25 And, G2532 behold, G2400 there was G2258 a man G444 in G1722 Jerusalem, G2419 whose G3739 name G3686 was Simeon; G4826 and G2532 the same G3778 man G444 was just G1342 and G2532 devout, G2126 waiting G4327 for the consolation G3874 of Israel: G2474 and G2532 the Holy G40 Ghost G4151 was G2258 upon G1909 him. G846
And G1161 they were G2258 both G297 righteous G1342 before G1799 God, G2316 walking G4198 in G1722 all G3956 the commandments G1785 and G2532 ordinances G1345 of the Lord G2962 blameless. G273
And G2532 she G3778 G846 coming in G2186 that G846 instant G5610 gave thanks likewise G437 unto the Lord, G2962 and G2532 spake G2980 of G4012 him G846 to all G3956 them that looked G4327 for redemption G3085 in G1722 Jerusalem. G2419
And it shall be said H559 in that day, H3117 Lo, this is our God; H430 we have waited H6960 for him, and he will save H3467 us: this is the LORD; H3068 we have waited H6960 for him, we will be glad H1523 and rejoice H8055 in his salvation. H3444
For G1063 the grace G5485 of God G2316 that bringeth salvation G4992 hath appeared G2014 to all G3956 men, G444 Teaching G3811 us G2248 that, G2443 denying G720 ungodliness G763 and G2532 worldly G2886 lusts, G1939 we should live G2198 soberly, G4996 G2532 righteously, G1346 and G2532 godly, G2153 in G1722 this present G3568 world; G165 Looking for G4327 that blessed G3107 hope, G1680 and G2532 the glorious G1391 appearing G2015 of the great G3173 God G2316 and G2532 our G2257 Saviour G4990 Jesus G2424 Christ; G5547 Who G3739 gave G1325 himself G1438 for G5228 us, G2257 that G2443 he might redeem G3084 us G2248 from G575 all G3956 iniquity, G458 and G2532 purify G2511 unto himself G1438 a peculiar G4041 people, G2992 zealous G2207 of good G2570 works. G2041
And G1161 they said, G2036 Cornelius G2883 the centurion, G1543 a just G1342 man, G435 and G2532 one that feareth G5399 God, G2316 and G5037 of good report G3140 among G5259 all G3650 the nation G1484 of the Jews, G2453 was warned from God G5537 by G5259 an holy G40 angel G32 to send G3343 for thee G4571 into G1519 his G846 house, G3624 and G2532 to hear G191 words G4487 of G3844 thee. G4675
And G1161 herein G1722 G5129 do I exercise G778 myself, G846 to have G2192 always G1275 a conscience G4893 void of offence G677 toward G4314 God, G2316 and G2532 toward men. G444
And G2532 his G846 father G3962 Zacharias G2197 was filled G4130 with the Holy G40 Ghost, G4151 and G2532 prophesied, G4395 saying, G3004
My God H426 hath sent H7972 his angel, H4398 and hath shut H5463 the lions' H744 mouths, H6433 that they have not H3809 hurt H2255 me: forasmuch as H3606 H6903 before H6925 him innocency H2136 was found H7912 in me; and also H638 before H6925 thee, O king, H4430 have I done H5648 no H3809 hurt. H2248 Then H116 was the king H4430 exceeding H7690 glad H2868 for him, H5922 and commanded H560 that they should take H5267 Daniel H1841 up H5267 out of H4481 the den. H1358 So Daniel H1841 was taken up H5267 out of H4481 the den, H1358 and no H3809 manner H3606 of hurt H2257 was found H7912 upon him, because he believed H540 in his God. H426
And Moses H4872 said H559 unto him, Enviest H7065 thou for my sake? would God that all the H5414 LORD'S H3068 people H5971 were prophets, H5030 and that the LORD H3068 would put H5414 his spirit H7307 upon them!
And the LORD H3068 came down H3381 in a cloud, H6051 and spake H1696 unto him, and took H680 of the spirit H7307 that was upon him, and gave H5414 it unto the seventy H7657 elders: H2205 H376 and it came to pass, that, when the spirit H7307 rested H5117 upon them, they prophesied, H5012 and did not cease. H3254
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Luke 2
Commentary on Luke 2 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 2
In this chapter, we have an account of the birth and infancy of our Lord Jesus: having had notice of his conception, and of the birth and infancy of his forerunner, in the former chapter. The First-begotten is here brought into the world; let us go meet him with our hosannas, blessed is he that cometh. Here is,
And this, with what we have met with (Mt. 1 and 2), is all we have concerning our Lord Jesus, till he entered upon his public work in the thirtieth year of his age.
Luk 2:1-7
The fulness of time was now come, when God would send forth his Son, made of a woman, and made under the law; and it was foretold that he should be born at Bethlehem. Now here we have an account of the time, place, and manner of it.
According to this decree, the Jews (who were now nice in distinguishing their tribes and families) provided that in their enrolments particular care should be had to preserve the memory of them. Thus foolishly are they solicitous to save the shadow, when they had lost the substance.
That which Augustus designed was either to gratify his pride in knowing the numbers of his people, and proclaiming it to the world, or he did it in policy, to strengthen his interest, and make his government appear the more formidable; but Providence had another reach in it. All the world shall be at the trouble of being enrolled, only that Joseph and Mary may. This brought them up from Nazareth in Galilee to Bethlehem in Judea, because they were of the stock and lineage of David (v. 4, 5); and perhaps, being poor and low, they thought the royalty of their extraction rather than a burden and expense to them than a matter of pride. Because it is difficult to suppose that every Jew (women as well as men) was obliged to repair to the city of which their ancestors were, and there be enrolled, now, at a time when they kept not to the bounds of their tribes, as formerly, it may be offered as a conjecture that this great exactness was used only with the family of David, concerning which, it is probable, the emperor gave particular orders, it having been the royal family, and still talked of as designed to be so, that he might know its number and strength. Divers ends of Providence were served by this.
Luk 2:8-20
The meanest circumstances of Christ's humiliation were all along attended with some discoveries of his glory, to balance them, and take off the offence of them; for even when he humbled himself God did in some measure exalt him and give him earnests of his future exaltation. When we saw him wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, we were tempted to say, "Surely this cannot be the Son of God.' But see his birth attended, as it is here, with a choir of angels, and we shall say, "Surely this cannot be the Son of God.' But see his birth attended, as it is here, with a choir of angels, and we shall say, "Surely it can be no other than the Son of God, concerning whom it was said, when he was brought into the world, Let all the angels of God worship him,' Heb. 1:6.
We had in Matthew an account of the notice given of the arrival of this ambassador, this prince from heaven, to the wise men, who were Gentiles, by a star; here we are told of the notice given of it to the shepherds, who were Jews, by an angel: to each God chose to speak in the language they were most conversant with.
Luk 2:21-24
Our Lord Jesus, being made of a woman, was made under the law, Gal. 4:4. He was not only, as the son of a daughter of Adam, made under the law of nature, but as the son of a daughter of Abraham was made under the law of Moses; he put his neck under that yoke, though it was a heavy yoke, and a shadow of good things to come. Though its institutions were beggarly elements, and rudiments of this world, as the apostle calls them, Christ submitted to it, that he might with the better grace cancel it, and set it aside for us.
Now here we have two instances of his being made under that law, and submitting to it.
At his circumcision, according to the custom, he had his name given him; he was called Jesus or Joshua, for he was so named of the angel to his mother Mary before he was conceived in the womb (Lu. 1:31), and to his supposed father Joseph after, Mt. 1:21.
Luk 2:25-40
Even when he humbles himself, still Christ has honour done him to balance the offence of it. That we might not be stumbled at the meanness of his birth, angels then did him honour; and now, that we may not be offended at his being presented in the temple, like other children born in sin, and without any manner of solemnity peculiar to him, but silently, and in the crowd of other children, Simeon and Anna now do him honour, by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost.
The account given of him here is,
Now,
Luk 2:41-52
We have here the only passage of story recorded concerning our blessed Saviour, from his infancy to the day of his showing to Israel at twenty-nine years old, and therefore we are concerned to make much of this, for it is in vain to wish we had more. Here is,