborn son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn.

2:1 "decree" These Roman enrollments ran in fourteen-year cycles which began under Caesar Augustus (30 b.c. to a.d. 14, cf. Luke 3:1; Matt. 22:17). We learn of these cycles from Egyptian papyri. They took years to finish. A second census is mentioned in Acts 5:37 and in the writings of Josephus, which says that it was done in a.d. 6; therefore, the first was begun about 8 b.c. (cf. Acts 5:37).

▣ "census" This registration was for the purpose of taxation and military conscription. Jews, however, were exempt from military service. It also included, possibly, an oath of loyalty to Caesar.

▣ "the inhabited earth" This refers to the Roman Empire or the known civilized world (cf. Luke 4:5; 21:26; Acts 11:28; 17:6,31; 19:27; 24:5; Matt. 24:14; Rev. 3:10). It is surely possible that some of these texts reflect a world-wide emphasis, like Matt. 24:14; Acts 17:31; and Heb. 1:6; 2:5).

2:2 "This was the first census" A second census is mentioned in Acts 5:37. These Roman censuses took many years to complete, possibly up to fourteen years (i.e., evidence from Egypt).

▣ "Quirinius" There is a problem with this statement and secular history. Quirinius was the civil governor of Syria in a.d. 6. He was the military leader in Syria, of which Judea was a part, from 10-7 b.c., however, he did not become the political leader until a.d. 6. He came to Judea in a.d. 6/7 for the explicit purpose of registration for taxation (Josephus, Antiq. 18.1-2,26). The footnote in the NRSV gives the information that Quirinius was a special legate of Augustus to deal with a rebellious tribe (Homonadenses, cf. Tacitus, Annals, 13.48) and, therefore, was the military governor of Syria while Varas was the civil governor (Oxford, 1991, edited by Bruce M. Metzger and Roland Murphy, pp. NT 79-80).

A Translator's Handbook on the Gospel of Luke, p. 105, asserts that Quirinius acted as a special representative of the Emperor from 12 b.c. to a.d. 16, which included an administrative charge related to the census. It also asserts that he was twice governor of Syria, from 3-2 b.c. and again in a.d. 6-16. The authors of the UBS Handbook, Reiling and Swellengsegel, cite Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible, vol. 3, pp. 975-977, as their source.

2:3 The "everyone" refers to males, possibly males with taxable property (land, businesses, etc.).

▣ "each to his own city" This was the unique aspect related to Jewish culture. Nazareth had a clan from the tribe of Judah (family of Jesse) living there, but for several families Bethlehem was their ancestral city.

2:4 "Bethlehem" This was a small Judean village about six miles southwest of Jerusalem and, therefore, about seventy miles south of Nazareth. It was known in the OT as Ephrath (cf. Gen. 35:19), which became Bethlehem Ephrathah of Micah 5:2. This was a way to distinguish it from a Bethlehem in the north of Israel.

This city is known as the city where Boaz and Ruth, who were ancestors of King David, lived (cf. Ruth 4:11). David's father, Jesse, lived here also (cf. 1 Sam. 17:12). Because it was the ancestral home of David, it was the prophesied but unexpected site of Jesus' birth (cf. Mic. 5:2; Matt. 2:5,6; John 7:42).

▣ "because he was of the house and family of David" One wonders how much of the prophecy of 2 Sam. 7:12-17 Luke had in mind (cf. Luke 1:32) when he recorded this phrase about the lineage of Jesus. This phrase may have been a direct allusion to these OT Messianic promises.

2:5 "to register along with Mary" One wonders why Mary traveled so late in her pregnancy when only males were required to return to their ancestral home.

1. Joseph did not want to leave her in Nazareth where she would be verbally ridiculed

2. Joseph or Mary knew the prophecy of Micah 5 and wanted to fulfill it

3. God was working in the situation, unbeknown to either Joseph or Mary

▣ "engaged" Matthew 1:24-25 implies that they were married, but the marriage had not been consummated. In Jewish culture engagement was legally binding. Marriages were arranged by families and this engagement period usually lasted up to a year.

2:6 "While they were there" This may imply an extended period in Bethlehem, possibly to keep Mary from the derision in Nazareth.

2:7 "firstborn" This is used in the OT sense of "heir." It also suggests that Mary had other children (cf. Matt. 13:55-56; John 7:35).

SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRSTBORN

▣ "wrapped Him in cloths" This term (BDB 367) meant to wrap up with cloth, like a broken arm (cf. Ezek. 30:21). It is used of wrapping a newborn in Ezek. 16:4 (cf. Wis. 7:4). It is used metaphorically in Job 38:9.

Apparently the entire body of a newborn was wrapped (similar to American Indians) for its warmth and protection. This would have been the common procedure for every child.

▣ "manger" This was a feeding trough (cf. LX, Isa. 1:3; Pro. 14:4) for domestic animals. These were very crude, non-hygenic conditions, but so was all of the ancient, peasant world.

▣ "inn" The term kataluma is indefinite and could refer to

1. A guest room (animals often lived in close proximity to their owners, cf. Mark 14:14; Luke 22:11; see Kenneth Bailey, Through Peasant Eyes, p. xv).

2. Justin Martyr (a.d. 110-162/168) says that Jesus was born in a cave used as an animal corral (common in this area).

3. Others say it was in an open-air courtyard of the Inn.

4. The more traditional interpretation is in a room on the lowest level shared with animals of the home owner (i.e., not an inn).

Bethlehem was a very small village. I am not sure there would be enough travelers to warrant an inn (normal word, pandocheion, cf. Luke 10:34). Jewish culture stressed the cultural obligation of hosting relatives. There were so many relatives in town for the enrollment that no guest room was available. Luke uses this same word in Luke 22:11 for a "guest room" (cf. Mark 14:14).

The term is used in a wide variety of meanings in the Septuagint, but one of them is a room in one's house, usually on the roof (cf. 1 Sam. 1:18; 2 Sam. 7:6; 1 Chr. 17:5).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:8-14
⁸In the same region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields and keeping watch over their flock by night. ⁹And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. ¹⁰But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; ¹¹for today in the city of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. ¹²This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger." ¹³And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ¹⁴"Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased."

2:8 "In the same region" This refers to Bethlehem.

▣ "shepherds" The rabbis considered them to be religious outcasts and their testimony was not admissible in court (i.e., later Jewish tradition). This was because they lived with the sheep and could not keep all the rules and regulations of the rabbis (i.e., Talmud). There may be some symbolic connection with David's being a shepherd in this same area. The Messiah's birth was announced first to Jewish shepherds! This is surprising, recorded by a Gentile, writing for Gentiles, while Matthew, writing to Jews, mentions the wise men (possibly Gentiles) from the east.

▣ "their flock" There is no way to fix the time of the year of Jesus' birth because the Temple flocks were kept in that area all year. God's Lamb (cf. John 1:29) was born in the same area that the sacrificial lambs used year round in the daily temple sacrifice. If so, these shepherds may have been Levites.

The traditional date of December 25 to celebrate Jesus' birth developed hundreds of years later (i.e., fourth century, Constitutions of the Holy Apostles, Luke 2:3.13), apparently chosen to coincide with a pagan, astral festival (winter solstice). Some of the elements of modern Christmas were a part of the Roman holiday known as "the Feast of Saturnalia."

Clement of Alexandria, at the end of the second century, noted the lack of agreement on the exact birth date of Jesus (Stromata, 1.21). Even today some believers celebrate January 6, not December 25 (i.e., Eastern Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox).

2:9 "an angel of the Lord" This angel seems to be separate from the heavenly hosts who later speak or sing. The KJV has the definite article, but it is not in the Greek text. This exact Greek phrase is used of the angel who appeared to Zacharias in the Holy Place (see note at Luke 1:11).

▣ "the glory of the Lord" This phrase is often used in the Septuagint to denote the glorious personal presence of YHWH (cf. Exod. 16:7,10; 24:16; 40:34-38; Num. 16:19).

SPECIAL TOPIC: GLORY (DOXA)

▣ "stood before them" This same verb is used of the two angels at the Ascension (cf. Luke 24:4).

▣ "shone around them" This same word is used by Paul of his Damascus road experience in Acts 26:13. These are the only two occurrences of the term in the NT; it does not appear at all in the Septuagint. I wonder if Luke got the term, which describes God's glorious presence, from hearing Paul's testimony so many times?

NASB"they were terribly frightened"
NKJV"they were greatly afraid"
NRSV, NJB"they were terrified"
NJB"they were terribly afraid"

The Greek phrase is literally "they feared a great fear." The verb and the object are the same term. This is called a "cognate accusative." The sight of the spiritual realm always frightens fallen humanity.

2:10 "Do not be afraid" This is a present imperative with the negative particle, which usually means to stop an act already in process. This is a very common angelic greeting to frightened humanity (cf. Luke 1:13,30).

▣ "good news of great joy" Their "great fear" is now balanced with "great joy."

The word translated "good news" (euangelizō, cf. Luke 1:19) is a combination of the words "good" and "message." It is used often in the Septuagint for preaching a glad message (cf. 1 Sam. 31:9; 2 Sam. 1:20; 4:10; 18:19-20,31; 1 Kgs. 1:42; Ps. 39:10). It came to be used in a technical sense for preaching the gospel of Jesus Christ (cf. Luke 3:18; 4:18,43; 7:22; 8:1; 9:6; 16:16; 20:1; Acts 5:42; 8:4,12,25,35,40; 10:36; 11:20; 13:32; 14:2,15,21; 15:35; 16:10; 17:18).

▣ "for all the people" This was the promise of Gen. 3:15; 12:3; Exod. 19:5-6; and of the eighth century prophets. This is the mystery hidden in ages past, but now fully revealed in Christ (cf. Eph. 2:11-3:13). This good news even reaches to outcast shepherds (and by implication to Luke's Gentile readers)! This same universal emphasis is repeated and defined in Luke 2:32.

SPECIAL TOPIC: YHWH's ETERNAL REDEMPTIVE PLAN

2:11 "for today" The NET Bible has a good comment about Luke's use of "today" (cf. p. 1796, #9). Luke often uses it to denote the presence of the new age.

1. Luke 2:11 – Christ's birth

2. Luke 4:21 – OT quotes from Isa. 61:1-2 (at Luke 2:18-19)

3. Luke 5:26 –Jesus' healing of the leper (sign of the new age)

4. Luke 13:32-33 – healings (sign of the new age)

5. Luke 19:9 – salvation comes to Zaccheus' house

6. Luke23:43 – with Jesus in Paradise

7. Acts 4:9 – healings of Peter denote the new age

8. Acts 13:33 – Jesus' resurrection (sign of the new age, quote from Ps. 2:7)

The new Messianic age, the age of the Spirit, has now broken into time!

▣ "the city of David" This refers to Bethlehem. See note at Luke 2:4.

▣ "Savior" This title was used of YHWH in the OT (cf. Luke 1:47; Isa. 43:3,11; 45:15,21; 49:26; 60:16). In the Roman Empire it was used of Caesar. The word in Hebrew means "deliverer" (BDB 446) and is part of the name of Jesus (i.e., Hosea, BDB 448). This and 1:47 are surprisingly the only use of this term in the Synoptic Gospels.

The fact that Jesus the carpenter from Nazareth is called by two major OT titles of YHWH (Savior and Lord) is striking. When you add the title Messiah (Christ), it is obvious that Luke is piling affirmation on affirmation of the deity of Jesus. The Synoptics, especially Mark, tend to hide Jesus' deity until the end. John clearly and forcefully asserts Jesus' pre-existence and deity in John 1:1-18. Luke, by using these titles, sets the theological stage for Gentiles (the audience for both John's and Luke's Gospels) to comprehend who Jesus was/is.

▣ "Christ" The literal meaning is "Anointed One" from the verb chriō. It refers to the Coming King (Mashiach, Ps. 2:2; 18:50; 84:9; 89:49-51; 132:10,17) who will be called and equipped to do God's will in initiating the restoration and the New Age. The Hebrew term is translated in Greek as "Christ."

SPECIAL TOPIC: ANOINTING IN THE BIBLE (BDB 603)

SPECIAL TOPIC: MESSIAH

▣ "Lord"The Greek term "Lord" (kurios) can be used in a general sense or in a developed theological sense. It can mean "mister," "sir," "master," "owner," "husband" or "the full God-man" (cf. John 9:36, 38). The OT (Hebrew, adon) usage of this term came from the Jews' reluctance to pronounce the covenant name for God, YHWH, which was from the Hebrew verb "to be" (cf. Exod. 3:14). They were afraid of breaking the Commandment which said, "Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain" (cf. Exod. 20:7; Deut. 5:11). They thought if they did not pronounce it, they could not take it in vain. So, they substituted the Hebrew word adon, which had a similar meaning to the Greek word kurios (Lord). The NT authors used this term to describe the full deity of Christ (e.g., Luke 2:11; John 20:28; Acts 10:36; 1 Cor. 2:8; Phil. 2:11; James 2:1; Rev. 19:16). The phrase "Jesus is Lord" was the public confession of faith and a baptismal formula of the early church (cf. Rom. 10:9-13; 1 Cor. 12:3; Phil. 2:11). In Acts 2:36 both Christ and Lord are used of Jesus.

See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY at Luke 1:68.

2:12 "This will be a sign for you" One wonders if this was an intentional allusion to Isaiah 7. Zacharias and Mary had to believe without immediate confirmation, but these shepherds are given immediate confirmation. I wonder if they followed Jesus' life and ministry, if they were in the crowds that followed Him. I am surprised we do not hear more about their eyewitness testimony.

▣ "in a manger" There was nothing unusual about His clothing, but there was something unusual about the Messiah lying in an animal feeding trough!

2:13 "heavenly host" This is literally "army of heaven." It reflects the Hebrew "sabbaoth," which also has a military connotation (cf. Jos. 5:14). See SPECIAL TOPIC: NAMES FOR DEITY at Luke 1:68.

2:14 "Glory to God in the highest" God is given glory for

1. His person ("in the highest")

2. His good news ("peace among men")

3. the sending of His Son

4. the good news of His finished work of redemption of fallen mankind)

God deserves glory (see Special Topic at Luke 2:9) and praise from creation and from His redeemed children!

There is some confusion as to the physical location of these angels. The first angel seems to have appeared on the earth next to the shepherds, but the large number of angels may have appeared in the sky. The text is ambiguous. The phrase "in the highest" refers to God, not the angels.

NASB"on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased"
NKJV"on earth peace, good will toward men"
NRSV"on earth peace among those whom he favors"
TEV"peace on earth to those with whom he is pleased"
NJB"on earth peace for those he favors"

There is a manuscript variant connected to the last word in Greek. The genitive form (cf. NASB, NRSV, TEV, NJB) is found in MSS א^*, A, B^*, D and in the Greek text used by Cyril of Jerusalem, Jerome, and Augustine. The UBS⁴ gives this form an A (certain) rating. This grammatical construction is unusual for Koine Greek, but is a Semitic construction found in the Dead Sea Scrolls. The opening chapters of Luke have many of these Semitic constructions (cf. Bruce M. Metzger, A Textual Commentary on the Greek New Testament, p. 133), which may reflect Aramaic-written documents.

The familiar King James rendering gives the wrong theological impression. This is not a text on God's love for all humanity like 2:10; John 3:16; 1 Tim. 2:4; or 2 Pet. 3:9, but of God's offer of peace to those who know Him and are involved in His kingdom. The gospel was not good news to many Jews of Jesus' day, so it cannot refer to Israel alone. It is surely true that the mystery of God's election and human free will is difficult to harmonize, but both are biblically true. We must not proof-text part of the NT tension, but fully embrace the tension—preach God's sovereignty to whosoever will receive! There is a tension between Luke 2:10 (whether Israel or humanity) and Luke 2:14!

SPECIAL TOPIC: Election/Predestination and the Need for a Theological Balance

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:15-20
¹⁵When the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds began saying to one another, "Let us go straight to Bethlehem then, and see this thing that has happened which the Lord has made known to us." ¹⁶So they came in a hurry and found their way to Mary and Joseph, and the baby as He lay in the manger. ¹⁷When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child. ¹⁸And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. ¹⁹But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. ²⁰The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them.

2:15 These shepherds recognized the prophetic aspect of the angels' message and wanted (both verbs are subjunctive) to go and confirm this great revelation in the nearby village.

I would have hated to be the one shepherd who had to stay and watch the sheep!

This verse uses rēma as "thing" (cf. Luke 2:19) instead of "word" or "statement" (cf. Luke 2:17).

2:16 It was not hard to find Mary, Joseph, and the baby in the small village of Bethlehem. The scene was exactly as the angels had said.

2:17-18 To whom does the "all" refer? It could be the people and visitors in Bethlehem or, because of the proximity of Jerusalem and the importance and source of the message, it may refer to the religious leaders in Jerusalem. However, notice that we do not hear of the message again anywhere else in the NT. Possibly the bias of the Jewish leadership against shepherds caused them to discredit the whole account.

2:19 "But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart" Mary thought about these events again and again (cf. Luke 2:51). Luke's source for these early years seems to have been Mary. He possibly visited her while Paul was in prison at Caesarea for two years.

2:20 It must have been hard to return to life as usual. I wonder how many of these shepherds were still alive when Jesus began His public ministry some thirty years later.

▣ "glorifying and praising God" This involves two present participles.

1. glorifying God – Luke 2:20; 5:25,26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15; 18:43; 23:47; Acts 4:21; 11:18; 21:20; 23:47

2. praising God – Luke 2:13,20; 19:37; Acts 2:47; 3:8,9

Other parallel expressions are

1. blessed by God – Luke 1:64,68; 2:28; 24:53

2. gave thanks to God – Luke 2:38

3. give glory to God – Luke 2:14; 17:18; 19:38; 12:23 (negated)

It is obvious this is a recurrent theme in Luke's writings. God deserves glory, praise, and blessing!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why was the Roman world enrolled?

2. Is there a problem with Luke's chronology?

3. Why is Jesus' birth in Bethlehem so important? What does this say about God's control of history?

4. Why was Jesus born in a stable?

5. What is the significance of God's angel announcing Christ's birth to shepherds?

6. Why are the titles "Savior," "Messiah," and "Lord" so important?

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO LUKE 2:21-52

There are several Jewish rituals referred to in this passage.

A. The Ritual of Circumcision

1. The sign of YHWH's covenant with Abraham (cf. Gen. 17:1-14)

a. every male

b. eight days old (cf. Lev. 12:3)

c. for all generations

d. for domestic servants (cf. Exod. 12:44)

e. the uncircumcised male is to be cut off from the faith community

2. flint knives used

a. Exodus 4:25

b. Joshua 5:2-3

3. no special place, but done by the father (cf. Gen. 17:23-27), usually locally (not in the Tabernacle)

4. done by Patriarchs (cf. Gen. 34:13-24), but neglected in captivity (cf. Exod. 4:24-26) and restarted in conquest (cf. Jos. 5:4-9)

B. The Ritual of Childbirth Purification

1. period of uncleanness

a. any fluid that leaked from the body caused one to be ceremonially unclean

b. the mother was unclean for seven days after the birth of a son (cf. Lev. 12:2)

c. the mother was unclean for fourteen days after the birth of a daughter (cf. Lev. 12:5)

d. she remains unclean for forty days for a son (cf. Lev. 12:3-4 and eighty for a daughter (cf. Lev. 12:6)

e. this ceremonial uncleanness is compared to the monthly menstrual cycle

2. rite of purification

a. after a waiting period the mother comes to the tabernacle and brings an offering of

(1) a one year old lamb for a burnt offering (cf. Lev. 12:6)

(2) a young pigeon or turtledove for a sin offering (cf. Lev. 12:6)

(3) if the person is poor, then two pigeons or turtle doves are acceptable (cf. Lev. 12:8)

b. these procedures result in a ceremonial cleansing

C. The Rite of Redemption of the Firstborn

1. Because of the death of the firstborn of Egypt, the firstborn of non-priestly families was given to serve YHWH (cf. Exodus 13).

2. The Levites and Priests as a tribe took the place of the firstborn males in serving YHWH (cf. Num. 3:12,45; 8:14).

3. The priest (any priest) had to be paid a set price by the parents to buy back their firstborn male child (cf. Exod. 34:20).

4. This seems to be reflected in Luke 2:23 and 27b, while the mother's rite of purification is in Luke 2:22,24.

5. The rabbis say that this redemption can be done with any priest on the thirty-first day. This does not fit the timing of Mary's forty-day uncleanness. Some scholars would see only two rituals in this context.

D. The command that all males (and by implication, their families) come to the tabernacle/Temple at least on the three annual feast days (cf. Exod. 23:14,17; Lev. 23)

1. The three main feasts

a. Passover/Unleavened Bread (cf. Exod. 23:14-15; Lev. 23:4-8; Num. 28:16-25)

b. Feast of Harvest/Pentecost (cf. Exod. 23:16; 34:22-34; Lev. 23:15-21; Num. 28:26-31)

c. Feast of Ingathering/Booths (cf. Exod. 23:16; Lev. 23:34-36; Deut. 16:13-17)

2. Jesus' parents brought Him to Jerusalem for the Feast of Passover when He was twelve (cf. Luke 2:41-43) just before His bar mitzvah at thirteen

3. Jesus fulfilled all aspects of the Mosaic Law (cf. Luke 2:39)

E. It is surprising how few OT quotes are in Luke's Gospel (Luke 2:23,24; 3:4-6). This is also true of Mark (who wrote for Romans). These three occur in Luke's first three chapters, which are possibly from his interviews with (or documents from) Mary. Luke, writing for Gentiles, does not feel the need to document OT prophecies as does Matthew (cf. Matt. 1:23; 2:15,18,23; 3:3; 4:15; 8:17; 12:18-21; 13:25; 21:5; 27:9), who writes for Jews.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:21
²¹And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

2:21 "eight days old" This was the Jewish time for circumcision (cf. Gen. 17:12; Lev. 12:3). It was considered so important that it was even performed on the Sabbath. All of the people in the Mediterranean area were circumcised (except the Philistines). The Romans performed this rite on the ninth day, the Greeks on the seventh or tenth day, and the Arabs on the thirteenth birthday (cf. Gen. 17:23-26). For the Jews it was a sign of YHWH's Covenant with Abraham. Jesus was born under the Law. See Contextual Insights, A.

▣ "His name was then called Jesus" The parents usually named their children, but this child's name had been revealed by Gabriel (cf. Luke 1:31; Matt. 1:21).

Jesus (Greek) and Joshua or Yeshua (Hebrew) are the same Hebrew names. They are a combination of the covenant name for God, YHWH, and the noun "help" or "deliver." The exact way to combine these two nouns is uncertain, a verb must be supplied. Here are some options.

1. "YHWH saves"

2. "salvation is of YHWH"

3. "YHWH delivers"

4. "YHWH is the deliverer"

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:22-24
²²And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³(as it is written in the Law of the Lord, "Every firstborn male that opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord"), ²⁴and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

2:22 "the days for their purification" The pronoun "their" has bothered Bible students because it involves a sin offering for both the mother and the child. Jesus was born under the law (cf. Luke 2:21-22,27; Gal. 4:4-5) and He was to fulfill all things (cf. Matt. 3:15). He completely identified with the Jewish customs of His day. The period of purification was forty days after birth for a son and eighty days for a daughter (cf. Lev. 12:1-5). See Contextual Insights, B.

▣ "up to Jerusalem" Bethlehem is higher than Jerusalem physically, but to the Jews, no place on earth was spiritually higher than Jerusalem. In the Bible one must always go "up to Jerusalem." There are two or three Jewish rituals mentioned in Luke 2:22-44. The first was performed locally (circumcision), the others at the Temple at a later time. Mary's purification after forty days and buying back the firstborn male child was done according to later rabbinical traditions on the thirty-first day.

2:23 "Every firstborn male" This Jewish rite (cf. Exod. 13:2,12,13,15) was instituted at Passover (cf. Exodus 12). The Levites as a group took the place of the firstborn as God's special servants. The price of redemption in Jesus' day was five shekels, which was given to any priest (cf. Numbers 18:16). This was the normal price of a sacrificial lamb. See Contextual Insights, C.

2:24 "A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons" This was the cheapest purification offering one could make. One bird was for a sin offering and the other was for a burnt offering (cf. Lev. 12:6-8). This rite is in reference to the purification of Luke 2:22. Any bodily emission made a Jewish person ceremonially unclean, therefore, birth was something that had to be dealt with by sacrifice. The women could watch the ritual by looking from the Nicor gate, but they could not enter into the inner court of the Temple because (1) they were considered ceremonially unclean and (2) they were women.

This offering shows that the wise men from the East had not yet brought their gifts.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:25-32
²⁵And there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; and this man was righteous and devout, looking for the consolation of Israel; and the Holy Spirit was upon him. ²⁶And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. ²⁷And he came in the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to carry out for Him the custom of the Law, ²⁸then he took Him into his arms, and blessed God, and said, ²⁹"Now Lord, You are releasing Your bond-servant to depart in peace, According to Your word; ³⁰For my eyes have seen Your salvation, ³¹Which You have prepared in the presence of all peoples, ³²A Light of revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel."

2:25 "Simeon" This is a very common name (BDB 1035, meaning "hearing" from Gen. 29:33). Some ancient sources suppose that he might have been the son of Rabbi Hillel and the father of Gamaliel, but this is very doubtful. Others suppose that he was the president of the Sanhedrin. These suggestions are proposed so that Simeon would be a priest and this would be the rite of the buying back of the firstborn male child, but this is not in the text! Tradition says that he was old, but the text is silent.

▣ "righteous" See full note and Special Topic at Luke 1:6.

▣ "devout" This term literally means "taking hold well." It refers to one who is careful about religious matters, therefore, a pious person. It was used in the Septuagint in Lev. 15:31 and Micah 7:2. It is found only in Luke's writings in the NT (cf. Luke 2:25; Acts 2:5; 8:2; 22:12).

▣ "consolation of Israel" This term is used several times in Luke's writings (cf. Luke 2:25; 6:24; Acts 4:36; 9:31; 13:15; 15:31), but it is not used in the other Gospels. It seems to be parallel to "the redemption of Jerusalem" in Luke 2:38 (cf. Luke 24:21) and possibly "the kingdom of God" in Luke 23:51 (cf. Mark 15:43). Therefore, it has an eschatological orientation (cf. Isa. 40:1-2). It is also a favorite phrase of Paul. In one paragraph in 2 Corinthians 1 he used it six times.

SPECIAL TOPIC: COMFORT

▣ "the Holy Spirit was upon him" The gospel is not the result of human research or discovery. It is the supernatural revelation of the Spirit of God (cf. Luke 2:26-27).

The Spirit is the source of the revelations of the working out of the redemptive plan of God in these opening chapters of Luke:

1. Elizabeth, Luke 1:41

2. Zacharias, Luke 1:67

3. Simeon, Luke 2:25,26

Notice the imperfect tense. The Spirit did not come and go, but remained upon him.

SPECIAL TOPIC: INSPIRATION

2:26 "Lord's Christ" The Spirit had promised Simeon that he would not experience physical death until he saw God's Redeemer, the Anointed One, the Messiah (see Special Topic at Luke 2:11) with his own eyes (sounds like Job 19:25-27).

The term "revealed" is a periphrastic perfect passive indicative. God did it and the revelation remains. The verb is used in the Septuagint of God's revealing Himself (cf. Jer. 32:30; 33:2; 36:23).

The term "Lord" obviously refers to YHWH and "Christ" to baby Jesus. Jesus did not earn His Messiahship; He was born the Christ (no Adoptionism, no Gnosticism, see Appendix: Glossary of Terms).

2:27 "the parents" This is simply the language of description. This says nothing about the doctrine of the virgin birth (cf. Luke 1:34; Matt. 1:18-25).

▣ "to carry out for Him the custom of the Law" This seems to refer to the Jewish rite of the redemption of the firstborn (cf. Exodus 13). See Contextual Insights, C.

2:28 "and blessed God" Simeon's blessing is directed toward YHWH for sending His promised redeemer (for all people, cf. Luke 2:29-32).

2:29

NASB, NKJV,"Lord"
TEV
NRSV, NJB"Master"

The term despotēs is used often in the Septuagint for YHWH (cf. Gen. 15:2,8; Jos. 5:14; Isa. 1:24; 3:1). In English we get the word "despot" from this Greek word. It is used of one who has supreme authority and power. It is used of YHWH in Acts 4:24 and Rev. 6:10 and of Jesus in 2 Pet. 2:1 and Jude 4.

▣ "to depart in peace" This is an OT idiom of physical death after a long, happy life (cf. Gen. 15:15; Jer. 34:5). Death is not an enemy to those who know God!

▣ "according to Your word" This refers in context to Luke 2:26. The Greek term "revealed" (perfect passive participle) is regularly used in the passive voice of divine revelations (cf. Matt. 2:12,22; Luke 2:26; Acts 10:22; Heb. 8:5; 11:7).

2:30 This emphasis on seeing God's salvation may come from OT prophecy (cf. Isa. 52:10) or reflect the same message.

In these opening chapters of Luke the term "salvation" has two connotations:

1. In the OT texts quoted it refers to the physical deliverance of Israel.

2. In light of the gospel it refers to spiritual salvation, which is brought through faith in Jesus' person and work.

In the OT, Israel is saved from the nations, but now Israel's Messiah will save the nations!

2:31-32 "all peoples. . .light. . .Gentiles" This is the universal gospel, which must have been very shocking to the Jews (I wonder if Simeon fully understood these prophecies in light of Christ), but was thrilling to be heard by Luke's Gentile readers (cf. Isa. 2:2-4; 9:2; 42:6; 49:6; 51:4; 60:1-3). This phrase could mean "in the presence of the Gentiles" (cf. Ps. 98:1-3; Isa. 52:1-10), however, this does not fit the context. It is amazing how many allusions there are to Isaiah's prophecies in the first two chapters of Luke. Isaiah, of all the prophets, saw this universal salvation (which becomes the theme of the NT (i.e., 24:47; John 1:12; 3:16; 4:10; Acts 10:34-35,43; 1 Tim. 2:4; 4:10; Titus 2:11; 1 John 2:1-2; 4:14; 2 Pet. 3:9).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:33-35
³³And His father and mother were amazed at the things which were being said about Him. ³⁴And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed— ³⁵and a sword will pierce even your own soul—to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed."

2:33 "were amazed" This is a periphrastic imperfect. They marveled again and again. This possibly refers to the Gentiles being included in God's salvation! Mary already had the testimony of Gabriel and Elizabeth. Both Mary and Joseph had the shepherd's message.

2:34

NASB"is appointed"
NKJV, NRSV,
NJB"is destined"
TEV"is chosen"

This term is literally "to lie upon" or "be placed upon," but it came to have a metaphorical extension of "an appointed sign" in the Septuagint of Jos. 4:6. It is used in this sense several times in the NT (cf. 1 Thess. 3:3, which is also a present passive [deponent] indicative).

▣ "the fall" God's universal redemptive plan (see Special Topic at Luke 2:11), which will be manifested by a suffering Messiah, will not be easy to believe for many people. But, how they respond will determine their spiritual destiny and eternity (cf. John 1:12; 3:16-19; 9:39).

It is possible that "fall" refers to unbelieving Jews tripping over Jesus (cf. Luke 20:17-18; 1 Cor. 1:23; 1 Pet. 2:6-8). He is the stone which the builders rejected (cf. Isa 8:14; 28:16; Matt. 21:42,44; Rom. 9:33; 1 Cor. 1:23; 1 Pet. 2:8). Hearers of the gospel must make a choice about Jesus. There is no neutral ground about Him (cf. Matt. 10:34-39). He is the Christ or He is a false Messiah (cf. John 10:1-18; 14:6).

▣ "and rise" This same Greek term is translated "resurrection" in other texts. This special Child, the Messiah, will be the only way to be right with God. Trusting Him will determine one's eternal state. The mystery of evil is that even with the Holy Spirit and the good news of Christ, many will reject Him (cf. Luke 8:11-12; 2 Cor. 4:4).

NASB"for a sign to be opposed"
NKJV"for a sign which will be spoken against"
NRSV"to be a sign that will be opposed"
TEV"He will be a sign from God which many people will speak against"
NJB"destined to be a sign that is opposed"

One of the evidences which affirms Jesus' Messiahship is His rejection. This may be an allusion to OT texts like Isa. 6:9-10, of which Jesus says is the purpose of parables (i.e., to hide meaning, cf. Luke 8:10; Matt. 13:13; Mark 4:12; John 12:36b-43). The OT predicts again and again that only a faith remnant will be saved (delivered).

2:35 "a sword" This refers to the large sword which was carried by the Romans. This is a metaphorical reference to Jesus' rejection and crucifixion. Mary was present at Jesus' crucifixion (cf. John 19:26-27). This phrase seems to be addressed to Mary specifically. Notice the dashes in NASB.

▣ "thoughts from many hearts may be revealed" There is no middle ground with Jesus. He polarizes every group and by each one's response, his/her heart is revealed (cf. Luke 8:17-18). Being Jewish never did make one automatically right with God (neither does church membership or religious activity).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:36-38
³⁶And there was a prophetess, Anna the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was advanced in years and had lived with her husband seven years after her marriage, ³⁷and then as a widow to the age of eighty-four. She never left the temple, serving night and day with fastings and prayers. ³⁸At that very moment she came up and began giving thanks to God, and continued to speak of Him to all those who were looking for the redemption of Jerusalem.

2:36 "prophetess" There had not been any truly inspired spokesperson for God since Malachi (or the writer of Chronicles). Women in places of leadership were not a new or unusual thing in the OT. Miriam, Hannah, Deborah, Ruth, Huldah, and Esther are examples (cf. Acts 2:17; 21:9).

SPECIAL TOPIC: WOMEN IN THE BIBLE

SPECIAL TOPIC: PAUL'S USE OF WOMEN IN MINISTRY

▣ "the tribe of Asher" This shows the presence of a tribe out of the northern ten tribes who were exiled by Assyria in 722 b.c. in Jesus' day; some of the northern tribes did return.

2:37 "widow to the age of eighty-four" This woman had dedicated her life to God after the early death of her husband.

▣ "she never left the temple" This is the kind of phrase that becomes a point of contention among commentators. Some modern believers assert that it must be literal (i.e., she lived there) or the Bible is not true. For me this is obviously hyperbole. She was there during the day and at all special events. Worshiping God was her life. The same issue of literal vs. metaphorical relates to Ezekiel's lying in front of his house in Babylon for days on end (cf. Ezek. 4:4-8).

2:38 "to speak of Him" We are not told what she said, therefore, why would Luke mention her at all? It was to give the evidence of two witnesses required by Mosaic Law (cf. Num. 35:30; Deut. 17:6; 19:15). Both the young (unborn John) and the old (Simeon and Anna) as well as male and female recognized who He was.

▣ "looking for the redemption of Jerusalem" See note at "consolation of Israel" at Luke 2:25. Zacharias also speaks of this in Luke 1:68-74. For "redemption," see Special Topic at Luke 1:68.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:39-40
³⁹When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. ⁴⁰The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.

2:39 "When they had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord" Jesus and His parents were orthodox Jews in every sense. They completely fulfilled the Mosaic requirements due at the temple for themselves and their child.

▣ "returned to Galilee" This was Jesus' initial area of ministry, which was predicted in the OT (cf. Isa. 11:1). This would have been the first part of the Promised Land, which was invaded and defeated by Syria, Assyria, Babylon, and Persia.

▣ "Nazareth" The village where Jesus grew up was called Nazareth. It is not mentioned in the OT, the Talmud, or in Josephus. It apparently was not settled until the time of John Hyrcanus (i.e., Hasmonaen), who ruled from 134-104 b.c. The presence of Joseph and Mary from this village implies that a clan of David's line settled here.

There may be an etymological connection between the names Nazareth and the Messianic title Branch (cf. Matt. 2:23, "called a Nazarene"), which is netser in Hebrew (cf. Isa. 11:1; Jer. 23:5; 33:15; Zech. 3:8; 6:12; Rev. 5:5; 22:16). See Special Topic at Luke 4:34.

It was apparently a term of reproach because of its location far from Jerusalem in a Gentile area (cf. John 1:46 and Acts 24:5, even though this, too, was prophecy [cf. Isa. 9:1]). This may be why "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews" was inscribed on the placard which was placed on the cross above Jesus' head.

2:40 "The Child continued to grow" Jesus developed normally as a human child (as did John, cf. Luke 1:80) physically, emotionally, and spiritually (cf. Luke 2:52, see Special Topic at Luke 1:80). This may be an anti-Gnostic statement. He obviously attended synagogue school with the other children.

See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GNOSTICISM

▣ "the grace of God was upon Him" The Greek term charis has a wide semantic range. Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 2, p. 262, list "kindness, gift, thanks, and good will" as possible translations. The sense in which it is used in this verse is unique to the Synoptic Gospels. The term is used several times in Luke's Gospel, but only here in the sense of "grace."

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:41-51
⁴¹Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover. ⁴²And when He became twelve, they went up there according to the custom of the Feast; ⁴³and as they were returning, after spending the full number of days, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it, ⁴⁴but supposed Him to be in the caravan, and went a day's journey; and they began looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. ⁴⁵When they did not find Him, they returned to Jerusalem looking for Him. ⁴⁶Then, after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. ⁴⁷And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers. ⁴⁸When they saw Him, they were astonished; and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You treated us this way? Behold, Your father and I have been anxiously looking for You." ⁴⁹And He said to them, "Why is it that you were looking for Me? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" ⁵⁰But they did not understand the statement which He had made to them. ⁵¹And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart.

2:41 "went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover" Jewish males over 21 years of age were required to attend all three major annual feasts (cf. Ex. 23:14-17; 34:23; Deut. 16:16). In the first century this was reduced to one feast because of the number of Jews living outside of Palestine. This is another evidence of Jesus' parents' dedication to the law of Moses. Mary was not required by law to attend, but she wanted to.

2:42 "when He became twelve" Jesus was coming very close to His Bar Mitzvah, which made a Jewish boy a "son of the Law." This occurred at age thirteen. It is possible that Luke recorded His age as twelve to show how fully developed He was in the Scriptures even at this age. Jesus obviously, by this time, recognized who He was (cf. Luke 2:49).

2:43 "spending the full number of days" These bands of pilgrims came in groups for safety reasons and usually stayed either two or seven days (cf. Exod. 12:15-16; Lev. 23:6-8; Deut. 16:3).

▣ "Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem. But His parents were unaware of it" Usually in these caravans of pilgrims the men and women traveled separately and often times the children would play together. Probably each parent thought that Jesus was in the care of the other.

2:44 "went a day's journey, and they began looking for Him" Usually these caravans left Jerusalem and stopped at Beereoth, about eight to ten miles from Jerusalem, for the night. The normal distance of a day's journey was over twenty miles.

2:46 "after three days" This includes their one day travel away from Jerusalem, the one-day journey back, and one day to search for Jesus.

▣ "in the temple" On the Sabbath and on feast days the rabbis lectured in the covered porches of the Court of the Women (outermost courtyard of the shrine).

▣ "both listening to them and asking them questions" This is a helpful model for all of us. We all have teachers who have influenced us and we thank God for them. It is good to have a receptive spirit. However, there must come a time of mature reflective thought when we ask questions about what we have been told, even of those we trust. Maturity both listens and questions. The truth that was shared by others must become our truth.

2:47 "And all who heard Him were amazed at His understanding and His answers" This is an imperfect middle indicative, which suggests a repeated experience. This was Jesus' only known chance to hear the great rabbis in Jerusalem and discuss the Law with them. These would be the same type of leadership that would not listen to Him as an adult.

This verse addresses the exceptional nature of Jesus, while Luke 2:52 stresses the normalcy of Jesus. Both are true. Jesus knew very early who He was and why He came! Yet, He was truly human!

2:48 "were astonished" This literally is "struck with a blow" (cf. Luke 2:48; 4:32; 9:43; Acts 13:12).

▣ "Your father and I" Notice the contrast between Mary's use of the pronoun "your father" and Jesus' use of the pronoun "My Father" in Luke 2:49. Verse 50 clearly states that Mary and Joseph did not clearly make the distinction, but young Jesus did!

▣ "have been anxiously looking for You" This is an imperfect. They had been looking for three days (cf. Luke 2:46) and were extremely anxious about Jesus' welfare.

2:49 "Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house" These are the first recorded words of Jesus. This shows that Jesus knew something of His origin and purpose, even at this early age. This also may be Luke's attempt to refute the heresy of "Adoptionism."

For an interesting discussion of "adoptionism" and how early scribes modified their texts so as to reject this heretical Christology, see Bart D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, pp. 47-118. For a brief definition see my glossary in the appendices.

2:50 There are three places in Luke's Gospel where it is specifically stated that Jesus hearers did not understand.

1. his parents – 2:50

2. the crowd – 9:45

3. the Twelve – 18:34 (about Jesus' death)

The Twelve were privileged to much of Jesus' private instruction (cf. Luke 10:21-24), but still they were unable to receive the information about His suffering and death in Jerusalem (cf. Mark 9:32; John 2:22; 12:16; 14:26) until after the resurrection (cf. Luke 24:45).

In John's Gospel this disconnect is part of the vertical dualism (i.e., Jesus is from above but humans are from below).

2:51 "He went down with them and came to Nazareth" This is the last mention of Joseph. Apparently he died at an early age, but the couple had several other children first (cf. Matt. 12:46; 13:55; Mark 6:3; John 2:12; 7:3,5,10; Acts 1:14; 1 Cor. 9:5; Gal. 1:19).

▣ "continued in subjection to them" This is a periphrastic imperfect passive, "He was continually subject to them." The law was very strict on this (cf. Deut. 21:18-21). Jesus grew up in a normal Jewish household, obeying and following the normal Jewish rules for children.

▣ "and His mother treasured all these things in her heart" Mary remembered these early events (cf. Luke 2:19), but did not understand them (cf. v 50) until after the resurrection. Luke apparently interviewed Mary and she is one of the sources of his Gospel. Possibly this interview took place during Paul's two-year imprisonment at Caesarea by the Sea.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 2:52
⁵²And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

2:52 Jesus had a normal childhood. He is truly human (contra the Gnostics); that is how He understands us completely (cf. Heb. 2:18; 4:15)!

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why did Jesus need a sin offering to be offered for Him and Mary?

2. What is so unusual about Simeon's message?

3. Why is Hannah mentioned if her words about Jesus are not recorded?

4. Did Jesus have a "normal" childhood?

5. List the three Jewish rites which are discussed in Luke 2:21-41.

6. Why did Luke omit the account of the wise men and the flight to Egypt?

7. What was orthodox Judaism's attitude toward Jesus?

8. What do Luke 2:40 and 52 imply?

9. Was the occurrence in Luke 2:40 Jesus' Var Mitzvah?

10. Describe what a pilgrim caravan was like. Does this explain how Jesus' parents could have missed Him for a whole day?

11. Why were Jesus' parents astonished? Why was Jesus astonished at their reaction?

Luke 3

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Preaching of John the Baptist	John the Baptist Prepares the Way	Activity of John the Baptist	The Preaching of John the Baptist	The Proclamation of John the Baptist
3:1-6	3:1-6	3:1-6	3:1-6	3:1-6
	John Preaches to the People
3:7-14	3:7-20	3:7-9	3:7-9	3:7-9
		3:10-14	3:10	3:10-14
			3:11
			3:12
			3:13
			3:14a
			3:14b
3:15-20		3:15-20	3:15-17	3:15-18
			3:18-20	John the Baptist Imprisoned
				3:19-20
The Baptism of Jesus	John Baptizes Jesus	Jesus' Baptism	The Baptism of Jesus	Jesus is Baptized
3:21-22	3:21-22	3:21-22	3:21-22	3:21-22
The Genealogy of Jesus	The Genealogy of Jesus Christ	The Genealogy of Jesus	The Ancestors of Jesus	The Ancestry of Jesus
3:23-38	3:23-38	3:23-38	3:23-38	3:23-38

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:1-6
¹Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip was tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, ²in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. ³And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins; ⁴as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, 'Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight. ⁵Every ravine will be filled, And every mountain and hill will be brought low; The crooked will become straight, And the rough roads smooth; ⁶And all flesh will see the salvation of God.'"

3:1 "fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar" The exact date is unsure, but a date between a.d. 27 to a.d. 29 is possible.

Tiberius controlled the provinces two years before Augustus' death, however, he reigned from a.d. 14-37.

It is obvious that Luke 3:1-2 are Luke's way of precisely dating this event. Luke is far more concerned with corroborating the gospel events with secular history than any other NT author. Christianity is a historically based religion. It stands or falls on the "eventness" which the Bible records.

▣ "Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PONTIUS PILATE

▣ "Herod was tetrarch of Galilee" Herod Antipas, 4 b.c. - a.d. 39, was called governor or tetrarch. He was removed by Caligula for changing his title to "King." See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE FAMILY OF HEROD THE GREAT

▣ "Philip was tetrarch of the region" Of Herod's children, Philip, 4 b.c. - a.d. 34, was the best ruler.

▣ "Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene" This person is mentioned only here in the NT. Josephus mentions an earlier son of Ptolemy, who ruled Chalcis, which included Abila (but not Abilene), beginning in 40 b.c. (cf. Josephus, Antiq. 15.4.1 and 14.13.3).

However, an inscription from Abilene specifically mentions a tetrarch named Lysanias. This inscription is from a.d. 11 or a.d. 14-29. Josephus also mentions a Lysanias connected to Abila (cf. Antiq. 19.5.1; 20.7.1; and Jewish Wars 2.11.5; 2.12.8). Again Luke's historicity is confirmed.

Abilene is north of Galilee and was originally part of Herod the Great's territory.

3:2 "high priesthood of Annas" His name in Greek is Hannas; Josephus calls him Hannanos. The name seems to come from the Hebrew "merciful" or "gracious" (hānān).

In the OT the high priest served for life and had to come from the lineage of Aaron. However, the Romans had turned this office into a political plum, purchased by a Levitical family. The high priest controlled and operated the merchandising in the Court of the Women. Jesus' cleansing of the Temple angered this family.

According to Flavius Josephus, Annas was the High Priest from a.d. 6-14. He was appointed by Quirinius, governor of Syria and removed by Valerius Gratus. His relatives (5 sons and 1 grandson) succeeded him. Caiaphas (a.d. 18-36), his son-in-law (cf. John 18:13), was his immediate successor. Annas was the real power behind the office. John depicts him as the first person to whom Jesus is taken (cf. John 18:13,19-22).

▣ "Caiaphas" Caiaphas was the High Priest, appointed by Rome in exchange for a price, from a.d. 18-36. He was the son-in-law of Annas, High Priest from a.d. 6-15. This powerful family was motivated more by politics and wealth than by spirituality. It is unfair to judge all Sadducees or, for that matter, the Sanhedrin, by them.

▣ "the word of God" This is an OT formula for God speaking to the prophets (e.g., Jer. 1:2). Here it is used for God's message through the last OT prophet, John the Baptist.

▣ "in the wilderness" He was possibly a member of or a visitor to the Essene community (cf. Mark 1:4; Matt. 3:1). The wilderness was also the regular habitation of Elijah. John looked, acted, and lived like Elijah. Jesus will say he fulfills the prophecies recorded in Mal. 3-4 about the coming of Elijah before the Messiah (cf. Matt. 11:14; 17:10-13).

3:3 "baptism" The first century Palestinian background to water baptism was possibly

1. the Essene community (i.e., Dead Sea Scrolls)

2. proselyte baptism for Gentiles converts

3. a symbol of cleansing in Judaism (cf. Isa. 1:16)

▣ "repentance" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

▣ "forgiveness" This is a form of the common Greek term aphiēm, often used of forgiving sin (cf. Luke 5:20,21,23,24; 7:47,48). This was also a medical term (aphesis) for the relaxing of disease (cf. Luke 4:39). Luke uses aphesis often in his writings but it appears only once in Matthew, twice in Mark, not in John at all, and only twice in Paul's writings.

John's task was to call Israel back from sin and faithless ritual to personal faith. His message was targeted to the covenant people who had repeatedly broken and misunderstood YHWH's covenant mercy and love. John accentuated the spiritual need that only Jesus could meet!

SPECIAL TOPIC: WORDS FOR FORGIVENESS

3:4-6 This is a quote from Isa. 40:3-5. Only Luke gives the full quote of Luke 3:4 and 5; the other Gospels quote only Luke 3:3. This shows Luke's consistent universalism of the gospel for all people.

Notice the relevant aspects of the OT quote:

1. John was from the "wilderness."

2. John was to prepare the people for the message and ministry of Jesus the Messiah.

3. All obstacles to God, here symbolized by physical barriers, are to be removed.

4. "All flesh" will see and have available God's salvation.

3:4 "it is written" this perfect passive indicative of graphō was a Hebrew idiom used to introduce a quote from the OT. The Greek graphē was often used to describe Scripture in the NT (cf. Luke 4:21; 24:27,32).

▣ "in the book" This is the Greek word biblos (cf. Luke 20:42), from which we get the English word "book," and later "Bible," but here it refers to a parchment scroll (cf. Luke 4:20; Rev. 5:1-5).

▣ "Make ready the way" This is an aorist active imperative, which denotes urgency. In the Masoretic Hebrew text, Lord (i.e., adon) is read, but YHWH is in the text. The phrase originally referred to physical preparation for a royal visit (cf. Isa. 57:14; 62:10). It came to refer metaphorically to the ministry of John the Baptist spiritually preparing the way for Jesus the Messiah, who is also called "Lord" (i.e., kurios).

▣ "of the Lord" New Testament writers regularly attribute OT writings about YHWH to Jesus.

▣ "Make His paths straight" The Masoretic Text and Septuagint have "make straight the paths of our God." Mark (or Peter) modified the text (or quotes an unknown textual form) to make it specifically relate to Jesus, not YHWH (Luke uses Mark's Gospel here).

3:5 The imagery of this verse can be understood in two ways:

1. Historically it is used of preparing a road for a royal visit.

2. Eschatologically it is used of all physical barriers being removed for God's people to be gathered to Himself.

3:6 "'all flesh will see the salvation of God'" "Salvation" is from the Septuagint; Matthew has "glory" (cf. Luke 3:30-32). Universal salvation (i.e., for all who repent and believe) is being emphasized by Luke, who is writing for a Gentile audience.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:7-9
⁷So he began saying to the crowds who were going out to be baptized by him, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruits in keeping with repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father,' for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹Indeed the axe is already laid at the root of the trees; so every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

3:7 "saying" This imperfect tense shows John the Baptist's repeated message.

▣ "the crowds who were going out" This is a present middle (deponent) participle emphasizing that the crowds continued to come. There was a spiritual hunger in Israel.

▣ "'You brood of vipers’" There was also the presence of the Jewish establishment (cf. Matt. 12:34; 23:23). This is used in Matt. 3:7 of self-righteous Sadducees. We must remember that the people looked up to and admired these religious leaders (i.e., Sadducees and Pharisees). John did not admire them at all, but called them to personal repentance and faith (cf. Mark 1:15).

▣ "the coming wrath" Eschatological fulfillment calls for a new day of the Spirit, but also a day of judgment (cf. Matt. 24-25). To those who have much, much will be required (cf. Luke 12:48).

3:8 "bear fruits" This is an Aorist active imperative. John demanded a lifestyle change to give evidence of a true change of heart (repentance). This concept of spiritual fruit can be seen in Matt. 7:15-23; 12:33; Luke 6:39-45; Gal. 5:22-23. Eternal life has observable characteristics.

▣ "We have Abraham for our father" These Jewish leaders were trusting in their racial lineage (cf. John 8:37-59; Gal. 3:29). The rabbis believed that God's promises to Abraham and his descendants (cf. Gen. 12,15,17) were unconditional promises, but the OT prophets clearly declare they are conditioned on a faith response (cf. Rom. 9:4-5 vs. 10:1-4). Neither the merit of the Patriarchs nor the covenants of the OT can replace repentance, personal faith, obedience, and perseverance. The gospel does not focus on genealogy, but on faith (cf. Rom. 2:17-29).

▣ "descendants. . .stones" These two words have very similar sounds in Aramaic (sons – banayyā and stone – ’abnayyā). Jesus regularly spoke Aramaic, not Koine Greek. This may be an intentional word play. It could possibly allude to the New Age prophecy of Isa. 56:1-2.

3:9 This same metaphor of fruitlessness and the destruction of the tree is found in Matt. 7:19. This surely has an eschatological flavor. Although the Kingdom came in Jesus, it is not yet fully consummated. At the consummation a separation of judgment will occur (cf. Matt. 25:31-46 and Rev. 20:11-15). There is a spiritual principle, OT and NT—we reap what we sow (cf. Job 34:11; Ps. 28:4; 62:12; Pro. 24:12; Eccl. 12:14; Jer. 17:10; 32:19; Matt. 16:27; 25:31-46; Rom. 2:6; 14:12; 1 Cor. 3:8; 2 Cor. 5:10; Gal. 6:7-10; 2 Tim. 4:14; 1 Pet. 1:17; Rev. 2:23; 20:12; 22:12).

Fire in the OT prophets is a metaphor of judgment (eighth century examples, Isa. 5:24; 9:18-19; 10:16-17; 26:11; 33:11, 12,14; 47:14; 64:2,11; 66:15-16,24; and seventh century examples, Jer. 4:4; 5:14; 6:29; 11:16; 15:14; 17:4,27; 21:12,14; 22:7; 23:29; 43:12-13). See Special Topic at Luke 3:17.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:10-14
¹⁰And the crowds were questioning him, saying, "Then what shall we do?" ¹¹And he would answer and say to them, "The man who has two tunics is to share with him who has none; and he who has food is to do likewise." ¹²And some tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" ¹³And he said to them, "Collect no more than what you have been ordered to." ¹⁴Some soldiers were questioning him, saying, "And what about us, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Do not take money from anyone by force, or accuse anyone falsely, and be content with your wages."

3:10 "Then what shall we do" Obviously the rules, rites, and liturgies of rabbinical Judaism were not enough. The personal application of truth is crucial in biblical faith (i.e., a heart circumcision, cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4; 9:25-26; Rom. 2:28-29). We must live what we believe (cf. James 2:14-26). The gospel is a person to welcome (Jesus), truths about that person to be believed (the NT), and a life like that person to be lived (daily Christlikeness).

3:11 "tunics" This Greek word (chitōn) is thought to be a loan word from Hebrew. It is used in the Septuagint for:

1. a woman's undergarment, Gen. 3:21

2. a man's undergarment, Jdgs. 14:19

3. a priest's undergarment, Lev. 6:3

Moulton and Milligan, in their study of Koine Greek writings from the Egyptian papyri, The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament, p. 688, believe it is a term native to Asia Minor. It had two related meanings:

1. inner garment worn next to the skin by men and women (cf. LXX, Matt. 5:40; 10:10; Mark 6:9)

2. used generically for clothing (cf. Mark 14:63)

In this context the idea is that if people have more than they need, let them share it with others who have need (no clothes, no food).

3:12-14 "tax collectors. . .soldiers" Here are just two examples of John's ethical imperatives. Notice they (people in occupations considered unclean or evil) are not encouraged to change jobs, but to be fair and content. John is following in the OT ethical tradition of the prophets.

The verbs directed to the soldiers in Luke 3:14b are imperatives.

1. no one intimidates (aorist active imperative)

2. no one accuse falsely (aorist active imperative)

3. be satisfied with your pay (present passive imperative)

Were these Jewish soldiers? Jews often served as mercenaries (Elephantine Papyri), but most Jews under Roman occupation would not serve. The verbs used imply a heavy-handed treatment of the populace. Would Jews living in the same community treat fellow Jews this way? Rome gave Jews an exemption from serving in the military. It is possible that these were Jews who served in Herod's service and collected his taxes.

Could these be Roman soldiers or conscripts who worked with the tax collectors? The presence of kai in Luke 3:14 came to be interpreted as "even." If so, this shows Luke's interests in Gentiles hearing the good news very early, even in John's ministry. This may be another aspect of Luke's universal gospel.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:15-17
¹⁵Now while the people were in a state of expectation and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he was the Christ, ¹⁶John answered and said to them all, "As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into His barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

3:15 "in a state of expectation" The Greek term prosdokaō is used several times in Luke's writings (Gospel, six times; Acts, four times), mostly for "waiting" (as in the LXX), but also for eschatological expectations (cf. Luke 3:15; 7:19-20; 12:46).

▣ "as to whether he was the Christ" This is a present active optative. Messianic expectations were kindled by John's ministry. These disclaimers serve two theological purposes:

1. to lift up and exalt Jesus

2. to help quell the early church's heresies connected to John the Baptist (cf. Acts 19:1-7 and similar emphatic disclaimers in John's Gospel, 1:6-8,19-42).

3:16 "One is coming who is mightier than I" This message is repeated in all three Synoptic Gospels (cf. Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:7-8). John knew who he was and what his message was to be (cf. Isa. 40:3; Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6). He was the forerunner (cf. Isa. 40:4-5).

SPECIAL TOPIC: OT TITLES OF THE SPECIAL COMING ONE

▣ "I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals" The rabbis said that their disciples should do for them what slaves do for their masters, except untie their shoes. John uses this cultural detail to show his humility and the greatness of the Messiah.

▣ "with the Holy Spirit and fire" This phrase is used in the NT only in contexts which contrast John's water baptism with Jesus' spirit baptism (cf. Luke 3:16; Matt. 3:11; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 1:5; 11:16). Therefore it is a way to show and magnify the spiritual effectiveness of Jesus' ministry. The Spirit and fire are synonymous. This phrase should not be proof texted to denote a separate work of the Spirit. It refers to initial salvation through the gospel. Fire is probably a metaphor of cleansing (cf. Lev. 13:52,55,57), which is the forgiveness of sins (cf. Luke 3:3). John was sent to prepare, but Jesus to accomplish.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE

3:17 "winnowing fork" This is an OT metaphor of judgment, where one separates the grain from the husk (which is burned, cf. Job 21:17-18; Ps. 1:4; 35:5; 83:13; Isa. 17:13; 29:5; 41:15-16; Jer. 15:7; Hos. 13:3; Zeph. 2:2).

▣ "gather the wheat into His barn" This is an eschatological metaphor of the righteous being gathered from an evil world to be at home with God. Notice only two possible outcomes—God's barn or the fire! Many of Jesus' parables play on these agricultural themes.

▣ "unquenchable fire" This is the Greek word for extinguish or quench with the alpha privative, which negates it. This theme is repeated several times in the Gospels (cf. Matt. 3:12; 25:41; Mark 9:43-48). It may be an allusion to Isa. 66:24.

The theological question which this raises is not the eternal consequences of rejecting Christ, but the presence of pain and torment without a redemptive hope (i.e., hell). An interesting book by Edward Fudge, The Fire That Consumes, deals with the option of permanent annihilation for the lost after a period of judgment. I do not want to compromise or diminish in any way the eternal consequences of unbelief. It is hard to know for sure how much of the Bible which deals with the afterlife (good and bad) is metaphorical and how much is literal. Jesus is the person who emphasizes the consequences of hell. Most of Jesus' metaphors of Gehenna come from the garbage dump in the valley and the sons of Hinnom, just south of Jerusalem where the fire god, Molech, was worshiped by the sacrifice of children. Hell is a serious reality, far worse than human languages' ability to communicate. Hell is the isolating and permanent purging of evil from God's creation!

SPECIAL TOPIC: Where Are the Dead?

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:18-20
¹⁸So with many other exhortations he preached the gospel to the people. ¹⁹But when Herod the tetrarch was reprimanded by him because of Herodias, his brother's wife, and because of all the wicked things which Herod had done, ²⁰Herod also added this to them all: he locked John up in prison.

3:18 "the gospel" It must be remembered that John the Baptist was the last OT prophet, not a NT gospel preacher. He did not know the full gospel. Here the sense of the term is the "good news" (i.e., gospel) of God's willingness to judge sin and God's coming full provision for sin through repentance and faith in the work of the Messiah (cf. Mark 1:15).

3:19 "Herodias" This text tells us that Herod had John killed at the instigation of Herodias. Josephus tells us he had him killed because he feared a riot (cf. Antiquities of the Jews, 18.5.2). She had been the wife of Philip, the brother of Herod Antipas (cf. Matt. 14:3). They had lived in Rome. She was also Antipas' niece through Aristobulus. Antipas had wooed her away from Philip and married her.

According to Josephus (i.e., Antiquities of the Jews 18.5.4), Herodias was married to Herod the Great's son, Herod (whose mother was Marianne, the high priest's daughter). He also says Herodias' daughter, Salome, later married Philip. It is possible that Herod was known as Herod Philip.

3:20 "locked John up in prison" Josephus tells us it was at the fortress Machaerus (cf. Antiq. 18.5.2,4). This was one of nine fortresses Herod the Great built throughout his kingdom which he used as dungeons for his enemies. Three of these nine were also palaces (Machaerus, Masada, and Herodium). Machaerus was located in the mountain on the eastern side of the Dead Sea (cf. Jewish Wars 7.6.2).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:21-22
²¹Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened,
²²and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, "You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased."

3:21 "Now when all the people were baptized" This implies either

1. how successfully John's preaching affected the lives of his hearers

2. that out of a larger crowd all those who responded stayed to be baptized.

▣ "Jesus was also baptized" Why Jesus was baptized has always been a concern for believers because John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not need forgiveness for He was sinless (cf. 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5). The theories have been:

1. it was an example for believers to follow

2. it was His identification with believers' need

3. it was His ordination and equipping for ministry

4. it was a symbol of His redemptive task

5. it was His approval of the ministry and message of John the Baptist

6. it was a prophetic foreshadowing of His death, burial, and resurrection (cf. Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12)

Whatever the reason, this was a defining moment in Jesus' life. Although it does not imply that Jesus became the Messiah at this point, which is the early heresy of adoptionism (cf. The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture by Bart D. Ehrman, pp. 47-118), it held great significance for Him.

▣ "while He was praying" Luke's Gospel, more than the others, emphasizes Jesus' prayer life (cf. Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,28-29; 11:1; 22:41). If Jesus, the sinless Son of God, sensed the need to pray often, how much more should we!

3:22 "Holy Spirit. . .Him. . .a voice out of heaven" This is one of several passages in the NT where all three persons of the Trinity are mentioned.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY

▣ "dove" This is an unusual symbol for the Spirit. God wanted all to see a physical manifestation of His Spirit on His Messiah. Some think it is related to

1. the Spirit brooding over the waters in Gen. 1:2

2. Noah's sending out a dove in Gen. 8:8-10

3. the rabbis' using it as a symbol for Israel (cf. Hos. 11:11)

John is surely mixing his metaphors to describe the Spirit's work from cleansing fire to the peace and innocence of a dove.

Luke is the only Gospel that has "in bodily form." Apparently Luke is trying to emphasize the physical manifestation of the unseen Spirit. This visible descent was not only an affirmation to Jesus, but a witness to the crowd of just-baptized hearers.

▣ "a voice came out of heaven" This is called a bath kol. It was an interbiblical rabbinical method to communicate that a message was from God (cf. Ps. 2:7; Isa. 42:1). God used a mechanism to which these Jewish hearers were accustomed to reveal His presence and power in Jesus.

▣ "You are My beloved Son" This shows (1) the Father's affirmation to the Son and (2) a witness to the crowd. This is an allusion to Psalm 2, which is a royal Psalm of God's victory on behalf of the Davidic king (i.e., Son, cf. Luke 2:7). This title (Son) is repeated at Jesus' transfiguration (cf. Luke 9:35).

George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, p. 164, has an interesting comment about "Beloved" (agapētos), where he asserts that it appears in the Septuagint as the translation of the Hebrew yachid, "only" (i.e., only Son, cf. Gen. 22:2; Jer. 6:26). Based on this he further asserts that it is synonymous with monogenēs (cf. John 3:16), thus making this quote refer to Jesus as God's only, unique, one-of-a-kind Son (i.e., Messiah).

▣ "in You I am well-pleased" This is an allusion to Isa. 42:1 (LXX), which is one of the Servant Songs of Isaiah. In this verbal affirmation to Jesus and before the believing crowd God unites the OT concepts of royal king and suffering servant (cf. Isa. 52:13-53:12). These are the very words of Mark 1:11.

An interesting discussion of the several variants related to this verse is found in Bart D. Ehrman, The Orthodox Corruption of Scripture, pp. 62-67. He asserts that the reading of MS D (which quotes Ps. 2:7) is original, but that since it gave theological support for the heresy of "adoptionism," scribes altered it.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 3:23-38
²³When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph, the son of Eli, ²⁴the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, ²⁵the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Hesli, the son of Naggai, ²⁶the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, ²⁷the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, ²⁸the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, ²⁹the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, ³⁰the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, ³¹the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, ³²the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Salmon, the son of Nahshon, ³³the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Ram, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, ³⁴the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, ³⁵the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Heber, the son of Shelah, ³⁶the son of Cainan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, ³⁷the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, ³⁸the son of Enosh, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.

3:23 "about thirty years of age" The exact dating of NT events is uncertain, but by comparing other NT texts, other secular histories, and modern archaeology, these dates are moving more and more in a narrow range. This text is not asserting thirty years old exactly, but in His thirties.

▣ "being, as was supposed, the son of Joseph" Joseph is mentioned to fulfill Jewish legal requirements. The term "supposed" validates Luke's understanding and affirmation of the virgin birth (as does 1:34-35).

NASB"the son of Eli"
NKJV, NRSV,
TEV, NJB"the son of Heli"

The only difference in spelling is the rough breathing mark. The real question is, who was Joseph's father? Luke's genealogy has Eli/Heli and Matthew's genealogy has Jacob.

There are several differences in the list of ancestors between Matthew and Luke. The best guess is that Luke records Mary's lineage. And Matthew records Joseph's lineage.

One of my favorite commentators, F. F. Bruce in Questions and Answers (p. 41) mentions another possibility for the differences between Matthew and Luke's genealogies, Matthew records the royal lineage (i.e., the line of succession to the throne of Judah), while Luke records Joseph's actual blood line (a part of the Davidic line, but not the family of royalty).

I guess my problem is that Luke's comments about Joseph being the "supposed" father of Jesus (Luke 3:23) seem to demand that Mary must be of Davidic descent also for the prophecy of 2 Sam. 7:12-16 to be fulfilled.

3:32

NASB, NKJV,
TEV"Salmon"
NRSV, NJB"Sala"

There are several variants related to the name.

1. Sala – MSS P⁴, א^*, (UBS⁴ gives it a B rating)

2. Salmōn – MSS אi², A, D, L (from Matt. 1:4,5)

3. Salman – some minuscules (from Ruth 4:20)

4. Salma – not in Greek MSS, but in 1 Chr. 2:11

3:33 This verse has many variants. For details see Bruce Metzger, Textual Commentary, pp. 207-208.

3:38 "the son of Adam" Matthew, written for Jews, takes the lineage back to Abraham. Luke, written for Gentiles, takes it back to Adam for the beginning of the human race. Luke even alludes to the special creation of humans (cf. Gen. 2:7) made in God's image (cf. Gen. 1:26-27).

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why does Luke make such an effort to date John the Baptist's ministry?

2. Why was John's message so radical in its day?

3. Why were Luke 3:7-9 so striking to the Jews of John's day?

4. Why did Herod have John killed?

5. Why was Jesus baptized?

6. Why is the genealogy in Luke different from Matthew's?

Luke 4

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Temptation of Jesus	Satan Tempts Jesus	Jesus' Temptation	The Temptation of Jesus	Testing in the Desert
4:1-13	4:1-13	4:1-4	4:1-2	4:1-4
			4:3
			4:4
		4:5-8	4:5-7	4:5-8
			4:6
		4:9-13	4:9-11	4:9-13
			4:12
		Events and Teachings in Galilee (4:14-9:50)	4:13
The Beginning of the Galilean Ministry	Jesus Begins His Galilean Ministry	Jesus Returns to Galilee	Jesus Begins His Work in Galilee	Jesus Begins to Preach
4:14-15	4:14-15	4:14-15	4:14-15	4:14-15
The Rejection of Jesus at Nazareth	Jesus Rejected at Nazareth	In the Synagogue at Nazareth	Jesus is Rejected at Nazareth	Jesus at Nazareth
4:16-30	4:16-30	4:16-30	4:16-19	4:16-22a
			4:20-21
			4:22
				4:22b-24
			4:23-27
				4:25-27
			4:28-30	4:28-30
The Man with an Unclean Spirit	Jesus Casts Out an Unclean Spirit	The Synagogue at Capernaum	A Man with an Evil Spirit	Jesus Teaches in Capernaum and Cures a Demoniac
4:31-37	4:31-37	4:31-37	4:31-34	4:31-32
				4:33-35
			4:35
			4:36-37	4:36-37
The Healing of Many People	Peter's Mother-in-law Healed	Healing and Preaching	Jesus Heals Many People	Cure of Simon's Mother-in-law
4:38-41	4:38-39	4:38-39	4:38-39	4:38-39
	Many Healed After Sabbath Sunset			A Number of Cures
	4:40-41	4:40-41	4:40-41a	4:40-41
			4:41b
A Preaching Tour	Jesus Preaches in Galilee		Jesus Preaches in the Synagogue	Dawn Departure from Capernaum and Travels Through Judea
4:42-44	4:42-44	4:42-44	4:42-43	4:42-44
			4:44

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO 4:1-13

A. It is extremely significant that immediately following God's affirmation of the Messianic Sonship of Jesus (cf. Luke 3:22) the Spirit "drives" Jesus into the desert to be tempted (cf. Mark 1:12). Temptation was in the will of the Father for the Son. Temptation can be defined as the enticement of a God-given desire beyond God-given bounds. Temptation is not a sin. This temptation was initiated by God. The agent was Satan (cf. 2 Kgs. 22:13-23; Job 1-2; Zech. 3).

B. Could Christ really have sinned? This is really the mystery of the two natures of Christ. The temptation was real. Jesus, in His human nature, could have violated the will of God. This was not a puppet show. Jesus is truly human though without a fallen nature (cf. Phil. 2:7-8; Heb. 4:15; 7:26). In this respect He was like Adam. We see this same true, but weak, human nature in the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed three times for another way of redemption other than the cross (cf. Luke 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42). This tendency is the essence of each one of Satan's temptations in Matthew 4, cf. James S. Stewart, The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ). How will Jesus use His Messianic gifts to redeem mankind? Any way other than substitutionary atonement was the temptation!

C. Jesus must have told this experience to His disciples later because He was alone in the desert. This implies that this account not only teaches us about Christs temptation, but also helps us in our temptations (cf. Heb. 2:18; 4:15).

D. The Synoptic parallels of Luke 4 are found in Mark 1:12-13 and Matt. 4:1-11. Since only Matthew and Luke record this full event, and it does not occur except briefly in Mark (1:12-13), scholars say this comes from a list of Jesus' sayings (possibly written by Matthew in Aramaic), which they call Quelle, the German for "source." The account of the temptations is similar (order of temptations vary, but same three temptations and dialogue) that there "must" have been a common source. The problem is that "Q" has never been found, not even a part of it. It is assumed because of logic and church tradition.

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:1-4
¹Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan and was led around by the Spirit in the wilderness ²for forty days, being tempted by the devil. And He ate nothing during those days, and when they had ended, He became hungry. ³And the devil said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, tell this stone to become bread." ⁴And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live on bread alone.'"

4:1 "full of the Holy Spirit" This refers to Jesus' baptism in Luke 3:22. Luke's emphasis on the Spirit can be seen by the Spirit being mentioned twice in the opening clauses as well as verses 14 and 18. Notice that the temptations occurred while Jesus was filled with the Spirit, even led by the Spirit (cf. Mark 1:12) into this time of testing (as well as spiritual preparation and mental clarification).

Luke is often called the Gospel of the Spirit. The Holy Spirit is revealed as the empowering source of Jesus.

1. conceived by the Spirit – Luke 1:35

2. came in the Spirit to the temple – Luke 2:27

3. will baptize with the Spirit – Luke 3:16

4. Spirit descended upon Him – Luke 3:22

5. full of the Spirit – Luke 4:1

6. led by the Spirit – Luke 4:1

7. in the power of the Spirit – Luke 4:14

8. anointed by the Spirit – Luke 4:18

Some theologians try to contrast "full of the Spirit" with "filling of the Spirit" as if the first were permanent (which is surely true of Jesus, cf. Luke 4:14; 4:18). However, the "filling" is used of several in Luke's writings:

1. Luke

(a) Elizabeth in Luke 1:41

(b) Zacharias in Luke 1:67

2. Acts

(a) the Seven in Acts 6:3

(b) Stephen, one of the Seven in Acts 7:55

Several times in Acts the disciples are said to "be filled":

1. all those in the upper room, Luke 2:4

2. Peter, Luke 4:8

3. the group, Luke 4:31

4. Paul, Luke 9:17; 13:9

Even Jesus has a previous experience of the Spirit in Luke 3:22.

I have included several Special Topics related to the Spirit

1. Spirit (pneuma) in the NT at Luke 1:80

2. The Trinity at Luke 3:22

3. The Personhood of the Spirit at Luke 12:12

4. Spirit in the Bible (see below)

SPECIAL TOPIC: SPIRIT IN THE BIBLE

▣ "forty days" Mark (Peter) chose a motif from the OT of (1) Moses' forty days and forty nights on Mt. Sinai (cf. Exod. 24:18; 34:28; Deut. 9:9; 10:10) and (2) Israel wandering in the wilderness for forty years (cf. Num. 14:26-35). Matthew saw Jesus as the New Law giver and deliverer.

The term "forty" was used often in the Bible, implying that it could function both literally (forty years from Egypt to Canaan) and figuratively (the flood). The Hebrews used a lunar calendar. "Forty" implied a long, indefinite period of time longer than a lunar cycle, not exactly forty twenty-four hour periods.

▣ "was led by the Spirit" This phrase is different in each of the Synoptics.

A. Mark (1:12) has ekballō ("to throw out") in its present active indicative form, which would denote an ongoing experience. This was a strong term, used of exorcism (cf. Mark 1:34,39; 3:15,22,23; 6:13; 7:26; 9:18,28,38).

B. Matthew (4:1) has anagō, a compound from ana – "up" and agō – "to go" or "to lead." In its aorist passive indicative form, which denotes a finished, one-time event. This term is also used of offering sacrifices (cf. Acts 7:41).

C. Luke (4:1) has agō in its imperfect passive indicative form, which emphasizes the beginning of an action.

All three assert the action of the Spirit (see Special Topic at Luke 12:12) in this inaugural preparation experience for public ministry.

▣ "the wilderness" This refers, not to the desert, but to the uninhabited pastureland south and east of Jerusalem. It was during the wilderness wandering of Israel (i.e., the Exodus) that YHWH was uniquely present, powerful, and constantly providing for Israel's needs. The rabbis later called this forty-year (actually thirty-eight years) wandering the honeymoon between YHWH and Israel. This was the very region where John had spent his time of preparation.

It is also possible that "the wilderness" symbolizes the dwelling place of evil spirits (azazel, cf. Lev. 16:8,10). These spirits were denoted by certain animals (cf. Isa. 13:21; 34:14-15). There is an allusion to this in Matt. 12:43.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIC IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

4:2 "forty" There seems to be some literary attempt by the Gospel writers to connect Jesus' experience in the wilderness with Moses in the wilderness (cf. Exod. 16:35; Num. 14:33-34; Duet. 8:2) or Moses on the mountain of God (cf. Exod. 24:18; 34:28; Deut. 9:18; 10:10). This play on Moses is much more obvious in the Matthean parallel (cf. Matthew 4).

▣ "tempted" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: GREEK TERMS FOR TESTING AND THEIR CONNOTATIONS

▣ "by the devil" This is the Greek term diabolos, for the OT Satan. See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SATAN

▣ "He ate nothing" Fasting for spiritual sensitivity was practiced regularly in Judaism of the first century. Although Jesus ate nothing (double negative) this does not mean He did not drink fluids. Physically life cannot be sustained after the third or fourth day without fluids. See SPECIAL TOPIC: FASTING at Luke 5:33.

▣ "He became hungry" Jesus was a normal man with bodily needs. Scholars still debate whether Luke's emphasis on Jesus' humanity was in any way connected to the early church heresy of Gnosticism, which denied His true humanity. (See Special Topic at Luke 2:40).

It is possible that Satan/Devil waited until the end of the fast, when Jesus was weak and hungry, to start the temptations, the first of which deals with bread.

4:3, 9 "if" This is a first class conditional sentence and may have several meanings: (1) the statement is assumed true so that the author can make his point or (2) the author is assenting the truthfulness of the statement. In this context I am assuming #2. The Devil was not doubting who He was (i.e., "the Son of God," 3:22, also mentioned in Luke 1:32,35), but how He would accomplish His God-given Messianic task (cf. James S. Stewart, The Life and Teachings of Jesus Christ).

4:3 "stone. . .bread" Apparently these rocks in the Judean desert were shaped like loaves of baked bread used in first century Palestine. Satan was tempting Jesus to use His Messianic powers both to meet His personal needs and to win human followers by feeding them. In the OT the Messiah was described as feeding the poor (cf. Isa. 58:6-7,10). These temptation experiences, to some extent, continued to occur during Jesus' ministry. The feeding of the five thousand (Matt. 14:13-21) and of the four thousand (Matt. 15:29-33) showed how humans would, and did, abuse God's provision of physical food. This again was similar to the problems of Israel's wilderness experience (i.e., God providing food). Matthew saw a parallel between Moses and Jesus. The Jews were expecting the Messiah to perform many of the functions of Moses (cf. John 6).

4:4 "it is written" This is a perfect passive indicative. This was the standard way of introducing an inspired quotation from the OT (cf. Luke 4:4,7,10), in this case, from Deut. 8:3 from the Septuagint (LXX). This particular quote relates to God providing manna to the children of Israel during the wilderness period.

All of Jesus' responses to Satan's temptations were quotes from Deuteronomy (i.e., Deut. 6:13,16; 8:3). This must have been one of His favorite books.

1. He quoted repeatedly from it during His temptation by Satan in the wilderness, Matt. 4:1-16; Luke 4:1-13.

2. It is possibly the outline behind the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 5-7.

3. Jesus quoted Deut. 6:5 as the greatest commandment, Matt. 22:34-40; Mark 12:28-34; Luke 10:25-28.

4. Jesus quoted this section of the OT (Genesis - Deuteronomy) most often because the Jews of His day considered it the most authoritative section of the canon.

Jesus memorized God's word and hid it in His heart that He might not sin against God (cf. Ps. 119:11). If Jesus needed God's word in His mind and heart to face temptation, how much more do we?

▣ "man shall not live on bread alone" This quote is from Deut. 8:3. There is a Greek manuscript variant involving this quote.

1. NASB, NRSV, TEV, and NJB follow the Greek uncial manuscripts א, B, L, and W (UBS⁴ gives it a B rating).

2. NKJV follows MSS A and D, which come from the Septuagint translation of Deut. 8:3 and the Matt. 4:4 parallel.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:5-8
⁵And he led Him up and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. ⁶And the devil said to Him, "I will give You all this domain and its glory; for it has been handed over to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. ⁷Therefore if You worship before me, it shall all be Yours." ⁸Jesus answered him, "it is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God and serve Him only.'"

4:5 "he led Him up" This is the term anagō, which was used in Matt. 4:1, where Luke has agō. The preposition ana means up. The Matthew parallel has the temptations in a different order, but the parallel adds "to a very high mountain" (cf. Matt. 4:8).

▣ "show Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time" This phrase makes me think that these temptations, real though they were, were in Jesus' mind (cf. George E. Ladd, A Theology of the New Testament, p. 49). There was no mountain from which one could see all the kingdoms, even in this one part of the world. The instantaneous time factor further confirms this. This same issue of physical vs. mental can be seen in Ezekiel 8 and John's visions in Revelation.

4:6 "this domain" See Special Topic at Luke 20:2.

▣ "it has been handed over to me" The Bible presents Satan as the ruler (god) of this world (cf. John 12:31; 14:30; 16:11; 2 Cor. 4:4; Eph. 2:2; 1 John 5:19). However, he is not the owner.

This is a perfect passive indicative, which denotes something that has become a settled position and was given by an unnamed agent. The crux of the interpretation is "is this statement true" or "is it a lie by the great liar?"

If true, it is a result of Genesis 3. If true, this time of sin and rebellion may have been allowed by God to test His human creation. There is surely mystery here! If false, it just fits into so many other lies of Satan, the accuser and father of lies.

Theologically they may be parallel. Satan successfully tricked Adam and Eve, but he will not be able to trick Jesus, the second Adam (cf. Rom. 5:12-21; 2 Cor. 15:45-49; Phil. 2:6-11). Satan "claims" all authority here, but Jesus has all authority (cf. Matt. 28:18, as well as Matt. 11:27; John 3:35; 13:3; 17:2).

▣ "I give it to whomever I wish" This was a lie. Satan can do only what God allows (cf. 1 Kings 22:19-23; Job 1-2; Zechariah 3).

4:7 "if" This is a third class conditional sentence, which denotes potential action but with an element of contingency.

NASB, NKJV"worship before me"
NRSV, TEV"worship me"
NJB"do homage to me"

Theologians have assumed that Satan wants to replace God. This is often based on (1) Isaiah 14 and Ezekiel 28 or (2) Dan. 11:36-39 and (3) Revelation 13. The rabbis say Satan, a created angel, rebelled when he was told he must serve fallen humanity. Now he wants to supplant God.

In the OT Satan is a servant of god, but an enemy of humanity. There is a progressive development of evil in the Bible (see A. B. Davidson, An Old Testament Theology, pp. 300-306).

4:8 This is a quote from Duet. 6:13. Jesus answers the devil's temptations with another quote from Deuteronomy. This was a significant book for Him. He must have memorized it. He quoted it three times to Satan in this context.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:9-12
⁹And he led Him to Jerusalem and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, "If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down from here; ¹⁰for it is written, 'He will command His angels concerning You to guard You,' ¹¹and, 'On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.'" ¹²And Jesus answered and said to him, "It is said, 'You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.'"

4:9 "pinnacle of the temple" This was the corner that overlooked the Kidron Valley where the priest announced the morning and evening sacrifices. The temptation here was to win the world by the miraculous and spectacular. Many Jews expected the Messiah to appear suddenly in the Temple (cf. Mal. 3:1).

4:10 Satan quotes from Ps. 91:11-12. He misquotes it slightly but still in context. This is a good example of how proof-texting is a poor method of biblical interpretation (even Satan can make the Bible say what he wants it to using this method).

4:12 This is a quote from Deut. 6:16. Every response of Jesus to Satan in this context is from Deuteronomy, and all from the sections where Israel was in the wilderness. Jesus refused to force God to act (cf. Dan. 3:16-18).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:13
¹³When the devil had finished every temptation, he left Him until an opportune time.

4:13 "When the devil had finished every temptation" Matthew and Luke record these same temptations in a different order. This phrase may imply there were others. However, this may be a summary statement so common in Luke's writings. Jesus knows our temptations and loves us anyway (cf. Heb. 2:18; 4:15-16) because He's been there!

▣ "he left Him until an opportune time" This phrase has implications.

1. temptation is not a once-and-for-all event

2. Satan looks for times of vulnerability (cf. Matt. 16:22-33)

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS, LUKE'S GALILEAN MINISTRY OF JESUS (4:14-9:50)

A. This begins Luke's Galilean ministry of Jesus. The Gospel of John's recording of an early Judean ministry (cf. John 1:19-4:42) does not fit Luke's theological pattern. Luke wants Jesus' visit to Jerusalem to climax His ministry. The majority of Luke's presentation of Jesus is "on the way/road to Jerusalem," which characterizes 9:51 (i.e., "He resolutely set His face to go to Jerusalem," cf. Luke 13:22; 17:11; 18:31; 19:11,28).

This focus on Jerusalem may also be why Luke rearranges the order of Satan's temptations so that Jerusalem is last.

B. Luke takes a day in the life of Jesus (both in Nazareth and Capernaum) and uses it to reveal His whole life and ministry. The themes of "gladly welcomed" and "rejection, even murder" are repeated. Readers see the whole reflected in a part.

C. Remember, as Jesus used typological Christology to reveal Himself from the OT (cf. Luke 24:13-35, esp. 25-27), so too, Luke, writing long after Jesus' death, resurrection, and the spread of the gospel, gives us hints of the main points of Jesus' life and message very early in his account. Only a backwards view fully reveals Luke's perspective. Luke's Gospel is as much theology as chronological, sequential history. True historical events are selected, adapted, and arranged for theological impact (see Fee, Stuart, How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth, pp. 127-148)!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:14-15
¹⁴And Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit, and news about Him spread through all the surrounding district. ¹⁵And He began teaching in their synagogues and was praised by all.

4:14 "returned to Galilee" Both Matthew and Luke move directly from the temptation experience in Judea into the Galilean ministry which runs from 4:14 to 9:50. Only John 1:35-4:44 describes the intervening ministry in Judea. Galilee, which in Hebrew means "circle" (BDB 165 II), was interpreted by the rabbis as meaning encircled by the Gentiles. This area was despised by the Orthodox Jews from Judea, however, Jesus' ministry here was a fulfillment of predictive prophecy (cf. Isa. 9:1). Josephus describes this region in Jewish Wars 3.3.1-2.

Mark (1:14) and Matthew (4:12) mention that Jesus' return to Galilee coincided with John the Baptist's arrest by Herod.

▣ "in the power of the Spirit" Temptation does not cause the loss of the Spirit. Jesus spoke the Father's words and acted in the Spirit's power. The fluidity between the ministries of the three persons of the Trinity is evident throughout the NT (cf. Luke 4:18-19). See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Luke 3:22.

▣ "news about Him spread through all the surrounding district" This is one of Luke's characteristic statements (cf. Luke 4:37; 5:15; 7:17). He tended to add brief summaries both in his Gospel and Acts.

4:15 "synagogues" This local Jewish institution developed during the Babylonian Exile to offer the Jews who were estranged from their Temple a place of prayer, worship, study, and ministry. It was probably the single most significant means of the Jews retaining their culture. Even after they returned to Palestine they continued this local institution.

▣ "was praised by all" The Gospels record Jesus' popularity with the common people in the local Galilean synagogues. But they also record a growing opposition from the religious leaders.

Luke often adds a comment about how people preserved Jesus' words (cf. Luke 4:22; 8:25; 9:43; 11:27; 13:17; 19:48).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:16-30
¹⁶And He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up; and as was His custom, He entered the synagogue on the Sabbath, and stood up to read. ¹⁷And the book of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him. And He opened the book and found the place where it was written, ¹⁸"The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, Because He anointed Me to preach the gospel to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim release to the captives, And recovery of sight to the blind, To set free those who are oppressed, ¹⁹To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." ²⁰And He closed the book, gave it back to the attendant and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. ²¹And He began to say to them, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." ²²And all were speaking well of Him, and wondering at the gracious words which were falling from His lips; and they were saying, "Is this not Joseph's son?" ²³And He said to them, "No doubt you will quote this proverb to Me, 'Physician, heal yourself! Whatever we heard was done at Capernaum, do here in your hometown as well.'" ²⁴And He said, "Truly I say to you, no prophet is welcome in his hometown. ²⁵But I say to you in truth, there were many widows in Israel in the days of Elijah, when the sky was shut up for three years and six months, when a great famine came over all the land; ²⁶and yet Elijah was sent to none of them, but only to Zarephath, in the land of Sidon, to a woman who was a widow. ²⁷And there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet; and none of them was cleansed, but only Naaman the Syrian." ²⁸And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; ²⁹and they got up and drove Him out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. ³⁰But passing through their midst, He went His way.

4:16-30 The footnote in the New Jerusalem Bible translation (1966) on p. 99 #g makes the interesting assertion that Luke combines three separate visits to Nazareth.

1. vv. 16-22, where Jesus is honored (cf. Matt. 4:13)

2. vv. 23-24, where Jesus amazes the townspeople (cf Matt. 13:54-58)

3. vv. 25-30, where Jesus is attacked, which is not mentioned by Matthew or Mark

The NJB (Jerome Biblical Commentary, pp. 131-132) says this account functions as a theological summary of how Jesus will be initially received and then rejected by Palestinian Jews.

4:16 "Nazareth" The spelling of "Nazareth" (Nazara) is unusual and is found only here and Matt. 4:13, which is also the temptation of Jesus. This seems to give evidence that both Matthew and Luke used a common source for their Gospel accounts.

This was Jesus' hometown (cf. Luke 2:39,51, see Special Topic at Luke 4:34). There is some question as to whether Mark 6:1-6 and Matt. 13:53-58 are parallel or this is a second trip to Nazareth. For me, the similarities are too overwhelming to be a second visit. Luke purposefully places this event first as a summary of Jesus' whole life-ministry.

It must be remembered that the Bible is not a western history. Near Eastern history is selective, but not inaccurate. The Gospels are not biographies, but gospel tracts written to different groups of people for the purpose of evangelism and discipleship, not just history. Often Gospel writers selected, adapted, and arranged the material for their own theological and literary purposes (cf. Gordon Fee and Douglas Stuart's How To Read the Bible For All Its Worth, pp. 94-112, 113-134). This does not mean to imply they falsify or make up events or words. The differences in the Gospels do not deny inspiration. They affirm eyewitness accounts and the unique evangelistic purpose of each author.

▣ "as was His custom, He entered the synagogue" Jesus grew up participating in public worship. I’m sure he learned the OT in synagogue school (starting at age 5). Habits are a vital, healthy part of our religious life.

▣ "Sabbath" This is from the Hebrew word meaning "rest" or "cessation" (BDB 992). It is connected to the seventh day of creation where God ceased His labor after finishing initial creation (cf. Gen. 2:1-3). God did not rest because He was tired, but because

1. creation was complete and good (cf. Gen. 1:31)

2. to give mankind a regular pattern for worship and rest

The Sabbath begins like all the days of Genesis 1, at twilight, therefore, twilight on Friday to twilight on Saturday was the official time period. All the details of its observance are given in Exodus (especially chapters 16, 20, 31, and 35) and Leviticus (especially chapters 23-26). The Pharisees had taken these regulations and, by means of their oral discussions, interpreted them to include many rules (the Oral Traditions, later the written Talmud). Jesus often performed miracles, knowingly violating their picky rules so as to enter into a dialogue with them. It was not Sabbath that Jesus rejected or belittled, but the self-righteous legalism and lack of love exhibited by the religious elite.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SYNAGOGUE SERVICE

▣ "stood up to read" The general order of worship in the synagogue service is as follows:

1. prayer

2. a reading from the Pentateuch

3. a reading from the Prophets

4. exposition of the texts (this order was followed by the early church, but they added the reading of the NT)

As was the custom of the Jews, Jesus stood up to read the Scripture, but sat down to teach (cf. Luke 4:20). See Alfred Edersheim, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, chapter 10, pp. 430-450.

Jesus quoted Deuteronomy several times during His temptation experience. All were quotes from the Greek translation of the OT, called the Septuagint. Here in the synagogue of Nazareth His reading seems to also come from the Septuagint. Most Jews of Jesus' day had lost the ability to read Hebrew. They spoke Aramaic, but most could also use Koine Greek as a second language.

I would assume, along with F. F. Bruce, Answers to Questions, p. 175, that Jesus could read and speak (everyone read aloud) Hebrew. If so, Jesus was trilingual. The real question is what text of the Scriptures was used in the synagogues of Galilee? Most Jewish sources would assert that the reading of the Scriptures would have been in Hebrew, then an Aramaic translation would be provided.

4:17 "the book of the prophet Isaiah" The Hebrew Scriptures are written on long parchment scrolls that had to be turned to find the right place. A good resource book on this type of background information is F. F. Bruce's The Books and the Parchments.

4:18 "This is a partial quote of Isa. 61:1-2 from the Septuagint with the omission of verses 61c and 62b, but with an insertion of a verse from Isa. 58:6d. The combining and editing of OT texts was common in rabbinical Judaism.

There is a variant in the Greek MSS concerning the quote of Isa. 61:1-2.

1. some MSS stop at "He has sent me" – א, B, D, L, W

2. others add the full sentence from Isa. 61:1 – A, Delta, Epsilon

The UBS⁴ gives option #1, the short text, and A rating (certain).

One wonders if Jesus intentionally omitted the line from Isaiah 61 because He chose not to do any miracles in Nazareth. This may explain why He added another line from Isa. 58:6.

▣ "The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me" Notice the different divine Persons. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Luke 3:22. The new age of righteousness is the Age of the Spirit.

▣ "He anointed Me" This Hebrew word is the same root as "Messiah" (see Special Topic at Luke 2:11). In Greek the term "Messiah" is translated "Christ." This was a way of denoting God's calling and equipping of leaders. In the OT prophets, priests, and kings were anointed. See SPECIAL TOPIC: ANOINTING IN THE BIBLE (BDB 603)in the Bible also at Luke 2:11.

▣ "preach the gospel" At this point the full gospel (lit. "good news") is not yet available. Only after Jesus' death and resurrection did His actions and teachings come into perfect focus.

▣ "poor. . .captives. . .blind. . .downtrodden" Notice the types of people that Jesus came to help. His care for these fulfilled many prophetic texts.

4:19 "To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord" This originally referred to the year of Jubilee (cf. Lev. 25:8-17), but in this context (Isa. 61:2), it applies to the eschatological fulfillment of Jesus' ministry. Clement and Origen of Alexandria said that this means that Jesus ministered only one year, but this is far too literal in understanding how this OT passage is fulfilled in Christ.

4:20 Joseph A. Fitzmyer, in his commentary on Luke 1-9 in the Anchor Bible, has an interesting comment on the VERB atenizō (fixed intently). He notes that it is a term used often by Luke, especially in Acts.

"In most instances it expresses a steadfast gaze of esteem and trust—the nuance intended here. It is part of the assembly's initial reaction of admiration or pleasant surprise" (p. 533).

4:21 "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing" This is a perfect passive indicative. It speaks of the eschatological fulfillment of the promise of the coming of the Kingdom of God, which was now present in Jesus. What a shocking statement!

The Kingdom of God is the focus of Jesus' preaching. It is the reign of God in human hearts now that will one day be consummated over all the earth as it is in heaven (cf. Matt. 6:10). It is both here and now and yet future!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

4:22 "all were speaking well of Him" Jesus' initial popularity continued (cf. Luke 4:15), but it will be short-lived at Nazareth!

▣ "Is this not Joseph's son" This question in Greek expects a "yes" answer. This shows the normalcy of Jesus' childhood in Nazareth (i.e., 2:40,52). It was a statement of pride in a hometown boy.

4:23 "proverb" This is literally "parable," which means "to throw alongside of." It was a method of teaching which used a common occurrence of life to illustrate or highlight a spiritual truth.

▣ "'Physician, heal yourself’" The point Jesus is making is obvious: to these townspeople of Nazareth, Jesus held no special place in their minds. They wanted Jesus to do the miracles that He had done in Capernaum in His hometown also. We learn from Mark 6:1-6 that because of their unbelief, He did not do many mighty miracles here (cf. Luke 4:24).

▣ "we heard what was done at Capernaum" This is a good place to see how Luke uses Mark's Gospel. Mark 1:21ff records Jesus' ministry in Capernaum. In Mark, the healing at Capernaum found in Luke 4:31-37 is placed in chapter 1.

The difficulty modern western readers and commentators face in trying to understand the Gospels is that we assume they are chronological, detailed, sequential, cause-and-effect, modern histories, which they are not. For a good discussion on interpreting the Gospels, see Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, pp. 113-134.

4:24 "'Truly I say to you’" This is literally "amen." Only Jesus uses this as a literary technique to introduce a significant statement.

SPECIAL TOPIC: AMEN

▣ "no prophet is welcome in his hometown" This statement is similar to our English statement "familiarity breeds contempt." It must have been so hard for Jesus' family and neighbors to accept His Messiahship (cf. Mark 6:4; Matt. 13:57).

4:25-27 Jesus mentions two OT examples where God acted in miraculous ways for non-Jews and no miracles for covenant people are recorded (Stephen will pick up on these examples in Acts 7) . This fits Luke's universal emphasis of the gospel's availability to all humans who repent and believe. The majority of Jews, however, will not believe, as in the days of Elijah and Elisha.

Notice that the two prophets mentioned were northern prophets from the area Jesus was addressing (i.e., tenth century b.c. Israel).

4:25 "when the sky was shut for three years and six months" This same time element is mentioned in James. 5:17, however, 1 Kgs. 18:1 mentions only three years. Apparently, this was a rabbinical tradition. It was also an apocalyptic idiom for "a set time of persecution" (cf. Dan. 7:25; 12:7; Rev. 11:2; 12:6,14).

4:26 "Elijah. . .sent to Zarephath. . .to a woman who was a widow" God sent His prophet to minister to a needy Phoenician foreigner (and a woman at that), instead of the contemporary Israelis, who were also in need. Luke records Jesus' sayings and teachings which emphasize His love and care for outcasts!

4:27 "Elisha. . .Naaman the Syrian" God sent His prophet (Elisha) to heal a foreign military leader (an enemy at that) instead of the many sick among God's Covenant people, Israel (cf. 2 Kings 5).

4:28 "And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things" God's universal love toward the Gentiles was the source of these nationalistic Jews' rage (the same is true of Stephen's sermon in Acts 7). They did not think well of Him now (cf. Luke 4:22a and 29). They did not want to hear God's truth, but only wanted affirmation of their own biases and nationalistic traditions (not much has changed with humans of every age). These religious worshipers are "filled with rage" against Him who is full of the Spirit. What irony!

4:29 "they got up and drove Him out of the city. . .to throw Him down the cliff" It is amazing how quickly the attitude of this crowd moved from wonder and awe to rage and murder.

4:30 "But passing through their midst, He went His way" This is a remarkable miracle, the exact nature of which is not explained (cf. John 8:59; 10:39). It was simply not His hour (cf. John 7:30). It, at least, shows us that Jesus was an ordinary-looking man of His day.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:31-37
³¹And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; ³²and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority. ³³In the synagogue there was a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon, and he cried out with a loud voice, ³⁴"Let us alone! What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One of God!" ³⁵But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be quiet and come out of him!" And when the demon had thrown him down in the midst of the people, he came out of him without doing him any harm. ³⁶And amazement came upon them all, and they began talking with one another saying, "What is this message? For with authority and power He commands the unclean spirits and they come out." ³⁷And the report about Him was spreading into every locality in the surrounding district.

4:31 "He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee" Capernaum became Jesus' headquarters and He probably moved His family to this locale.

▣ "and He was teaching them on the Sabbath" In these early days of ministry, Jesus spoke in the local synagogues as much as possible (as did Paul, cf. Acts 3:26; Rom. 1:16). There would quickly come a time when He was forced to speak to the large crowds in the open air of the countryside.

4:32 "and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority" The Greek term translated "amazed" literally meant "struck by a blow" or "knocked beside themselves." Jesus' message was different (both in content and form) because He did not speak as the scribes who quoted the famous pair of rabbinical teachers like Shammai (the conservative rabbinical school) and Hillel (the liberal rabbinical school). He spoke as one who had authority in Himself (cf. Matt. 7:28-29; John 7:46).

▣ "authority" See Special Topic: Luke's Use of Exousia at Luke 20:2.

4:33 "a man possessed by the spirit of an unclean demon" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DEMONIC (UNCLEAN SPIRITS)

▣ "cried out" This implies at the top of his voice.

4:34

NASB, NRSV"Let us alone"
NKJV"Let us alone"
TEV"Ah"
NJB"Ha"

The Greek particle ea is used in the Septuagint of Job where it is translated "alas" in Luke 19:5 and "let alone" in Luke 15:16. It is used in Hellenistic poetry to express displeasure or surprise.

NASB"What business do we have with each other"
NKJV"What have we to do with You"
NRSV"What have you to do with us"
TEV, NJB"What do you want with us"

This expression is used in the Septuagint with a hostile connotation (cf. Jgds. 11:12; 2 Sam. 16:10; 19:22; 1 Kgs. 17:18; 2 Chr. 35:21).

▣ "Jesus of Nazareth" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS THE NAZARENE

▣ "us" Notice the plural. In the NT possession often involves numbers of demons (cf. Luke 8:2,27,30).

▣ "I know who You are—the Holy One of God" The demon's recognition and testimony was not meant to help Jesus, but to add to the Pharisee's charge that His power was from Satan (cf. Luke 4:41; 11:15; Matt. 9:34; 12:24; Mark 3:22).

The phrase "Holy One of God" is an OT Messianic title. It is alluded to in Luke 1:35 and Acts 3:14. It is the title by which the demonic addressed Jesus in Mark 1:24 and Luke 4:34.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE HOLY ONE

4:35 "'Be quiet’" This is an aorist passive imperative singular meaning "be muzzled." Notice the switch from "us" (Luke 4:34) to the singular here. Possibly only one demon spoke on behalf of them all.

▣ "come out" This is an aorist active imperative. Exorcisms were common in Jesus' day, but Jesus' methods were radically different. His exorcisms were a sign of the New Age. The rabbis used magic formulas, but Jesus used His own authority. There is so much confusion and bad information circulating today about exorcism and the demonic. Part of this problem is that the NT does not discuss these issues. As a pastor I wish I had more information on this subject. Here are some books I trust:

1. Christian Counseling and the Occult, Kurt E. Koch

2. Demons in the World Today, Merrill F. Unger

3. Biblical Demonology, Merrill F. Unger

4. Principalities and Powers, Hendrik Berkhof

5. Three Crucial Questions About Spiritual Warfare by Clinton Anthony

It surprises me that exorcism is not listed as one of the spiritual gifts and that the subject is not addressed in the Apostolic letters. I believe in a biblical world view which includes the spiritual realm (i.e., good and evil), present and active in the physical realm (i.e., Job 1-2; Daniel 10; Eph. 2:2; 4:14; 6:10-18). However, God has chosen not to reveal the specifics. As believers we have all the information we need to live godly, productive lives for Him! Some subjects are not revealed or developed.

▣ Several physical manifestations of an unclean spirit leaving a person are recorded (cf. Mark 1:26; 9:26; Luke 9:39). This may have been a way of confirming that the spirit had truly left.

This first sign of power clearly shows the Messianic implications of Jesus. The OT title (cf. Ps. 16:10) by which the demons acknowledge Him and His power to control and judge them clearly reflects the spiritual authority of Jesus of Nazareth (cf. Luke 4:27c).

4:36 "amazement" This is a different Greek term from Luke 4:32, but a synonym (cf. Louw and Nida, Greek-English Lexicon, vol. 1, pp. 311-312). Luke uses it in Luke 4:36; 5:9 and Acts 3:10.

▣ "authority" See Special Topic at Luke 20:2. Jesus' message about Himself was radical and unexpected. He verified His claims with His actions!

4:37 "spreading" We get the English term "echo" from this Greek term. The message of Jesus' power over unclean spirits, as well as His physical healings, caused great excitement and the gathering of large crowds.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:38-39
³⁸Then He got up and left the synagogue, and entered Simon's home. Now Simon's mother-in-law was suffering from a high fever, and they asked Him to help her. ³⁹And standing over her, He rebuked the fever, and it left her; and she immediately got up and waited on them.

4:38 "Simon's mother-in-law" Peter was obviously married (cf. Matt. 8:14; Mark 1:29-34; 1 Cor. 9:5). Celibacy is a gift, not a forced norm for clergy. Marriage is the biblical norm (cf. Gen. 1:28; 2:18; 9:1,7).

▣ "was suffering from" This is a periphrastic imperfect passive. This fever was a pre-existent, recurrent problem.

▣ "a high fever" This is a medical term used by Galen for a "category of fever." The Gospels make a distinction between Jesus exorcizing demons and healing sickness.

▣ "He rebuked the fever" In Luke Jesus rebukes

1. demons (Luke 4:35,41; 9:42)

2. fever (Luke 4:39)

3. the wind and waves (Luke 8:24)

4. the disciples (Luke 9:21,55)

This showed His authority and power. Jesus was truly human, but He was also God incarnate. It is hard to hold these two in balance. Luke's Gospel emphasizes both aspects!

Just a word about Jesus rebuking a fever. This literary personification of a physical problem does not make this an exorcism. Demons can cause physical problems, but not all physical problems are demonic. Be careful of the extremes (no demons; demons cause everything)! See note at Luke 4:35 on exorcisms.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:40- 41
⁴⁰While the sun was setting, all those who had any who were sick with various diseases brought them to Him; and laying His hands on each one of them, He was healing them. ⁴¹Demons also were coming out of many, shouting, "You are the Son of God!" But rebuking them, He would not allow them to speak, because they knew Him to be the Christ.

4:40 "While the sun was setting" This meant it was the end of the Sabbath. The Jews count the day from twilight in the evening to the next twilight following (cf. Gen. 1:5). Many Jews felt even healing on the Sabbath was inappropriate.

▣ "brought them to Him" The people had seen Jesus' power in the synagogue (Luke 4:31-37) and had heard His words of compassion and prophecy. Jesus now shows by His actions that He has both the power and the compassion of YHWH!

▣ "laying His hands on each one of them" Note the laying on of hands was for the sick, never the demon possessed (cf. Luke 4:41).

SPECIAL TOPIC: LAYING ON OF HANDS IN THE BIBLE

▣ "healing them" Notice that Jesus cured all who came! Also notice the distinction between the medical problems of Luke 4:40 and the demon possession of Luke 4:41. These actions reveal the gracious, loving, kind heart of God for humanity and the compassion and power of God's Messiah.

4:41 "many" From the English text it seems that Jesus healed all of those with physical ailments, but only some of those with demons. There are two possible solutions:

1. There is a volitional aspect to deliverance/exorcism.

2. The Bible uses "all" and "many" interchangeably (cf. Isa. 53:6, "all" vs. 53:11,12, "many" or the parallelism of Rom. 5:18, "all" and Rom. 5:19, "many").

▣ "the Son of God" See Special Topic at Luke 1:35.

▣ "not allow them to speak" This is another reason that Jesus did not allow their testimony. The people had a false view of His Messianic task (nationalism). These demons were not witnessing to support Jesus, but allowing the religious leaders to claim that His power came from Satan, not God.

▣ "they knew Him to be the Christ" Demons have theological knowledge (cf. James 2:19), but they do not have a personal faith relationship with the Father or the Son. Here is a good example of knowledge without faith being futile (cf Matt. 7:21-23). See Special Topic: Messiah at Luke 2:11.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:42-43
⁴²When day came, Jesus left and went to a secluded place; and the crowds were searching for Him, and came to Him and tried to keep Him from going away from them. ⁴³But He said to them, "I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpose."

4:42 This verse is one of Luke's ways of showing

1. the humanity of Jesus and His need to get away and relax

2. the crowds seeking Jesus, not for His teachings, but for His physical healings and exorcisms. He did not want to be known for these things, but they did give Him access to large numbers of people.

4:43 "the kingdom of God" The Kingdom of God is a central concept of Jesus' preaching. It involves the reign of God in human hearts now which will one day be consummated over all the earth. The kingdom is placed in the past in Luke 13:28, in the present in Luke 17:21, and in the future in Matt. 6:10-11. See SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD at Luke 4:21.

▣ "I was sent for this purpose" Jesus knew something of His special calling and purpose by age twelve (cf. Luke 2:49). Mark 10:45 reveals Jesus' mature self-understanding. Jesus is the Father's special agent, His sent One, His anointed One (cf. John 17:3). The verb here is apostellō (cf. Luke 4:18), which came to be used of those special disciples Jesus commissioned and sent (Apostles of John 17:18; 20:21). This term takes on special meaning in John's Gospel, but in the Synoptic Gospel it is just one of several Greek words used for sending.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 4:44
⁴⁴So He kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea.

4:44 "Judea" This geographical location is very unusual because of Luke 4:14, 31, and 37. Jesus is supposed to be in Galilee (cf. Matt. 4:23).

Because of the confusion caused by "Judea" (found in MSS P⁷⁵, א, B, C, L) several early Greek manuscripts have "Galilee" (cf. MSS A and D and the Vulgate and Peshitta), which follows Mark 1:39 and Matt. 4:23.

The editorial committee of the UBS⁴ gives "Judea" a B rating (almost certain). This may be (1) the use of Judea referring to all of Israel (i.e., the Prophets) or (2) the Gospels are not western histories, but eastern gospel tracts.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Could Jesus have been tempted to sin?

2. Is temptation a sin?

3. Does God ever cause temptation?

4. How is Jesus' Messianic task related to these temptations?

5. Why are the temptations listed in different order (cf. Matt. 4:1-11; Lk. 4:1-12)?

6. Why did the Gospels leave out such large sections of Jesus' ministry?

7. Why did Jesus regularly teach in the synagogue?

8. Why were the people in Nazareth so angry?

9. Explain why Jesus' message was so different from the rabbinical teachers of His day.

10. Why were the people astounded at Jesus' teachings?

11. What about demons? Who are they? What is their purpose?

12. What does Peter's having a mother-in-law imply about celibacy?

13. What is the significance concerning Jesus' healing everyone who was brought to Him?

14. What is the Kingdom of God? Define it in your own words.

15. What is the problem with the word "Judea" in Luke 4:44?

Luke 5

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

UBS⁴	NKJV	NRSV	TEV	NJB
The Calling of the First Disciples	Four Fishermen Called as Disciples	The Unexpected Catch	Jesus Calls the First Disciples	The First Four Disciples are Called
5:1-11	5:1-11	5:1-11	5:1-3	5:1-3
			5:4	5:4-7
			5:5-8
				5:8-11
			5:9-10
			5:11
The Cleansing of a Leper	Jesus Cleanses a Leper	A Leper Healed	Jesus Heals a Man	Cure of a Man Suffering from a Virulent Skin Disease
5:12-16	5:12-16	5:12-16	5:12	5:12-14
			5:13-14
			5:15-16	5:15-16
The Healing of a Paralytic	Jesus Forgives and Heals a Paralytic	Forgiveness of Sins	Jesus Heals a Paralyzed Man	Cure of a Paralytic
5:17-26	5:17-26	5:17-26	5:17-20	5:17-25
			5:21
			5:22-24
			5:25-26
				5:26
The Calling of Levi	Matthew the Tax Collector	Call of Levi	Jesus Calls Levi	The Call of Levi
5:27-32	5:27-32	5:27-28	5:27-28	5:27-28
				Eating With Sinners in Levi's House
		5:29-32	5:29-30	5:29-32
			5:31-32
The Question About Fasting	Jesus is Questioned About Fasting	On Fasting	The Question About Fasting	Discussion on Fasting
5:33-39	5:33-39	5:33-39	5:33	5:33-35
			5:34-35
			5:36-39	5:36
				5:37-39

READING CYCLE THREE (from "A Guide to Good Bible Reading")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT THE PARAGRAPH LEVEL

1. First paragraph

2. Second paragraph

3. Third paragraph

4. Etc.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 1-11

A. There are three separate and unique accounts of Jesus' calling fishermen as disciples.

1. Mark 1:16-20 and Matt. 4:18-22

2. John 1:40-42

3. Luke 5:1-11

B. Whether these accounts are parallel eyewitness accounts or subsequent accounts of different callings is uncertain.

C. Luke 5 shows Jesus' power

1. over nature (cf. Luke 5:1-11)

2. over disease (cf. Luke 5:12-26)

3. over sin (cf. Luke 5:27-32)

D. John 21:1-14 describes a time when Jesus helped these fishermen catch fish. It is very similar to this account, however, there are differences. I believe they are two separate occurrences (possibly like the cleansing of the Temple in John), one at the beginning of Jesus' ministry and one after His resurrection.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:1-11
¹Now it happened that while the crowd was pressing around Him and listening to the word of God, He was standing by the lake of Gennesaret; ²and He saw two boats lying at the edge of the lake; but the fishermen had gotten out of them and were washing their nets. ³And He got into one of the boats, which was Simon's, and asked him to put out a little way from the land. And He sat down and began teaching the people from the boat. ⁴When He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch." ⁵Simon answered and said, "Master, we worked hard all night and caught nothing, but I will do as You say and let down the nets." ⁶When they had done this, they enclosed a great quantity of fish, and their nets began to break; ⁷so they signaled to their partners in the other boat for them to come and help them. And they came and filled both of the boats, so that they began to sink. ⁸But when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet, saying, "Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!" ⁹For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish which they had taken; ¹⁰and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, "Do not fear, from now on you will be catching men." ¹¹When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed Him.

5:1 "the crowd was pressing around Him" Jesus' preaching/teaching/healing ministry caused large crowds to follow Him; most of them tried to touch Him.

▣ "listening to the word of God" This is a Lukan phrase (cf. Luke 5:1; 8:11,21; 11:28; and Acts 4:31; 6:2,7; 8:14; 11:1; 12:24; 13:5,7,44,46,48; 16:32; 17:13). It is used only once in each of the other Gospels. It reflects a Septuagint idiom.

Sometimes we modern believers think the "word of God" is only the Bible, but in reality, the phrase has a much wider meaning. It refers to all that God has communicated to us. Some of it is recorded in the Bible. Psalm 19:7-11 and 119 are OT examples of how the Jews understood this phrase. The NT understanding can be seen in Luke 1:2; 8:11-15,21; 11:28; 24:44. Thank God for the words we do have! We must act on them and not worry about what we do not have. We have all we need for salvation and the Christian life. We must resist our curiosity.

▣ "by the lake of Gennesaret" This body of water goes by several other names.

1. "Chinneroth"

2. the Sea of Galilee

3. the Sea of Tiberias

4. sometimes just "the sea" (cf. Matt. 13:1; Mark 4:1, from the Septuagint of Num. 34:11; Jos. 12:3)

It is a body of water about twelve miles by eight miles and is 680 feet below sea level, surrounded by low rolling hills. The etymology of the term Gennesaret is uncertain. Because it is the name of a land area west of the lake that was very fertile, some suppose it means "princely garden."

5:2 "He saw two boats" This Greek term can be used of any size boat. The fact that this boat was manned by several men in Luke 5:2, 4, and 5 implies that at least one was a large fishing boat.

▣ "were washing their nets" Fishing normally was done on the Sea of Galilee at night. Apparently these men had been fishing all night and simply were washing and repairing their nets (cf. Mark 1:19) for the next night.

5:3 "He got into one of the boats" The press of the crowd was so great that Jesus got into the boat as a means of protecting Himself (cf. Mark 3:9; 4:1) and possibly as a way of amplifying His voice to the large crowd.

▣ "Simon's" He will be the leader of the Apostolic group. Jesus changes his name to Peter (Cephas) in Matt. 16:16-18. He is first called Peter in Luke's Gospel in Luke 6:14.

▣ "He sat down and began teaching" This is the normal position for rabbis when teaching (cf. Luke 4:20; Matt. 26:55), but in this context it would have been safer to sit than stand in a boat.

5:4 "Put out into the deep water" These are both aorist active imperatives. It was the wrong time of day, the wrong place, and the wrong depth to catch fish, yet Peter obeyed (after arguing briefly, cf. Luke 5:5)!

5:5 "Master" The Greek term epistatēs literally means "one placed over." The term was used of one in charge. This term is also used by Luke in Luke 8:24,45. Luke never uses the term rabbi because he is writing to Gentiles (cf. Luke 5:5; 8:24,45; 9:33,49; 17:13).

▣ "we worked hard all night and caught nothing" Why did Luke record this incident out of all the things Jesus said and did? One reason is that this chapter has a series of incidents that show Jesus' power over (1) nature; (2) disease; (3) sin. This would have confirmed His new teachings about Himself and the present Kingdom of God. He not only spoke with authority, He acted with authority (cf. Luke 4:32,36).

Still (noting this is still Luke, not John) one wonders whether this is not a slap at human effort, energy, merit, and knowledge. These professional fishermen tried their best with no results, but Jesus' word was overwhelmingly productive.

5:6 "they enclosed a great quantity of fish" Jesus, being Lord of all creation, understood well the habits of fish and could control them (cf. Matt. 17:27). This is not an example of a great fisherman, but Jesus, God's agent of creation and Spirit-filled Messiah!

5:8 "when Simon Peter saw that, he fell down at Jesus' feet" The phrase is literally "fell at the knees of Jesus." He fell down in the middle of the fish! Peter, who knew fishing, recognized the miraculous nature of this event and the power of the person!

▣ "Lord" When we interpret the Gospels we must remember they were written well after the events. Those who wrote knew the full story. It is difficult to know how much of their full gospel knowledge is read back into their accounts of Jesus' life and ministry. The term "Lord" is a good example. It is obvious that this term takes on divine attributes after the resurrection (cf. Acts 2:36; Rom. 10:9-13; Phil. 2:9-11), but also culturally it could simply be a polite address comparable to our "mister " or "sir " (cf. Matt. 18:26; Luke 7:6; 9:57; John 4:11). It is possible that Luke intentionally plays on this ambiguity (cf. Vincent Taylor, The Names of Jesus, p. 42, examples Luke 7:13,19; 10:1,39,41). This account here is a good illustration. What did Peter mean by kneeling before Jesus and calling Him Lord? It is obvious adoration, but was it worship to Jesus as the incarnate Son of God, the Messiah (cf. Luke 9:20)?

▣ "I am a sinful man" The closer we get to God, the more we recognize our own sinfulness (cf. Job 42:5-6; Isa. 6:5). There is also the reassurance that God loves and works with sinful, fallen, marred people (e.g. Moses, David, Apostles). Fallen mankind's only hope is the gracious character of God and the self-giving work of Christ.

5:9 "For amazement had seized him and all his companions because of the catch of fish" The miracle astonished the helpers also.

5:10 "James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon" These would become the inner circle of Jesus' disciples. All of them were middle-class businessmen from Galilee.

▣ "Do not fear" This is a present middle (deponent) imperative with the negative particle, which usually means stop an act already in process. This is a characteristic Lukan phrase (cf. Luke 1:13,30; 5:10; 8:50; 12:32; Acts 18:9; 27:24).

▣ "you will be catching men" This Greek phrase implies "catching them alive." This may be an allusion to Jer. 16:16 about YHWH sending fishermen and hunters into the world to find and restore His people. It is possible that the early church's symbol of a fish for Christianity is related to

1. the acrostic, "Jesus Christ, God's Son, Savior"

2. catching fish, used as an evangelistic metaphor

5:11 "they left everything" After a tremendous catch of fish like this, which was worth so much, they left them. The question has been raised, did they leave them to rot? Obviously not. There were other workers of Zebedee, or possibly they were used to feed the crowd.

Here again, one wonders how much this phrase is meant to symbolically characterize true faith (cf. Luke 5:28; 14:33).

▣ "followed Him" This is probably not the first time they had heard, seen, and talked with Jesus. We learn from John's Gospel that Andrew had introduced them earlier (cf. John 1:29-42). I am sure they had heard Him preach and teach. Possibly they had seen Him perform miracles. It is significant to realize they left everything and immediately followed Him! This was a rabbinical way of acknowledging their officially becoming disciples of Jesus (cf. Luke 5:27-28; 9:23,49,57,59,61; 18:22,28).

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO VERSES 12-32

A. These accounts are paralleled in Mark 1:40-45; Matt. 8:1-4; and Mark 2:14-17; and Matt. 9:9-13.

B. These incidents show Jesus' revolutionary attitudes and actions toward lepers and publicans so different from the rabbis of His day.

C. Luke purposefully chose incidents which showed Jesus' power

1. over nature (Luke 5:1-11)

2. over disease (Luke 5:12-26)

3. and over prejudice and human sin (Luke 5:27-32)

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:12-16
¹²While He was in one of the cities, behold, there was a man covered with leprosy; and when he saw Jesus, he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean." ¹³And He stretched out His hand and touched him, saying, "I am willing; be cleansed." And immediately the leprosy left him. ¹⁴And He ordered him to tell no one, "But go and show yourself to the priest and make an offering for your cleansing, just as Moses commanded, as a testimony to them." ¹⁵But the news about Him was spreading even farther, and large crowds were gathering to hear Him and to be healed of their sicknesses. ¹⁶But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray.

5:12 "He was in one of the cities" Leviticus 13:46 and Num. 5:2-4 forbade lepers from involvement in normal Israeli society.

▣ "a man covered with leprosy" Luke, the medical doctor, uses several medical terms in this passage.

1. in Luke 5:12 he denotes the severity of the illness by use of a technical term

2. in Luke 5:18 he uses the technical term for "paralyze"—different from Matthew and Mark who used the more popular term

3. in Luke 5:31 Luke uses the medical term for "well"

▣ "leprosy" There were many illnesses covered by this term. Whether it is modern leprosy is uncertain. Leprosy (or whichever skin disease was meant) was seen in Judaism as an illness given by God as punishment (possibly because of Uzziah, cf. 2 Chr. 26:16-23).

▣ "Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean" This man obviously had heard of Jesus' power, but was uncertain of His willingness. This is an example of a third class conditional sentence which means potential action, contingent on other actions.

5:13 "He. . .touched him" Technically this would have made Jesus ceremonially unclean. Jesus' life showed the priority of people over Jewish rules and ceremonial cleanliness.

5:14 "He ordered him to tell no one" Jesus veils His deity in the Synoptic Gospels until the great redemptive events are complete. See full list in the texts at Luke 8:56. Jesus did not want to be known as a healer only. The gospel was not yet complete. Jesus was offering more, far more, than physical healing. From Mark 1:45 we learn this man disobeyed.

▣ "go and show yourself to the priest" This refers to regulations found in Lev. 14:1-32. Jesus wanted

1. to witness to the priest

2. to show that He did recognize and fulfill the Mosaic law

Luke records another leper who was told to do the same thing in Luke 17:14.

5:15 "the news about Him was spreading even farther" Fallen, sick, lonely humanity will go anywhere for help and hope.

5:16 "But Jesus Himself would often slip away to the wilderness and pray" Jesus, God's Son Incarnate, set the example for believers' prayer lives (cf. Luke 3:21; 5:16; 6:12; 9:18,28). If Jesus needed to get away and pray to face life, how much more do we!

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:17-26
¹⁷One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law sitting there, who had come from every village of Galilee and Judea and from Jerusalem; and the power of the Lord was present for Him to perform healing. ¹⁸And some men were carrying on a bed a man who was paralyzed; and they were trying to bring him in and to set him down in front of Him. ¹⁹But not finding any way to bring him in because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles with his stretcher, into the middle of the crowd, in front of Jesus. ²⁰Seeing their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven you." ²¹The scribes and the Pharisees began to reason, saying, "Who is this man who speaks blasphemies? Who can forgive sins, but God alone?" ²²But Jesus, aware of their reasonings, answered and said to them, "Why are you reasoning in your hearts? ²³"Which is easier, to say, 'Your sins have been forgiven you,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? ²⁴But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins," — He said to the paralytic — "I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home." ²⁵Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. ²⁶They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, "We have seen remarkable things today."

5:17 "One day He was teaching; and there were some Pharisees and teachers of the law" See parallels in Mark 2:3-12 and Matt. 9:1.

▣ "Pharisees" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

▣ "teachers of the law" This seems to be parallel with "the scribes" of Luke 5:21 (see Special Topic at Luke 5:21). Most of them were Pharisees, but not all. They were the experts in applying the oral and written law to the practical matters of everyday life. In a sense they took over the role of the OT local Levites. These "biblical lawyers" became the rabbis of today's Judaism.

▣ "from Jerusalem" We learn from rabbinical literature that Jerusalem was considered a separate district of Judah. These were Jewish representatives from "headquarters"! In essence these biblical experts convened to examine Jesus.

▣ "and the power of the Lord was present for Him" Notice in Luke 4:14 it says "power of the Spirit." We must remember the close interpersonal relationship between the persons and work of the Triune God (see SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY at Luke 3:22). Notice also the term "Lord" in this text refers to YHWH. Jesus was YHWH's agent in creation, redemption, and judgment.

SPECIAL TOPIC: JESUS AND THE SPIRIT

▣ There are several related Greek manuscript variants in Luke 5:17. These are attempts by scribes to clarify the sentence.

1. It seems a staggering statement to say Pharisees and scribes from every village of Galilee, Judea, and Jerusalem came to hear Jesus (cf. MSS אi¹, A^c, B, C, L, W and the Vulgate and Syriac translations), so scribes changed the sentence to refer to those who were being healed (cf. MS א^* and some Coptic and the Armenian translations).

This shows that the later scribes, as well as modern westerners, do not understand Eastern literature (hyperbole).

2. The "him" is singular and refers to Jesus (cf. MSS א, B, L, W), but some scribes thought it referred to those being healed and made it plural (cf. MSS A, C, D, and the Vulgate, Peshitta and Armenian translations). UBS⁴ gives "him" an "A" rating, which means "certain."

5:18 "paralyzed" Luke, the Gentile physician, uses the technical, medical term (Hippocrates, Galen), while Matthew and Mark use the common vernacular.

5:19 "they went up on the roof and let him down through the tiles" Most homes had outside stairs where the roof was accessible. The roof was a place of socializing and even sleeping in the hot season of the year. Can you imagine what it must have been like for those people sitting in the crowded home when the roof started falling in on them?

5:20 "Seeing their faith" "Their" refers to the friends as well as the paralytic man.

The term "faith" is a major NT term (cf. Luke 5:20; 7:9,50; 8:25,48; 17:5,6,19; 18:8,42; 22:32). The Greek noun is pistis and the verb is pisteuō. This term is translated into English by three words—faith, believe, trust (see Special Topics at Luke 1:45). The concept is crucial for an understanding of salvation (cf. John 1:12; 3:16) and the Christian life (cf. Heb. 11:1,3,6).

The Hebrew equivalent is emeth, which originally referred to someone in a stable stance, but it developed the metaphorical extension of someone who is dependable, loyal, trustworthy, and faithful.

Faith is not something we do, but it is the hand that receives the gifts of God (cf. Eph. 2:8-9). It is not a work, but a receptive attitude of need and thanksgiving. We are not dependable, loyal, trustworthy, or faithful, but God is! We trust His trustworthiness; we faith His faithfulness. The hope of all fallen humanity is the unchanging character of God, His mercy and grace towards His rebellious human creation.

These friends believed Jesus, as God's representative, would act graciously toward their friend and they would do anything to get their friend to Jesus (cf. Luke 7:9,50; 8:48; 17:19; 18:42). Oh, that friends had that kind of love and concern today!

▣ "your sins are forgiven" The grammatical form is a Perfect passive indicative. This was an astonishing statement. It was meant to provoke a dialogue with the religious leaders who were present. In rabbinical Judaism, sin and sickness were related (cf. John 5:14 and James. 5:13-15, however, not all sin is related to sickness, cf. John 9:3). Human guilt causes many physical ailments.

5:21 "scribes" See Special Topic below.

SPECIAL TOPIC: SCRIBES

▣ "Who can forgive sins, but God alone" This was exactly Jesus' point! Jesus was clearly, unambiguously giving them the sign they asked for. He is clearly proclaiming His Messiahship.

5:22 "But Jesus, aware of their reasonings" Does this imply that

1. Jesus overheard them

2. Jesus knew their theology

3. Jesus read their minds

The end of Luke 5:22 implies #3.

5:23-24 The man's healing was an outward sign for these religious leaders of the purpose, power, and person of the Messiah (cf. Luke 4:18-19). Instead of praise and adoration (which they initially gave, cf. Luke 5:25-26), their hearts will turn to self-interest, even murder (cf. Luke 22:2; Matt. 12:14; 26:1; Mark 14:1; John 5:18; 7:1,19; 8:37,40; 11:53).

Healing can occur without faith. Jesus healed people as a means of

1. getting the attention of His hearers

2. demonstrating the power and compassion of God and His Messiah

3. training the disciples

Forgiveness of sin, however, is never possible without personal faith.

SPECIAL TOPIC: IS HEALING GOD's PLAN FOR EVERY AGE?

5:24 "Son of Man" This term is Jesus' chosen self-designation. In the book of Ezekiel (example 2:1; Ps. 8:4) it means simply "human being," but in Dan. 7:13-14 it derives an added connotation of deity (cf. 1 John 4:1-3). This term was not used by rabbinical Judaism and, therefore, it did not have militaristic, nationalistic, exclusivistic connotations. See fuller note at Luke 6:5.

The parallel in Matt. 9:8 has the phrase "glorified God, who had given such authority to men." The comment accentuates the human aspect of "Son of Man." One wonders how much the more developed Gnosticism of Luke's day is reflected in Luke choosing those aspects of Jesus' life and teachings which reflect His humanity.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE SON OF MAN

▣ "has authority on earth to forgive sins" This was the central question of the Jewish leaders. Where did Jesus get His power and authority (see Special Topic: Authority at Luke 20:2)? They could not deny His miracles or the power of His teaching, so they tried to attribute His authority to the Evil One.

5:26 "they were filled with fear" Jesus was filled with the Spirit before birth (cf. Luke 1:15). Elizabeth and Zacharias were filled with the Spirit so they could better understand His person and birth (cf. Luke 1:41,67), but the Jews (i.e., Nazarites) are filled with anger (cf. Luke 4:25) and their leaders are filled with fear (cf. Luke 5:26) and rage (cf. Luke 6:11).

Luke continues this theme in Acts.

1. The disciples are filled with the Spirit (cf. Luke 2:4; 4:8,31; 9:17; 13:9).

2. The Jewish leaders (Sadducees) were filled with jealousy (cf. Luke 5:17).

3. The Jewish crowd at Pisidian Antioch was filled with jealousy (cf. Luke 13:45).

One's reaction to the gospel determines what one is filled with.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:27
²⁷After that He went out and noticed a tax collector named Levi sitting in the tax booth, and He said to him, "Follow Me." ²⁸And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him.

5:27 "a tax collector named Levi" We know from Mark 9:9 that he was also called "Matthew" (gift of YHWH). We also know from Mark 2:13 that he was "son of Alphaeus." Apparently Jesus did not change his name, but he had one Jewish name and one Galilean name.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CHART OF APOSTLES' NAMES

▣ "tax booth" This occupation was a position purchased from both the Romans and the Herods and was open to great abuse. Obviously Levi collected Herodian and Roman taxes on the major road known as the Via Maris. He was completely ostracized by the local Jews from all religious and social events because of this. Luke chooses to record several events involving these social pariahs (cf. Luke 3:12-13; 5:27-28,29-32; 7:34; 15:1-2; 18:9-14; 19:1-10). This was Luke's way of assuring his Gentile readers that YHWH and His Christ would include them by faith also.

▣ "'Follow Me'" This is a present active imperative. The fact that Jesus would call a tax collector to follow Him was absolutely amazing to the people of Capernaum and even to the disciples. It was surely a symbol that the gospel was open to all people.

5:28 "And he left everything behind, and got up and began to follow Him" Apparently he had heard Jesus preach. He acted in the same way as James, John, and Peter (cf. Luke 5:11).

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:29-32
²⁹And Levi gave a big reception for Him in his house; and there was a great crowd of tax collectors and other people who were reclining at the table with them. ³⁰The Pharisees and their scribes began grumbling at His disciples, saying, "Why do you eat and drink with the tax collectors and sinners?" ³¹And Jesus answered and said to them, "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick. ³²I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance."

5:29 "Levi gave a big reception. . .a great crowd of tax collectors" Luke records many dinners which Jesus attended, always for the purpose of teaching and revealing Himself (cf. Luke 7:36; 9:12; 10:38; 11:37; 14:1; 19:7; 22:14; 24:30; 24:41). Because Capernaum was on a major road, there was a large number of tax collectors.

Everyone else in town would be shocked that Jesus would associate with, even eat with, this group and their outcast friends (another insight into the gospel, cf. Luke 7:34; 15:1-2).

Jesus ate with the socially and religiously outcast as a way of initiating a religious dialogue with them. They flocked to Him because He acted so different from the self-righteous rabbis and scribes. Eating was a special event in the Ancient Near East which expressed friendship and acceptance. They would have reclined on their left elbow around a low horseshoe-shaped table with their feet behind them (this has been challenged by J. Jeremias in his book The Eucharistic Words of Jesus, pp. 20-21. He asserts the Jews did not regularly follow the Mediterranean custom of reclining, except during feast days). In the Near East others who were not invited to the meal could come in to the dining area and stand around the walls or at the door or windows and listen to the conversation.

One wonders how much eschatological symbolism should be read into this context. Is this feast a foreshadowing of the Messianic banquet which will include outcasts (cf. Matt. 8:11; Luke 13:29, possibly reflecting Isa. 59:15b-21)? If so, then there is the theological insight that temporal fellowship with Jesus mirrors eschatological kingdom fellowship. Sinners are reconciled now and in eternity! All sinners are welcome (and all are sinners, even the OT covenant people, cf. Rom. 3:9-18).

5:30 "Pharisees" These Pharisees were present at the dinner, but were not a part of the dinner. It seems unusual, but in the ancient world anyone could come and stand around the walls or look in the windows and participate in the conversation without being an official guest at the dinner. Apparently "the Pharisees" was another name for "the scribes," who were mentioned earlier in this context. They were a group of committed Jews who followed a particular tradition affirming the Oral Tradition of the Jews (the Talmud). Notice that they confronted the disciples and not Jesus Himself. Jesus, by eating with these notorious sinners, was expressing fellowship and friendship. John the Baptist had come earlier as an ascetic and the Jewish leaders had rejected him; now they rejected Jesus, who came as a more social person (cf. Matt. 11:19; Luke 7:34). They even accused Jesus of being a "wine-bibber," which meant a "glutton" or "one who over-drinks." Quite often religious conservatism has an ugly and self-righteous side.

For a discussion of the origin and theology of the Pharisees, see Special Topics: Pharisees at Luke 5:17 and Scribes at Luke 5:21.

▣ "Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners" The verbs are both present active indicatives, which implies a regular activity. I think many "church people" would ask this same question today, which shows how easy it is to forget the purpose of Jesus' coming.

5:31 "It is not those who are well who need a physician, but those who are sick" The parallel in Mark 2:15-17 is helpful. I would like to insert a note from my commentary on Mark 2 (see www.freebiblecommentry.org).

"2:17 "those who are sick" They had a sense of need that was essential for faith (cf. Matt. 5:3-4) and Jesus was their healer and friend (cf. Luke 7:34; 19:10).

▣ "I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners" This is an ironic, possibly sarcastic, statement like Mark 7:19. This statement was not meant to imply that the religious leaders were righteous (cf. Matt. 5:20) and, therefore, did not need to repent, but rather that Jesus' message (cf. Mark 1:14-15) was more appealing to those who sensed their own spiritual need. Jesus uses proverbial statements often in His teaching (cf. Mark 2:17,21,22,27; 3:27; 4:21,22,25; 7:15; 8:35,36,37; 9:40,50; 10:25,27,31,43-44). No one is more blind than those who think they see!

In his book, The Method and Message of Jesus' Teachings, Robert H. Stein makes a good point about this statement:

'Although the term "totalitarian" has many negative connotations, Archibald M. Hunter's use of this term is an accurate one and describes well the total commitment that Jesus demanded of his followers. On the lips of anyone else the claims of Jesus would appear to be evidence of gross egomania, for Jesus clearly implies that the entire world revolves around himself and that the fate of all men is dependent on their acceptance or rejection of him. . .according to Jesus, the fate of man centers around him. Rejection of him means eternal judgment; acceptance of him means acceptance by God. The pivotal point of history and salvation, Jesus claims, is himself. To obey him is to be wise and escape judgment, but to reject his words is to be foolish and perish, for his words are the only sure foundation upon which to build (Matt. 7:24-27).' (p. 118)."

▣ "well" This was used as a technical medical term for "wholeness."

5:32 "repentance" The Greek term "repentance" means a change of mind. The Hebrew term for "repentance" means a change of action. Both are required for true biblical repentance. It is turning from (repentance), as well as a turning to (faith). We can see this so well in Mark 1:15, where it says "repent and believe" (cf. Acts 3:16,19; 20:21). This shows the positive aspect of faith and the negative aspect of repentance. Jesus said it so well when He said "unless you repent you shall all likewise perish" (cf. Luke 13:3). See SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT at Luke 3:3.

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: LUKE 5:33-39
³³And they said to Him, "The disciples of John often fast and offer prayers, the disciples of the Pharisees also do the same, but Yours eat and drink." ³⁴And Jesus said to them, "You cannot make the attendants of the bridegroom fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you? ³⁵But the days will come; and when the bridegroom is taken away from them, then they will fast in those days." ³⁶And He was also telling them a parable: "No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. ³⁷And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. ³⁸But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins. ³⁹And no one, after drinking old wine wishes for new; for he says, 'The old is good enough.'"

5:33 In the parallel (and probably the original account) Mark 2:18 has the Jewish leaders asking Jesus' disciples a question (cf. MSS א^i*,2, A, C, D, and the Vulgate and Syriac translations), but in Luke it is a statement (cf. MSS P⁴, אi¹, B, L, W, and several Coptic translations). The UBS⁴ translation committee said Luke's statement was "almost certain" (B rating) to be the original. Later, scribes changed the form to make it conform to Mark's account.

▣ "fast" The Pharisees and John's disciples were culturally conditioned to fast twice a week, on Mondays and Thursdays (cf. Luke 18:12). The Mosaic Law had only one fasting day a year, the Day of Atonement (cf. Leviticus 16). These twice-a-week fasts are a good example of developed traditionalism (cf. Zechariah 7-8). Fasting loses its spiritual value when it becomes mandatory and draws attention to itself (cf. Matt. 6:16-18). See Special Topic following.

SPECIAL TOPIC: FASTING

5:34-35 "the bridegroom" The question of Luke 5:34 expects a "no" answer. There is so much OT imagery involved in the concept of "bridegroom." In the OT YHWH is the bridegroom or husband of Israel. However, it is never a Messianic title. In this context Jesus is the bridegroom and the church is the bride (cf. Eph. 5:23-32). In Luke 5:35 "the bridegroom is taken away" refers to a time when a separation will occur.

Now, as interpreters, we have two choices. First, we can see this as a cultural metaphor about a time of joy connected to a wedding. No one fasts during a wedding! Second, we can see it as parabolic of Jesus' time on earth and His coming crucifixion. Mark (who recorded Peter's sermons in Rome and developed them into the first Gospel) would have known the full implication of these metaphorically-laden terms (in Judaism the bridegroom was a metaphor, not of the Messiah, but of the coming Kingdom of God). Is this a prediction of Jesus' death? He has clearly revealed His Messiahship and deity through His words and deeds (i.e., exorcism, healings, forgiving of sins). His followers will fast in an appropriate way and at an appropriate time.

5:36 The Markan (2:21) and Matthean (9:16) parallels help us understand this parable by noting that the patch is from an unshrunk piece of cloth (it will shrink). The new patch (Jesus and the gospel) will destroy the old clothing (Judaism).

There has been much discussion about how to apply this truth. It seems to emphasize the need to be flexible in one's faith. However, one must be careful as to the nature and extent of this flexibility. It is a condemnation of rabbinical Judaism's literalistic interpretation of the Oral Tradition. God help us! Sometimes we are more committed to our traditions and legalisms than we are to God (cf. Isa. 29:13). This parable is paralleled in Mark 2:19-20 and Matt. 9:16-17.

5:37 "wineskins" This referred to goats being skinned in such a way as to allow the skins to be used as a container for liquids (i.e., water, Gen. 21:15; milk, Jdgs. 4:19; and wine, Jos. 9:4,13). These newly-tanned skins would have elastic qualities. When these skins became old, the fermentation process and expansion of the new wine would cause them to split. Judaism was unable to receive Jesus' insights and corrections and, therefore, was about to be made null and void. The new covenant (cf. Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:22-38) has come in Jesus! Nothing can remain the same.

5:39 The fifth century a.d. Western family of manuscripts, D (Bezae), omits Luke 5:39 because

1. it is omitted by Mark 2:22 and Matt. 9:17

2. it seems to give priority to the OT (cf. Metzger, A Textual Commentary, p. 139)

Where did Luke get the closing comment? It is not from Mark. It is not in Matthew, so possibly not in "Q" (Quell, saying of Jesus possibly written by Matthew). Luke apparently interviewed many people. It must be oral tradition.

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Why is Luke 5 such an important chapter in showing Jesus' power and preeminence?

2. Why did Jesus want the leper to show himself to the priest?

3. Why did Jesus tell the leper not to tell anyone?

4. Why did Jesus say, "Your sins are forgiven"?

5. Why was Jesus' invitation for a tax collector to become a disciple so radical?

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