1:39 In those days 1 Mary got up and went hurriedly into the hill country, to a town of Judah, 2
1 sn The expression In those days is another general time reference, though the sense of the context is that the visit came shortly after Mary miraculously conceived and shortly after the announcement about Jesus.
2 sn The author does not say exactly where Elizabeth stayed. The location is given generally as a town of Judah. Judah is about a three day trip south of Nazareth.
3 tn Grk “And he.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style. Due to the length and complexity of the Greek sentence, a new sentence was started here in the translation.
4 tn “River” is not in the Greek text but is supplied for clarity.
5 sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it (Luke 3:10-14).
6 tn Grk “Place these words into your ears,” an idiom. The meaning is either “do not forget these words” (L&N 29.5) or “Listen carefully to these words” (L&N 24.64). See also Exod 17:14. For a variation of this expression, see Luke 8:8.
7 tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is considered by some to be used here in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NRSV, “into human hands”; TEV, “to the power of human beings”). However, because this can be taken as a specific reference to the group responsible for Jesus’ arrest, where it is unlikely women were present (cf. Matt 26:47-56; Mark 14:43-52; Luke 22:47-53; John 18:2-12), the word “men” has been retained in the translation. There may also be a slight wordplay with “the Son of Man” earlier in the verse.
8 tn Grk “whatever town you enter,” but this is more often expressed in English as “whenever you enter a town.”
9 tn Or “city.”
10 tn Grk “and they”; the referent (the people who live in the town) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
11 sn More discussion takes place concerning rejection (the people do not welcome you), as these verses lead into the condemnation of certain towns for their rejection of God’s kingdom.
12 tn The term πλατεῖα (plateia) refers to the “broad street,” so this refers to the main roads of the town.
13 sn To warn them. The warning would consist of a call to act differently than their dead brother had, or else meet his current terrible fate.
14 tn Grk “lest they also come.”
15 sn Luke does not mention Gethsemane by name, but calls it simply the place.
16 sn Jesus’ instructions to pray not to fall into temptation is an allusion to Luke 22:28-38, especially 22:31. The temptation is Satan’s challenge to them to defect, like what happened to Judas and what will happen to Peter.
17 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “so” to indicate the implied result of Jesus finding them asleep.
18 sn Jesus calls the disciples again to prayerful watchfulness with the words “Get up and pray” (see 22:40). The time is full of danger (22:53).
19 tn Grk “who” (a continuation of the previous sentence).
20 sn Ironically, what Jesus was alleged to have done, started an insurrection, this man really did.
21 sn This is a parenthetical note by the author.
22 tn This Greek particle (οὐχί, ouci) expects a positive reply.
23 sn The statement Wasn’t it necessary is a reference to the design of God’s plan (see Luke 24:7). Suffering must precede glory (see Luke 17:25).
24 tn Or “Messiah”; both “Christ” (Greek) and “Messiah” (Hebrew and Aramaic) mean “one who has been anointed.”
sn See the note on Christ in 2:11.