a 70 As he spake " by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: 71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; 72 To perform the mercy mised to our fathers, and to member his holy covenant, 73 The oath d which he sware to our father Abraham, 74 That he would grant unto us, that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, pro75 Inf holiness and righteousre-ness before him, all the days of our life. a Je.23.5,6. Da.9.24. b Is.54.7-17. Je.30. 10,11. c Le.26.42. Ps.105.8-10. Eze. 16.60. strength, placed on the head, near the end of the nose. When the sacred writers therefore speak of great strength they often use the word horn. Ps. cxlviii. 14. Deut. xxxiii. 17. Dan. vii. 7,8; viii. 21. The word salvation, connected here with the word horn, means that this strength, or this mighty Redeemer, was able to save. It is possible that this whole figure may be taken from the Jewish altar. On each of the four corners of the altar there was an eminence, or small projection, called a horn. To this, persons might flee for safety, when in danger, and were safe. 1 Kings i. 50; ii. 38. Comp. Note on ch. i. 11. So the Redeemer may be called the "horn of salvation" because those who flee to him are safe. In the house. In the family, or among the descendants of David. 70. His holy prophets, &c. All the prophets are said to have alluded to the Messiah from the beginning of the world. The most striking of these were Jacob (Gen. xlix. 10); Moses, (Deut. xviii. 15); Isaiah, (ix. 6, 7; liii.) Since the world began. This is not to be taken literally, for there were no prophets immediately after the creation. It is merely a general expression, designed to denote that all the prophets had predicted the coming of the Messiah. 71. Saved from our enemies. The enemies of man are his sins, his carnal propensities, his lusts, and the great adversary Satan and his angels, that continually seek to destroy him. From these the Messiah came to save us. Compare Gen. iii. 15. Matt. i. 21. T The hand. The power, to save us from them. 72. To perform the mercy. To show the mercy promised. The expression in the original is "to make mercy with our fathers;" i. e. to show kindness to our fathers. And the propriety of it is fTit.2.11,12. d Ge.22.16,17. e Ro.6.22. 1 Pe.1.14,15. g Re.2.10. founded on the fact that mercy to children is regarded as kindness to the parent. Blessing the children was blessing the nation, was fulfilling the promises made to the fathers, and showing that he regarded them in mercy. ¶ His holy covenant. The word covenant means compact, or agreement. This is its use among men. It implies equality in the parties; freedom from constraint; freedom from previous obligation to do the thing now covenanted; and freedom from obligation to enter into a compact, unless a man chooses so to do. Such a transaction can never evidently take place between man and God, for they are not equal. Man is not at liberty to decline what God proposes, and he is under obligation to do all that God commands. When the word covenant, therefore, is used in the Bible, it means sometimes a command; sometimes a promise; sometimes a regular law -as the covenant of the day and night; and sometimes the way in which God dispenses mercy, that is, by the old and new covenants. In the place before us it means the promise made to Abraham, as the following verses clearly show. 73. The oath. This oath is recorded in Gen. xxii. 16, 17. It was an oath in which God swore by himself (because he could swear by no greater, Heb. vi. 13, 14), that he would surely bless Abraham and his posterity. That promise was now to be entirely fulfilled by the coming of the Messiah. 74. Might serve him. Might obey, honor, and worship him. This was regarded as a favor. This was what was promised. And for this Zacharias praised God. Without fear. Fear of death, of spiritual enemies, or of any external foes. In the sure hope of God's eternal favor beyond the grave. 75. In holiness, &c. In piety, and 76 And thou, child, shalt be call-spring from on high hath visited ed The Prophet of the Highest, for us, thou shalt go before the face of the Lord, to prepare his ways; 1 77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people, by the remission of their sins, 79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace. 80 And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. c Is.9.2. 49.9. strict justice. Before him. In the ing light, the aurora, the rising of the presence of God. Performed as in his sun. It is called the day-spring from presence, and with the full conscious-on high, because the light of the gospel ness that God sees the heart. The ho- shines forth from heaven. God is its liness was not to be merely external, author, and through his mercy it shines but spiritual, internal, pure, such as on men. There is here, doubtless, a God would see and approve. All the reference to Isa. Ix. 1, 2; indeed, aldays of our life. To death. True re- most the very words of that place are ligion increases and expands till death. quoted. Compare also Rev. xxii. 16. 76. And thou, child, &c. Zacharias predicts in this and the following verses, the dignity, the employment, and the success of John. He declares what would be the subject of his preaching, and what his success. Prophet of the highest. Prophet of God; a prophet appointed by God to declare his will, and to prepare the way for the coming of the Messiah. The face of the Lord. The Lord Jesus, the Messiah that was about to appear. To go before the face of one, is the same as to go immediately before one, or to be immediately follow-rest-to heaven. ed by another. T To prepare his ways. This is taken from Isa. xl. 3. See Note on Matt. iii. 3, and on Isa. xl. 3. 77. Knowledge of salvation. Knowledge of the way of salvation; that it was provided, and that the author of salvation was about to appear. By the remission of their sins. The word remission means pardon, forgiveness, or it denotes a treatment of the sinner, as if he had not committed the sin. This implies that the salvation about to be offered was that which was connected with the pardon of sin. There can be no other. God cannot treat men as his friends unless they come to him by repentance and obtain forgiveness. When that is obtained, which he is always disposed to grant, they can be treated with kindness and mercy. 79. To give light, &c. See Note, Matt. iv. 16. To guide our feet, &c. The figure in these verses is taken from travellers, who being overtaken by night know not what to do, and who wait patiently for the morning light, that they may know which way to go. So man wandered. So he became benighted. So he sat in the shadow of death. So he knew not which way to go until the sun of righteousness arose, and then the light shone brightly on his way, and the road was open to the promised land of This song of Zacharias is exceedingly beautiful. It expresses with elegance the great points of the plan of redemption, the doings of John, and the mercy of God in providing that plan. That mercy was great. It is worthy of praise; of our highest, loftiest songs of thanksgiving; for we were in the shadow of death-sinful, wretched, wanderingand the light arose, the gospel came, and men may rejoice in hope of eternal life. 80. Waxed strong in spirit. That is, in courage, understanding, and purposes of good, fitting him for his future work. The word wax means to increase, to grow, from an old Saxon word. ¶ In the deserts. In Hebron, and in the hill country where his father resided. He resided in obscurity, and was not known 78. Whereby the day-spring, &c. publicly by the people. Until the day The word day-spring means the morn-of his showing. Until he entered on his cree from Cesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed. 2 (And this taxing was first made 1 or, inrolled. appointment under the Roman emperor, and was subject in most matters to him. Farther, as this enrolment was merely to ascertain the numbers and property of the Jews, it is probable that they were very willing to be enrolled in this manner; and hence we hear that they went willingly, without tumult-contrary to the common way when they were to be taxed. 2. And this taxing was first made, &c. This verse has given as much perplexity, perhaps, as any one in the New Testament. The difficulty has consisted in the fact that Cyrenius, or Quirinius, was not governor of Syria until twelve or fifteen years after the birth of Jesus. Jesus was born during the reign of Herod. At that time Varus was president of Syria. Herod was succeeded by Archelaus, who reigned eight or nine years; and after he was removed, Judea was annexed to the 1. In those days. About the time of the birth of John and of Christ. TA decree. A law, commanding a thing to be done. Cæsar Augustus. This was the Roman emperor. His first name was Octavianus. He was nephew of Julius Cæsar, and obtained the empire after his death. He took the name Augustusi. e., august, or honorable-as a compliment to his own greatness; and from him the month August, which was before called Sextilis, received its name. T That all the world. There has been much difficulty respecting this passage, from the fact that no such taxing of all the world is mentioned by ancient writers. It should have been rendered the whole land-i. e., the whole land of Palestine. The whole land is mention-province of Syria, and Cyrenius was ed to show that it was not Judea only, sent as the governor. Josephus, Ant. but that it included also Galilee, the B. xvii. § 5. The difficulty has been place where Joseph and Mary dwelt. to reconcile this account with that in That the passage refers only to the land Luke. Various attempts have been of Palestine, and not to the whole world, made to do this. The one that seems or to all the Roman empire, is clear most satisfactory is that proposed by from the following considerations: 1st. Dr. Lardner. According to his view, The fact that no such taxing is men- it means, "This was the first census tioned as pertaining to any other coun- of Cyrenius, governor of Syria." It is try. 2d. The account of Luke is con- called the first, to distinguish it from fined to this country only. 3d. The one afterwards taken by Cyrenius. Acts words world, and whole world, are not v. 37. It is said to be the census taken unfrequently used in this limited sense by Cyrenius, governor of Syria; not as confined to a single country. See that he was then governor, but that it Matt. iv. 8, where Satan is said to have was taken by him who was afterwards shown to Christ all the kingdoms of the familiarly known as governor. Cyreworld-that is, of the land of Judea. nius, governor of Syria, was the name See also Josh. ii. 3; Luke iv. 25, (Greek); by which the man was known; and it Luke xxi. 26; Acts xi. 28. Should be was not improper to say that the taxtaxed. Our word tax means to levy ing was made by Cyrenius, the goverand raise money for the use of the go-nor of Syria, though he might not have vernment. This is not the meaning of the original word here. It means rather to enrol, or take a list of the citizens with their employments, the amount of their property, &c., equivalent to what was meant by census. Judea was at this time tributary to Rome. It paid taxes to the Roman emperor; and though Herod was king, yet he held his been actually governor for many years when Cyrenius was governor of espoused wife, being great with Syria.) child. 3 And all went to be taxed, every one into his own city. 4 And Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, (because he was of the house and lineage of David,) 5 To be taxed with Mary his though he was not actually made general till many years afterwards. According to this, Augustus sent Cyrenius, an active, enterprising man, to take this census. At that time he was a Roman senator. Afterwards he was made governor of the same country, and received the title which Luke gives him. Syria. The region of country north of Palestine, and lying between the Mediterranean and the Euphrates. The word Syria, called in the Hebrew Aram, from a son of Shem, (Gen. x. 22,) in its largest acceptation, extended from the Mediterranean and the river Cydnus to the Euphrates, and from mount Taurus on the north to Arabia and the border of Egypt on the south. It was divided into Syria Palestina, including Canaan and Phenicia, CaloSyria, between two ridges of mount Lebanon, and Upper Syria. The last was known as Syria in a restricted sense. The leading features in the physical aspect of Syria consist of the great mountainous chains of Lebanon, or Libanus, and Anti-Libanus, extending from north to south, and the great desert lying on the south-east and east. The valleys are of great fertility, and yield abundance of grain, vines, mulberries, tobacco, olives, excellent fruits, as oranges, figs, pistachios, &c. The climate, in the inhabited parts, is exceedingly fine. Syria is inhabited by various descriptions of people, but Turks and Greeks form the basis of the population in the cities. The only tribes that can be considered as peculiar to Syria are the tenants of the heights of Lebanon. The most remarkable of these are the Druses and Maronites. The general language is Arabic: the soldiers and officers of government 6 And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. 7 And she a brought forth her first-born son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn. a Matt.1.25. speak Turkish. Of the old Syriac no traces exist. 4. The city of David. Bethlehem, called the city of David because it was the place of his birth. See Matt. ii. 1. Because he was of the house. Of the family. And lineage. The lineage denotes that he was descended from David as his father, or ancestor. In taking a Jewish census, families were kept distinct. Hence all went into the tribe to which they belonged, and to the place where their family had resided. Joseph was of the tribe of Benjamin, and of the particular family of David. Hence he went up to the city of David. It is not improbable that he might also have had a small paternal estate in Bethlehem that rendered his presence there more desirable. 7. Her first-born son. Whether Mary had any other children or not, has been a matter of controversy. The obvious meaning of the Bible is that she had; and if this be the case, the word firstborn is here to be taken in its common signification. Swaddling clothes. When a child among the Hebrews was born, it was washed in water, rubbed in salt, and then wrapped in swaddling clothes; that is, not garments regularly made, as with us, but bands or blankets that confined the limbs closely. Ezek. xvi. 4. There was nothing peculiar in the manner in which the infant Jesus was treated. ¶ Laid him in a manger. The word manger, in the English language, means the box or trough in which provender is placed for horses or cattle." This is not the meaning of the word here. It means simply the stable, or the place where the cattle or camels lodged. There was no room at the inn, and they were obliged to lie in the stable or barn, and it was there that the 66 8 And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. 9 And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. 10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 1 or, the night-watches. child was laid. Their being there was no proof of poverty. It was a simple matter of necessity. There was no room at the inn. It may be added that in eastern countries it is not very unusual for travellers to pass the night in this manner. In the caravansary it is common for the whole caravan of camels, horses, and people, to lodge in the same place. Indeed the only pillow which children often have is the side of a horse, with which the whole family lie down. Horses are trained to remarkable gentleness and docility. Yet it is worthy of our consideration that Jesus was born poor. He did not inherit a princely estate. He was not cradled, as many are, in a palace. He had no rich friends. He had virtuous, pious parents, of more value to a child than many riches. And in this we are shown that it is no dishonor to be poor. Happy is that child who, whether his parents be rich or poor, has a pious father and mother. It is no matter, if he has not as much wealth, as fine clothes, or as splendid a house as another. It is enough for him to be as Jesus was, and God will bless him. No room at the inn. Many people assembled to be enrolled, and the tavern was filled before Joseph and Mary arrived. 8. The same country. Round about Bethlehem. Shepherds. Men who tended flocks of sheep. Abiding in the field. Remaining out of doors, under the open sky, with their flocks. This was commonly done. The climate was mild; and, to keep their flocks from straying, they spent the night with them. It is also a fact that the Jews sent out their flocks into the mountainous and desert regions during the summer months, and took them up in the VOL. II. - 3 11 For unto you is born this day, in the city of David, a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. 12 And this shall be a sign unto you: Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. b 13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host, praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, a Is.9.6. b Ps.103.20,21. 1 Pe.1.12. latter part of October or the first of November, when the cold weather commenced. While away in these deserts and mountainous regions, it was proper that there should be some one to attend them, to keep them from straying, and from the ravages of wolves and other wild beasts. It is clear from this that our Saviour was born before the 25th of December, or before what we call Christmas. At that time it is cold, and especially in the high and mountainous regions about Bethlehem. God has concealed the time of his birth. There is no way to ascertain it. By different learned men it has been fixed at each month in the year. Nor was it of consequence to know the time; if it had been, God would have preserved the record of it. Matters of moment are clearly revealed. Those which God. regards as of no importance are concealed. ¶ Keeping watch, &c. More literally, "tending their flocks by turns through the night watches.' 9. The glory of the Lord. This is the same as a great glory—that is, a splendid appearance or light. The word glory is often the same as light. 1 Cor. xv. 41. Luke ix. 31. Acts xxii. 11. The words Lord and God are often used to denote greatness or intensity. Thus, trees of God mean great trees; hills of God, high or lofty hills, &c. So the glory of the Lord here means an exceedingly great or bright luminous appearance-perhaps not unlike what Paul saw on the way to Damascus. 12. This shall be a sign, &c. The evidence by which you shall know the child is, that you will find him wrapped in swaddling clothes, and lying in a manger. 14. Glory to God. Praise be to God; |