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of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord

23 (As it is written in the law of the Lord, Every male that openeth the womb shall be called holy to the Lord);

24 And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtle-doves, or two young pigeons.

25 And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

26 And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he

Lord's claim and the deliverance from Egypt, the first-born males were brought to the priest, and dedicated to the Lord. They were then redeemed from the service implied in this dedication by the parents' paying five shekels. The dedication to God had respect to being set apart for the external service of the temple; the firstborn, like the first-fruits in general, being considered peculiarly valuable, and suitable to be given up to God for his special service. Consult Ex. 13:2, 11-16. Num. 3: 12, 13, 41. 8:16. 18:15, 16.

23. In the law. See Exodus 13: 2, 12.

24. To offer a sacrifice, &c. The law of Moses required on such occasions a lamb for a burnt-offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtle-dove, for a sin-offering. But in case of poverty the lamb could be dispensed with, and two turtle-doves, or two young pigeons, might be offered. See Lev. 12:6, 8. It would seem, by the statement of Luke, that Joseph and Mary availed themselves of the privilege allowed to the poor. They were in humble circumstances, and they acted accordingly.

should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

27 And he came by the Spirit into the temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

28 Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said,

29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: 30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

25. Just and devout; upright and pious. The consolation of Israel; the Messiah, him who was to bring consolation and aid to the people of God. Compare 1: 68-79. Holy Ghost was upon him. See 1:41.

The

26. See death; experience death, die. || The Lord's Christ; the Lord's anointed one, or Messiah; the King whom the Lord had promised to send to his people. See INTRODUCTORY EXPLANATIONS, in the first volume of this work, pp. xiii. xiv.

27. By the Spirit; under the guidance and influence of the Holy Spirit. || After the custom of the law. See on v. 22.

29. Thy word. Compare v. 26, 30. Thy salvation; him whom thou hast sent as a Saviour, a Deliverer.

32. To lighten the Gentiles; to be stow on the Gentiles the light of divine knowledge. The glory of thy people Israel; the one who should secure to Israel distinguished honor. Thus both to Gentiles and to Jews was the Messiah to prove a signal blessing. From him divine knowl edge and salvation would proceed over the Gentile world; and by his means the Jewish nation would have

33 And Joseph and his moth- through thy own soul also); that er marvelled at those things which were spoken of him.

34 And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against

35 (Yea, a sword shall pierce

the distinguished honor of taking the lead in matters pertaining to men's spiritual welfare. From among the Jews was to come the world's spiritual Deliverer. Compare Is. 42: 6.

34. The fall; the ruin. || Rising again; salvation, elevation to bliss. Jesus came to save men. But the actual consequence of his coming would be, that many, by rejecting him, would fall into ruin; while many, on the other hand, by becoming his followers, would be raised to consummate bliss. Compare 1 Cor. 1: 18. 2 Cor. 2: 15, 16. A sign; a person commissioned by the Lord, and whose character and acts would furnish signal evidence of having been sent from God. Spoken against; disobeyed and contemned. And thus the event proved. Jesus furnished the most appropriate signs of having been sent from God; yet he was contemned and rejected. Compare Heb. 12: 3.

35. A sword shall pierce, &c. ; thou thyself shalt experience keen anguish of soul. The indignities heaped on Jesus, and the closing scenes of his life, must have occasioned unspeakable anguish to his mother. The thoughts of many hearts, &c.; that the inward purposes, or the real characters, of many may be disclosed. The Messiah did accordingly bring to light the real characters of men: the truly pious among the Jews became known and acknowledged as such; the hypocritical and ungodly were exposed as such, however solemn the professions which they had made, and however highly they had been esteemed for piety by some

the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.

36 And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity;

37 And she was a widow of

36. A prophetess. In what sense Anna was a prophetess, cannot be decided. The word may signify a person singularly devoted to God, and remarkably sharing in his favor. It may also signify a person to whom divine communications were made, and who delivered those communications under a divine influence. In the present instance, there would seem to have been made to Anna an extraordinary disclosure from the Lord respecting the child Jesus; and under a divine influence she expressed the thoughts which were occupying her mind. Thus she might be said to have prophesied, as Zacharias did in 1: 67, &c. || Of the tribe of Aser; that is, Asher, one of Jacob's sons, after whom a tribe of Israel was named. See Gen. 49: 20. Deut. 33: 24. Though, in the time of Christ, the distinction into tribes was not throughout observed, yet individual families and persons retained the knowledge of their descent. | Seven years from her virginity; seven years from the time of her being married.

37. A widow of about fourscore and four years. She was eighty-four years of age; not that she had been a widow so many years. || Departed not, &c. The idea is, she was assiduous in attending on all the religious services of the temple, so that, as it were, the temple was her home. || Fastings and prayers; doubtless, private fastings and prayers, as well as those prescribed by the Jewish law. || Night and day; continually. Compare Acts 26: 7. The descrip

42 And when he was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem, after the custom of the feast.

about fourscore and four years, | Jerusalem every year at the feast which departed not from the of the passover. temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. 33 And she, coming in that instant, gave thanks likewise unto the Lord, and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

39 And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned into Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

40 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom; and the grace of God was upon him.

41 Now his parents went to

tion given of this aged widow shows that she was regarded as a singularly pious person.

39. They returned into Galilee. Luke here passes over the interval which had been spent in Egypt. As an instance of similar omission, compare Acts 9: 26 with Gal. 1: 17, 18. For an account of what occurred between Jesus being presented to the Lord in the temple and the settlement in Nazareth, see Matt. 2d chapter.

40. The child grew, &c. See 1: 80. Filled with wisdom; knowledge of divine things. The grace of God; the favor of God.

41. The feast of the passover. See on Matt. 26: 2. This was one of the three festivals, at which all the adult males of the Jews were required to go up to Jerusalem. See Ex. 23: 14 -17. 34:23. Deut. 16: 16. Though females were not commanded to attend, yet they often went, particularly at the celebration of the passover.

42. Twelve years old. This was the age at which the Jews began more seriously to initiate their children into the knowledge and practice of their religious observances.

43. Knew not of it. This might

VOL. II.

43 And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem; and Joseph and his mother knew not of it.

44 But they, supposing him to have been in the company, went a day's journey; and they sought him among their kinsfolk and acquaintance.

45 And when they found him not, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking him.

very easily happen. When the people were going up to Jerusalem, on occasion of the great festivals, and when they were returning, they went in large companies. The children of such companies would naturally associate together, without being particularly under the eye of their parents; and the older members of a company would also associate together for conversation and mutual assistance. It would be taken for granted that the children were somewhere in the company. But, after having travelled as far as they intended to, one day, and making a halt for taking refreshment and spending the night, the members of each family would then collect together, and the children would be sought for.

44. A day's journey. This term is sometimes used to signify a distance of between twenty and thirty miles. But, in reference to such a travelling company, or caravan, as is here spoken of, no definite number of miles is intended. It only refers to their having travelled on their homeward journey one day, the distance being more or less, according to the circumstances of the travellers.

them.

46 And it came to pass, that 50 And they understood not after three days they found him the saying which he spake unto in the temple, sitting in the midst of the doctors, both hearing them, and asking them questions.

47 And all that heard him were astonished at his understanding and answers.

48 And when they saw him, they were amazed and his mother said unto him, Son, why hast thou thus dealt with us?

behold, thy father and I have sought thee sorrowing.

49 And he said unto them, How is it that ye sought me? wist ye not that I must be about my Father's business?

51 And he went down with them, and came to Nazareth, and was subject unto them: but his mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

52 And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

CHAPTER III.

NOW in the fifteenth year of

the reign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea

ther's? The temple was the house of God.

46. After three days; that is, according to the Jewish mode of speaking, on the third day. Compare Matt. 50. They understood not; entered 27: 63, 64. The first day was spent in not fully into his meaning. Even travelling towards Nazareth; the sec- Joseph and Mary had not a complete ond, in returning to Jerusalem; and view of the nature of the object for on the third, he was found. || In the which Jesus was born. They, doubttemple; in some court attached to less, like many others of the nation, the temple, where the Jewish teach-needed both a correction and an eners gave instruction. || In the midst; largement of their views respecting among. | Doctors; Jewish teachers the Messiah, in various respects. of the Mosaic law and of the tradi- 52. Compare v. 40.

them.

How

tions. Asking them questions. It HINTS FOR REFLECTION. was the practice of the Jewish teach-worthy of imitation is the example ers both to propose questions to their set by Jesus, as above related! 1. hearers and to receive questions from He felt a deep interest in religious instruction. His early years were occupied about the Scriptures. 2. He was an obedient son. He furnished an example of filial duty, as well as of excellence in every other respect. How lovely is the spirit of obedience to parents, and of prompt, cheerful compliance with their wishes! Com pare fifth commandment, Ex. 20: 12,

49. Wist; an obsolete word, signifying knew. || About my Father's business; the business for which my father, God, sent me into the world. The place, therefore, where the work of instruction in his law was performed, was a suitable place for Jesus. A different rendering of the original may be given, according to which Jesus would be represented as saying, Knew ye not that I ought to be at my Father's? that is, at my Father's house. Why should you go to various places, seeking me? Where should a son be found but at his fa

CHAPTER III.

1. Tiberius Cesar; the emperor of Rome, to whose power the Jews were in subjection. See INTRODUCTORY Ex. PLANATIONS, in the first volume, page xiv. II. || Pontius Pilate, &c. See

and of the region of Trachoni- | shall be brought low; and the tis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of crooked shall be made straight, Abilene, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins;

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

9 And now also the axe is

NOTICE. The particularity of the evangelist in mentioning names, and dates, and places, is a strong proof of the truth of his account. If he had been writing a false narrative, pretending it to be true, he thus furnished very ample and satisfactory means by which his statements could be proved untrue, by their not corresponding to the known history and geography of the country. But between such statements in the Bible, and the history of the times and places given by other writers, there is a most pleasing harmony.

on Matt. 27: 2. Herod, &c. See Annas was a man of extensive influon Matt. 14: 1. Iturea-Trachoni-ence. See on Matt. 26: 57. || The tis. These were sections of the word of God; a divine communicacountry east of the Jordan. They tion. Compare Jer. 1: 2. Ezek. 1: lay towards the north of that region. 3. | Wilderness. See on Matt. 3: 1. Abilene. The most northerly part of the region just mentioned, lying legher up than the sources of the Jordan. Little is known of Lysanias, who governed Abilene at the time here spoken of, there being no particular mention of that tract in the civil historians till several years after the time of which Luke here speaks. 2. Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests. Among the Jews there was but one high priest at a time. At the time here spoken of, Caiaphas was the high priest. Annas, his father-in-law, had been in that office, but had been deposed by the Roman governor; and as many as three others had borne the same office before it was committed to Caiaphas. But Annas is believed to have been Caiaphas's assistant, or the vice-high priest, and thus to have been entitled to the appellation here given him. The office of vice-high priest was one of much consequence; and, in addition to the importance of the office,

3. Compare Matt. 3:5, 6.

4-6. Examine the note on Matt. 3:3. The sixth verse, explained in reference to the Messiah, conveys the idea that the spiritual deliverance, which God was about to effect, would be universally known, and would be very extensively enjoyed.

7-9. See on Matt. 3:7-10.

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