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John MacArthur · Citado em PreceptAustin
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MacArthur - They understood that He was the Messiah, the Son of David, conceived in a virgin’s womb by the power of the Holy Spirit. But the full meaning of His divine sonship eluded them. This would not be the last time that His followers would fail to grasp what Jesus was saying (cf. Luke 9:44–45; 18:34; John 10:6; 12:16). (See Luke Commentary ) Robert Stein on they did not understand the statement (rhema) In the past attempts have been made to preserve Mary, the mother of God’s Son, from this lack of understanding; but such attempts do violence to the text and lose sight of the contrast between Jesus’ wisdom and understanding as God’s Son (Lk 2:40, 47, 52) and his parents’ lack of understanding. Similar misunderstandings occurred throughout Jesus’ ministry (cf. Lk 4:22; 9:45; 18:34; 24:5–7, 25–26, 45) and would only be remedied by the resurrection. (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) NET Note - This was the first of many times those around Jesus did not understand what he was saying at the time (Lk 9:45; 10:21–24; 18:34). Darrell Bock notes that "A couple of considerations help set the context for their failure to understand. First, there is no biblical evidence that Jesus did anything to verify or demonstrate his special identity and calling up to this point in His life. By all appearances He lived an entirely normal childhood, performing no miracles that would signal his supernatural identity. Thus it is reasonable to see Mary and Joseph being caught off guard by Jesus’ actions and words in this event, for these would represent something like a debut for him. Second, the common Jewish preconception about the Messiah did not include His being divine. To speak of God as “Father” was considered too intimate for most Jews, so Jesus’ talk about the temple being his “Father’s house” would have confused and possibly alarmed Mary and Joseph—hence Luke’s statement about their not understanding." (See The Gospels and Acts) Understand (4920)(suniemi from sun/syn = with + hiemi = send; Related noun = sunesis which Luke used in Luke 2:47) literally means to send together or bring together. The idea is to put together "pieces of the puzzle" (so to speak) and to exhibit comprehension. Suniemi is the ability to understand concepts and see relationships between them and thus describes the exercise of the faculty of comprehension, intelligence, acuteness, shrewdness. Luke uses suniemi 7 times (out of 25 NT uses) Luke 2:50; 8:10; 18:34; 24:45, Acts 7:25; 28:26 Statement (4487)(rhema from verb rheo = to speak - to say, speak or utter definite words) refers to the spoken word, especially a word as uttered by a living voice. Laleo is another word translated speak but it refers only to uttering a sound whereas rheo refers to uttering a definite intelligible word. Rhema refers to any sound produced by the voice which has a definite meaning. It focuses upon the content of the communication. See Vincent's discussion of rhema in note on Luke 1:37. Luke 2:51 And He went down with them and came to Nazareth, and He continued in subjection to them; and His mother treasured all these things in her heart. Luke 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries JESUS THE NAZARENE And He went down with them and came to Nazareth (Nazaret) - The reverse of Lk 2:4 where "Joseph went up" to Bethlehem (2,543 ft above sea level [69 ft higher than nearby Jerusalem at 2,474 ft] which was a higher elevation than Nazareth - 1138 ft above sea level). Jerusalem being elevated compared to most of Israel leads to the frequent description of those leaving Jerusalem as going down (Mk 3:22, Lk 10:30, Acts 11:27+, Acts 25:7) and those coming as going up (Mt 20:17, Mk 10:32, Lk 18:31-33, John 2:13, 7:8, Acts 15:2, 21:12, 25:9, Gal 1:17). See location of Nazareth on Map - this map also shows Galilee. See Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear a Son His heavenly Sonship didn’t excuse him from his earthly Sonship! -- Brian Bell He continued in subjection (hupotasso) to them -
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MacArthur - His relationship with His heavenly Father did not yet abrogate His responsibility to obey His earthly parents. His obedience to the fifth commandment was an essential part of Jesus’ perfect obedience to the law of God. (See Luke Commentary) A T
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MacArthur explains that it was "Critical that Joseph and Mary go to Bethlehem, which was their own city, so that they would be there when the Messiah was born so the prophecy of Micah would come to pass. Little did Caesar Augustus know that he was being moved by the Spirit of God to do exactly what he did on time, on schedule to effect exactly the result God wanted. There was a few days in which Joseph and Mary had to be in Bethlehem, right at the very time of the birth of the child. God knew exactly when that moment was, exactly when that day was. He knew when they had to be there and He had planned for that to happen under the authority and power of a Caesar who was far removed from the little village of Bethlehem and utterly removed from the purposes of God and utterly ignorant of the Word of God. But nonetheless he was a main player in bringing the prophecy to pass, which shows the mighty, incomprehensible, providential work of Almighty God. (Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem - Part 1) Ray Pritchard - Most of us read those words without giving them a second thought. Actually, Caesar Augustus was the greatest of the Roman emperors, greater even than his granduncle, Julius Caesar. It was said that when he came to Rome it was a city of brick and when he left it was a city of marble. Caesar Augustus was 19 years old when he came to power in 44 B.C. He reigned as emperor for 58 years. His greatest single act—the one which would have the most lasting effect on world history—was to call for a census of the empire. The purpose of the census was to compile a list of property owners for the purpose of collecting taxes and military registration. It was a thoroughly secular decree, the kind of thing governments have been doing since the beginning of time. Historians tell us that it is not likely that the whole empire was enrolled at the same time. Given the slow system of communication in those days, it might have taken years for the census to be completed in some of the outlying provinces. A lot would depend on the local political situation and the willingness of local rulers to cooperate. When the time came to take the census in Israel, it is just possible that a compromise was made to take into account Jewish custom. The Romans ordinarily enrolled men where they were currently living, while the Jews counted families according to their ancestral hometowns. That would explain why Joseph and Mary had to return to Bethlehem at a most inconvenient time—in the ninth month of Mary’s pregnancy. (Journey to Bethlehem) In those days (see value of querying expressions of time) - Always pause and ask what days? Go back to Lk 1:5 "In the days of Herod, king of Judea," which would include two prophecies of miraculous conceptions, 3 hymns of praise, one miraculous birth of the forerunner, John the Baptist. Mt 2:1+ says "Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, magi from the east arrived in Jerusalem." There is good evidence that the magi did not visit at the actual birth of Jesus until sometime later in the subsequent 2 years. See Matthew 2 Commentary. In those days - 52x in 51v in NAS - Gen. 6:4; Exod. 2:11; Deut. 17:9; Deut. 19:17; Jos. 20:6; Jdg. 17:6; Jdg. 18:1; Jdg. 19:1; Jdg. 20:27; Jdg. 20:28; Jdg. 21:25; 1 Sam. 3:1; 1 Sam. 28:1; 2 Sam. 16:23; 2 Ki. 10:32; 2 Ki. 15:37; 2 Ki. 20:1; 2 Chr. 32:24; Neh. 6:17; Neh. 13:15; Neh. 13:23; Est. 1:2; Est. 2:21; Isa. 38:1; Jer. 3:16; Jer. 3:18; Jer. 5:18; Jer. 31:29; Jer. 33:15; Jer. 33:16; Jer. 50:4; Jer. 50:20; Ezek. 38:17; Dan. 10:2; Joel 2:29; Joel 3:1; Zech. 8:6; Zech. 8:23; Matt. 3:1; Matt. 24:19; Matt. 24:38; Mk. 1:9; Mk. 8:1; Mk. 13:17; Mk. 13:24; Lk. 2:1; Lk. 5:35; Lk. 9:36; Lk. 21:23; Acts 2:18; Rev. 9:6
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MacArthur asks and answers - Who is Caesar Augustus? ...This versatile and able ruler of the Roman Empire was born September 23 of 63 B.C. His name when he was born was Gaius Octavius. Later on he became and is often referred to as Octavian. Now Gaius Octavius, born in 63 B.C., Before Christ, had a mother named Atia. His mother, Atia, was the daughter of Julia. Julia was the sister of Julius Caesar. Now this made Gaius Octavius the grand-nephew to Julius Caesar. So he was born in high places. For whatever reason, Julius Caesar took a tremendous affinity to this boy. He adored little Gaius Octavius. He lavished him with gifts and he honored him. In 43 B.C. Gaius Octavius had reached the age of twenty. Julius Caesar at that point adopted him as his own son and declared him to be the heir to the throne of the Roman Empire...One year later, Julius Caesar was murdered, and when he was murdered Gaius Octavius learned of his choice as Julius Caesar's heir. At that point he changed his name to Gaius Julius Caesar in honor of his adopted father....Caesar was murdered by his friends, namely Brutus. One of his sisters married Mark Antony a very dominant figure in Roman history. So here he was, the grand-nephew of Julius Caesar, adopted as a son and heir; his sister married to Mark Antony who was a powerful person. At the death of Julius Caesar three people reigned in Rome...There was Lepidus, Octavian, and Mark Antony, a triumvirate who ruled Rome. It wasn't long until Lepidus fell out and the rule of Rome was left with Octavian and with Mark Antony. They ruled together for a while until Mark Antony began to do things that bothered Octavian. First thing he did was he left his wife and his wife was the sister of Octavian. He didn't like that. He left his wife because he became infatuated with the legendary and bewitching Cleopatra, queen of Egypt, who really is legendary as to her powers of seduction and ability to bewitch. Well she bewitched Mark Antony successfully....Eventually he began to show more concern for Egypt, more concern for the successes of Cleopatra, more concern for her personally and his own welfare than he did for Rome. And so the irritation to Octavian began to escalate. The result was tremendous conflict between Mark Antony and Octavian, which ultimately brought them to a great battle, a battle that the Egyptians never should have gotten involved in because it was a sea battle in which the Egyptian navy tried to fight the great Roman navy and was soundly defeated. It was called the battle of Actium...when Octavian literally destroyed the Egyptian fleet, the power of Mark Antony and Cleopatra and became sole ruler of the Roman Empire, 31 B.C. is when that occurred. Both Mark Antony and Cleopatra soon after that committed suicide together and Octavian was left to rule. Officially then his rule ran to 14 A.D. Forty-five years this remarkable man was the absolute monarch of the Roman Empire. Great military skill, great political skill, great social skill, he put an end to all civil wars, literally extended the Roman Empire from the west of Europe deep into the Middle East, as far east as the desert region of Iraq today, vastly dominating the entire inhabited known world at that time, at least known to those people. He brought in the amazing Pax Romana, the Roman Peace (ED: SEE Roman peace) which was often called the Pax Augusta in tribute to this man. He literally, not only conquered the world, as it were, but he brought peace to all that realm by the skill that he had as a leader. This Roman Peace literally made soft borders everywhere. Then he built massive Roman roads and effective transportation systems in all directions for the extent of this great power of Rome in the world. And what it did was it facilitated the easy spread, the rapid spread of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It was perfect timing. Galatians 4:4 says, "In the fullness of time God sent His Son." One of the elements of the fullness of time was into a world where you had the most rapid, easy access to take the gospel everywhere. And because Rome controlled it all, there were no borders. There were no points to stop. There was fluidity and facility and the Gospel spread rapidly largely along Roman roads and Roman trade routes by sea and by land. The Pax Romana (Roman peace) brought an unheard of period of peace at the hand of this great leader. In 14 A.D. he died and was succeeded by Caesar Tiberius, a familiar name to anybody who studies the New Testament because Tiberius, taking the throne in 14 A D was the Caesar through the latter life and ministry of Jesus Christ. He is the Caesar that we read about in the Gospels during the ministry of Jesus Christ.... Now in the year 27 B.C., three years after Octavius began his rule, the Roman Senate gave him the title Augustus, which means majestic one, highly honored one...august one could mean holy one. It was a term reserved for the gods. It was used to refer to the gods and always referred to the gods before this man but now it was being used to refer to him because he was viewed as if he were a god. Then it began to be used for Julius Caesar, who himself had wanted to be treated as a god. So it was after that 27 B.C. titling of Caesar Augustus that the idea that the caesar was a god took root. (See his full sermon Jesus' Birth in Bethlehem - Part 1) The reign of the Roman Emperor Caesar Augustus was a time of relative peace on earth (the Pax Romana (SEE Roman peace)) and is one aspect of the "fullness of time" of which Paul spoke in Galatians 4:4+ writing "But when the fullness of the time came, God (Notice Who is in control of TIME! Our God is sovereign!) sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law." This "time was full" because several events converged by God's providential working: (1). Roman civilization had brought peace and a road system (2). Grecian civilization provided a language--the lingua franca (3). Jews proclaimed monotheism and messianic hope in the synagogues of the Mediterranean world. There was a remnant of believing Jewish men and women who anticipated the time was at hand and who were actively "looking for redemption in Jerusalem" (for example, godly Simeon was "looking for the consolation of Israel" = the Messiah - Lu 2:25+). Sadly most of the "chosen people" did not recognize the fullness of time as explained by Jesus Himself in Luke 19:44+ when He declared "you (Jews) did not recognize the time (kairos) of your visitation (episkope - see word study - what a word picture! Verb form was used by Mary in Lk 1:78+ - "the Sunrise from on high will visit [episkeptomai] us.")." If they had read and interpreted literally the prophecy of Daniel they would have recognized Messiah the Prince (see Da 9:24+; Da 9:25+; Da 9:26+; Da 9:27+ - note Messiah [Lxx = Christos] is mentioned specifically in Da 9:25, 26 -- and note who gave Daniel this prophetic message - Da 9:21+, the same angel we encounter twice in Luke 1, Gabriel!). Warren
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MacArthur adds that "while Matthew 1:24 states that Joseph had already married her. There is no contradiction between the two accounts, however. First, it must be remembered that the distinction in Jewish culture between engagement and marriage was not as clear-cut as it is today. Engagement was a legally binding contract, though the physical union was not consummated. For example, to end their engagement, as he contemplated doing after discovering that she was pregnant, Joseph would have had to divorce Mary (Matt. 1:19. Note that Matthew in that same verse refers to Joseph as Mary’s husband before they were married.) Since a covenant to be married had taken place, Matthew could properly refer to the couple as married. But since the marriage was not physically consummated until after Jesus’ birth (Matt. 1:24-25), Luke could refer to them as engaged, since they were conducting their relationship as appropriate to the betrothal period." (See Luke Commentary) Engaged (3423)(mnesteuo from mnaomai = to remember) in the active voice means to woo and win for marriage, to ask in marriage, to pledge to marry. Mnesteuo is used only in the passive voice in the NT and means to be promised in marriage, to be betrothed, to become engaged. Mnesteuo is used in the NT only in Mt 1:18 (betrothed), Lk 1:27 and Lk 2:5. As used in by the NT writers mnesteuo described a legally binding agreement, unlike the sense of of engagement as used today. Mnesteuo is used 8x in 7v in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew verb for betroth (aras) - Deut. 20:7; Deut. 22:23; Deut. 22:25; Deut. 22:27; Deut. 22:28; Hos. 2:19-20 (3 uses of mnesteuo) Hosea 2:19-20 “I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, In lovingkindness and in compassion, And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the LORD. MacArthur writes that three uses of "the term (Ed: Hebrew = aras) emphasizes the intensity of God’s restoring love for the nation. In that day, Israel will no longer be thought of as a prostitute. Israel brings nothing to the marriage; God makes all the promises and provides all the dowry. These verses are recited by every orthodox Jew as he places the phylacteries on his hand and forehead (cf. Dt 11:18). The regeneration/conversion of the nation is much like that of an individual (cf. 2Co 5:16–19, Ed: Zechariah alludes to that conversion in Zech 12:10 and Paul in Ro 11:26-note - see also "Will all Israel be saved in the end times?"). Zodhiates has an informative discussion of mnesteuo - It is related to the verb used for “remember” because it was a ceremony which was to be remembered when a person was espoused or committed to another for marriage (Sept.: Deut. 22:23, 25, 27, 28). The betrothal ceremony perpetuated in a conventional fashion the recollection of the time when a woman was purchased from her family (Deut. 20:7). When a woman was designated (Ex. 21:8, 9) by the head of her family as the future wife of another man, the prospective bridegroom paid a certain sum of money (or service as in the case of Jacob). A contract, which was inviolable, was then entered into (Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17). Until the time of the actual marriage, the bride–to–be remained in her own family. It was not permissible to betroth her to any other man except by action amounting to divorce, and any violation of the rights established by the betrothal was as serious as if the two persons had been ceremonially married (Deut. 22:23, 24). In the OT, it is impossible to say with precision just how soon the wedding followed betrothal. In later times, in the case of a virgin, it was after the lapse of a year, and at least thirty days in the case of a widow. So, too, it is impossible to describe with any great precision the betrothal ceremony, but it certainly included the payment of a particular sum (1 Sam. 18:25) and the making of a betrothal contract (Ezek. 16:8) by the prospective bridegroom. The money payment belonged originally to the family of the woman, but gradually came to belong in part or wholly to the woman herself. The first advances might come from the family of either party. There is no clear evidence that the young woman had any right of appeal as to her family’s choice. The bridegroom himself did not conduct the negotiations, but the matter was in the hands of a third party such as his parents or some trusted servant or friend. After the exile, the custom of the earlier period seems to have continued, although with certain modifications. The payment to the bride’s father on the part of the prospective groom had been increasingly regarded as the property, at least in part, of the bride. Such a payment during this period was often supplemented by a dowry in the true sense. No consent of the girl was demanded, nor do we know of the recognition of any legal age of consent, unless, as in somewhat later times, it was not expected that boys would marry before the age of eighteen or girls before twelve. In Talmudic times, there was a distinct tendency to combine the betrothal with the wedding. Today the Jews seem to combine the two ceremonies. Probably the ceremony of betrothal in NT times involved the following acts: First, a contract drawn up by the parents or by the friend of the bridegroom. Second, the meeting of the two families concerned, with other witnesses, at which time the groom gave the bride jewelry (Gen. 24:53) and declared his intention to observe the terms of the contract already arranged. Third, the payment of the mōhar (4119 - Ed Note: Gesenius Definition מֹהַר m. a price paid for a wife to her parents, Genesis 34:12; Exodus 22:16; 1 Samuel 18:25. Different from this is the use of the Arab. مَهْرُ i.e. a spousal gift promised to the future wife, and the Latin dos, i.e. the gift given by the parents to their daughter who is about to be married.) by the prospective bridegroom. This occurred during a ceremony at which a priest may have been present. The status of the man and woman was now, as in Hebrew times, practically the same as that of married persons, although it was generally customary for the wedding ceremony proper to be celebrated at a later date. As in the older times, separation of betrothed persons demanded a divorce, and there seems to have been no taboo in their living together as man and wife previous to the wedding ceremony. The children of such a union would be regarded as legitimate. Insofar as the virgin Mary and Joseph are concerned, the use of the verb mnēsteúomai, to betroth (Matt. 1:18; Luke 1:27; 2:5), indicates a betrothal ceremony. There is no mention, however, of a subsequent wedding ceremony. It was during this period of betrothal that the angel appeared to Mary (Matt. 1:18). It is clearly stated, however, that the angel appeared to announce to Mary her conception by the Holy Spirit before she had sexual relations with Joseph. The same angel also appeared to Joseph to tell him of the supernatural conception of his betrothed, Mary (Matt. 1:24; see Luke 1:26ff.). (Zodhiates' Word Study Dictionary of the NT - This resource is recommended and in my opinion is superior to BDAG because it is so much more readable - you can also borrow a copy of The Complete Word Study Dictionary: New Testament) The Jewish writer Alfred Edersheim adds this note on betrothal: We read in the Gospel that, when the Virgin-mother “was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a public example, was minded to put her away privily” (Matt. 1:18, 19). The narrative implies a distinction between betrothal and marriage—Joseph being at the time betrothed, but not actually married to the Virgin-mother. Even in the Old Testament a distinction is made between betrothal and marriage. The former was marked by a bridal present (or Mohar, Gen. 34:12; Ex. 22:17; 1 Sam. 18:25), with which the father, however, would in certain circumstances dispense. From the moment of her betrothal a woman was treated as if she were actually married. The Union could not be dissolved, except by regular divorce; breach of faithfulness was regarded as adultery; and the property of the woman became virtually that of her betrothed, unless he had expressly renounced it (Kidd. 9. 1). But even in that case he was her natural heir. It is impossible here to enter into the various legal details, as, for example, about property or money which might come to a woman after betrothal or marriage. The law adjudicated this to the husband, yet with many restrictions, and with infinite delicacy towards the woman, as if reluctant to put in force the rights of the stronger (Kidd. 8. 1, etc.). From the Mishnah (Bab. B. 10. 4) we also learn that there were regular Shitre Erusin, or writings of betrothal, drawn up by the authorities (the costs being paid by the bridegroom). These stipulated the mutual obligations, the dowry, and all other points on which the parties had agreed. The Shitre Erusin were different from the regular Chethubah (literally, writing), or marriage contract, without which the Rabbis regarded a marriage as merely legalised concubinage (Cheth. 5. 1). The Chethubah provided a settlement of at least two hundred denars for a maiden, and one hundred denars for a widow, while the priestly council at Jerusalem fixed four hundred denars for a priest’s daughter. Of course these sums indicate only the legal minimum, and might be increased indefinitely at pleasure, though opinions differ whether any larger sums might be legally exacted, if matters did not go beyond betrothal. The form at present in use among the Jews sets forth, that the bridegroom weds his bride “according to the law of Moses and of Israel;” that he promises “to please, to honour, to nourish, and to care for her, as is the manner of the men of Israel,” adding thereto the woman’s consent, the document being signed by two witnesses. In all probability this was substantially the form in olden times. In Jerusalem and in Galilee—where it was said that men in their choice had regard to “a fair degree,” while in the rest of Judæa they looked a good deal after money—widows had the right of residence in their husband’s house secured to them. (Mothers, Daughters, and Wives in Israel) QUESTION - . When were Joseph and Mary considered married? ANSWER - There are three passages of Scripture that pertain specifically to the time of Joseph and Mary’s betrothal, the consummation of their marriage, and the birth of Jesus: Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 2:1-7. Each passage reveals something about their relationship as well as the cultural mores of that time. In Bible times, Jewish marriage customs regarding a couple’s engagement were far different and much more stringent than those we are familiar with today, especially in the West. Marriages were arranged by the parents of the bride and groom and often without even consulting the couple to be married. A contract was prepared in which the groom’s parents paid a bride price. Such a contract was immediately deemed binding, with the couple considered married even though the actual ceremony and consummation of the marriage would not occur for as long as a year afterwards. The time between was a sort of testing of fidelity with the couple having little, if any, contact with each other. It was during this betrothal period that the angel Gabriel visited Mary and told her of her impending pregnancy. It’s no small wonder that Mary was so inquisitive of the angel; she was still a virgin and would know no man sexually for several months, maybe as long as a year or more (Matthew 1:18; Luke 1:34). Joseph soon became aware of Mary’s pregnancy, and this no doubt was cause for consternation on his part: “Because Joseph her husband was a righteous man and did not want to expose her to public disgrace, he had in mind to divorce her quietly” (Matthew 1:19). Jewish custom allowed that they be considered as husband and wife, though the marriage had not yet been consummated. The point is being made that Joseph and Mary had experienced no sexual contact with each other, as verse 18 “before they came together” points out. So, Joseph was in a quandary. Jewish law provided that his betrothed, because of her unfaithfulness, could be placed before the elders for judgment and stoned to death. But he was thinking to just put her away quietly without public knowledge. Betrothals or marriage engagements in those ancient times were binding and could only be terminated by an official divorce decree. It was then that the angel appeared to Joseph in a dream (Matthew 1:20-25) and explained to him that all this was bringing about the fulfillment of prophecy that a virgin would bear a child who was to be the Savior (Isaiah 7:14), and “he [Joseph] did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him and took Mary home as his wife. But he had no union with her until she gave birth to a son. And he gave him the name Jesus.” Luke 2:1-7 also confirms the idea that Joseph and Mary, though betrothed, were considered as husband and wife by Jewish customs even though the actual marriage ceremony had not been fully effectuated. So, Joseph and Mary were actually legally married before the birth of Jesus though their marriage was not consummated physically until after His birth. GotQuestions.org QUESTION - What were common marriage customs in Bible times? ANSWER - While there were many different cultures throughout the world in Bible times, the Bible itself mostly follows God’s chosen people, the Israelites, through the coming of the Messiah. Therefore, this article will focus on Jewish marriage customs. Marriages in Bible times were not made for love, per se, but for the mutual benefit of both families involved. Jewish marriages were usually arranged by the fathers of the bride and groom and would begin with a betrothal, or engagement. The bride’s and groom’s feelings on the marriage were not usually taken into consideration, and it was possible that the bride and groom had never met before the betrothal. Betrothals could even be agreed upon when the couple was very young. In these cases, the engagement would stand until the bride and groom were old enough to marry. Contrary to the practice of many other cultures, in which the bride’s father would pay the groom’s family a dowry, in Jewish culture the groom’s father paid a bride price, or mohar, to the bride’s family in order to negotiate the betrothal and, in essence, “purchase” the bride. The groom would also give a gift to the bride called a mattan, which became a part of the property the bride would bring into the marriage. These gifts were not always monetary; they may have been property or even services provided to the bride’s family. A good father was expected to share the mohar with his daughter or give it over to her entirely. A Jewish betrothal was an important part of the marriage process and was as binding as marriage itself. Those initiating the betrothal and witnesses to the event would likely sign a marriage contract called a ketubah. Therefore, if one or both parties wished to end the betrothal, they would be required to get a divorce. We see this in the case of Mary and Joseph, who were pledged to be married; when Mary was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit, Joseph considered divorcing Mary quietly to protect her reputation (Matthew 1:18–19). However, after an angel visited Joseph in the night, Joseph decided to continue their betrothal. As a betrothed couple, Mary and Joseph were essentially husband and wife, and they later married (verse 24), although they did not consummate the marriage until after Jesus was born (verse 25). It was a common custom for the bride to join the groom’s father’s household, rather than the groom and the bride establishing their own household. So, if the bride and groom were of a marriageable age, the groom would return to his father’s house after the betrothal to prepare a bridal chamber. This process traditionally took a year or more (the length of time being dictated by the groom’s father). When the place was complete, the groom would return and fetch his bride. The bride would not know the day or hour of her husband-to-be’s return, so the groom’s arrival was usually announced with a trumpet call and a shout so the bride had some forewarning. Before the ceremony, which was attended by a select few (most likely family), the bride would take part in a ritual cleansing. After the ceremony, the couple would attend a wedding feast in their honor. It was customary for a wedding feast to include a much larger crowd than the ceremony itself, and it was a great celebration provided by the groom’s family. Jesus Himself attended a wedding feast in Cana, where He performed His first miracle of turning water into wine. At this marriage feast, the groom’s family had run out of wine, which could have damaged their reputation. So Jesus’ mother, Mary, appealed to Him for help on behalf of the family. Jesus responded by turning the water into even better wine than the family had served previously. (For a full account of the wedding at Cana, see John 2:1–12.) In His time on earth, Jesus often used Jewish marriage customs as a beautiful allegory of God’s relationship with the church, His “bride.” Jesus purchased believers with His blood, shed on the cross for the forgiveness of sins (Acts 20:28; 1 Corinthians 6:19–20; 11:25). He is currently preparing a place for us (John 14:3), and at a future time no one knows (Matthew 24:36) He will return for His bride with a trumpet call and a shout (1 Thessalonians 4:16–17). The dead in Christ and those alive in Him will be taken to heaven, where they will be joined forever with the Lord (Revelation 19:7) and take part in the marriage feast of the Lamb (verse 9).GotQuestions.org Related Articles: Why is the Virgin Birth so important? What does the Bible say about the virgin Mary? What is the Immaculate Conception? Rich Cathers - God knows how God knows how to get you where you need to be. He used the pagan ruler of the world to move Joseph and Mary. There are times when we wonder why things are forcing us to go in directions that are uncomfortable. It wasn’t a great time for Mary to be traveling. Yet perhaps God might be at work to get us to where we need to be. (Romans 8:28NKJV) And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. Illustration -IN THE 1870s Horatio Spafford was a successful Chicago lawyer and a close friend of evangelist Dwight L. Moody. Spafford had invested heavily in real estate, but the Chicago fire of 1871 wiped out his holdings. His son had died shortly before the disaster. Spafford and his family desperately needed a rest so in 1873 he planned a trip to Europe with his wife and four daughters. While in Great Britain he also hoped to help Moody and Sankey with their evangelistic tour. Last minute business caused Spafford to delay his departure, but he sent his wife and four daughters on the S.S. Ville Du Havre as scheduled, promising to follow in a few days. On November 22 the ship was struck by the English ship Lochearn, and it sank in twelve minutes. Several days later the survivors landed at Cardiff, Wales, and Mrs. Spafford cabled her husband the brief message, "Saved alone. What shall I do?" When Horatio Spafford made the ocean crossing to meet his grieving wife, he sailed near the place where his four daughters had sunk to the ocean depths. There, in the midst of his sorrow, he wrote these unforgettable words that have brought solace to so many in grief: When peace, like a river, attendeth my way, When sorrows like sea billows roll, Whatever my lot, Thou hast taught me to say, It is well, it is well, with my soul. Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come, Let this blessed assurance control, That Christ hath regarded my helpless estate, And hath shed His own blood for my soul. The story doesn’t end with the writing of a hymn. Spafford belonged to a Presbyterian church, and they considered the tragedies that his family had gone through as some sort of divine punishment from God. Spafford disagreed. He formed his own group called “The Overcomers” and in 1881 set out for Jerusalem. They would form what would be known as “The American Colony” in Jerusalem. For the next seventy years, this group would be used to relieve the suffering of all those living in Jerusalem – Jews, Muslims, and Christians, through the running of soup kitchens, hospitals, orphanages, and other charitable ventures. When WWI hit Palestine, they were an important source of aid and were trusted by all sides of the conflict. This group that had 70 years of healthy, productive, compassionate ministry, was birthed by a man who had endured great pain. Beloved, God knows how to get you where you need to be. When things don’t make sense or seem out of control, God knows all about it. You can trust Him. Just think of Joseph getting his summons to report to Bethelehem… (Sermon) Mattoon - There is an important lesson here. It was a difficult journey, but the Lord wanted them in Bethlehem. The lesson is the fact that sometimes being where the Lord wants you to be may require hardship, difficulty, inconvenience, and expense. In my own life, I knew God wanted me to preach, but going to Bible college and seminary was not easy. It was difficult, hard, inconvenient, and expensive. In following His leading, however, I was at the right place at the right time in 1975, and met a young lady named Linda Matthews, whom I married in 1977, and has been at my side ever since. There may be difficulty on God's path for your life, but there are blessings too. Luke 2:6 While they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. NET While they were there, the time came for her to deliver her child. GNT ἐγένετο δὲ ἐν τῷ εἶναι αὐτοὺς ἐκεῖ ἐπλήσθησαν αἱ ἡμέραι τοῦ τεκεῖν αὐτήν, NLT And while they were there, the time came for her baby to be born. KJV And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. ESV And while they were there, the time came for her to give birth. NIV While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, ASV And it came to pass, while they were there, the days were fulfilled that she should be delivered. CSB While they were there, the time came for her to give birth. Luke 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MARY NOW "FULL TERM" While they were there - (Greek = And it happened that while) While Joseph and Mary were at Bethlehem. Here we see another evidence of the providence of God orchestrating all the events in the fullness of time (Gal 4:4+) and the perfect fulfillment of OT prophecy.
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MacArthur says "Fear was the normal response whenever anyone in Scripture either encountered an angel (cf. Dan. 8:15-18; 10:7-9, 16-17; Matt. 28:2-4; Luke 1:12, 26-30) or saw the glory of God manifest (Isa. 6:1-5; Ezek. 1:28; 3:23; Matt. 17:5-6; Mark 4:41; 5:33; Acts 9:4; Rev. 1:17). Those who experience the presence of the holy God are acutely aware of their sinfulness. Isaiah cried out, “Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts” (Isa. 6:5), and Peter exclaimed after witnessing a miracle performed by the Lord, “Go away from me Lord, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:8)." (See context in Luke Commentary)
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MacArthur adds that "God says to His people, as He did to Abraham, “Do not fear” (Ge 26:24; cf. Jdg. 6:23; Isa. 43:1, 5; 44:2; Jer. 46:27-28; Lam. 3:57; Dan. 10:12, 19; Mt. 14:27; 17:7; 28:5, 10; Lk 5:10; 12:32; Rev. 1:17). (Ibid) John Butler explains they did not have be afraid because the "Gospel is coming, good news. The Gospel elicits joy, not fear. Joy is the inward feeling of happiness and contentment that bursts forth in rejoicing and praise. Joy comes not just to lowly shepherds or isolated parents far from home. Joy comes to all people. In the most unlikely place amid the most unlikely spectators, God brushed aside the world's fears and provided the world reason for joy (cf. Isa. 9:3). Joy centers not in something you earn or possess. Joy comes from God's gift, a tiny baby in a feed trough. But what a baby!"
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MacArthur - His message was not one of judgment, but rather that “the Father has sent the Son to be the Savior of the world” (1 John 4:14). ... The good news of the gospel is that the saving God sent the Savior to redeem sinners.(Ibid) Good news (euaggelizo/euangelizo) in its original sense could be used to refer to a declaration of any kind of good news, but in the NT it refers especially to the glad tidings of the coming kingdom of God and of salvation obtained through Jesus Christ's death, burial and resurrection. The angel Gabriel in Luke 1:19+ speaking to Zacharias declares "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God; and I have been sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. (that he would have a son, John the Baptist)." In this context euaggelizo does not specifically refer to the proclamation of the gospel of salvation. Lenski sees euaggelizo/euangelizo in this context as speaking of good news in general - The verb euaggelizo is used in the same sense as it was in Lk 1:19 (see below) with reference to the bringing of good tidings irrespective of the contents of the tidings. In this case we may, of course, say that they constitute the Gospel, but the verb itself is not yet used in the specific sense of preaching the gospel. (See The Interpretation of St. Luke's Gospel) Kostenberger writes - The angel quickly provided the content of this gospel, announcement, or proclamation that would provide great joy to all the people: “For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” In this case, the "gospel" was a proclamation of the birth of Jesus that very day along with a clear indication of his identity as Savior, Christ, and Lord—all significant titles. (IN OTHER WORDS THIS GOSPEL WAS NOT A CLEAR PROCLAMATION OF THE ACTUAL CONTENT OF THE GOSPEL AS IN 1 Cor 15:1-7+) (The First Days of Jesus: The Story of the Incarnation) THOUGHT -
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MacArthur adds that "The peace of which the angels spoke is only for men with whom God is pleased. That does not, of course, mean that He gives salvation to those who please Him by their good works, since salvation is “not as a result of works, so that no one may boast” (Eph. 2:9). The Greek text literally reads, “men of His good pleasure.” As Marshall explains, “The phrase means ‘those upon whom God’s will/favour rests’, and expresses the thought of God’s free choice of those whom he wills to favour and save” (The Gospel of Luke, The New International Greek Testament Commentary [Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1978], 112). Salvation peace belongs to those to whom God is pleased to give it; it is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of God’s good will. (Ibid) Highest (5310)(hupsistos superlative of hupsos = height from hupsi = high, aloft) in a spatial sense means the highest (highest places). Figuratively of the highest possible status. In view of God's superior rank and power it is an appropriate descriptive Name of God. He is the Most High which also emphasizes His dwelling is in the highest heavens far exalted above all other things. Hupsistos is used in the plural in the phrase "in the highest" (in the "highest" regions, the abode of God) as in Hosanna in the highest (Mt 21:9, Mk 11:10, Lk 2:14, Lk 19:38) The adjective hupsistos is used in the Septuagint to translate the Hebrew Name of God El Elyon -- "And Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine; now he was a priest of God Most High (hupsistos)." (Ge 14:18, 19, 20, 22, cp Nu 24:16 in connection with Balaam) And it is not surprising, that where there is truth, there is usually a counterfeit - thus the Greeks called Zeus hupsistos, the "highest" to be distinguished from their lesser false gods! Hupsistos in Luke - Matt. 21:9; Mk. 5:7; Mk. 11:10; Lk. 1:32; Lk. 1:35; Lk. 1:76; Lk. 2:14; Lk. 6:35; Lk. 8:28; Lk. 19:38; Acts 7:48; Acts 16:17; Heb. 7:1 Peace (1515)(eirene from verb eiro = to join or bind together that which has been separated) literally pictures the binding or joining together again of that which had been separated or divided and thus setting at one again, a meaning convey by the common expression of one “having it all together”. It follows that peace is the opposite of division or dissension.
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MacArthur adds "From the very beginning the life and ministry of Jesus Christ caused people to marvel and be amazed. Unfortunately then, as now, much of that amazement produced not commitment, but merely curiosity. When the shepherds heard the good news of the Savior’s birth, they immediately sought Him out. But all that is said of those to whom they witnessed is that they wondered. After their initial amazement wore off, most of them probably just went on with their lives as if nothing had happened." John Trapp "God, to show that he respected not persons, revealed this grand mystery to the shepherds and the wise men; the one poor, the other rich; the one learned, the other unlearned; the one Jews, the other Gentiles; the one near, the other far off." (Luke 2)
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MacArthur comments that "Wonderment at the mysteries of Christ’s words and works is one of the threads that runs through Luke’s gospel. Cf. Lk 2:19, 33, 47, 48; 1:21, 63; 4:22, 36; 5:9; 8:25; 9:43–45; 11:14; 20:26; 24:12, 41." (MacArthur Study Bible) Thaumazo is a favorite verb of Luke (18/43 NT uses are by Luke) - Lk. 1:21; Lk. 1:63; Lk. 2:18; Lk. 2:33; Lk. 4:22; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 8:25; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:38; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 24:12; Lk. 24:41; Acts 2:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:13; Acts 7:31; Acts 13:41 In fact it is appropriate that most (30) of the 43 uses of thaumazo are used in reference to Jesus, even once by Jesus Himself (Mk 6:6) - Matt. 8:10; Matt. 8:27; Matt. 9:33; Matt. 15:31; Matt. 21:20; Matt. 22:22; Matt. 27:14; Mk. 5:20; Mk. 6:6; Mk. 15:5; Mk. 15:44; Lk. 1:21; Lk. 1:63; Lk. 2:18; Lk. 2:33; Lk. 4:22; Lk. 7:9; Lk. 8:25; Lk. 9:43; Lk. 11:14; Lk. 11:38; Lk. 20:26; Lk. 24:12; Lk. 24:41; Jn. 3:7; Jn. 4:27; Jn. 5:20; Jn. 5:28; Jn. 7:15; Jn. 7:21; Acts 2:7; Acts 3:12; Acts 4:13; Acts 7:31; Acts 13:41; Gal. 1:6; 2 Thess. 1:10; 1 Jn. 3:13; Jude 1:16; Rev. 13:3; Rev. 17:6; Rev. 17:7; Rev. 17:8 Luke 2:19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. NET But Mary treasured up all these words, pondering in her heart what they might mean. GNT ἡ δὲ Μαριὰμ πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα συμβάλλουσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς. NLT but Mary kept all these things in her heart and thought about them often. KJV But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. ESV But Mary treasured up all these things, pondering them in her heart. NIV But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart. ASV But Mary kept all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. CSB But Mary was treasuring up all these things in her heart and meditating on them. Lu 2:51 1:66 9:43,44 Ge 37:11 1Sa 21:12 Pr 4:4 Ho 14:9 Luke 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries MARY'S MEDITATION But Mary treasured (suntereo) all these things, pondering (sumballo) them in her heart - But Mary is a term of contrast which introduces a different reaction in Mary. This is the third response to the angelic announcement. Ponder means to reflect deeply on a subject, sometimes followed by on or over (pondered on/over) to give thorough or deep consideration to the things that had transpired including what the shepherds had related about the angelic announcement and the choir of heavenly hosts! Mary had a lot to think about as she gazed into the face of her tiny child. Gabriel had told her that the little boy would reign forever (Lk 1:31–33) and the shepherds reported the angel’s words that He is the Savior, the Christ, the Lord (Lk 2:11). Treasured is in the Imperfect tense pictures Mary bringing these thoughts to mind again and again, over and over. Luke 2:51 repeats that after finding Jesus in the Temple and hearing His explanation, Mary "treasured all these things in her heart" but the verb in Lk 2:51 is diatereo which in context speaks of words to carefully remembered. (1) Luke 2:20 - Shepherds - responded by glorifying and praising God after finding the Baby Jesus. (2) Luke 2:18 - All who heard the shepherds - responded with wonder. However Luke gives no indication that those people acted on what they heard. Certainly "wonder" is not the same as glorifying and praising God. (3) Luke 2:19 - Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. THOUGHT - "The shepherds responded with praise, worship, and witness; the people who heard their report responded with amazement; and Mary responded with quiet reflection. How will you respond to the good news of the birth of Jesus, the Savior, the Christ, the Lord?" (Kostenberger) Trent Butler comments that Mary "had incubated amazement for nine months. Now she incubated experiences in her mind, experiences that gradually became treasured memories, each showing something new and different about her son, each confirming Gabriel's promise of greatness for this Son of David and Son of the Most High. Surely nothing was impossible with God (Lk 1:30-37). (Luke Holman New Testament Commentary) David
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MacArthur comments "Their hopes and longings that the Redeemer would come had been realized, and their lives were marked by a newfound attitude of praise and worship. That same attitude characterizes all who know and love the Lord Jesus Christ (cf. Ps. 22:26; 30:4; 33:1; 34:1; 100:4; Acts 16:25; Heb. 13:15), whom Paul describes as “the true circumcision, who worship in the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus” (Phil. 3:3)." (See context in Luke Commentary ) John
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MacArthur explains that "God instituted circumcision for three purposes. First, along with the other dietary and sanitary regulations prescribed in the law, circumcision had health benefits. As the sign of the Abrahamic covenant, circumcision was also the mark of Israel’s national identity. Finally, circumcision was a spiritual object lesson of the need for cleansing from the depravity of sin, which is passed to each succeeding generation through procreation. Circumcision was a physical symbol of the spiritual cleansing of the heart that takes place at salvation (cf. Dt. 10:16; 30:6; Jer. 4:4). But why was Jesus circumcised, since He was sinless (Isa. 53:9; John 8:46; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5) and did not need to have His heart cleansed? The answer lies in understanding that He came to fulfill the law. In the words of the apostle Paul, Jesus was “born of a woman, born under the Law” (Gal. 4:4). Like His baptism, Jesus’ circumcision served to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15). He could say with David, “I delight to do Your will, O my God; Your Law is within my heart” (Ps. 40:8), and He alone kept God’s law perfectly throughout His life. Only because He did so could His righteousness be credited to believers. At the cross God treated Jesus as if He had lived their sinful lives. He is, therefore, able to treat them as if they had lived Jesus’ perfectly righteous life." (See Luke Commentary) David
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MacArthur - The uncleanness in view here is ceremonial uncleanness, the first part of which lasted for seven days, like that of menstruation (Lev. 15:19). While she was unclean, a woman could not touch anything sacred or holy, nor could she go to the temple. Her ceremonial uncleanness tempered the natural joy of bringing a new life into the world (John 16:21) with the sober reality that the child, like its parents, was a sinner (Ps. 51:5). After a male child’s circumcision on the eighth day, the mother was ceremonially unclean for another thirty-three days. (See context in The MacArthur New Testament Commentary) Lev 12:3 On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Lev 12:4 ‘Then she shall remain in the blood of her purification for thirty-three days; she shall not touch any consecrated thing, nor enter the sanctuary until the days of her purification are completed. Lev 12:6 ‘When the days of her purification are completed (7 + 33 days = 40 days), for a son or for a daughter, she shall bring to the priest at the doorway of the tent of meeting a one year old lamb for a burnt offering and a young pigeon or a turtledove for a sin offering. Lev 12:7 ‘Then he shall offer it before the LORD and make atonement for her, and she shall be cleansed from the flow of her blood. This is the law for her who bears a child, whether a male or a female. Lev 12:8 ‘But if she cannot afford a lamb, then she shall take two turtledoves or two young pigeons, the one for a burnt offering and the other for a sin offering; and the priest shall make atonement for her, and she will be clean.’” (Lev 12:2, 4, 6, 8-note). They brought Him up to Jerusalem to present (paristemi) Him to the Lord (kurios): Note "up to Jerusalem" normally is used because of Jerusalem's elevation. However in this case Bethlehem is located at an elevation of about 775 meters (2,543 ft) above sea level, 30 meters (98 ft) higher than nearby Jerusalem, so the "up" is not used as it usually is in the NT. In this case the point may be that no place on earth was spiritually higher than Jerusalem, the Holy City. This godly couple was obedient to the Law of Moses. THOUGHT - It is the solemn duty and blessed privilege of parents to dedicate their children to the Lord. (Hendriksen) Stein summarizes the events of Lk 2:22-24 - The “purification” contained three elements: Mary’s purification (Lev 12:6–8), which involved a sacrifice being offered at the Nicanor Gate in the court of the women; the redemption of the firstborn son (Ex 13:1–2), which involved five shekels (Nu 3:47–48) and which Luke did not mention; and the consecration of the firstborn son (cf. 1 Sa 1:11, 22, 28). (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition)
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MacArthur has an excellent summary of the role of the Holy Spirit in the Old Testament - A common misconception about the Holy Spirit is that His ministry in the lives of God’s people began on the day of Pentecost. That is not the case, however. All those who were saved before the cross and Pentecost were saved in the same way as those who were saved afterward—by grace through faith (Eph. 2:8–9). And no sinner, “dead in … trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1), can come to repentance and faith apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. “The heart is more deceitful than all else,” wrote Jeremiah, “and is desperately sick; who can understand it?” (Jer. 17:9). Sinners can no more change their hearts by their own efforts than people can change their skin color, or animals the pattern of their fur (Jer. 13:23). “Who can say, ‘I have cleansed my heart, I am pure from my sin’?” Solomon asked rhetorically (Pr. 20:9). The obvious answer is no one, since “there is none righteous, not even one; there is none who understands, there is none who seeks for God; all have turned aside, together they have become useless; there is none who does good, there is not even one” (Ro 3:10–12; cf. Job 15:14; 1Ki 8:46; Eccl 7:20; Ro 3:23). The Holy Spirit convicted people in the Old Testament of their sin, prompted repentance, gave life, elicited faith, and drew them to God. Apart from His work, no person in any age can ever be justified, sanctified, empowered for service and witness, understand Scripture, or pray in the will of God. There is, however, a new dimension to the Spirit’s work in the lives of believers after Pentecost. As Jesus told the disciples in John 14:17 concerning the increased degree of the Spirit’s ministry to them, “He abides with you and will be in you.” Under the old covenant, the Spirit was present in power and person WITH believers. But under the New covenant, His presence was IN those who believed and is expressed in an unprecedented way (cf. Ezek. 36:26–27-note). There was to come for believers a giving of the Spirit by which unique power would be provided for ministry and evangelism. That happened on the day of Pentecost, when the Spirit was given to believers in a new fullness that became normative for all believers since (Rom. 8:9; 1 Cor. 12:13). Luke’s note that the Holy Spirit was UPON Simeon reflects the Spirit’s pre-Pentecost empowering of people to serve and speak for God (cf. Ex 31:2–3; Nu 11:25; Nu 27:18; Jdg. 3:9–10; Jdg 11:29; Jdg 13:24–25; Jdg 14:6, 19; Jdg 15:14; 1Sa 16:13; 2Chr. 15:1; 2Chr 20:14–17; 2Chr 24:20; Mic. 3:8; Zech. 7:12). He has already recorded the Holy Spirit’s filling of John the Baptist (Luke 1:15-note), Elizabeth (Luke 1:41-note), and Zacharias (Luke 1:67-note). (See context in Luke Commentary) THOUGHT - In the examples below sometimes the Holy Spirit is IN an individual and other times He is UPON them. The point is that the Spirit is necessary for supernatural work for God in both testaments! And whether He was on or in the OT saints is not the issue. The vital truth is that He was present. And even when the Spirit was IN OT saints, it was not a permanent indwelling as is our incredible gift in the New Covenant! Do we really grasp the value and our great need of the Father's incredible gift? Are you daily seeking to be filled with His Spirit (Eph 5:18+) before you begin your journey into the crooked and perverse generation (Php 2:15+)? Are you quick to confess and repent so that you do not grieve or quench the Spirit (1Th 5:19+, Pr 28:13+, 1Jn 1:9+, 1Jn 1:7+, Eph 4:30+) and in effect "throw water of His flame" in your heart? The modern church needs to return to the pattern of the church of Acts where clearly we see that they continually manifested their need for and empowerment by the Holy Spirit. We can do no less, lest we surely accomplish less for God's Kingdom and His Glory! Related Resources: The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked! - AN UNDERSTANDING OF THIS TRUTH CAN BE LIFE CHANGING! A Spirit Filled Church EXAMPLES OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN THE OLD TESTAMENT Exodus 31:2-3 “See, I have called by name Bezalel, the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. 3 “I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all [kinds of] craftsmanship, Numbers 11:25 Then the LORD came down in the cloud and spoke to him; and He took of the Spirit who was upon him and placed [Him] upon the seventy elders. And when the Spirit rested upon them, they prophesied. But they did not do [it] again. Numbers 27:18 So the LORD said to Moses, “Take Joshua the son of Nun, a man in whom is the Spirit, and lay your hand on him; Judges 3:9-10 When the sons of Israel cried to the LORD, the LORD raised up a deliverer for the sons of Israel to deliver them, Othniel the son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother. 10 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he judged Israel. When he went out to war, the LORD gave Cushan-rishathaim king of Mesopotamia into his hand, so that he prevailed over Cushan-rishathaim. Judges 11:29 Now the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jephthah, so that he passed through Gilead and Manasseh; then he passed through Mizpah of Gilead, and from Mizpah of Gilead he went on to the sons of Ammon. Judges 13:24-25 Then the woman gave birth to a son and named him Samson; and the child grew up and the LORD blessed him. 25 And the Spirit of the LORD began to stir him in Mahaneh-dan, between Zorah and Eshtaol. Judges 14:6; 19 The Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, so that he tore him as one tears a young goat though he had nothing in his hand; but he did not tell his father or mother what he had done....19 Then the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily, and he went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty of them and took their spoil and gave the changes [of clothes] to those who told the riddle. And his anger burned, and he went up to his father’s house. Judges 15:14 When he came to Lehi, the Philistines shouted as they met him. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him mightily so that the ropes that were on his arms were as flax that is burned with fire, and his bonds dropped from his hands. 1 Samuel 16:13 Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers; and the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon David from that day forward. And Samuel arose and went to Ramah. 2 Chronicles 15:1 Now the Spirit of God came on Azariah the son of Oded, 2 and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Listen to me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: the LORD is with you when you are with Him. And if you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you. 2 Chronicles 20:14-17 Then in the midst of the assembly the Spirit of the LORD came upon Jahaziel the son of Zechariah, the son of Benaiah, the son of Jeiel, the son of Mattaniah, the Levite of the sons of Asaph; 15 and he said, “Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the LORD to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. 16 ‘Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. 17 ‘You [need] not fight in this [battle;] station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the LORD on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the LORD is with you.” 2 Chronicles 24:20 Then the Spirit of God came on Zechariah the son of Jehoiada the priest; and he stood above the people and said to them, “Thus God has said, ‘Why do you transgress the commandments of the LORD and do not prosper? Because you have forsaken the LORD, He has also forsaken you.’” Micah 3:8 On the other hand I am filled with power– With the Spirit of the LORD– And with justice and courage To make known to Jacob his rebellious act, Even to Israel his sin. Zechariah 7:12 “They made their hearts [like] flint so that they could not hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets; therefore great wrath came from the LORD of hosts. Luke 2:26 And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. it : Ps 25:14 Am 3:7 the Lord's: Ps 2:2,6 Isa 61:1 Da 9:24-26 Joh 1:41 4:29 20:31 Ac 2:36 9:20 Ac 10:38 17:3 Heb 1:8,9 Luke 2 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries Luke 2:25-35 The Gospel According to Simeon - Dr Steven Lawson - excellent CSB It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he saw the Lord's Messiah. ESV And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ. GWN and had told him that he wouldn't die until he had seen the Messiah, whom the Lord would send. KJV And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. NET It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. NAB It had been revealed to him by the holy Spirit that he should not see death before he had seen the Messiah of the Lord. NIV It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. NLT and had revealed to him that he would not die until he had seen the Lord's Messiah. NJB It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he had set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. YLT and it hath been divinely told him by the Holy Spirit -- not to see death before he may see the Christ of the Lord. NIRV The Spirit had told Simeon that he would not die before he had seen the Lord's Christ. GOD PROMISES SIMEON HE WILL SEE THE MESSIAH It had been revealed (chrematizo) to Simeon - How? We do not know exactly, but we do know this truth pointing to Jesus was revealed by the Spirit of Truth (His Name - Jn 14:17, 15:26, 16:13) Who Luke had just described as UPON HIM (Lk 2:25) and Whose role it is to glorify Jesus (Jn 16:14). The same verb for revealed is used in a somewhat negative context in Mt 2:12+ of the magi who "having been warned by God in a dream not to return to Herod...left for their own country by another way." Revealed is in the perfect tense, indicating it stood revealed, it had been revealed at some point in time in the past and the revelation stood. Marvin
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MacArthur - He (Simeon) understood that salvation for Israel involved much more than the national deliverance promised by the Abrahamic and Davidic covenants, whose blessings will not be fully realized until the millennial kingdom. In the incarnation, Jesus came not to save His people from their enemies, but from their sins (Matt. 1:21; cf. Acts 4:12). (See context Luke Commentary) Jamieson - Many saw this child, nay, the full-grown "man, Christ Jesus," who never saw in Him "God's Salvation." This estimate of an object of sight, an unconscious, helpless babe, was pure faith. He "beheld His glory" (Joh 1:14). In another view it was prior faith rewarded by present sight. Your salvation (soterios/soterion) - Salvation is God's possession and He graciously bestows it on His children by grace through faith. In this context of course Your salvation is another way of saying Jesus. Criswell adds "The aged Simeon saw through the Holy Spirit that the infant in his arms would bring salvation both to Jews and Gentiles (Luke 2:32). In the Bible's first mention of "salvation," father Jacob said he had been waiting for it (Genesis 49:18). Now Simeon, the namesake of his second son, had actually seen it in the Spirit in the person of little Jesus. (The Believer's Study Bible) J
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MacArthur - The Servant’s goal is the salvation and restoration of Israel for the fulfillment of the covenant promise. But not limited to Israel, He is to function as a light bringing salvation to the Gentiles. Israel’s mission had always been to bring the nations to God (19:24; 42:6). This she will finally do very effectively in the tribulation after the conversion of the 144,000 witnesses (Rev 7:1–10; 14:1–5) and when she is restored to her Land at the Servant’s return to earth. Cf. 9:2; 11:10; 42:6; 45:22; Lk 2:32. Paul applied this verse to his ministry to the Gentiles on his first missionary journey (Ac 13:47). Isaiah 51:4-5 Pay attention to Me, O My people, And give ear to Me, O My nation; For a law will go forth from Me, And I will set My justice for a light of the peoples (Gentiles). “My righteousness is near, My salvation has gone forth, And My arms will judge the peoples; The coastlands will wait for Me, And for My arm they will wait expectantly. Isaiah 52:10 The LORD has bared His holy arm In the sight of all the nations (Gentiles), That all the ends of the earth may see The salvation of our God. Isaiah 60:1-3 (God is addressing Zion, Isa 59:20, 60:14) Arise, shine; for your light has come, And the glory of the LORD has risen upon you. For behold, darkness will cover the earth And deep darkness the peoples; But the LORD will rise upon you And His glory will appear upon you. Nations (Gentiles) will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your rising. HCSB note - Though the light comes to God's people, the nations will share in it by coming to the light. The idea that the nations will respond favorably to God is a fulfillment of the promise to Abraham that he would be a blessing to the nations (Gen 12:3). MacArthur interprets this as prophecy that will be fulfilled in the Millennium - Jerusalem’s light will attract other nations seeking relief from their darkness (2:3). Only believing Jews and Gentiles will enter the earthly kingdom after the Day of the Lord, but as the 1,000 years goes along children will be born and nations will become populated by those who reject Jesus Christ. The glory of the King in Jerusalem, and His mighty power will draw those Gentiles to His light. Malachi 4:2-note “But for you who fear My name, the Sun of Righteousness will rise with healing in its wings; and you will go forth and skip about like calves from the stall. Comment - The "Sun of Righteous" is a prophecy of the Messiah. MacArthur agrees that "The reference is to the Messiah, “the LORD our righteousness” (Ps 84:11; Jer 23:5, 6; 1Co 1:30)."
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MacArthur - The rejection of the Messiah would reveal the appalling truth (THOUGHTS) about the apostate state of the Jews. Spurgeon (Luke Exposition) - This favored woman had the greatest smart (a kind of pain such as that caused by a wound, burn, or sore) to go with her great honor. She saw the suffering and anguish of her son; and the nearer you are to Christ, the more of sorrow it will cost you, sorrow which you may be well content to bear. You know how it is put in that hymn of which many of us are very fond, — “If I find him, if I follow, What his guerdon here? Many a labor, many a sorrow, Many a tear.’” Yet, I say again, you may be well content to bear it all for his sake; for you remember what the next verse of the hymn is, — “If I still hold closely to him, What hath be at last? ‘Borrow vanquished, labour ended, Jordan past.’”
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MacArthur - Luke omitted the visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt (Mt 2:1-18+). The theme of early rejection, so prominent in Matthew (see Introduction to Matthew: Historical and Theological Themes), was not where Luke focused his attention. The MacArthur Study Bible.(See MacArthur Study Bible) To their own city Nazareth (Nazaret) - Nazareth (shoot or branch) which is in southern Galilee near the crossroads of great caravan trade routes (See map of Jesus birth and early childhood.). The town housed the Roman garrison in charge of Galilee. The people of Nazareth had constant contact with people from all over the world. When faced with the prospect of meeting Jesus, a man from Nazareth, Nathanael, later commented, “Nazareth! Can anything good come from there?” (John 1:46 NIV). See study of Nazareth including The Puzzling Problem of Nazareth. Matthew records a parallel passage of the couple's passage back to Nazareth. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. Then after being warned by God in a dream, he left for the regions of Galilee,and came and lived in a city called Nazareth. This was to fulfill what was spoken through the prophets: “He shall be called a Nazarene.” (Mt 2:22-23+) A T
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MacArthur commenting on Mt 26:27 writes that "The Passover lambs were killed (Mk 14:12) on 14 Nisan (Mar./Apr.). That evening, the Passover meal was eaten. The Feast of Unleavened Bread followed immediately after Passover, from 15–21 Nisan. The entire time was often referred to either as “Passover” (Lk 22:1), or as the Feast of Unleavened Bread. Therefore the first day refers to 14 Nisan." This pilgrimage to the Passover was in obedience to the instructions in Exodus Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15 “You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread (began on the evening of Passover - Ex 12:6,18 - On the first day, homes were to be completely cleared of leaven a symbol of corruption and evil; cf. Lev. 2:11-note; 1 Cor. 5:7-8, and a holy assembly was to be called Ex 12:16 - see notes on Lev 23:6-8-note); for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16 “Also [you shall observe] the Feast of the Harvest [of] the first fruits (
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MacArthur - This was not the first (cf. Lk 2:18, 33), nor would it be the last time Jesus elicited wonder and amazement in Luke’s gospel (cf. Lk 4:22, 32, 36; 5:9; 8:25, 56; 9:43; 11:14; 20:26; 24:41). Stein - Since this amazement is frequently the result of an encounter with the supernatural (cf. Lk 8:56; 24:22; Acts 2:7, 12), Luke may have intended his readers to see in this incident a supernatural display of wisdom. (Cf. Acts 9:21 for the same reaction to the witness of Saul of Tarsus.) (Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) Marshall writes that "Jesus appears as a pupil who astonishes His teachers by the understanding apparent in His questions and answers." At His understanding (sunesis) and His answers - The fact that this story is told of a preteen hints that Jesus was someone special (NET) Robertson on His answers - It is not difficult to ask hard questions, but this Boy had astounding answers to their questions, revealing His amazing intellectual and spiritual growth. Answers (apokrisis) - 4x in NT - Lk. 2:47; Lk. 20:26; Jn. 1:22; Jn. 19:9 🙏 THOUGHT - Given the meaning of sunesis (bringing together the full picture) it is not surprising that Jesus had such understanding for the entire Old Testament was like a "finger" or "signpost" pointing to the Messiah. All the sacrifices, feasts, special days, etc found their full understanding in Jesus Christ. What a tragedy to hear of a modern movement by some evangelical pastors (SUCH AS ANDY STANLEY) to do away with the teaching of the Old Testament Scriptures! (REFUTATION OF STANLEY - RAY ORTLUND, The Dangerous False Teaching of Andy Stanley) As Jesus Himself said "You search the Scriptures (REFERRING TO THE OLD TESTAMENT) because you think that in them you have eternal life; it is these that testify about Me." (Jn 5:39) Amazed (astonished, astounded, besides one's self) (1839)(existemi from ek = out + hístemi = to stand) literally means to stand out from or to stand outside oneself (and thus to be beside oneself). To put out of position, to displace or to change. To remove from its place. For example Aristotle writes "you won't budge (existemi) me from my position on these matters." The NT uses of existemi are all related in some way to the human mind. Richards adds that existemi "suggests astonishment mixed with anxiety, stimulated by extraordinary events that cannot be explained." Existemi means to be amazed, astonished or astounded describing "the feeling of astonishment mingled with fear, caused by events which are miraculous, extraordinary, or difficult to understand." (BDAG) It can describe one who is so astonished almost to the point of failing to comprehend what one has experienced. Amazed is the "Common verb existēmi meaning that they (Joseph and Mary) stood out of themselves as if their eyes were bulging out." (A T Robertson) And
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MacArthur comments that Jesus' having to be present in His Father's house "is not only the crux of the passage, but also expresses the definitive reality of Christian theology. This statement is the first time in Scripture that any individual claimed God as his personal Father. The Jews viewed God as the Father of all in a creative sense, and the Father of Israel in a national sense. But no one had the audacity to claim God as his Father in a personal, intimate sense, because of the profound implications of such a claim. In this confession, Jesus made it clear that His first priority was to do the will of His heavenly Father. He also lifted Himself above the human realm. He was not in the ultimate sense Joseph’s son, or Mary’s son; He was the eternal Son of God, who came down from heaven (John 3:13; 6:38, 42). As such, He was under the authority of His heavenly Father, not His earthly parents." (See Luke Commentary) Henry Alford - Up to this time Joseph had been so called ("father") by the holy child Himself; but from this time never." (Luke 2 Commentary) Moody Bible Commentary - Other than this instance of "divine precociousness" Luke indicated that Jesus' growth and development were completely normal, except for the grace (Lk 2:40b) and favor (Lk 2:52) He enjoyed from God. (See The Moody Bible Commentary) Robert Stein explains why they "did...not know" - Why were Joseph and Mary surprised by this incident in light of the miraculous announcement of Jesus’ birth (Lk 1:26–38), the angelic message (Lk 2:1–20), and the prophetic pronouncements (Lk 2:21–40)? Mary, despite all these indicators, seems to have been uncomprehending of just who her son really was. Such a failure to understand is also found in the disciples (cf. Lk 9:44–45; 18:31–34; 24:25–26). We should remember, however, that some twelve years had transpired between this event and what had preceded. In the meantime the lack of other stories like this suggests that Jesus’ “silent years” were quite normal. After over a decade of normalcy the supernatural nature of their son and his destiny broke in on them again. As a result they were surprised and once more needed to reflect on these things (2:19, 51). Also possible is that the confusion of Jesus’ parents here involved not so much the identity of their son, i.e., his divine sonship, but rather how his sonship was manifesting itself. (See Luke: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition) I must (dei) be - Speaks of a divine necessity.
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MacArthur - The question arises as to why Jesus needed to live all those years, instead of simply coming to earth, dying as a substitute for sin, rising from the dead, and ascending back to heaven. The answer is that He had to live a perfectly righteous life and “fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15), and thus prove to be the perfect sacrifice to take the place of sinners (1 Peter 3:18). Only then could His righteousness be imputed to believers and their sins placed on Him. When Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 5:21 that God made “Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him,” he expressed both aspects of Christ’s substitionary atonement. Not only did Jesus bear believers’ sins, God also imputed His righteousness to them. To put it another way, God treated Christ as if He had lived believers’ sinful lives, and believers as if they had lived His perfectly righteous life. Jesus lived a perfectly righteous life from childhood through adulthood, so that His righteous life could be imputed to believers. Salvation comes only to those who do not have a “righteousness of [their] own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith” (Phil. 3:9). (See context Luke Commentary) Brian Bell - Jesus perfectly balanced – at 12 & throughout life. Wisdom – Intellectually! Stature – Physically! Favor with God – Spiritually! [He both communed personally w/His Father; & never forsook the gathering together of the brethren!] Favor with men – Socially! [Character is what we are; Reputation is what others think of us] – Both must be in line w/Christian profession. Adrian Rogers says the best definition of grace that he has ever heard is that God's grace is "both the desire and the ability to do the will of God." In a sense this was true of Jesus the Man Who lived His earthly life in dependence on His Father and the filling of the Spirit (cf first description of Jesus as He began His ministry "full of the Spirit" = Lk 4:1+), thus giving every son of Adam a pattern that they could seek to follow when they became believers in Christ. THOUGHT - Jesus the Man shows us the example we are to imitate (1 John 2:6+, 1 Pe 2:21+, 1 Cor 11:1+). Below is a poem by Marlene Evans that is in the form of a prayer we could all benefit from praying... O Lord! Help me to be … Firm but not harsh; Realistic but not skeptical; Scheduled but not rigid; Pure but not proud; Close-mouthed but not unfriendly; Appropriate but not stiff; Funny but not frivolous; Flexible but not scatterbrained; Humble but not pious; Kind but not compromising; Dependable but not dull; Decisive but not stubborn; Persistent but not needling; Precise but not picky; Simple but not foolish; Demanding but not intolerant; Thorough but not unkind; Human but not worldly; Spiritual but not impractical; Generous but not irresponsible; Enthusiastic but not “hyper;” Honest but not brutal; Fair but not unloving; Proper but not unreal; Confident but not snobbish; Bold but not brazen; Busy but not harried; Active but not shallow; Deep but not dry; Wise but not intimidating; Intense but not forbidding; Empathetic but not uncontrolled; Forgiving but not naive; Sympathetic but not pitying; Helpful but not condescending; Penitent but not paralyzed; Organized but not bossy; Spontaneous but not inconsistent. Lord, I guess I’m asking to grow in favor with God and man. I am asking you to help me become a balanced person. Amen. (Marlene Evans) Related Resource - The Holy Spirit-Walking Like Jesus Walked! Kept increasing (advancing, making progress) (4298)(prokopto from pró = before or forward + kópto = cut) means literally to cut forward or cut down in front. The idea is to remove the obstacles from a road so that straight and uninterrupted progress is possible. Comparing prokopto to the verb auxano, with auxano the growth is caused by factors outside oneself or by the element of life placed there by God Himself, whereas with prokopto the advance is by one's conscious effort. Thus the noun form auxesis is growth or increase brought about by God, while prokope, is a conscious advancement through exertion. Wisdom (4678)(sophia) is the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. Favor (5485)(charis) means grace, God's provision (ability, power, enabling) for living a supernatural life. Steven Cole outliens FOUR THINGS ABOUT SPIRITUAL GROWTH: (1) SPIRITUAL GROWTH TAKES TIME, BUT WE MUST ACTIVELY ENGAGE IN THE PROCESS. The fact that Jesus was growing in wisdom and still increasing more in wisdom (Luke 2:40, 52) shows that it is a lifelong process. But it is not automatic. Jesus hungered and thirsted after such wisdom so much that He set aside some of the “normal” things children like to do so that He could learn the Scriptures. Joseph and Mary also show us that growth is a process. They did not yet understand exactly who Jesus was, but they were growing in that understanding. The question you must ask yourself is, “What am I doing to grow in the things of God?” Do you have a regular time in His Word and in prayer? Are you reading solid books that instruct you in the faith? Do you engage in spiritual discussions with other like-minded believers? (2) SPIRITUAL GROWTH INVOLVES AN ACTIVE INTEREST IN THE WORD OF GOD. Think of all the interesting things in this bustling capital city that could have captivated the interest of a 12-year-old boy from the country. He could have been in the marketplace, watching the vendors haggling over prices with their customers. He could have been fascinated with the architecture of the palace and temple, or with the great walls of that ancient city. He could have joined with other boys in pretending that they were the great generals, defending those walls. He could have explored Hezekiah’s famous water tunnel, or any number of other interesting historical sites. He could have been watching the throngs of interesting people. Yet his parents found Him in the temple with the teachers, listening, asking intelligent questions, and giving answers that displayed unusual understanding (2:46, 47). If you want to grow in the things of God, like Jesus you must have a thirst for spiritual truth, demonstrated by listening to those who teach the Word, asking questions, and interacting on these great truths. (3) SPIRITUAL GROWTH SHOULD BE FOCUSED IN TWO DIRECTIONS: TOWARD GOD AND TOWARD OTHERS. Jesus grew “in favor with God and men” (2:52). These directions reflect the two great commandments, which are summaries of the two tables of the Ten Commandments, to love God with your total being, and to love your neighbor as yourself. In his introduction to Calvin’s Institutes, John McNeill quotes A. Mitchell Hunter who says, “Piety was the keynote of his character. He was a God-possessed soul. Theology was no concern to him as a study in itself; he devoted himself to it as a framework for the support of all that religion meant to him.” McNeill goes on to observe that “in Calvin’s pages we are everywhere confronting God, not toying with ideas or balancing opinions about him” (John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, ed. by John McNeill [Westminster], 1:lii). Calvin rightly saw sound theology as the necessary foundation, but he argued that such doctrine “must enter our heart and pass into our daily living, and so transform us into itself that it may not be unfruitful for us” (ibid., 3.6.4). Always study the Word with a view to knowing and loving God and loving others. (4) SPIRITUAL GROWTH CAN GET OFF TRACK IF WE ARE NOT ON GUARD. Here I am not looking at the example of Jesus, but at Joseph and Mary. They both meant well when they supposed that Jesus was with them in the caravan, but they were mistaken. And, neither of them understood Jesus’ gentle words of correction. This shows us that even godly people who mean well can be mistaken. Joseph and Mary’s failure to grasp the nature of Jesus’ mission and calling will later be matched by the disciples, who did not understand the necessity of the cross. This shows that we all must maintain teachable hearts and be willing to change our views when we have gotten off track. I regret that I used to teach much of the self-esteem errors that currently flood the church. God used Calvin’s Institutes to show me where I was wrong. Joseph and Mary were humble enough to receive correction from their 12-year-old Son. We must be teachable enough to receive correction from wherever God kindly brings it. We should imitate Jesus in spiritual growth. (Imitating Jesus - Luke 2:39-52) Hampton Keathley has a good reminder of the importance of passages such as Luke 2:52 - You may wonder how Jesus, who is eternal God, could grow in wisdom and in favor with God and men. If He is perfect, why did He need to grow? Alfred Plummer explains (The Gospel According to St. Luke [Charles Scribner’s Sons], p. 79): “At each stage He was perfect for that stage, but the perfection of a child is inferior to the perfection of a man; it is the difference between perfect innocence and perfect holiness.” In His humanity, He submitted to His parents. Though in His deity Jesus knew all things, in His humanity He had to grow in godly wisdom and in understanding of His divine calling and mission. The point is, Jesus was truly human. In early church history, several different heresies denied the true humanity of Jesus. Some said that He was just a spirit or that He seemed human, but was not actually so. The apostle John was battling some such heresy when he wrote that his own hands had handled Jesus and that “every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God” (1 John 1:1; 4:2). We need to be careful in emphasizing Jesus’ deity not to slight His humanity. If Jesus was not fully human, then we do not have a Savior, since only a man can save humans from their sin. Nor would we have a Savior who can identify with our weaknesses. Jesus was fully, truly God. This is the implication of Jesus’ question to His parents. Mary has just mentioned how she and Jesus’ father were anxiously looking for Him. In response, Jesus draws a gentle, but distinct, line between Joseph as His earthly father and God as His true Father. He is showing that the latter relationship has priority over the former. Plummer (pp. 77-78) comments, It is notable that the first recorded words of the Messiah are an expression of His Divine Sonship as man … These first recorded words are the kernel of the whole narrative, and the cause of its having been preserved. They must mean more than that Jesus is just a son of Abraham, and therefore has God as His Father. His parents would easily have understood so simple a statement as that. Jesus’ words confirm what the angel had told Mary, as recorded by Luke in 1:32, 35, that her child would be called “Son of the Most High,” and that “the holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.” This title was also affirmed at Jesus’ baptism, when God’s voice from heaven proclaimed, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased” (Luke 3:22). Later Jesus’ Jewish opponents understood His claim to have God as His Father to be a claim to equality with God, and in responding to them, Jesus clearly confirmed their understanding (John 5:18-47). In our day, several prominent cults deny the true deity of Jesus. If He is not eternal God, we have no Savior, because His death on the cross had no merit beyond Himself. So we must affirm both the true humanity of Jesus (apart from sin) along with His true and undiminished deity. He is fully God and fully man in one unique Person. When He took on human flesh, He voluntarily laid aside the use of some of His divine attributes and took on the form of a servant for the sake of our salvation (Phil. 2:5-12). As a man, Jesus showed us how human life is to be lived in constant dependence on the Father and obedience to His will. The Jesus whom we should imitate is none other than the unique Son of God, the second Person of the Trinity in human flesh. Related Resources: What is Docetism? What is Ebionism? What is the hypostatic union? Does Christ have two natures? What is Sabellianism? What is Arianism? An Irish legend tells of a king who disguised himself and went into the banquet hall of one of his barons. He was escorted to a lowly place among the throng who sat at the feast. The brilliance of his conversation and the nobility of his manner soon attracted the attention of someone with sufficient authority to escort him to a higher table. The same thing occurred once more, and soon he was seated among the nobles of the land. After a display of great wisdom, one of the lords spoke out, “In truth, sir, you speak like a king. If you are not a king, you deserve to be.” Then the king removed his disguise and took his rightful place among his subjects. That is what should have happened when the Lord Jesus Christ came to this earth. Although he was “disguised” as a lowly carpenter from Nazareth, He was the King of kings and Lord of lords. But His subjects were so blinded by their own pride and sin that they were not willing to bow before Him, even though He stated repeatedly and gave sufficient proof that He was the eternal God come down to redeem them. (Adapted from Donald Barnhouse, Let Me Illustrate [Revell], pp. 180, 181.) Do you recognize Jesus as the Son of God, as your Savior and Lord? If not, ask God to open your eyes to who Jesus is so that you can receive Him. If He is your Savior, imitate Him in spiritual growth, in routine faithfulness, and in commitment to God’s purpose for your life. Becoming - By Julie Ackerman Link I grew up in a small town. No famous people. No busy streets. Not much to do. Yet I’ve always been thankful for my quiet, uncomplicated upbringing. One evening when my husband and I were attending a business dinner, a new acquaintance asked me where I was from. When I told her, she said, “Aren’t you embarrassed to admit it?” Unsure whether or not she was joking, I simply said, “No.” Although my town was sometimes belittled for its lack of sophistication, it was not lacking in things that matter. My family was part of a church community in which parents brought up children “in the training and admonition of the Lord” (Eph. 6:4). Jesus also grew up in a small town: Nazareth. A man named Nathanael asked, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (John 1:46). Jesus proved that the answer is yes. Even though He grew up in an insignificant place, He was the most significant person in all of history. Experience taught me and Scripture confirms that what matters is not where you grow up but how you grow up. Sometimes we feel insignificant compared to sophisticated people from prominent places. But we are significant to God, and He can make us strong in spirit and filled with His wisdom. O teach me what it cost You, Lord, To make a sinner whole; And help me understand anew The value of one soul! —Anon.