Luke 1 Study Notes

1:1-4 Using elegant Greek, Luke begins his narrative about the events of Jesus’s life and ministry with a formal preface. This was a common practice in historical works of Luke’s era. His prologue (1) acknowledges previous treatments of the subject, (2) states his methodology, (3) identifies the recipient, and (4) articulates his purpose in writing.

1:1 Many have undertaken to compile a narrative means that a number of others had previously written about the life and works of Jesus. This may include the Gospels of Mark and Matthew since they preceded Luke’s writing. Events . . . fulfilled among us speaks of how Jesus fulfilled many OT prophecies (see note at 24:44-45).

1:2 Original eyewitnesses included Mary, the mother of Jesus, about whom Luke wrote more than any other NT author. Mary may have still been alive when Luke wrote his Gospel. Servants of the word refers to the apostles of Jesus but may also include his brothers, James and Jude. Tradition says both brothers wrote NT books.

1:3 It also seemed good to me does not mean that Luke found the previous narratives (v. 1) to be erroneous or inadequate. Rather, he wrote his Gospel to complement what was already written. Carefully investigated everything from the very first means Luke studied the life and ministry of Jesus in meticulous detail (“carefully”) and with comprehensive scope (“everything”), including many aspects related to the births of John the Baptist and Jesus (“from the very first”) that are not found in the other Gospels. Orderly sequence does not mean strict chronological sequence, but in an orderly manner, whether chronological (generally) or topical. On most honorable Theophilus, see Introduction.

1:4 Luke’s stated purpose in writing his Gospel was to provide historical certainty and theological clarity for Theophilus in regard to what he had been taught (instructed) about Jesus.

1:5 King Herod the Great was an Idumean appointed by the Roman emperor who ruled from 37-4 BC. His realm covered not only Judea, but also Samaria, Galilee, and parts of Perea and Syria. In the days of indicates that the events that immediately follow probably occurred in 7-6 BC. The priesthood of Israel was made up of twenty-four divisions, including the house of Abijah (1Ch 24:10). Daughters of Aaron reveals that Elizabeth and her husband Zechariah were from priestly families. It is also the first instance of Luke’s regular emphasis on the vital role that women played throughout Jesus’s life.

1:6-7 The words righteous . . . living without blame refers to consistent obedience to God’s commands and requirements, but more foundationally to living by faith. This is how Abraham was justified in God’s sight (Gn 15:6; Gl 3:6-7,9). Like Abraham and Sarah, despite their godliness, Zechariah and Elizabeth had no children and were well along in years (past the age of child-bearing). It was considered a curse from God for a woman to be unable to bear children (see note at vv. 24-25).

1:8-9 Twice a year the priestly division of Abijah (see note at v. 5) was on duty at the Jerusalem temple for a week. Out of hundreds of priests in his division, Zechariah was chosen by the casting of a lot (see notes at Pr 16:33; Ac 1:24-26) to burn incense on the altar in front of the most holy place (the sanctuary), a privileged duty that a priest could perform only once in his life. In fact, many never enjoyed this privilege because the lot never fell to them.

1:10 The hour of incense occurred at 9:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. daily. The presence of a sizable assembly of the people makes it more likely that this incident took place in the afternoon.

1:11-12 On an angel of the Lord, see note at v. 19. To be overcome with fear upon seeing an angel is common in Luke (v. 29; 2:9) and elsewhere in Scripture (Jdg 6:22-23; Dn 8:16-17).

1:13 Your prayer may refer to Zechariah and Elizabeth praying to have a child (your wife . . . will bear you a son), or it could have been the prayer a priest was to offer at the altar for the redemption of Israel. John means “the Lord is gracious.”

1:14-15 Joy is the prevailing mood of the first two chapters of Luke’s Gospel (vv. 44,47,58; 2:10). As great in the sight of the Lord as John would be, he was still only the forerunner for the coming Messiah. Never drink wine or beer indicates that John the Baptist was under a lifelong Nazirite vow (Nm 6:1-21). On filled with the Holy Spirit . . . in his mother’s womb, see note at v. 41-45. On the meaning of being filled with the Holy Spirit, see Eph 5:18.

1:16-17 Turn . . . to the Lord their God speaks of conversion, the result of repentance, which John the Baptist preached forcefully (3:3). Go before him . . . to make ready for the Lord a prepared people echoes the essence of the prophecy in Is 40:3-5 (see Lk 3:4-6). Malachi 4:5-6 prophesied that an Elijah-like figure would come and turn the hearts of fathers to their children. That new “Elijah” would be John the Baptist.

1:18 Like Abraham (Gn 15:8) and Sarah (Gn 18:10-15), Zechariah had a difficult time believing God would fulfill his promise in his old age.

1:19 Gabriel means “(mighty) man of God.” He is one of only two angels named in Scripture. The other is Michael (Dn 12:1; Rv 12:7).

1:20 As punishment for doubting the angel’s pronouncement, Zechariah was rendered mute (silent and unable to speak) and possibly deaf as well (v. 62). The day these things take place was the time that began at John’s birth and culminated at his circumcision (vv. 57-64).

1:21-22 The people . . . waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary were surprised because he did not emerge when expected. Since Gabriel had rendered him speechless (v. 20), Zechariah was unable to pronounce the traditional Aaronic blessing (Nm 6:24-26) upon the crowd. They realized he had seen a vision, likely because they noted his facial expressions and the excited signs he made with his hands.

1:23 Since each priest was on duty only for a week at a time, Zechariah would have been able to go home soon after his encounter with Gabriel (vv. 10-20). His home was in the Judean hill country, not far from Jerusalem (v. 39).

1:24-25 Elizabeth withdrew and kept herself in seclusion for five months after she miraculously conceived. Why did she do this? Some speculate that she feared miscarrying during the early months of pregnancy. More likely she recognized that her unusual pregnancy would draw unwelcome attention if it became widely known. Better to have a restful start to a pregnancy that came so late in life.

1:26-38 Here the announcement of Jesus’s coming birth is told from Mary’s perspective. Matthew gives it from Joseph’s vantage point (Mt 1:18-23).

1:26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, Gabriel, the same angel who had appeared to Zechariah previously (v. 19), was dispatched by God to Nazareth. This was a small village in Galilee, a region north of Judea and Samaria.

1:27 Virgin (Gk parthenos) may echo the prophecy of the virgin birth in Is 7:14 (Mt 1:18-25). According to Jewish law, being engaged was just as legally binding as being married (Mt 1:18-19). The house of David was a clan in the tribe of Judah, from which prophecies said the Messiah would come (Gn 49:9-10).

1:28-30 Mary was favored because the Lord set his undeserved grace upon her, not because she had earned good standing. Understandably, she was deeply troubled by Gabriel’s visit and greeting, wondering how she had come to receive such an honor. Gabriel’s admonishment that Mary not be afraid was the same thing he said to Zechariah (v. 13).

1:31-33 The miracle that would cause Mary to conceive and give birth to a son would be a far greater miracle than the one that caused Elizabeth to conceive in old age (vv. 13,18) because, unlike Elizabeth, Mary was still a virgin (v. 34). The name Jesus (Gk Iesous) is equivalent to the Hebrew Yehoshua (Joshua), meaning “the Lord is salvation.” Being the Son of the Most High means Jesus was the Son of God himself (v. 35) because God created the life in Mary’s womb without the aid of a human father (see note at vv. 34-35). Humanly speaking, though, Jesus’s lineage would be traced legitimately through the royal family of David (see note at 3:23-38) because Joseph, Jesus’s adoptive father, was a descendant of David. This made Jesus heir to David’s throne according to God’s eternal covenant (forever . . . his kingdom will have no end, v. 33; see 2Sm 7:13,16).

1:34-35 The difference between Mary’s response (how can this be) and Zechariah’s (v. 18) is that Mary asked her question not from unbelief but from puzzlement (v. 38; see note at v. 20). The answer to Mary’s question about how she could get pregnant without having sexual relations with a man is that the Holy Spirit would overshadow her and cause her to conceive (see note at vv. 31-33). Because the Holy Spirit was the agent of conception, the child (the holy One; 2Co 5:21; Heb 4:15) would be the Son of God.

1:36-37 There is no way of knowing whether your relative Elizabeth means Elizabeth was Mary’s aunt or cousin. On she has conceived . . . the sixth month, see note at vv. 24-25. If ever Mary was tempted to doubt God’s promise to her, she could recall Gabriel’s words that nothing will be impossible with God, as had been shown in the lives of Abraham and Sarah (Gn 18:14).

1:38 Mary’s response is a classic model of humble commitment (I am the Lord’s servant) and willing obedience (may it be done to me according to your word).

1:39-40 Shortly after Gabriel left, Mary traveled to Judah to check on her relative, Elizabeth, whom she had just learned (from the angel) was pregnant (see note at vv. 36-37).

1:41-45 The baby (John) being “filled with the Holy Spirit” (v. 15) fulfilled Gabriel’s prediction to Zechariah. But Elizabeth was filled with the Spirit also (v. 41), and the Spirit’s revelations to her were apparently the source of her knowledge about the blessed roles and identities of Mary and her unborn child. When baby John leaped inside Elizabeth, she understood that he had experienced great joy at Mary’s presence.

1:46-55 Mary’s hymn of praise is known as the “Magnificat,” so named for the Latin term rendered as praises the greatness. It is similar in tone to the song of Hannah (1Sm 2:1-10).

1:46-49 There is a beautiful balance in Mary’s hymn of praise. She expressed humble recognition of the greatness and holy nature of God and his grace (favor) on his voluntary servant, but also an awareness that God’s unique calling on her life would result in all future generations calling her blessed. She viewed herself as both humbled and exalted.

1:50-53 These verses recall the descriptions of God’s justice found throughout the Psalms (e.g., Ps 100:5; 103:11). Those who fear him is an OT expression that is equivalent to the NT idea of faith. Fear of God is faith in God. His arm is figurative for God’s power. God is a Spirit being (Jn 4:24) and does not have a physical body, but bodily metaphors are effective in communicating some of God’s attributes and actions. God is against the proud . . . the mighty, and the rich, who imagine themselves self-sufficient. By contrast, he champions the cause of the lowly and the hungry, for they acknowledge their need for him.

1:54-55 In sending Jesus to be born to Mary, God mercifully helped . . . Israel, in keeping with promises he had made centuries earlier to Abraham and his descendants (see Gn 12:1-3; 22:15-18).

1:56-57 Mary visited Elizabeth shortly after hearing she was “in the sixth month” of her pregnancy (vv. 36,39-40) and stayed with her about three months. Mary may have returned to Nazareth either shortly before or after the birth of Elizabeth’s son, John. Given their spiritual bond and the great roles their sons would play in God’s plan, it seems likely that Mary stayed for John’s birth.

1:58 Since Elizabeth remained secluded for the early months of her pregnancy (see note at vv. 24-25), it is possible that many of her neighbors and relatives first learned of God’s great mercy toward her at or near the time of John’s birth. The birth of a son was seen as favor from God.

1:59-63 In the OT, a child’s name was more often given at birth. Perhaps Zechariah’s inability to speak at John’s birth caused the delay. Because Luke was writing for a Gentile audience that was unfamiliar with Jewish rites, he explained that Mosaic law (Lv 12:3) required parents to circumcise a male child (i.e., cut off the foreskin of his sex organ) on the eighth day. It was customary to name a boy baby after his father, in this case Zechariah, or his grandfather. Elizabeth had apparently already learned from Zechariah in writing that God wished for them to name the baby John. That neighbors and relatives motioned to Zechariah (rather than spoke) may imply that he was temporarily deaf as well as mute (vv. 20,22). A writing tablet was a small wooden board covered with wax. A wooden stylus was used to etch words into the wax.

1:64 That Zechariah was again able to speak fulfilled Gabriel’s prediction (see note at v. 20).

1:65-66 The overall outcome of the preceding episode is that it was clear that the Lord’s hand was with the newborn John in a remarkable way and that everyone living in the region continued to ponder (took . . . to heart) the question, What . . . will this child become?

1:67 On the meaning of filled with the Holy Spirit, see Eph 5:18. It is ironic that Zechariah, being a priest (v. 5) and having prophesied, set the stage for the ministry of his son, John the Baptist. Though John hailed from a priestly family, he was called to serve as a prophet of the Most High (v. 76).

1:68-79 Zechariah’s prophecy is traditionally called the “Benedictus,” from the first word (blessed) of v. 68 in the Latin Vulgate Bible.

1:68-70 The births of John the Baptist, the forerunner (v. 17; Is 40:1-5; Mal 4:5-6), and Jesus, the Messiah, marked the initiation of the final stages of God’s plan of salvation for his people. This salvation would require a payment of redemption on the cross by Jesus. An animal’s horn symbolized strength or power (Dt 33:17). Jesus was from the house of . . . David (see v. 27; 3:30).

1:71-75 The ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus fulfilled God’s covenant with David (v. 69; 2Sm 7:12-16) and the oath that he swore to . . . Abraham (see Gn 12:1-3). As a result, in the Messiah’s future reign, Israel would have full salvation from their enemies and would serve God in holiness and righteousness.

1:76 John was to be the prophet of the Most High who would go before Jesus, “the Son of the Most High” (see note at vv. 31-33) to prepare his ways (see Is 40:3; Mal 3:1).

1:77 To give knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of sins was the emphasis of John the Baptist’s preaching (see note at 3:2-3).

1:78-79 Dawn from on high speaks of the coming Messiah (Mal 4:2). The Lord’s visitation began with John’s birth. The next part of that visit would be Jesus’s birth (2:1-20). The phrase those who live in darkness and the shadow of death probably echoes Is 9:1-2, which is cited in Mt 4:16. The way of peace with God is through faith in Christ (Rm 5:1).

1:80 This verse about John’s upbringing is parallel to 2:51-52, which is about Jesus’s upbringing. Because Zechariah and Elizabeth were already quite old when John was born (see note at 1:6-7), they probably died while he was fairly young, which may explain why he grew up . . . in the wilderness of Judea, between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. The day of his public appearance is recounted in 3:1-3. Since ministry for a Levite (which John was) began at thirty years old (Nm 4:46-47), this is probably when he launched his ministry, as did Jesus (Lk 3:23).