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David Guzik · Citado em PreceptAustin
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Guzik on everything - Luke is the most comprehensive gospel. He documents the story of Jesus’ all the way from the annunciation of John the Baptist to Jesus’ ascension. (ED: Only Luke mentions the Ascension - Lk 24:50-51+) (Luke 1) From the beginning (anothen) - NRSV, CSB = "From the very first." In the context of the Gospel, from the beginning begins with details preparatory to Jesus' actual birth, including the birth of Jesus' forerunner John the Baptist, details which are not found in the other Gospels. John and Mark skip over this time of Jesus' life and leave it to Luke and Matthew to provide insights. TECHNICAL NOTE on From the beginning (anothen) - While most translations and commentaries favor the interpretation of anothen as relating to time (from the beginning) some suggest a different meaning. Based on the fact that anothen has a "double meaning", some suggest Luke used anothen, not to speak of time (from the beginning) but of space (from above). Thus Warren
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Guzik quips "Zacharias must have thought, “Does this happen to everyone who does this? The other guys didn’t tell me anything about this!” Warren Wiersbe makes an excellent point - You have probably noticed that God often speaks to His people and calls them while they are busy doing their daily tasks (ZECHARIAH WAS CARRYING OUT THE BURNING OF INCENSE). Both Moses and David were caring for sheep, and Gideon was threshing wheat. Peter and his partners were mending nets when Jesus called them. It is difficult to steer a car when the engine is not running. When we get busy, God starts to direct us.....Luke mentions angels twenty-three times in his Gospel. There are innumerable angels (Rev. 5:11), only two of which are actually named in Scripture: Michael (Dan. 10:13, 21; 12:1; Jude 1:9; Rev. 12:7) and Gabriel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21; Luke 1:19, 26). When Gabriel appeared by the altar, Zacharias was frightened, for the angel's appearance could have meant divine judgment. (See context in The Bible Exposition Commentary ) .(Bible Exposition Commentary) Bock - Angelic visitations to announce births of major figures are common in the Old Testament (Ge 16:10-11; 17:15-19; 18:10-15; 25:23; Jdg 13:3-21). This announcement is unusual, however, in that the father rather than the mother receives the message. The angel's arrival produces fear in the priest. He senses the presence of God's agent (Lk 1:29-30; 1:65; 2:9; 5:8-10, 26; 7:16; 8:37; 9:34) and is taken back by this surprising development. (Commentary) Bock on an angel - Skeptics immediately discount any text that involves supernatural beings, and they believe they have science on their side. But by definition supernatural beings are beings that are not bound by the natural world. Space and time do not confine them. Since science can deal only with realities confined to our space-time continuum, science can have nothing to say about the existence or nonexistence of supernatural beings such as angels. Thus readers are thrown back on their presuppositions and experiences. The biblical view is that angels exist and are sometimes used to impart knowledge of God’s will (Luke 2:9; Matt 1:20; Acts 5:19; 1 Cor 4:9; Heb 1:4; 1 Pet 3:22; Jude 6; Rev 5:2), and any reader who accepts this testimony at face value is not guilty of being pre-scientific. (Ibid) J C
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Guzik - When we approach the event we call Virgin Birth, we have to agree with Paul’s analysis: great is the mystery of godliness (1 Timothy 3:16). But the message of the Scriptures is clear regarding the Virgin Birth. There can be no question about the Virgin Birth, only questions on the authority of Scripture. The Virgin Birth is unique. Many mythologies have legends about a god who had sexual relations with a woman and produced offspring, but the idea of a virgin birth is unique to Christianity. (Enduring Word) In some way Luke's use of the word overshadow speaks of the divine power and influence that rested upon Mary. As the power came upon Mary to accomplish God's purposes, so too did it come upon the disciples at the birth of the church in Acts 1:8+, Luke recording "you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." And for that reason the holy (hagios) Child shall be called the Son of God - For what reason? The clear implication is that this is a holy conception. God the Father, God the Son and God the Spirit are intimately and mysteriously involved in his holy pregnancy. The holy (hagios) Child (more accurately "the child to be born will be holy" = NET, ESV) - Holy (hagios) means set apart from the common. Yes Jesus was a baby but He was unique and thus the title "holy Child." John MacArthur makes an interesting comment - Some have erroneously suggested the reason that Jesus was sinless was that He had no human father. But there is no biblical evidence that the sin nature is passed on genetically only through the father (Ed: I must confess this is an assumption I have held heretofore). All men and women are born sinners because “in Adam all die” (1 Cor. 15:22), since “through the one man’s [Adam’s] disobedience the many were made sinners” (Rom. 5:19). In a manner beyond human comprehension, Jesus was fully human, yet completely sinless from conception. The explanation of how that could be is shrouded in the unfathomable mystery of the incarnation. (See context Luke Commentary) The writer of Hebrews gives us a truth that parallels Luke's description of the child as holy and the Son of God... And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power. When He had made purification of sins, He sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, (Hebrews 1:3+) Son of God - A recognized title of the Messiah and used by Mark in the "title" of Gospel (Mk 1:1+). Jesus only rarely called Himself Son of God (Mt 27:43), more often referring to Himself as the Son of Man Mt. 8:20; 9:6; 10:23; 11:19; 12:8, 32, 40; 13:37, 41; 16:13, 27f; 17:9, 12, 22; 18:11; 19:28; 20:18, 28; 24:27, 30, 37, 39, 44; 25:31; 26:2, 24, 45, 64; Mk. 2:10, 28; 8:31, 38; 9:9, 12, 31; 10:33, 45; 13:26; 14:21, 41, 62; Lk. 5:24; 6:5, 22; 7:34; 9:22, 26, 44, 56, 58; 11:30; 12:8, 10, 40; 17:22, 24, 26, 30; 18:8, 31; 19:10; 21:27, 36; 22:22, 48, 69; 24:7; Jn. 1:51; 3:13f; 5:27; 6:27, 53, 62; 8:28; 9:35; 12:23, 34; 13:31) Luke uses the phrase Son of God 8x - Lk. 1:35; 3:38; 4:3, 9, 41; 22:70; Acts 8:37; 9:20 The Most High (hupsistos superlative of hupsos = height and Septuagint translation of the Hebrew = El Elyon) - Hupsistos figuratively speaks of the highest possible status a sense conveyed in the KJV rendering "the power of the Highest". Luke uses this descriptive Name of God () five times - Lk 1:32, 35, 76, Luke 6:35, Luke 8:28. Overshadow (1982)(episkiazo from epi = upon + skia = shadow) "literally, as darkening by partially blocking out a source of light" (Friberg) and so to throw a shadow upon as in Acts 5:15. To cover as with a cloud as in the cloud of Shekinah glory (Exodus 40:34). Even as the Shekinah glory cloud was a visible manifestation of the glory and holy, powerful presence of God, this same divine power which was with Moses and others in the Old Testament was now going to do a unique work in the life of Mary! The more common literal use of episkiazo is used in all three accounts of the transfiguration where a cloud formed (probably the Shekinah glory cloud from Hebrew = shakan) and overshadowed Jesus and the 3 disciples Peter and John and James (Matt. 17:5; Mark 9:7; Luke 9:34). Then the voice came out of heaven identifying God’s Son, but here an angel identified Him. John
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Guzik - After the incense priest finished, he came out of the holy place through the great doors of the temple, and met the other two priests right outside the doors. Then the incense priest raised his hands and blessed the people with the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. The hundreds of gathered worshippers knew what to do; they responded by saying, “Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting.” ii. After all this, the Levites got the worship singers and musicians started. They began with a blast from special silver trumpets; then a priest struck the cymbals, and the choir of Levites began to sing the Psalm of the day. The choir was made up of not less than twelve voices, which mingled young and old for a full range of sound and probably some great harmonies. (Luke 1) The people would soon have a second surprise because Zacharias would not be able to pronounce the blessing because he could not speak. Were waiting (expectantly) (4328) (prosdokao from prós = towards - adds the idea of “mental direction” to the already existing meaning of the verb + dokáo = look for denoting direction of one's mind toward something) means literally to look forward toward, to wait for, to look for, to anticipate. It means to give thought to something that is in the future and the context indicates whether one does this looking/waiting in a hopeful sense, with a longing, with fear (wait with anxiety, live in suspense), or in a neutral state of mind. It describes the attitude saints should have as anticipating, waiting with watchfulness, being in expectation. Prosdokao is in the present tense indicating that multitude was continually looking for Zacharias to emerge from the Temple. They were in a state of anticipation. Luke uses prosdokao in a similar sense in Luke 8:40 "And as Jesus returned, the people welcomed Him, for they had all been waiting (expectantly) for Him." Prosdokao is found 16x in 15v in the NT and Luke has 11 of the uses so clearly this is one of his favorite verbs - Lk. 1:21; Lk. 3:15; Lk. 7:19; Lk. 7:20; Lk. 8:40; Lk. 12:46; Acts 3:5; Acts 10:24; Acts 27:33; Acts 28:6 In chapter 3 Luke uses prosdokao in reference to the people's looking for the Messiah writing… Now while the people were in a state of expectation (prosdokao) and all were wondering in their hearts about John, as to whether he might be the Christ, (Luke 3:15, cp similar uses in Lk 7:19, 20 where "look" with expectancy = prosdokao) Comment: How wonderful if Christ's church in America were in such a state! How much saltier salt and brighter light the church might be in a land growing spiritually darker each day! In Acts 3 Luke uses prosdokao again recording the attitude of the lame man (who had been lame from his mother's womb) toward Peter… And he began to give them his attention, expecting (prosdokao) to receive something from them. (Acts 3:5) Prosdokao describes the attitude of those on the isle of Malta when Paul was bitten by the viper and they waited and watched expecting him to swell up. (Acts 28:6) But they were expecting (prosdokao) that he was about to swell up or suddenly fall down dead. But after they had waited a long time and had seen nothing unusual happen to him, they changed their minds and began to say that he was a god. Comment: In this context the waiting is with apprehension concerning impending danger or trouble. The point is that they watched expectantly because they knew it was a certainty (that Paul would fall over dead) and that it could happen any time! That's the idea inherent in the verb "looking." It's an attitude of expectancy and pictures one whose mind is continually turning to the future while enduring the present evil age around them. A characteristic mark of the genuine believer is that of habitual expectation of the "parousia" (of Christ) which in turn produces a powerful motive for godly, holy living. What you are looking for will (should) radically impact what you are living for. See related discussion of "Vertical Vision". Fanny Crosby (who ironically was physically blind!) caught the "vision" of expectant living in this stanza from Blessed Assurance -- "Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest, Watching and waiting, looking above, Filled with his goodness, lost in his love." (Play hymn) THOUGHT - Read that third line again and ponder how the various actions and attitudes are interrelated. If a blind saint can have this Godward "eyesight", how much more should those of us who can see the majestic mountains, the glorious sunsets, the countless stars, etc? As an aside there are three other NT verbs with a meaning very similar to prosdokao: Prosdechomai (4327) earnestly expect, look forward to, wait for, wait anxiously (Click in depth study) Apekdechomai (553) to wait for with hope and patience (Click in depth study) Anemeno (362) to wait for with patience and confident expectancy (Click in depth study) The people....were wondering at his delay in the temple - Wonder is the feeling aroused by something strange, rare and surprising. Here wondering is in the imperfect tense picturing the people doing so again and again. One can see them looking at each other trying to understand why there was such a delay. Ryrie quips "The people probably wondered if Zacharias had died." This is alluded to in Exodus "It shall be on Aaron when he ministers; and its tinkling shall be heard when he enters and leaves the holy place before the LORD, so that he will not die." (Ex 28:35) Did the high priest have a rope tied to him when he entered the Holy of Holies? (NOTE THIS ANSWER SPEAKS OF ENTRANCE INTO THE HOLY OF HOLIES, NOT THE HOLY PLACE WHICH IS WHERE ZACHARIAS WAS MINISTERING) There is a tradition that the high priest of Israel would enter the Holy of Holies in the tabernacle or temple with a rope tied to his foot and/or with bells around his waist (ED: Ex 28:34 = "a golden bell and a pomegranate, a golden bell and a pomegranate, all around on the hem of the robe.") Tradition says that when the high priest went into the Holy of Holies on Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) during the last couple of centuries of the temple, a scarlet rope was tied to his foot. A priest in the Holy Place tended the other end of this rope, which had a purpose. If the high priest's sins were not atoned for properly, he would die in the presence of the Shekinah —the glory of God—that filled the Holy of Holies. Since nobody else could enter that part of the temple without also dying, the priests felt they needed a way to retrieve the body of the high priest, if necessary. That was the purpose of the rope—to pull the body out. The bells jingling would be the sign that the priest had fallen to the ground dead. If this tradition is true, it would be a powerful reminder of God's holiness and how we should praise Jesus for the direct access to God's throne He provides! However, the Bible does not record such a practice. In fact, the Bible has specific instructions regarding what the high priest can and cannot wear (Exodus 28-35). It seems highly unlikely that God would allow this practice. Were wondering (2296)(thaumazo from thauma [from thaomai = to wonder] = wonder, admiration) means to wonder, or be struck with astonishment. While it took a little time to throw incense on the heated altar this delay troubled the people Clearly the idea is they were wondering what had happened to Zacharias for he was in the Temple for longer than expected. His unexpected delay of course was the result of his unexpected encounter with the angel Gabriel. Delay (5549)(chonizo from chronos = a space of time) means to take time, to tarry, to linger, to delay, to defer. To take one's time. To put off one's arrival. To hesitate. Chronizo was used in the Lxx of Dt 23:22 (similar use in Eccl 5:4) where Moses instructed the people not to "delay to pay" your vow to the LORD. In distress David cries out to God "You are my help and my deliverer; Do not delay (Heb - achar - tarry; Lxx = chronizo), O my God. (Ps 40:17, cp similar prayers by David in Ps 70:5 and by Daniel in Da 9:19, both of which use chronizo in the Lxx) THOUGHT - David's prayer is a good prayer for us to cry out when we are in distress and affliction - "You are my help and my Deliverer; Do not delay!" Amen! Chronizo is used in the Septuagint to describe an even more famous holy man's delay in returning to appear before the multitude in Exodus 32 and the results were disastrous! Now when the people saw that Moses delayed (Lxx = chronizo) to come down from the mountain, the people assembled about Aaron and said to him, "Come, make us a god who will go before us; as for this Moses, the man who brought us up from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has become of him." (Ex 32:1) Chronizo - 5x in 5v - Usage: is not coming for a long time(1), delay(2), delaying(1), long time(2). Matthew 24:48 "But if that evil slave says in his heart, 'My master is not coming for a long time,' Matthew 25:5 "Now while the bridegroom was delaying, they all got drowsy and began to sleep. Luke 1:21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. Luke 12:45 "But if that slave says in his heart, 'My master will be a long time in coming,' and begins to beat the slaves, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk; Hebrews 10:37 FOR YET IN A VERY LITTLE WHILE, HE WHO IS COMING WILL COME, AND WILL NOT DELAY. Chronizo - 15 verses in the Septuagint - Gen. 32:4; 34:19; Exod. 32:1; Deut. 4:25; 23:21; Jdg. 5:28; 2 Sam. 20:5; Ps. 40:17; 70:5; Prov. 31:21; Eccl. 5:4; Isa. 13:22; 51:14; Dan. 9:19; Hab. 2:3; Luke 1:22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. for. John 13:24. Ac. 12:17; 19:33; 21:40. Verse-by-Verse - Multiple Commentaries - Luke 1:22 Commentaries Luke 1 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them - Absolutely unable is the idea. Unable (ou = absolute negation + dunamai) (1410) (dunamai) to possess capability for doing something, in this case speaking. Zacharias was absolutely unable to pronounce the Aaronic blessing on the multitudes and this alerted them that something supernatural had occurred. They realized (recognized, understood) (1921)(epiginosko) means to know fully or exactly. Luke uses epiginosko frequently - some 20 out of 44 NT uses - Lk. 1:4; Lk. 1:22; Lk. 5:22; Lk. 7:37; Lk. 23:7; Lk. 24:16; Lk. 24:31; Acts 3:10; Acts 4:13; Acts 9:30; Acts 12:14; Acts 19:34; Acts 22:24; Acts 22:29; Acts 23:28; Acts 24:8; Acts 24:11; Acts 25:10; Acts 27:39; Acts 28:1. Earlier in this chapter it was Luke's purpose that Theophilus might "know the exact truth about the things" he had been taught (Lk 1:4-note). And they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple - Realized is epiginosko which intensifies the knowing, indicating they knew with certainty. But how could they be so certain? Since Zacharias was making signs, somehow he was able to play first century "Charades" acting out the word or phrase in order, while the crowd guessed. Vision (3701)(optasia from optánomai = to appear) describes a coming into view or that which comes into view (cp "optical") - an apparition, a vision. In Scripture optasia refers to a mystical experience of a supernatural appearance. Paul described his vision of the glorified Jesus on the Damascus Road (Acts 26:19) and his rapture to the third heaven as a vision in 2 Cor 12:1 (see 2 Cor 12:2-8). Here and in Lk 24:23 optasia refers to angelic visions. BDAG - 1. an event of a transcendent character that impresses itself vividly on the mind, a vision, celestial sight, of that which a deity permits a human being to see, either of the deity personally or of something else usually hidden from mortals 2. state of being that is experienced by one who has a vision, trance Gilbrant - It is difficult to make a clear distinction between dreams and visions in the Bible because visions are called dreams and dreams are called visions (e.g., Acts 2:17; 9:10,12). However, optasia is a waking vision while horama (3568) is a vision seen in a dream. Optasia also means intellectual or spiritual perception that comes by means of mystical or religious experience (Luke 1:22; 24:23; Acts 26:19; 2 Corinthians 12:1). (Complete Biblical Library Greek-English Dictionary) Optasia is used in the Lxx of Da 9:23, Da 10:1, Da 10:7-8. In Da 9:23 Gabriel came to give Daniel understanding of the vision of the Seventy Weeks in Daniel 9:24-27. There are 3 words used for visions in the NT and they are used mainly by Dr Luke (horama [11/12 NT uses by Luke], optasia and horasis [1/2 NT uses]). One other word phantasma (apparition, specter, phantom) is not used by Luke (Mt 14:26, Mk 6:49). As an aside - "Hórama differs from hórasis in that it contemplates the vision objectively and focuses upon its content presenting the vision as that which results from the act of appearing, namely, that which is manifested, what is seen. Hórasis, contemplates the vision subjectively and focuses upon its character presenting the vision as that which performs the act of appearing, that which appears, that which makes itself visible." (Zodhiates) Optasia - 4x in 4v with 3 of the uses by Luke - translated as vision(3), visions(1). Luke 1:22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept making signs to them, and remained mute. Luke 24:23 and did not find His body, they came, saying that they had also seen a vision of angels who said that He was alive. Acts 26:19 "So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 2 Corinthians 12:1 Boasting is necessary, though it is not profitable; but I will go on to visions and revelations of the Lord. James Newell has an excellent summary of Vision in the Bible - An experience in the life of a person, whereby a special revelation from God was received. The revelation from God had two purposes. First, a vision was given for immediate direction, as with Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 ; Lot, Genesis 19:15 ; Balaam, Numbers 22:22-40 ; and Peter, Acts 12:7 . Second, a vision was given to develop the kingdom of God by revealing the moral and spiritual deficiencies of the people of God in light of God's requirements for maintaining a proper relationship with Him. The vision of prophets such as Isaiah, Amos, Hosea, Micah, Ezekiel, Daniel, and John are representative of this aspect of revelation. Several Greek and Hebrew terms are translated by the English word vision. In some references, the literal sense of perception with the physical organs of sight is the intended meaning of the word (Job 27:11-12 ; Proverbs 22:29). In 2 Samuel 7:17 ; Isaiah 22:1 ,Isaiah 22:1,22:5 ; Joel 3:1 ; and Zechariah 13:4 , the Hebrew word refers to the prophetic function of receiving and delivering the word of God by the prophet. Vision in varying forms occurs approximately thirty times in the Book of Daniel. The term denotes the mysterious revelation of that which the prophet described as knowledge of the future. In Ezekiel, the words are used literally and metaphorically. Among the classical prophets (Amos, Hosea, Isaiah, Micah, Obadiah, etc.) the vision was the primary means of communication between God and the prophet. By this avenue, the prophets interpreted the meaning of immediate events in the history of Israel. “Vision” and “Word of Yahweh” became synonymous in these prophetic writings (see Obadiah 1:1). (Holman Bible Dictionary) Related Resources: Torrey's Topical Textbook Visions American Tract Society Vision Bridgeway Bible Dictionary Vision Charles Buck Dictionary Vision Easton's Bible Dictionary Vision Hastings' Dictionary of the Bible Vision Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Vision Vision (2) King James Dictionary Vision Morrish Bible Dictionary Visions Hawker's Poor Man's Dictionary Vision Vines' Expository Dictionary Vision Webster Dictionary Vision Watson's Theological Dictionary Vision International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Vision McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Vision And he kept making signs to them, and remained mute - In the case of Zacharias we cannot be certain of the nature of the signs but it would be reasonable for him to gesture with his hands to somehow depict the vision of the angel. As
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Guzik - Elizabeth did not go away to hide her pregnancy; she was gone for the first five months, the time when she would be least noticed as pregnant. She went away to spend time with the Lord, and to meditate on the destiny of the child within her.
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Guzik comments "When Gabriel said this (You will conceive in your womb and bear a son), Mary knew he quoted from Isaiah 7:14+: a virgin will be with child and bear a son. Bob
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Guzik adds that "Elizabeth recognized that Mary’s faith played an active role in receiving the promise. God promises should never make us passive; they should prompt us to seize them by faith." Warren