1:68 “Blessed 3 be the Lord God of Israel,
because he has come to help 4 and has redeemed 5 his people.
1:78 Because of 6 our God’s tender mercy 7
the dawn 8 will break 9 upon us from on high
8:19 Now Jesus’ 13 mother and his brothers 14 came to him, but 15 they could not get near him because of the crowd.
1 sn Elizabeth was barren. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth are regarded by Luke as righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly (v. 6). With this language, reminiscent of various passages in the OT, Luke is probably drawing implicit comparisons to the age and barrenness of such famous OT personalities as Abraham and Sarah (see, e.g., Gen 18:9-15), the mother of Samson (Judg 13:2-5), and Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1-20). And, as it was in the case of these OT saints, so it is with Elizabeth: After much anguish and seeking the Lord, she too is going to have a son in her barrenness. In that day it was a great reproach to be childless, for children were a sign of God’s blessing (cf. Gen 1:28; Lev 20:20-21; Pss 127 and 128; Jer 22:30). As the dawn of salvation draws near, however, God will change this elderly couple’s grief into great joy and grant them the one desire time had rendered impossible.
2 tn Grk “were both advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).
3 sn The traditional name of this psalm, the “Benedictus,” comes from the Latin wording of the start of the hymn (“Blessed be…”).
4 sn The verb come to help can refer to a visit, but can also connote concern or assistance (L&N 85.11).
5 tn Or “has delivered”; Grk “has accomplished redemption.”
sn Has redeemed is a reference to redemption, but it anticipates the total release into salvation that the full work of Messiah will bring for Israel. This involves both spiritual and material benefits eventually.
6 tn For reasons of style, a new sentence has been started in the translation at this point. God’s mercy is ultimately seen in the deliverance John points to, so v. 78a is placed with the reference to Jesus as the light of dawning day.
7 sn God’s loyal love (steadfast love) is again the topic, reflected in the phrase tender mercy; see Luke 1:72.
8 sn The Greek term translated dawn (ἀνατολή, anatolh) can be a reference to the morning star or to the sun. The Messiah is pictured as a saving light that shows the way. The Greek term was also used to translate the Hebrew word for “branch” or “sprout,” so some see a double entendre here with messianic overtones (see Isa 11:1-10; Jer 23:5; 33:15; Zech 3:8; 6:12).
9 tn Grk “shall visit us.”
10 tn Grk “And the.” Here καί (kai) has not been translated because of differences between Greek and English style.
11 sn There was a recognition that there was great power at work through Jesus, the subject of a great debate in 11:14-23. Luke highlights Jesus’ healing ministry (5:17; 6:18; 7:7; 8:47; 9:11, 42; 14:4; 17:15; 18:42-43; 22:51; Acts 10:38).
12 sn The rock in Palestine would be a limestone base lying right under the soil.
13 tn Grk “his”; the referent (Jesus) has been specified in the translation for clarity.
14 sn The issue of whether Jesus had brothers (siblings) has had a long history in the church. Epiphanius, in the 4th century, argued that Mary was a perpetual virgin and had no offspring other than Jesus. Others argued that these brothers were really cousins. Nothing in the text suggests any of this. See also John 7:3.
15 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “but” to indicate the contrast present in this context.
16 tn Grk “And Jesus.” Here δέ (de) has been translated as “then” to pick up the sequence of the narrative prior to the parenthetical note by the author.
17 tn Here δέ (de) has not been translated.
18 sn The name Legion means “thousands,” a word taken from a Latin term for a large group of soldiers. The term not only suggests a multiple possession, but also adds a military feel to the account. This is a true battle.
19 tn Grk “has come to me from the road.”
20 sn The background to the statement I have nothing to set before him is that in ancient Middle Eastern culture it was a matter of cultural honor to be a good host to visitors.
21 tn Here καί (kai) has been translated as “then” to indicate the implied sequence of events within the narrative
22 sn This is one of the few uses of the specific term salvation in Luke (1:69, 71, 77), though the concept runs throughout the Gospel.
23 sn The household is not a reference to the building, but to the people who lived within it (L&N 10.8).
24 sn Zacchaeus was personally affirmed by Jesus as a descendant (son) of Abraham and a member of God’s family.
25 sn These things are all the events of vv. 8-27. Disciples represent the righteous here. The events surrounding the fall of the nation are a down payment on a fuller judgment to come on all humanity. The presence of one guarantees the other.
26 sn With Jesus’ return comes the manifestation of judgment and final salvation (redemption).
27 tn Grk “insisted, saying.” The participle λέγων (legwn) is redundant in English and has not been translated here.
28 sn According to Mark 14:70 it was Peter’s accent that gave him away as a Galilean.