The MacArthur Study Bible, NKJV

  2:3 own city. I.e., the place of tribal origin.

  2:4 Nazareth…Bethlehem. Both Joseph and Mary were descendants of David and therefore went to their tribal home in Judea to be registered. This was a difficult trek of more than 70 mi. through mountainous terrain—a particularly grueling journey for Mary, on the verge of delivery. Perhaps she and Joseph were conscious that a birth in Bethlehem would fulfill the prophecy in Mic. 5:2.

  2:5 betrothed. See note on Matt. 1:18. Matthew 1:24 indicates that when the angel told Joseph about Mary’s pregnancy, he “took to him his wife”—i.e., he took her into his home. But they did not consummate their marriage until after the birth of Jesus (Matt. 1:25). Therefore, technically, they were still betrothed.

  2:7 firstborn. Mary had other children subsequent to this. See note on Matt. 12:46. swaddling cloths. Strips of cloth used to bind a baby tightly. It kept the baby from injuring sensitive facial skin and eyes with its own (often sharp) fingernails, and was believed to strengthen the limbs. This is still the custom in some Eastern cultures. The absence of swaddling cloths was a sign of poverty or lack of parental care (Ezek. 16:4). manger. A feeding trough for animals. This is the source of the notion that Christ was born in a stable, something nowhere stated in Scripture. Ancient tradition held that He was born in a cave (possibly one used as a shelter for animals). But no actual description of the location is given. no room for them in the inn. Possibly because many were returning to this ancient town to register in the census.

  2:8 shepherds. Bethlehem was nearby Jerusalem, and many of the sheep used in the temple sacrifices came from there. The surrounding hills were prime grazing land, and shepherds worked in the area day and night, all year round. Therefore it is not possible to draw any conclusion about the time of year by the fact that shepherds were living out in the fields.

  2:10 Do not be afraid. See note on 1:12; cf. 1:65.

  2:11 city of David. I.e., Bethlehem, the town where David was born—not the City of David, which was on the southern slope of Mt. Zion (cf. 2 Sam. 5:7–9). a Savior. This is one of only two places in the gospels where Christ is referred to as “Savior”—the other being John 4:42, where the men of Sychar confessed Him as “Savior of the world.” Christ. ”Christ” is the Gr. equivalent of “Messiah” (see note on Matt. 1:1). Lord. The Gr. word can mean “master”—but it is also the word used to translate the covenant name of God. Here (and in most of its NT occurrences), it is used in the latter sense, as a title of deity.

  2:13 host. A term used to describe an army encampment. Christ also used military imagery to describe the angels in Matt. 26:53 (see note there). Revelation 5:11 suggests that the number of the angelic host may be too large for the human mind to fathom. Note that here the heavenly army brought a message of peace and goodwill (v. 14).

  2:14 the highest. I.e., heaven. peace. This is not to be taken as a universal declaration of peace toward all humanity. Rather, peace with God is a corollary of justification (see note on Rom. 5:1). goodwill toward men. Note the marginal rendering. The Gr. word for “goodwill” is also used in 10:21. The verb form of the same word is used in 3:22; 12:32. In each case, it refers to God’s sovereign good pleasure. So a better rendering here might be “peace toward men on whom God’s sovereign pleasure rests.” God’s peace is not a reward for those who have good will, but a gracious gift to those who are the objects of His good will.

  2:18 all those who heard it marveled. Wonderment at the mysteries of Christ’s words and works is one of the threads that runs through Luke’s gospel. Cf. vv. 19, 33, 47, 48; 1:21, 63; 4:22, 36; 5:9; 8:25; 9:43–45; 11:14; 20:26; 24:12, 41. See note on v. 20.

  2:20 praising God. Luke often reports this response. Cf. v. 28; 1:64; 5:25, 26; 7:16; 13:13; 17:15–18; 18:43; 19:37–40; 23:47; 24:52, 53.

  2:21 eight days. See note on 1:59.

  2:22 her purification. A woman who bore a son was ceremonially unclean for 40 days (twice that if she bore a daughter—Lev. 12:2–5). After that she was to offer a yearling lamb and a dove or pigeon (Lev. 12:6). If poor, she could offer two doves or pigeons (Lev. 12:8). Mary’s offering indicates that she and Joseph were poor (v. 24). to Jerusalem. A journey of about 6 mi. from Bethlehem. to present Him to the Lord. The dedication of the firstborn son was also required by Moses’ law (v. 23, cf. Ex. 13:2, 12–15).

  2:24 A pair of turtledoves. See note on v. 22. Quoted from Lev. 12:8.

  2:25 Simeon. He is mentioned nowhere else in Scripture. the Consolation of Israel. A messianic title, evidently derived from verses like Is. 25:9; 40:1, 2; 66:1–11.

  2:26 it had been revealed to him. It is significant that with messianic expectation running so high (cf. 3:15), and with the many OT prophecies that spoke of His coming, still only a handful of people realized the significance of Christ’s birth. Most of them, including Simeon, received some angelic message or other special revelation to make the fulfillment of the OT prophecies clear.

  2:29–32 Simeon’s psalm is known as the Nunc Dimittis, from the first two words of the Latin translation (see notes on 1:46–55; 1:68–79). It is the fourth of 5 psalms of praise Luke included in his birth narrative (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes). It is a touching expression of Simeon’s extraordinary faith.

  2:30 Your salvation. I.e., the One who would redeem His people from their sins.

  2:31 all peoples. I.e., all nations, tongues, and tribes (cf. Rev. 7:9)—both Israel and the Gentiles (v. 32).

  2:34 fall and rising of many in Israel. To those who reject Him, He is a stone of stumbling (1 Pet. 2:8); those who receive Him are raised up (Eph. 2:6). Cf. Is. 8:14, 15; Hos. 14:9; 1 Cor. 1:23, 24. spoken against. This was synecdoche. Simeon mentioned only the verbal insults hurled at Christ, but the expression actually embraced more than that—Israel’s rejection, and hatred, and crucifixion of the Messiah. See note on v. 35.

  2:35 a sword. This was undoubtedly a reference to the personal grief Mary would endure when she watched her own Son die in agony (John 19:25). that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed. The rejection of the Messiah (see note on v. 34) would reveal the appalling truth about the apostate state of the Jews.

  2:36 a prophetess. This refers to a woman who spoke God’s Word. She was a teacher of the OT, not a source of revelation. The OT mentions only 3 women who prophesied: Miriam (Ex. 15:20); Deborah (Judg. 4:4); Huldah (2 Kin. 22:14; 2 Chr. 34:22). One other, the “prophetess” Noadiah, was evidently a false prophet, grouped by Nehemiah with his enemies. Isaiah 8:3 refers to the prophet’s wife as a “prophetess”—but there is no evidence Isaiah’s wife prophesied. Perhaps she is so-called because the child she bore was given a name that was prophetic (Is. 8:3, 4). This use of the title for Isaiah’s wife also shows that the title does not necessarily indicate an ongoing revelatory prophetic ministry. Rabbinical tradition also regarded Sarah, Hannah, Abigail, and Esther as prophetesses (apparently to make an even 7 with Miriam, Deborah, and Huldah). In the NT, the daughters of Philip prophesied (see note on Acts 21:9).

  2:37 a widow of about eighty-four years. This probably means she was an 84-year-old widow, not that she had been widowed that long, since if she had been widowed 84 years after a 7-year marriage (v. 35), she would have been at least 104 years old. not depart from the temple. She evidently had her living quarters on the temple grounds. There would have been several such dwelling places for priests in the outer court, and Anna must have been allowed to live there permanently because of her unusual status as a prophetess.

  2:39 they returned to Galilee. Luke omitted the visit of the Magi and the flight into Egypt (Matt. 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.

  2:41 Feast of the Passover. See note on Ex. 23:14–19. Passover was a one-day feast, followed immediately by the week-long Feast of Unleavened Bread (see note on Matt. 26:17).

  2:43 Jesus lingered. In stark contrast to the apocryphal gospels’ spurious tale
s of youthful miracles and supernatural exploits, this lone biblical insight into the youth of Jesus portrays Him as a typical boy in a typical family. His lingering was neither mischievous nor disobedient; it was owing to a simple mistaken presumption on His parents’ part (v. 44) that He was left behind.

  2:44 in the company. Obviously Joseph and Mary were traveling with a large caravan of friends and relatives from Nazareth. No doubt hundreds of people from their community went together to the feast. Men and women in such a group might have been separated by some distance, and it appears each parent thought He was with the other.

  2:46 three days. This probably does not mean they searched Jerusalem for 3 days. They apparently realized He was missing at the end of a full day’s travel. That required another full day’s journey back to Jerusalem, and the better part of another day was spent seeking Him. listening to them and asking them questions. He was utterly respectful, taking the role of the student. But even at that young age, His questions showed a wisdom that put the teachers to shame.

  2:48 why have You done this to us? Mary’s words convey a tone of exasperation and rebuke—normal for any mother under such circumstances, but misplaced in this case. He was not hiding from them or defying their authority. In fact, He had done precisely what any child should do under such circumstances (being left by His parents)—He went to a safe, public place, in the presence of trusted adults, where His parents could be expected to come looking for Him (v. 49). Your father. I.e., Joseph, who was legally His father.

  2:49 My Father’s business. Contrasting with Mary’s “your father” in v. 48. His reply was in no sense insolent, but reveals a genuine amazement that they did not know where to look for Him. This also reveals that even at so young an age, He had a clear consciousness of His identity and mission.

  2:51 was subject. His relationship with His Heavenly Father did not override or nullify His duty to His earthly parents. His obedience to the fifth commandment was an essential part of the perfect legal obedience He rendered on our behalf (Heb. 4:4; 5:8, 9). He had to fulfill all righteousness (see note on Matt. 3:15).

  2:52 And Jesus increased. Jesus did not cease being God or divest Himself of divine attributes in order to become man. Rather, He took on a human nature (an addition, not a subtraction), and submitted the use of His divine attributes to the will of the Father (John 5:19, 30; 8:28; Phil. 2:5–8). Therefore, there were times when His omniscience was on display (Matt. 9:4; John 2:24, 25; 4:17, 18; 11:11–14; 16:30) and other times when it was veiled by His humanity in accordance with the Father’s will (Mark 13:32). Christ was therefore subject to the normal process of human growth, intellectually, physically, spiritually, and socially. See note on Mark 13:32.

  Luke 3

  3:1 fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius. Because of the way Tiberius came to power, this date is hard to fix precisely. When the Roman Senate declared Augustus emperor (see note on 2:1), they did so on condition that his power would end with his death, rather than passing to his heirs. The idea was that the senate, rather than the emperor himself, was to choose the heir to the throne. However, Augustus circumvented that difficulty by appointing a co-regent, on whom he planned gradually to confer the imperial powers. When he outlived his first choice for successor, Augustus next selected his son-in-law, Tiberius, whom he adopted and made his heir in A.D. 4 (Augustus disliked Tiberius but hoped to pass power to his grandsons through him). Tiberius was made co-regent in A.D. 11, then automatically became sole ruler at the death of Augustus on Aug. 19, A.D. 14. If Luke’s chronology is dated from Tiberius’ appointment to the co-regency, the 15th year would be A.D. 25 or 26. If Luke was reckoning from the death of Augustus, this date would fall between Aug. 19, A.D. 28 and Aug. 18, A.D. 29. One other fact complicates the setting of a precise date: the Jews reckoned a ruler’s term from the Jewish New Year following accession, so if Luke was using the Jewish system, the actual dates could be slightly later. The earlier date of A.D. 25–26 seems to fit the chronology of Christ’s life best. Pontius Pilate…Herod…Philip. See note on Matt. 2:22. Lysanias. Ruler of the area NW of Damascus. History is virtually silent about him.

  3:2 Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. See note on Acts 4:6. According to Josephus, Annas served as High-Priest A.D. 6–15, when he was deposed by Roman officials. He nonetheless retained de facto power, as seen in the fact that his successors included 5 of his sons and Caiaphas, a son-in-law (see note on Matt. 26:3). Caiaphas was the actual High-Priest during the time Luke describes, but Annas still controlled the office. This is seen clearly in the fact that Christ was taken to Annas first after His arrest, then to Caiaphas (see note on Matt. 26:57). wilderness. See note on Matt. 3:1.

  3:3 baptism of repentance. See note on Matt. 3:6. for the remission of sins. I.e., to symbolize and testify of the forgiveness already received upon repentance (see note on Acts 2:38).

  3:4 Make His paths straight. Quoted from Is. 40:3–5 (see notes there). A monarch traveling in wilderness regions would have a crew of workmen go ahead to make sure the road was clear of debris, obstructions, potholes, and other hazards that made the journey difficult. In a spiritual sense, John was calling the people of Israel to prepare their hearts for the coming of their Messiah.

  3:6 all flesh. I.e., Gentiles as well as Jews (see note on 2:31). All 4 gospels quote Is. 40:3 (Matt. 3:3; Mark 1:3; John 1:23). Only Luke adds vv. 5, 6—thus using a familiar text from Isaiah to stress his theme of the universal scope of the gospel (see Introduction: Interpretive Challenges).

  3:7 the wrath to come. Possibly a reference to the coming destruction of Jerusalem. But this certainly also looks beyond any earthly calamity to the eschatological outpouring of divine wrath in the Day of the Lord, and especially the final judgment, where divine wrath will be the just fruit of all the unrepentant (cf. Rom. 1:18; 1 Thess. 1:10; Heb. 10:27). See note on Matt. 3:7.

  3:8 children to Abraham. Abraham’s true children are not merely physical descendants, but those who follow his faith, believing God’s Word the way he did (Rom. 4:11–16; 9:8; Gal. 3:7). To trust one’s physical ancestry is to shift the focus of faith away from God Himself—and that is spiritually fatal (cf. John 8:39–44). stones. Cf. 19:40. The imagery may echo OT verses such as Ezek. 11:19; 36:26; God can sovereignly turn a heart of stone into a believing heart. He can raise up children to Abraham from inanimate objects if He chooses—or even from stony-hearted Gentiles (cf. Gal. 3:29).

  3:9 ax…to the root. See note on Matt. 3:10.

  3:11 two tunics. Shirt-like garments. Only one could be worn at a time. John was still stressing the imminence of the coming judgment. This was not a time to hoard one’s surplus goods.

  3:12 tax collectors. See note on Matt. 5:46.

  3:14 soldiers. These were most likely members of the forces of Herod Antipas, stationed at Pered, perhaps, along with Judean police. Do not intimidate anyone. Here and in v. 13, John demanded integrity and high character in the practical matters of everyday life, not a monastic lifestyle or a mystical asceticism. Cf. James 1:27.

  3:16 baptize. See note on Matt. 3:11. sandal strap. Unfastening the sandal strap was the lowliest slave’s task, preliminary to washing the feet (see note on John 13:4, 5).

  3:17 fan. See note on Matt. 3:12.

  3:19 rebuked…concerning Herodias. See note on Matt. 14:3.

  3:20 shut John up in prison. This event actually occurred much later during Jesus’ ministry (Matt. 14:1–12; John 3:22–24). But Luke organized his material on John the Baptist topically rather than chronologically (see Introduction: Background and Setting).

  3:21 baptized. See note on Matt. 3:15. while He prayed. Luke alone notes that Jesus was praying. Prayer is one of Luke’s themes (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes).

  3:22 Holy Spirit. See note on Matt. 3:16, 17. All 3 persons of the Trinity are distinguishable in this verse, a strong proof against the heresy of modalism, which suggests that God is one Person who manifests Himself in 3 distinct modes, one at a time. in bodily form
. I.e., physical and visible to all (cf. Matt. 3:16; John 1:32). like a dove. A picture of gentleness (Matt. 10:16). My beloved Son. See note on Matt. 3:17.

  3:23–38 Luke’s genealogy moves backward, from Jesus to Adam; Matthew’s moves forward, from Abraham to Joseph. Luke’s entire section from Joseph to David differs starkly from that given by Matthew. The two genealogies are easily reconciled if Luke’s is seen as Mary’s genealogy, and Matthew’s version represents Joseph’s. Thus the royal line is passed through Jesus’ legal father, and His physical descent from David is established by Mary’s lineage. Luke, unlike Matthew (see note on Matt. 1:3), includes no women in his genealogy—even Mary herself. Joseph was “the son of Heli” by marriage (Heli having no sons of his own), and thus is named here in v. 23 as the representative of Mary’s generation. Moses himself established precedent for this sort of substitution in Num. 27:1–11; 36:1–12. The men listed from Heli (v. 23) to Rhesa (v. 27) are found nowhere else in Scripture. Zerubbabel and Shealtiel (v. 27) are the only two names here that correspond to names in Matthew’s genealogy between David and Jesus. For an explanation see notes on Hag. 2:23; Matt. 1:12.

  3:23 about thirty years of age. Luke was probably not fixing an exact age. Rather, this was an approximation, 30 being a customary age for entering into the office of prophet (Ezek. 1:1); priest (Num. 4:3, 35, 39, 43, 47), or king (Gen. 41:46; 2 Sam. 5:4). as was supposed. Luke had already established the fact of the virgin birth (1:34, 35); here he made clear once again that Joseph was not Jesus’ true father.

  Luke 4

  4:1 led by the Spirit. See note on Matt. 4:1.

  4:2 tempted for forty days. Evidently the temptation of Christ encompassed the full 40 days of His fast (see note on Matt. 4:2). Both Matthew and Luke give a condensed recounting of only 3 specific temptations. Luke reverses the order of the last two temptations in Matthew’s account. Luke occasionally ordered material logically, rather than chronologically (see Introduction: Background and Setting; see note on 1:3). Luke may have had some purpose for doing so here—perhaps to end his account of Jesus’ temptation at the temple in Jerusalem (cf. v. 9), a very important location in Luke’s narrative (see Introduction: Historical and Theological Themes).