Luke:1:5-25
rwp@Luke:1:5 @{There was} (\egeneto\). Not the usual \en\ for "was," but there arose or came into notice. With this verse the literary _Koin_ of verses 1 to 4 disappears. To the end of chapter 2 we have the most Hebraistic (Aramaic) passage in Luke's writings, due evidently to the use of documents or notes of oral tradition. Plummer notes a series of such documents ending with strkjv@1:80, strkjv@2:40, strkjv@2:52|. If the mother of Jesus was still alive, Luke could have seen her. She may have written in Aramaic an account of these great events. Natural reserve would keep her from telling too much and from too early publicity. Luke, as a physician, would take special interest in her birth report. The supernatural aspects disturb only those who do not admit the real Incarnation of Jesus Christ and who are unable to believe that God is superior to nature and that the coming of the Son of God to earth justifies such miraculous manifestations of divine power. Luke tells his story from the standpoint of Mary as Matthew gives his from the standpoint of Joseph. The two supplement each other. We have here the earliest documentary evidence of the origins of Christianity that has come down to us (Plummer). {Herod, King of Judea} (\Hridou basiles ts Ioudaias\). This note of time locates the events before the death of Herod the Great (as he was called later), appointed King of Judea by the Roman Senate B.C. 40 at the suggestion of Octavius and Antony. He died B.C. 4. {Of the course of Abijah} (\ex ephmerias Abia\). Not in old Greek, but in LXX and modern Greek. Papyri have a verb derived from it, \ephmere\. Daily service (Nehemiah:13:30; strkjv@1Chronicles:25:8|) and then a course of priests who were on duty for a week (1Chronicles:23:6; strkjv@28:13|). There were 24 such courses and that of Abijah was the eighth (1Chronicles:24:10; strkjv@2Chronicles:8:14|). Only four of these courses (Jedaiah, Immer, Pashur, Harim) returned from Babylon, but these four were divided into twenty-four with the old names. Each of these courses did duty for eight days, sabbath to sabbath, twice a year. On sabbaths the whole course did duty. At the feast of tabernacles all twenty-four courses were present. {Of the daughters of Aaron} (\ek tn thugatern Aarn\). "To be a priest and married to a priest's daughter was a double distinction" (Plummer). Like a preacher married to a preacher's daughter.
rwp@Luke:1:6 @{Righteous before God} (\dikaioi enantion tou theou\). Old Testament conception and idiom. Cf. strkjv@2:25| about Simeon. Expanded in Old Testament language. Picture of "noblest product of Old Testament education" (Ragg) is Zacharias and Elisabeth, Mary and Joseph, Simeon and Anna who were "privileged to see with clear eyes the dawn of the New Testament revelation."
rwp@Luke:1:7 @{Because that} (\kathoti\). Good Attic word, according to what. Only in Luke and Acts in the N.T. In the papyri. {Well stricken in years} (\probebkotes en tais hmerais autn\). Wycliff has it right: "Had gone far in their days." Perfect active participle. See also verse 18|.
rwp@Luke:1:8 @{While he executed the priest's office} (\en ti hierateuein auton\). A favourite idiom in Luke, \en\ with the articular infinitive and the accusative of general reference where the genitive absolute could have been used or a temporal conjunction and finite verb. It is proper Greek, but occurs often in the LXX, which Luke read, particularly in imitation of the Hebrew infinitive construct. The word \hierateu\ does not appear in the ancient Greek, but in the LXX and this one example in Luke. It is on the Rosetta Stone and the early inscriptions so that the word was simply applied by the LXX translators from current usage.
rwp@Luke:1:9 @{His lot was} (\elache\). Literally, {he obtained the lot}. Second aorist active indicative of \lagchan\, to obtain by lot, a very old verb from Homer on. It is used either with the genitive as here, or the accusative as in strkjv@Acts:1:17; strkjv@2Peter:1:1|. Papyri show examples with the accusative. It was only once in a lifetime that a priest obtained the lot of going (\eiselthn\, here nominative aorist active participle agreeing with the subject of \elache\) into the sanctuary (\ton naon\, not \to hieron\, the outer courts) and burning incense on the golden altar. "It was the great moment of Zacharias's life, and his heart was no doubt alert for the supernatural" (Ragg). The fortunate lot was "a white stone" to which strkjv@Revelation:2:17| may refer. {Burn incense} (\tou thumiasai\). Here only in the N.T. Occurs on inscriptions. Hobart finds it used by medical writers for fumigating herbs. "Ascending the steps to the Holy Place, the priests spread the coals on the golden altar, and arranged the incense, and the chief operating priest was then left alone within the Holy Place to await the signal of the president to burn the incense. It was probably at this time that the angel appeared to Zacharias" (Vincent).
rwp@Luke:1:10 @{Were praying without} (\n proseuchomenon ex\). Periphrastic imperfect indicative picturing the posture of the people while the clouds of incense rose on the inside of the sanctuary.
rwp@Luke:1:11 @{Appeared} (\phth\). First aorist passive indicative. It is the form used by Paul of the resurrection appearances of Jesus (1Corinthians:15:5-8|). There is no use in trying to explain away the reality of the angel. We must choose between admitting an objective appearance and a myth (Plummer).
rwp@Luke:1:13 @{Is heard} (\eiskousth\). First aorist passive indicative. A sort of timeless aorist, "was heard" when made, and so "is heard" now. Probably the prayer was for a son in spite of the great age of Elisabeth, though the Messianic redemption is possible also. {John} (\Iann\). The word means that God is gracious. The mention of the name should have helped Zacharias to believe. The message of the angel (verses 13-17|) takes on a metrical form when turned into Hebrew (Ragg) and it is a prose poem in Greek and English like strkjv@1:30-33,35-37,42-45,46-55,68-70; strkjv@2:10-12,14,29-32,34-35|. Certainly Luke has preserved the earliest Christian hymns in their oldest sources. He is the first critic of the sources of the Gospels and a scholarly one.
rwp@Luke:1:14 @{Gladness} (\agalliasis\). Only in the LXX and N.T. so far as known. A word for extreme exultation. {Rejoice} (\charsontai\). Second future passive indicative. The coming of a prophet will indeed be an occasion for rejoicing.
rwp@Luke:1:15 @{Strong drink} (\sikera\). A Hebrew word transliterated into Greek, an intoxicating drink. Here only in the N.T. John was to be a personal "dry" or Nazarite (Numbers:6:3|). {Shall not drink} (\ou m pii\). Strong prohibition, double negative and second aorist subjunctive. {The Holy Ghost} (\pneumatos hagiou\). The Holy Spirit in contrast to the physical excitement of strong drink (Plummer). Luke uses this phrase 53 times, 12 in the Gospel, Mark and John 4 each, Matthew 5 times. {Even from his mother's womb} (\eti ek koilias mtros autou\). A manifest Hebraism. Cf. verse 41|.
rwp@Luke:1:17 @{Before his face} (\enpion autou\). Not in the ancient Greek, but common in the papyri as in LXX and N.T. It is a vernacular _Koin_ word, adverb used as preposition from adjective \enpios\, and that from \ho en pi n\ (the one who is in sight). {Autou} here seems to be "the Lord their God" in verse 16| since the Messiah has not yet been mentioned, though he was to be actually the Forerunner of the Messiah. {In the spirit and power of Elijah} (\en pneumati kai dunamei Elei\). See strkjv@Isaiah:40:1-11; strkjv@Malachi:3:1-5|. John will deny that he is actually Elijah in person, as they expected (John:1:21|), but Jesus will call him Elijah in spirit (Mark:9:12; strkjv@Matthew:17:12|). {Hearts of fathers} (\kardias patern\). Paternal love had died out. This is one of the first results of conversion, the revival of love in the home. {Wisdom} (\phronsei\). Not \sophia\, but a word for practical intelligence. {Prepared} (\kateskeuasmenon\). Perfect passive participle, state of readiness for Christ. This John did. This is a marvellous forecast of the character and career of John the Baptist, one that should have caught the faith of Zacharias.
rwp@Luke:1:18 @{Whereby} (\kata ti\). According to what. It was too good to be true and Zacharias demanded proof and gives the reason (for, \gar\) for his doubt. He had prayed for this blessing and was now sceptical like the disciples in the house of Mary about the return of Peter (Acts:12:14f.|).
rwp@Luke:1:19 @{Gabriel} (\Gabril\). The Man of God (Daniel:8:6; strkjv@9:21|). The other angel whose name is given in Scripture is Michael (Daniel:10:13,21; strkjv@Jude:1:9; strkjv@Revelation:12:7|). The description of himself is a rebuke to the doubt of Zacharias.
rwp@Luke:1:20 @{Thou shalt be silent} (\esi sipn\). Volitive future periphrastic. {Not able to speak} (\m dunamenos lalsai\). Negative repetition of the same statement. His dumbness will continue "until" (\achri hs hmeras\) the events come to pass "because" (\anth' hn\). The words were to become reality in due season (\kairon\, not \chronos\, time).
rwp@Luke:1:21 @{Were waiting} (\n prosdokn\). Periphrastic imperfect again. An old Greek verb for expecting. Appears in papyri and inscriptions. It denotes mental direction whether hope or fear. {They marvelled} (\ethaumazon\). Imperfect tense, were wondering. The Talmud says that the priest remained only a brief time in the sanctuary. {While he tarried} (\en ti chronizein\). See verse 8| for the same idiom.
rwp@Luke:1:22 @{Perceived} (\epegnsan\). Second aorist indicative. Clearly knew because he was not able to pronounce the benediction from the steps (Numbers:6:24-26|). {Continued making signs} (\n dianeun\). Periphrastic imperfect again. He nodded and beckoned back and forth (\dia\, between). Further proof of a vision that caused his dumbness.
rwp@Luke:1:23 @{Ministration} (\leitourgias\). Our word liturgy. A common word in ancient Greek for public service, work for the people (\les ergon\). It is common in the papyri for the service of the Egyptian priesthood as we see it in the LXX of Hebrew priests (see also strkjv@Hebrews:8:6; strkjv@9:21; strkjv@2Corinthians:9:12; strkjv@Phillipians:2:17,30|).
rwp@Luke:1:24 @{Conceived} (\sunelaben\). Luke uses this word eleven times and it occurs only five other times in the N.T. It is a very old and common Greek word. He alone in the N.T. has it for conceiving offspring (1:24,31,36; strkjv@2:21|) though strkjv@James:1:15| uses it of lust producing sin. Hobart (_Medical Language of Luke_, p. 91) observes that Luke has almost as many words for pregnancy and barrenness as Hippocrates (\en gastri echein\, strkjv@21:23|; \egkuos\, strkjv@2:5|; \steira\, strkjv@1:7|; \ateknos\, strkjv@20:28|). {Hid} (\periekruben\). Only here in the N.T., but in late _Koin_ writers. Usually considered second aorist active indicative from \perikrupt\, though it may be the imperfect indicative of a late form \perikrub\. If it is aorist it is the constative aorist. The preposition \peri\ makes it mean completely (on all sides) hid.
rwp@Luke:1:25 @{My reproach} (\oneidos mou\). Keenly felt by a Jewish wife because the husband wanted an heir and because of the hope of the Messiah, and because of the mother's longing for a child.
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