Luke 2

Luke 2  •  24 min. read  •  grade level: 9
 
CHAPTER 2
-2. I am inclined to construe it: " The taxing itself " (haute)" first took place "; but at any rate I do not see that it is Greek for " This first taxing," it would certainly be he prote. How this accords with history, I do not bear in mind, nor do I determine the force of prote egeneto (first took place). It might perhaps be this taxing was the first in Cyrenius' government, but the natural construing of the Greek is the first above. The verb egeneto (took place) may perhaps destroy the article, but it must, I think, have it if construed with apographe (taxing). I should not wonder if it were a marginal note.
If we read the phrase thus: " The taxing itself first took place when Cyrenius had the government of Syria " (haute he apographe prote egeneto hegemoneuontos tes Surias Kureniou), it cannot be: ' This first census,' for clearly it would be he prote apographe or he apographe he prote. It cannot be of Cyrenius, governor,' not because the participle does not bear it-Lardner has given clear cases of such use-but because, as others have observed, there ought to be you before hegemoneuontos. As it stands, it must be read: " This census first took effect when Cyrenius was governor," or " The census itself first was made when," etc., which I should certainly rather be disposed to believe the mind of the writer, the census not having been given effect to at the time Mary and Joseph went up. They went " to be registered," but it does not appear they ever were. Perhaps they took the oath to be well-disposed to Augustus and the interest of Herod, mentioned in Josephus, and nothing more was done, i.e., not only no tax levied, but the regular census not taken, for Luke does not say it was. The decree went forth, and they went to their cities, but it is very possible and probable it was interrupted in its execution in Herod's territories.
It is to be noted that God: Vat: 1209, as also one or two others, reads haute apographe prote egeneto (the taxing itself first took place). Without egeneto (took place) this would be: This was the first taxing '; with egeneto, it is hardly genuine, but it would be: ' This first taxing was while,' etc. But I do not see that we should receive this against other testimony which admits the he (the). As to oikoumenen (the habitable world) I see no proof at all it is ever used for Palestine, in spite of learned men; they only give wrong interpretations of Luke 1 believe it to be the Roman world. Perhaps the Septuagint has so used it, Isa. 10:2323For the Lord God of hosts shall make a consumption, even determined, in the midst of all the land. (Isaiah 10:23), and chap. 24: i; but in general it is the whole world there, not only when it is used for tevel (the fruitful, habitable earth) but also when it is used for eretz (the earth, contrasted with the heavens).
6. This is not in Matthew.
In this verse is complete Jewish rejection. Here too note chapter 2: 13. Such was the Savior's place in the world; see verse 12, " This is the sign."
" Keeping watch by night "; night watchers.
9. " Was there by them " (epeste); it is always a present thing as a circumstance to us. " Came upon them," is well; compare 2 Thess. 2:22That ye be not soon shaken in mind, or be troubled, neither by spirit, nor by word, nor by letter as from us, as that the day of Christ is at hand. (2 Thessalonians 2:2), " Is present."
The salutation is heavenly, and then afterward (vv. 25, 38), a Jewish Remnant own Him for the fall and rising in Isa. 8, and " to them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem." In Matthew, Gentiles come to own the King of the Jews. But the secret of their whole condition is shown. " The king " (for man had set one up) " and all Jerusalem with him." Moreover it was news, by the Gentiles to the Jews, that a Son was born to them.
Ir. This was wonderful news: " A Savior who is Christ the Lord."
-14. " Good pleasure in man " is stronger than " Good will towards men "; it is " good pleasure " in them-the interest of His affection was placed there. It is the same word as " In whom I am well pleased " applied to Christ. It is a very important verse. This was proper heavenly joy. It was not the announcement that had been made, but true joy announces often a great deal. This was angelic joy, goodwill with men, or to men, or in men; peace on the earth, and above; glory to God in the highest place of His essential blessedness. They had no sorrow that grace flowed forth. It was new to them. The Lord alone shall be exalted in that day, and this, and peace and good pleasure necessarily go together. There can be no rest to the believer's soul till indeed it be so. Note eudokia is not merely purpose but " goodwill," " pleasure," " delight," as in chapter 3: 22, " I have found my delight."
This seems to go into the general power of Christ's mission. It was a song which became angels deeply interested in the glory of God, the reconciliation, and peace of the earth, for the fullness of the restitution of all things depended on it, and the good pleasure of God fully restored to men. Perhaps peace on earth " may rather mean what properly belongs to itself in itself, as " Glory in the highest " does to God, as it is said: ' Peace shall flourish out of the earth '; the effect of righteousness is peace, so too James. " Good pleasure in man," the words are few, but they evidently contain a distinct statement of all this truth contained in the counsel of God in its several parts, and are a distinct heavenly enunciation of it in its full results and purpose. The message of the single angel was the special grace; the heavenly choir rejoice in, and celebrate the universal purpose. The order and enunciation of this to us by the Spirit is matter of much instruction. Still we find, while the excellency and fullness of the universal purpose, as that in which heaven's joy and universal song was engaged, is fully exhibited, the faithfulness to His despised and disobedient people holds its constant and primary place, and, as the exhibition of it was preliminary to the general setting Him forth to the Gentile world in the gospel, so, in this heavenly announcement and song at His birth, the same order is preserved. Luke seems to have been directed as evangelist of the Gentiles, and with whom therefore the lines of dispensation, as with Paul, were to be distinctly kept, lest they should be highminded and wise in their own conceits, and count Jews but as a dry tree, as bearing what was indeed the root, to very clear record of what should stand forth in full and unsuspected weight, in the others not so necessary. So I read: " Just and Justifier," i.e., faithful to His promise, and yet the Justifier of everyone that believed, " the Jew first, and also the Greek," which need not here be further gone into.
These words indeed contain the expression of the perfected work, and we are to look for this, not in the hindrance of human unbelief, but evidently in the final super-eminence after victory over evil. The expression, " good pleasure in men," is very full of peace and glory, for once indeed, " It repented the Lord that he had made him, and it grieved him at his heart." And after indeed He placed His name in a too unworthy people of His holiness, whether of the Jew or of the Gentile, yet there, while they would suffer Him would He dwell, for He had a delight therein. But now all the evil which made a Remnant necessary is passed away, and God's delight has free scope amongst men. " The tabernacle," says the voice, " of God is with men... and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them," and then be " their God." But this is only the prophetic announcement of the act which should accomplish, for own encouragement, what is here displayed in forethought, in holy exercise and display. These things are ever true in Christ, but now hindered, obstructed, opposed, so as indeed He sendeth not " peace on the earth but a sword "; nevertheless they are true, in the power of grace and the energy of hope, to the believer, and all that is now overcome by them will be so put away as to give the perfect liberty of holiness and peace. It is beyond perfect reconciliation.
These sentences cannot be too much weighed, as the heavenly statement of what is in Christ in power and prophetically, and when the prophetic word shall have passed away. We may weigh too, as to its prophetic import, the force of that expression: " Think ye that I have come to give peace in the earth? I tell you nay, but rather division," or as otherwhere, " not peace but a sword." We look then surely to some other revelation of Christ yet in the earth, and by Him, yet not of His first coming, for that brought division, yet flowing from it, for His birth was celebrated as the dayspring of it. The end, as to this, of His coming was peace; the fruit of His first coming was, by virtue of it, division. But this rests only in dispensation, and, though we may be exercised in that, we cannot dwell too much on the simple weight of these words which are beyond the fruit of all dispensation, and imbibe the Spirit of them, that we may be ourselves of that day, when the restitution of all things shall be; yea, of that day now, in the spirit of our minds, already restored to God. We shall find doubtless, practically, its present place on earth, but blessed are we if we find it. We may measure our portion in eternity by our apprehension of these words. Oh! who can tell what the praising presence of God will be? We may say: " It is good for us to be here." Why, this is already effected! If peace were not wrought, why should the angels of God be celebrating it here on earth? So here we are with angels celebrating peace and reconciliation. We say: " What hath God wrought? " 0 wondrous and surpassing love! Enlarging itself on every side, beyond our thought, yet ever carrying it on through infinitude, so that we can only be silent before it!
The first angel clearly announced the Jewish blessing, and humiliation of Jesus. The moment this was given as the sign, heaven takes it up. Here was "A Savior, Christ the Lord, in David's city," and the sign was a Babe in a manger-no room for Him in the inn. This may seem a strange association, but if this were the order, then infinite grace, heaven, and heavenly glory at once came in, if the Savior, Christ the Lord, was in a manger, in the city of David. It at once forced out the heavenly praise. This great, wide principle of blessing, of which indeed the gospel is the witness, began with heaven. From this out, we shall see therefore Gentiles and man introduced. The grace which brought Him down was " Glory to God in the highest "not merely glory to Him in the temple, or any earthly people in their righteousness. This grace of His coming in this character, and His personal presence in grace, was peace on earth; and " Good pleasure," not merely in Jews or any special ones, but " in men." When Jesus comes in as King, then it is from earth by the disciples: " Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest "; for then it was not the simple flowing down of grace accomplishing blessing, but the results of full victory. Heaven was at peace-the result of this great controversy with evil, and glory effectually resulting (as wrought and obtained) in the highest. It was not mere character and grace. But the commencement in heaven, and the result consequently taking in the Gentiles is specially to be noted. " Good pleasure in men " is very blessed and distinct. If there was peace on earth, the Prince of peace must necessarily reign in His own city of choice-Jerusalem, the vision of peace. But here it is taken up in its heavenly character, not in its manner of accomplishment. We may remark, from being thus abstract about objects, affirmations of the effects of a fact; there is no article in the whole sentence. This coming of Christ is, etc.-this is its meaning. But this was but a gleam; and when the angels went from them into heaven after this first intercourse with men upon the yet unrejected though humbled Savior, the men, the shepherds, went to see it in its way of accomplishment here below, and to own Him who was the Object and power of it. There it was Mary and Joseph and the Infant, and this we have to follow now.
15. We may remark the contrast of " the angels " and " the men, the shepherds," as presenting the reality of the scene.
I think too we ought to remark the coming in of the angels; first, as bringing in the First-begotten into the world; secondly, as interested in the reconciliation which, it is to be observed, is peculiarly the office of Luke's gospel. The first angel was a messenger-these celebrate the glorious consequences of the bringing in the First-begotten into the world; and as being thus brought into the world also is Luke's peculiar evangelical office, as we have observed. The whole of this is full of glory, the glorious gospel of the blessed God, whereby He reconciles " all things to himself, whether the things on the earth or the things in the heavens."
The shepherds' interest was in the message. We carry but little in our minds the amazing extent of evidence this people had of the glory of Jesus. The shepherds' praise was upon finding, with thankful hearts, the accomplishment of the word.
24. Certainly the simple poverty of the Lord is not to be forgotten, nor the calm subjection to the law by the parents.
-25. This was the bringing out (all that could be in this gospel; compare John's testimony) of a Remnant in Israel.
The righteous and pious man, and waiting the consolation of Israel-to him by divine grace, while the common hope was the same, the present accomplishment of this hope was revealed. The Daystar was risen in his heart.
In all this the law is distinctly kept in sight-prophecy might then carry Him into a further position-but there He was as a Child under it.
31. " Of all the people," i.e., all the ammim, the peoples brought into association by the coming of Shiloh. The glory of Israel, to whom and of whom Christ was, as concerning the flesh, " a light for revelation of the Gentiles," had no limit on the earth. It found nothing associate, but brought them out to light on earth. This all shall be by the personal presence of Christ. This was the great purpose; the present effect of the revelation of men's hearts is in verse 34. Verses 29-32 are his thoughts before God as to His purpose and thoughts. Mary stood as His mother in nature; all that fell, even if it rose again.
" Joseph " or " father," is in this so far immaterial, because He was legally looked at as his Heir under the law- very likely therefore " father "; compare verse 41.
There is something exquisitely beautiful and holy in this certainly. How far can we enter into this righteous man's spirit, " waiting for the consolation of Israel "? We wait in patience, according to our assurance; so he-it was revealed to him that " he should not see death before he should see the Lord's Christ." He waited in holiness, and found it in peace. Note also, his perfect satisfaction arose from the full accomplishment of his faith, and to this faith he lived, but his faith was ordered by the revealed promises of God as to its Object. The peculiar accomplishment was specially to himself. So it may be now. It was kept to himself, had no previous operation on the mass, at least as a testimony. It might influence his manner of conversation amongst them. Yet was it not without purpose; see note on chapter t: 6. The general hope was the same; it was no hope but the common one of the Remnant.
The " rising again " is not of those who had fallen. It would suffice to say: " The fall and rising of."
How fully Luke brings forward the testimonies to the appearing of Christ, as exhibited to Jew, and indeed to Gentile, as indeed come into the world! This song of Simeon takes very high ground, and is very full of the Spirit of glory; I mean as to the office of Christ in the world. It is to be observed that he makes both one in universal salvation, prepared (ordered) before the face of all people, though the glory be of Israel as God's people. It was prepared, to wit salvation in Christ, before all people, " A light for the revelation of the Gentiles, and the glory " (depending also upon eis (for) perhaps) " of thy people Israel." Christ was a Light (phos) for these two purposes. " Taking thee," or " choosing thee," or " bringing thee," " out from among the people, and the nations, to whom," i.e., to the Gentiles, " now I send thee, to open their eyes, that they may turn from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive remission of sins and inheritance among them that are sanctified by faith in me." This was the revelation of the Gentiles, their discovery in darkness by the Light come in, and admission to an inheritance among them that are sanctified, to wit, by faith in Christ. " What God has cleansed, do not thou make common." This was the revelation of the Gentiles. " Then hath God also granted to the nations repentance unto life." This was the revelation of the Gentiles; compare Isa. 49 Such is the uniform sense of apokalupsin (revelation; in A.V., " to lighten ") as far as I find it.
But neither parts of this song are as yet fulfilled; nay, when we compare it with Isa. 49, we shall see, I think, that this glory must be after, and indeed yet to come. He is not as yet salvation to the ends of the earth, neither does Israel yet know, except the Remnant, as their glory; compare Paul, Rom. 9-11, particularly the latter, where I would note that though " the fullness " (pleroma) of the Gentiles is spoken of as to come in before the removal of the blindness of Israel, it by no means follows, nor does it mean, that the earth shall be universally a redeemed people, but until the complete Gentile Church had been gathered. The thorough understanding of Isa. 49 seems to be necessary for this, which see; and compare the language with this.
-34, 35. The searching of hearts, which the proposal of Christ in His genuine character would produce, is very fully described here. I suppose " the fall " (ptosin) is consequent upon His character. They were identified with Him in His humiliation, so to lose all place and station. In the professing Church it would be to have their names cast out as vile, men separating them from their company, but so also in His glory: " The glory which thou hast given me I have given them "glory in the mediatorial kingdom set up after His death, much more in the regeneration. Even she could not receive it without the same moral change and humiliation; she must be born again, be humbled in all her hopes, and die to all her natural, her mental thoughts about it, before she saw or had any share in the glory; yea, see her Son die. Alas! we have too much discussion, too little simple apprehension of the glory of Christ. The general character, as it must have been practically, is of Jewish hope, though there be a declaration by the angels, and the Spirit through Simeon, of the great purpose and the full operation of dispensation.
I am inclined to think that in these two verses, I have been unduly led by the authorized English translation, as though " rising again " and " fall," applied to the same individuals; but I take it they are spoken absolutely. It would be a savor of death unto death, and a savor of life unto life. It operates separatively, being, though in the perfect manifestation of the holiness and excellency of God, yet manifested in humiliation as to all the expectations and glory of man. It is therefore " A Stone, A tried Stone, A precious Corner-stone," " A corner-stone, elect, precious," so as that many should rise into the glory of the Kingdom by it, but for " a Stone of stumbling and Rock of offense," and for " a sign to be spoken against," so that " for " with this " that " connects.
Whatever the reading in verse 33 may be, whether " Joseph " or " father "-very probably, as corrected-the address to Mary alone in this verse is so marked, and yet with so little purpose, or apparent evidence to be drawn from it, that it is very much stronger than any change of " Joseph " or " father."
" Of the tribe of Asher." We are still quite in Jewish associations as to facts.
-38. " She coming up " (epistasa). There is a time of patience in God's kingdom, when " the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint," and from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot there is no whole part in it, when it is the part of the Remnant to hope and patiently wait for the salvation of God • redemption is all, though faithful, they now can look for, and the coming of their God; compare Isaiah.
-40. We still walk with Christ as in Jewish hopes, i.e., as a Man the grace or favor of God was upon Him. It is the Holy Thing, the Child born of the Virgin Mary which is spoken of, and it is in that character, in this gospel, He is spoken of as Son of God-His generation by the Holy Ghost, not His being Son with the Father before the world was. He is a Man, and in such sort spoken of; and they walk within the limits of His manhood, and therefore as a Jew, according to their place. It is: " His parents," and " According to the law," and " The custom of the feast." •
-43, 44. The evidence of something further begins to discover itself, and this is just the character of this gospel. In their hands it was " law " and " custom "; He speaks of and supposes they should wist He was about His Father's business.
-48 et seq. She still said: " Thy father "; but He, as a matter of plain understanding in His soul, " My Father's," with far different purport. Still, He bows as yet, for the full time was not come. It is His mother, however, who is presented by the Holy Ghost as holding this place of intercourse with Him. She would treat Him as Joseph's son, and indeed their thoughts ran in an accustomed and habitual worldly channel; still she kept these things in her heart. But even in this claim Jesus is fully looked at as a Man, and specially presented as such, body and mind; He grew in wisdom, and stature, and in favor with God (for God took complacency in His perfection as Man), and with man, for the grace of God was on Him in all personally attractive grace, for testimony against the world was not in question yet here. Indeed these passages singularly instruct us in the consciousness of a principle of action entirely beyond ordinary claims, the most cogent, but the orderly and gracious subjection to those claims which cannot recognize that principle when it does not call out in responsibility of service to Him to whom it refers. Jesus is subject to Joseph as His father, though He had a ground of conduct altogether out of reach of this, but never as a matter of feeling, when the claim was in exercise for His service as sent and come into the world in grace. It could not be so in fact with us now. Grace will always clearly make the distinction rightly; Christ made it on either side-subjection to, and rejection of the claim in its right place. Indeed, Joseph disappears before He comes out into action. In this respect this passage, which almost alone touches on this part of the subject is of vast importance. Christ is a Man here distinctly, and therefore to the flesh a Jew, and so always, for indeed Jewish principles are the perfection of the flesh as it can be in the hands of man, and many things thus enforced, but Christ called and sent, takes out of the sphere altogether when so called.
His mother would speak to Him upon the common principle of the appearance of things-but she pondered it. Thus it was His own distinct consciousness, showing His Person, in which He was acting; nevertheless, as yet He was obedient as His place of service, to her and Joseph.
- 49. I think it is evident our Lord spoke this in the unconsciousness of the Spirit. These various circumstances of the manifestation of our Lord in the flesh Luke is full of. They are very important, as presenting Him to us in His Person as Son of God, which, be it observed, He calls Himself, at least says, " My Father's business " here. It is evident the Spirit of God meant to exhibit the Lord to us here as passing through all the preliminary advances to perfection, which relatively man would go through, not as to Person for that is distinctly ascertained previously, but as to exhibition of faculty, so that we might fully see Him as Man; and note the manner of expression, and bringing it in.
Indeed we may remark that it is a primary exhibition of Him in contrast with His supposed place. His mother says to Him: " Why hast thou dealt thus with us? Behold, Thy father and I have sought thee distressed." His answer is: " Why is it that ye have sought me? Did ye not know that I ought to be about my Father's business? " putting His true character in contrast with her question, and the error theirs in contrast with the supposed owing. Yet, note, the energies of the Spirit are subjected to direct apparent claims when it is not a call of the Spirit from those claims. We may also remark how little the occupation of present circumstances applies, or really entertains in its mind, the knowledge which even it has, so that the assertion is unintelligible, because it does not connect itself with present circumstances, as to which ordinary associations fill the mind.
Although in the fullest sense Jesus speaks here of His Father, yet still, I apprehend, we are introduced into apprehension of what He was as a Man in this world in this character, and thus it is He is presented in this gospel—the Fulfiller of Jewish hopes, and divine glory brought into the position of a Man, a Child, and so showing the Son of God in human nature, as walking in the Holy Ghost. " That Holy Thing... born of thee, shall be called Son of God." This was through the operation of the Holy Ghost; united with Him in resurrection this new nature is to be manifested in us. He is the form and pattern of it here below.