Luk 2:8-28 | RWP | e4.org | Abiding in the field ( αγραυλουντες ). From αγρος , field and αυλη , court. The shepherds were making the field their court. Plutarch and Strabo use the word. Keeping watch ( φυλασσοντες φυλακας ). Cognate accusative. They were bivouacking by night and it was plainly mild weather. In these very pastures David had fought the lion and the bear to protect the sheep ( .). The plural here probably means that they watched by turns. The flock may have been meant for the temple sacrifices. There is no way to tell.

‏ Luke 2:8-28

Abiding in the field ( αγραυλουντες ). From αγρος, field and αυλη, court. The shepherds were making the field their court. Plutarch and Strabo use the word.

Keeping watch ( φυλασσοντες φυλακας ). Cognate accusative. They were bivouacking by night and it was plainly mild weather. In these very pastures David had fought the lion and the bear to protect the sheep (1Sa 17:34f.). The plural here probably means that they watched by turns. The flock may have been meant for the temple sacrifices. There is no way to tell.

Stood by them ( επεστη αυτοις ). Ingressive aorist active indicative. Stepped by their side. The same word in Ac 12:7 of the angel there. Paul uses it in the sense of standing by in Ac 22:20. It is a common old Greek word, εφιστημ.

Were sore afraid ( εφοβηθησαν φοβον μεγαν ). First aorist passive indicative with cognate accusative (the passive sense gone), they feared a great fear.

I bring you good tidings of great joy ( ευαγγελιζομα υμιν χαραν μεγαλην ). Wycliff, "I evangelize to you a great joy." The active verb ευαγγελιζω occurs only in late Greek writers, LXX, a few papyri examples, and the N.T. The middle (deponent) appears from Aristophanes on. Luke and Paul employ both substantive ευαγγελιον and verb ευαγγελιζω very frequently. It is to Paul's influence that we owe their frequency and popularity in the language of Christendom (George Milligan, The Epistles to the Thessalonians, p. 143). The other Gospels do not have the verb save Mt 11:5 and that in a quotation (Isa 61:1).

Ις βορν ( ετεχθη ). First aorist passive indicative from τικτω. Was born.

Saviour ( σωτηρ ). This great word is common in Luke and Paul and seldom elsewhere in the N.T. (Bruce). The people under Rome's rule came to call the emperor "Saviour" and Christians took the word and used it of Christ. See inscriptions (Deissmann, Light from the Ancient East, p. 344).

Christ the Lord ( Χριστος Κυριος ). This combination occurs nowhere else in the N.T. and it is not clear what it really means. Luke is very fond of Κυριος ( Lord) where the other Gospels have Jesus. It may mean "Christ the Lord," "Anointed Lord," "Messiah, Lord," "The Messiah, the Lord," "An Anointed One, a Lord," or "Lord Messiah." It occurs once in the LXX (La 4:20) and is in Ps. of Sol. 17:36. Ragg suggests that our phrase "the Lord Jesus Christ" is really involved in "A Saviour (Jesus) which is Christ the Lord." See on Mt 1:1 for Christ and Mt 21:3 for Lord.

Host ( στρατιας ). A military term for a band of soldiers common in the ancient Greek. Bengel says: "Here the army announces peace."

Praising ( αινουντων ). Construction according to sense (plural, though στρατιας is singular).

Among men in whom he is well pleased ( εν ανθρωποις ευδοκιας ). The Textus Receptus (Authorized Version also has ευδοκια, but the genitive ευδοκιας is undoubtedly correct, supported by the oldest and best uncials. (Aleph, A B D W). C has a lacuna here. Plummer justly notes how in this angelic hymn Glory and Peace correspond, in the highest and on earth, to God and among men of goodwill. It would be possible to connect "on earth" with "the highest" and also to have a triple division. There has been much objection raised to the genitive ευδοκιας, the correct text. But it makes perfectly good sense and better sense. As a matter of fact real peace on earth exists only among those who are the subjects of God's goodwill, who are characterized by goodwill toward God and man. This word ευδοκια we have already had in Mt 11:26. It does not occur in the ancient Greek. The word is confined to Jewish and Christian writings, though the papyri furnish instances of ευδοκησις. Wycliff has it "to men of goodwill."

Said to one another ( ελαλουν προς αλληλους ). Imperfect tense, inchoative, "began to speak," each to the other. It suggests also repetition, they kept saying,

Now ( δη ). A particle of urgency.

This thing ( το ρημα τουτο ). A Hebraistic and vernacular use of ρημα (something said) as something done. See on Lu 1:65. The ancient Greek used λογος in this same way.

With haste ( σπευσαντες ). Aorist active participle of simultaneous action.

Found ( ανευραν ). Second aorist active indicative of a common Greek verb ανευρισκω, but only in Luke in the N.T. The compound ανα suggests a search before finding.

Made known ( εγνωρισαν ). To others (verse 18) besides Joseph and Mary. The verb is common from Aeschylus on, from the root of γινωσκω (to know). It is both transitive and intransitive in the N.T.

Kept ( συνετηρε ). Imperfect active. She kept on keeping together ( συν- ) all these things. They were meat and drink to her. She was not astonished, but filled with holy awe. The verb occurs from Aristotle on. She could not forget. But did not Mary keep also a Baby Book? And may not Luke have seen it?

Pondering ( συνβαλλουσα ). An old Greek word. Placing together for comparison. Mary would go over each detail in the words of Gabriel and of the shepherds and compare the sayings with the facts so far developed and brood over it all with a mother's high hopes and joy.

His name was called Jesus ( κα εκληθη το ονομα αυτου Ιησους ). The κα is left untranslated or has the sense of "then" in the apodosis. The naming was a part of the ceremony of circumcision as is shown also in the case of John the Baptist (Lu 1:59-66).

The days of their purification ( α ημερα του καθαρισμου αυτων ). The old manuscripts have "their" ( αυτων ) instead of "her" ( αυτης ) of the later documents. But it is not clear whether "their" refers to Mary and Joseph as is true of "they brought" or to Mary and the child. The mother was Levitically unclean for forty days after the birth of a son (Le 12:1-8).

To present him to the Lord ( παραστησα τω Κυριω ). Every first-born son was thus redeemed by the sacrifice (Ex 13:2-12) as a memorial of the sparing of the Israelitish families (Nu 18:15f.). The cost was about two dollars and a half in our money.

In the law of the Lord ( εν νομω Κυριου ). No articles, but definite by preposition and genitive. Vincent notes that "law" occurs in this chapter five times. Paul (Gal 4:4) will urge that Jesus "was made under the law" as Luke here explains. The law did not require that the child be brought to Jerusalem. The purification concerned the mother, the presentation the son.

A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons ( Ζευγος τρυγονων η δυο νοσσους περιστερων ). The offspring of the poor, costing about sixteen cents, while a lamb would cost nearly two dollars. The "young of pigeons" is the literal meaning.

Devout ( ευλαβης ). Used only by Luke (Ac 2:5; 8:2; 22:12) in the N.T. Common in ancient Greek from Plato on. It means taking hold well or carefully ( ευ and λαβειν ) and so reverently, circumspectly.

Looking for the consolation of Israel ( προσδεχομενος παρακλησιν του Ισραελ ). Old Greek verb to admit to one's presence (Lu 15:2) and then to expect as here and of Anna in verse 38.

Paraklsin here means the Messianic hope (Isa 11:10; 40:1), calling to one's side for cheer.

Upon him ( επ' αυτον ). This is the explanation of his lively Messianic hope. It was due to the Holy Spirit. Simeon and Anna are representatives of real piety in this time of spiritual dearth and deadness.

It had been revealed unto him ( ην αυτω κεχρηματισμενον ). Periphrastic past perfect passive indicative. Common Greek verb. First to transact business from χρημα and that from χραομα, to use, make use of; then to do business with public officials, to give advice (judges, rulers, kings), then to get the advice of the Delphic and other oracles (Diodorus, Plutarch). The LXX and Josephus use it of God's commands. A Fayum papyrus of 257 B.C. has the substantive χρημαστισμος for a divine response (cf. Ro 11:4). See Deissmann, Light From the Ancient East, p. 153.

Before ( πριν η ). Classic Greek idiom after a negative to have subjunctive as here (only example in the N.T.) or the optative after past tense as in Ac 25:16 (subjunctive changed to optative in indirect discourse). Elsewhere in the N.T. the infinitive follows πριν as in Mt 1:18.

When the parents brought in the child Jesus ( εν τω εισαγαγειν τους γονεις το παιδιον Ιησουν ). A neat Greek and Hebrew idiom difficult to render into English, very common in the LXX;

In the bringing the Child Jesus as to the parents. The articular infinitive and two accusatives (one the object, the other accusative of general reference).

After the custom of the law ( κατα το ειθισμενον του νομου ). Here the perfect passive participle ειθισμενον, neuter singular from εθιζω (common Greek verb, to accustom) is used as a virtual substantive like το εθος in 1:8. Luke alone in the N.T. uses either word save εθος in Joh 19:40, though ειωθα from εθω, occurs also in Mt 27:15; Mr 10:1.

Then he ( κα αυτος ). Κα as in 2:21. Αυτος, emphatic subject, he after the parents.

Arms ( αγκαλας ). Old Greek word, here only in the N.T. It means the curve or inner angle of the arm.