37 And G2532 she G3778 was a widow G5503 of about G5613 fourscore G3589 and four G5064 years, G2094 which G3739 departed G868 not G3756 from G575 the temple, G2411 but served G3000 God with fastings G3521 and G2532 prayers G1162 night G3571 and G2532 day. G2250
Now G1161 she that is a widow G5503 indeed, G3689 and G2532 desolate, G3443 trusteth G1679 in G1909 God, G2316 and G2532 continueth G4357 in supplications G1162 and G2532 prayers G4335 night G3571 and G2532 day. G2250
Unto G1519 which G3739 promise our G2257 twelve tribes, G1429 instantly G1722 G1616 serving G3000 God day G2250 and G2532 night, G3571 hope G1679 to come. G2658 For G4012 which G3739 hope's sake, G1680 king G935 Agrippa, G67 I am accused G1458 of G5259 the Jews. G2453
O my God, H430 I cry H7121 in the daytime, H3119 but thou hearest H6030 not; and in the night season, H3915 and am not silent. H1747
Surely goodness H2896 and mercy H2617 shall follow H7291 me all the days H3117 of my life: H2416 and I will dwell H3427 in the house H1004 of the LORD H3068 for ever. H753 H3117
Blessed H835 are they that dwell H3427 in thy house: H1004 they will be still praising H1984 thee. Selah. H5542
Praise H1984 ye the LORD. H3050 Praise H1984 ye the name H8034 of the LORD; H3068 praise H1984 him, O ye servants H5650 of the LORD. H3068 Ye that stand H5975 in the house H1004 of the LORD, H3068 in the courts H2691 of the house H1004 of our God, H430
And G1161 they said G2036 unto G4314 him, G846 Why G1302 do G3522 the disciples G3101 of John G2491 fast G3522 often, G4437 and G2532 make G4160 prayers, G1162 and G2532 likewise G3668 the disciples G3588 of the Pharisees; G5330 but G1161 thine G4674 eat G2068 and G2532 drink? G4095
Him G846 that overcometh G3528 will I make G4160 a pillar G4769 in G1722 the temple G3485 of my G3450 God, G2316 and G2532 he shall go G1831 no G3364 more G2089 out: G1854 and G2532 I will write G1125 upon G1909 him G846 the name G3686 of my G3450 God, G2316 and G2532 the name G3686 of the city G4172 of my G3450 God, G2316 which is G3588 new G2537 Jerusalem, G2419 which G3588 cometh down G2597 G2597 out of G1537 heaven G3772 from G575 my G3450 God: G2316 and G2532 I will write upon him my G3450 new G2537 name. G3686
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,