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Luke 1

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Luke's Purpose and Prologue 1–4

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Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a declaration of those things which are most surely believed among us, ​
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Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;
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It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, ​
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That thou mightest know the certainty of those things, wherein thou hast been instructed.

The Birth Announcement of John the Baptist 5–25

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There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. ​
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And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. ​
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And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.
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And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course,
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According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. ​
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And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
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And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. ​
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And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.
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But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.
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And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.
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For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. ​
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And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.
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And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. ​
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And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years.
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And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. ​
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And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. ​
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And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple.
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And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.
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And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.
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And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying,
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Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. ​

The Annunciation to Mary 26–38

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And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, ​
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To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. ​
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And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.
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And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be.
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And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God.
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And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.
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He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: ​
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And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. ​
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Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?
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And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. ​
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And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren.
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For with God nothing shall be impossible. ​
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And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her. ​

Mary Visits Elisabeth (The Visitation) 39–45

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And Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Juda; ​
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And entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elisabeth.
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And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: ​
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And she spake out with a loud voice, and said, Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb.
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And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ​
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For, lo, as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy.
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And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord. ​

The Magnificat (Mary's Song) 46–56

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And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, ​
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And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.
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For he hath regarded the low estate of his handmaiden: for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. ​
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For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.
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And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.
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He hath shewed strength with his arm; he hath scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. ​
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He hath put down the mighty from their seats, and exalted them of low degree.
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He hath filled the hungry with good things; and the rich he hath sent empty away.
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He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; ​
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As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.
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And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

The Birth and Naming of John 57–66

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Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
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And her neighbours and her cousins heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.
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And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. ​
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And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
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And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.
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And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.
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And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all. ​
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And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
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And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
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And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him.

Zacharias's Prophecy (The Benedictus) 67–80

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And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, ​
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Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,
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And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; ​
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As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:
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That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;
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To perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; ​
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The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,
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That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,
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In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.
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And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; ​
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To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins, ​
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Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, ​
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To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
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And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. ​

Bible text: King James Version (1769 Blayney text) · Public domain

Study Notes for Luke 1

Verse 1

most surely believed — Plerophoreo, to bring in full measure, is 'fully persuaded' in Rom 4:21 and 'make full proof' in 2 Tim 4:5. 'Taken in hand' is epicheireo, to put the hand to a task (also Acts 9:29; 19:13). Luke's own account rests on those who 'from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word' (v.2).

Verse 3

most excellent Theophilus — Kratistos is the title of Roman governors in Acts: 'most excellent governor Felix' (23:26), 'most noble Felix' (24:3), 'most noble Festus' (26:25). Theophilus means 'friend of God'. 'Perfect understanding' is parakoloutheo, to follow closely; the aim is 'in order', as Acts 1:1 recalls: 'The former treatise have I made, O Theophilus.'

Verse 5

the course of Abia — Abia is Abijah, the eighth of the twenty-four divisions of Aaron's sons whom David set in order (1 Chron 24:10, 19). Herod 'the king of Judaea' is the king of Matt 2:1. Elisabeth is the Greek form of Elisheba, the name of Aaron's own wife (Ex 6:23): both husband and wife were of the priestly line.

Verse 6

righteous before God… blameless — Dikaios and amemptos, righteous and blameless; Paul writes of himself, 'touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless' (Phil 3:6). 'Ordinances' is dikaioma, the law's requirements (see Rom 8:4). 'Walking' recalls Gen 17:1, 'walk before me, and be thou perfect', and Gen 7:1, 'righteous before me'.

Verse 9

his lot was to burn incense — 'Lot' is lagchano, to obtain by lot; 'priest's office' (hierateia) occurs also in Heb 7:5. Incense was burned on the golden altar 'every morning' and 'at even' (Ex 30:7–8), a service for Aaron and his sons (1 Chron 23:13). Verse 10 places the whole multitude 'praying without at the time of incense'.

Verse 11

the right side of the altar of incense — The golden altar stood before the vail (Ex 40:26). Incense and prayer go together in Scripture: in Rev 8:3–4 the incense is offered 'with the prayers of all saints'. At this altar the angel tells Zacharias 'thy prayer is heard' (v.13), at the hour when the people were 'praying without at the time of incense' (v.10).

Verse 15

neither wine nor strong drink — 'Strong drink' (sikera) occurs only here in the New Testament. The words are the Nazarite's: 'He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink' (Num 6:3). John is 'filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb', and the babe leaps when Mary comes (vv.41, 44); Jesus later notes that John came 'neither eating bread nor drinking wine' (Luke 7:33).

Verse 17

the spirit and power of Elias — Elias is Elijah. The words 'to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children' take up Mal 4:6 ('turn the heart of the fathers to the children'), in the promise 'I will send you Elijah the prophet' (4:5). Christ applies it: 'this is Elias, which was for to come' (Matt 11:14). 'To make ready' (hetoimazo) returns in v.76, 'to prepare his ways'.

Verse 19

I am Gabriel — The name is Hebrew, 'man of God'. Gabriel is named in Dan 8:16 and 9:21, where he came 'about the time of the evening oblation'; here he comes at the hour of incense. 'Glad tidings' is euaggelizo, the verb of the gospel, and 'stand in the presence of God' (paristemi) describes his place of service.

Verse 20

thou shalt be dumb — Siopao, to be silent. Zacharias had asked 'Whereby shall I know this?' (v.18), and the silence becomes the sign. 'Believest not' uses pisteuo, the verb of v.45, 'blessed is she that believed'. The silence lasts 'until the day that these things shall be performed', and ends with the naming: 'his mouth was opened immediately' (v.64).

Verse 25

to take away my reproach among men — Elisabeth speaks as Rachel did at the birth of Joseph: 'God hath taken away my reproach' (Gen 30:23). Childlessness was the reproach; Sarah's son Isaac had come 'at the set time of which God had spoken' (Gen 21:2). 'Looked on' (epeidon) says the LORD saw her; v.24 notes she 'hid herself five months'.

Verse 26

the sixth month — The sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy, as v.36 states: 'this is the sixth month with her, who was called barren'. Gabriel is sent 'from God' to Nazareth in Galilee, the home town of Joseph and Mary (2:4). Nathanael's question, 'Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?' (John 1:46), shows how the town was regarded.

Verse 27

of the house of David — The phrase belongs to Joseph, who 'was of the house and lineage of David' (2:4). 'Virgin' is parthenos, the word Matthew takes from Isa 7:14 (Matt 1:23), and 'espoused' is mnesteuo, as in Matt 1:18: a betrothal already binding. The promised throne in vv.32–33 is David's.

Verse 32

the throne of his father David — The verse holds both halves of the promise made to David in 2 Sam 7:13–14: 'I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever' and 'I will be his father, and he shall be my son'. 'The Highest' (Hupsistos) recurs in v.35, 'the power of the Highest', and v.76, where John is 'the prophet of the Highest'.

Verse 33

of his kingdom there shall be no end — The promise gathers earlier ones: 'Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David' (Isa 9:7), and Daniel's kingdom 'which shall not be destroyed' (Dan 7:14). 'The house of Jacob' is Israel; Heb 1:8 applies the words to the Son, 'Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever'.

Verse 35

the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee — Episkiazo is the verb used of the cloud that 'overshadowed' the disciples at the transfiguration (Luke 9:34). It recalls the cloud that 'covered the tent of the congregation' while 'the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle' (Ex 40:34). 'That holy thing' is called 'the Son of God', as Paul says of him in Rom 1:4.

Verse 37

nothing shall be impossible — 'Nothing' renders 'not any' with rhema, word, and the same rhema is Mary's 'according to thy word' in v.38. The thought is the LORD's question to Abraham about Sarah, 'Is any thing too hard for the LORD?' (Gen 18:14), and Jeremiah's 'there is nothing too hard for thee' (Jer 32:17).

Verse 38

the handmaid of the Lord — Doule, a female bondservant, the word of 'his handmaiden' in v.48. It matches the language of Ps 116:16, 'I am thy servant, and the son of thine handmaid', and of Hannah's prayer, 'look on the affliction of thine handmaid' (1 Sam 1:11). 'Be it unto me' is a wish, answering the angel's 'word' (rhema) of v.37.

Verse 39

the hill country — Mary leaves Galilee for 'the hill country of Judaea' (see v.65), where Zacharias and Elisabeth live. The reason is the angel's sign in v.36: 'thy cousin Elisabeth, she hath also conceived a son in her old age'. 'With haste' is spoude, urgency; the next verse is the meeting of the two women.

Verse 41

the babe leaped in her womb — Skirtao, to leap, is the word of Luke 6:23, 'leap for joy', and v.44 adds 'for joy'. It fulfils the angel's word that John would be 'filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb' (v.15). Elisabeth too is filled, and speaks 'with a loud voice' (v.42); Zacharias is filled before his prophecy (v.67).

Verse 43

the mother of my Lord — Elisabeth speaks as one 'filled with the Holy Ghost' (v.41). 'Lord' (kurios) is the title of Ps 110:1, 'The LORD said unto my Lord', which Christ himself asks about: 'David therefore calleth him Lord' (Luke 20:42, 44). The question resembles David's before the ark: 'How shall the ark of the LORD come to me?' (2 Sam 6:9).

Verse 45

blessed is she that believed — Makarios, the beatitude word; 'believed' is the verb pisteuo that v.20 uses of Zacharias, 'thou believest not my words'. 'Performance' (teleiosis), a bringing to completion, is 'perfection' in Heb 7:11. John 20:29 has the same beatitude of later believers: 'blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed'.

Verse 46

My soul doth magnify the Lord — Megaluno, to make great, as in Ps 34:3, 'O magnify the LORD with me'. The song draws on Hannah's: 'My heart rejoiceth in the LORD' (1 Sam 2:1), with the humbled raised and the mighty brought low (1 Sam 2:4, 8). It runs from v.46 to v.55, and the 'soul' (psuche) in v.46 is balanced by 'spirit' in v.47.

Verse 48

the low estate of his handmaiden — Tapeinosis, lowliness, is 'humiliation' in Acts 8:33 (Isa 53:8) and 'vile' in Phil 3:21. 'Regarded' (epiblepo) is 'to look upon': Hannah asked the LORD to 'look on the affliction of thine handmaid' (1 Sam 1:11), and 'though the LORD be high, yet hath he respect unto the lowly' (Ps 138:6). Elisabeth had already said 'Blessed art thou among women' (v.42).

Verse 51

shewed strength with his arm — The 'arm' of the LORD is Scripture's image for his saving act: 'The LORD hath made bare his holy arm in the eyes of all the nations' (Isa 52:10). 'Scattered' echoes 'thou hast scattered thine enemies with thy strong arm' (Ps 89:10). 'The proud' (huperephanos) are those God resists (James 4:6; 1 Pet 5:5).

Verse 54

his servant Israel — 'Servant' is pais, the word also used of David in v.69. 'Holpen' (antilambano) is to take hold in support, as in Acts 20:35, 'support the weak'. The remembering of mercy is Ps 98:3, 'He hath remembered his mercy and his truth toward the house of Israel', and v.55 names it: 'as he spake to our fathers, to Abraham'.

Verse 59

on the eighth day — The law of circumcision: 'he that is eight days old shall be circumcised' (Gen 17:12; Lev 12:3). Paul gives it among his credentials, 'circumcised the eighth day' (Phil 3:5). The name is given at the same time here, as for Jesus: 'when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called JESUS' (2:21).

Verse 63

His name is John — The name is the one Gabriel gave: 'thou shalt call his name John' (v.13). Ioannes is the Greek form of Jochanan. 'Writing table' (pinakidion), a small tablet, occurs only here. With the name written, 'his mouth was opened immediately' (v.64), and the neighbours' fear spreads 'throughout all the hill country of Judaea' (v.65).

Verse 67

filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied — Propheteuo. The promise of Joel 2:28, 'your sons and your daughters shall prophesy', is the one Peter cites at Pentecost (Acts 2:17). The prophecy runs vv.68–79: vv.68–75 speak of the LORD's visiting and redeeming his people, and vv.76–79 turn to the child John.

Verse 69

an horn of salvation — The horn is the animal's strength: 'the LORD is my rock… the horn of my salvation' (Ps 18:2), and 'There will I make the horn of David to bud' (Ps 132:17). Hannah says the LORD will 'exalt the horn of his anointed' (1 Sam 2:10). 'Raised up' (egeiro) in 'the house of his servant David' agrees with the throne promised in v.32.

Verse 72

to remember his holy covenant — Diatheke, covenant. When Israel groaned in Egypt, 'God remembered his covenant with Abraham, with Isaac, and with Jacob' (Ex 2:24); the same remembering is promised in Lev 26:42. Verse 73 names the oath, 'which he sware to our father Abraham', and Mic 7:20 pairs the two: 'the truth to Jacob, and the mercy to Abraham'.

Verse 76

go before the face of the Lord — The words join Mal 3:1, 'he shall prepare the way before me', and Isa 40:3, 'Prepare ye the way of the LORD', both of which Mark 1:2–3 applies to John; Luke 3:4 gives Isaiah's words of him. 'Prepare' is hetoimazo, as in v.17, and John is 'prophet of the Highest' as Jesus is 'Son of the Highest' (v.32).

Verse 77

the remission of their sins — Aphesis, release, is 'forgiveness' in Acts 5:31. This is the content of John's work: 'preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins' (Luke 3:3). The knowledge is of salvation 'unto his people' (laos), as the angel said of Jesus: 'he shall save his people from their sins' (Matt 1:21).

Verse 78

the dayspring from on high — Anatole, a rising, said of the sun and rendered 'east' in Matt 2:2, 'we have seen his star in the east'. Mal 4:2 has 'the Sun of righteousness arise', and Num 24:17 'a Star out of Jacob'. 'Tender mercy' uses splagchnon, the bowels as the seat of compassion ('bowels of mercies', Col 3:12), and 'visited' (episkeptomai) is the verb of v.68.

Verse 80

waxed strong in spirit — Krataioo, to grow strong, the same words said of Jesus in 2:40, 'waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom'. 'Deserts' is the wilderness where 'the word of God came unto John' (3:2) and he began preaching (3:3). 'Shewing' (anadeixis), a public manifestation, occurs only here.