Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Luke
Book: Luke
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The Preface.
(1-4) Zacharias and
Elisabeth.
(5-25) Christ's
Birth announced.
(26-38) Interview of
Mary and
Elisabeth.
(39-56) The
Birth of
John the Baptist.
(57-66) The song of
Zacharias.
(67-80)
1-4. Luke will not write of things about which Christians may
safely differ from one another, and hesitate within themselves;
but the things which are, and ought to be surely believed. The
doctrine of
Christ is what the wisest and best of men have
ventured their souls upon with confidence and satisfaction. And
the great events whereon our hopes depend, have been recorded
By
those who were from the beginning
Eye-witnesses and ministers of
the
Word, and who were perfected in their understanding of them
through Divine
Inspiration.
5-25 The
Father and mother of
John the Baptist were sinners as
all are, and were justified and saved in the same way as others;
but they were eminent for
Piety and integrity. They had
No
children, and it could not be expected that
Elisabeth should
have any in her old
Age. While
Zacharias was burning
Incense in
the
Temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying
without. All the prayers we offer up to
God, are acceptable and
successful only
By Christ's intercession in the
Temple of
God
above. We cannot expect an interest therein if we do not pray,
and pray with our spirits, and are not
Earnest in
Prayer. Nor
can we expect that the best of our prayers should gain
acceptance, and bring an answer of peace, but through the
mediation of
Christ, who ever lives, making intercession. The
prayers
Zacharias often made, received an answer of peace.
Prayers of
Faith are filed in
Heaven, and are not forgotten.
Prayers made when we were young and entering into the world, may
be answered when we are old and going out of the world. Mercies
are doubly sweet that are given in answer to
Prayer.
Zacharias
shall have a son in his old
Age, who shall be instrumental in
the
Conversion of many souls to
God, and preparing them to
receive the
Gospel of
Christ. He shall go before Him with
courage, zeal,
Holiness, and a mind dead to earthly interests
and pleasures. The disobedient and rebellious would be brought
back to the
Wisdom of their righteous forefathers, or rather,
brought to attend to the
Wisdom of that Just One who was coming
among them.
Zacharias heard all that the
Angel said; but his
unbelief spake. In striking him
Dumb,
God dealt justly with him,
because he had objected against
God's
Word. We may admire the
patience of
God towards us.
God dealt kindly with him, for thus
he prevented his speaking any more distrustful, unbelieving
words. Thus also
God confirmed his
Faith. If
By the rebukes we
are under for our
Sin, we are brought to give the more credit to
the
Word of God, we have
No reason to complain. Even real
believers are apt to dishonour
God By unbelief; and their mouths
are stopped in silence and confusion, when otherwise they would
have been praising
God with joy and gratitude. In
God's gracious
dealings with us we ought to observe his gracious regards to us.
He has looked
On us with compassion and favour, and therefore
has thus dealt with us.
26-38 We have here an account of the mother of our
Lord; though
we are not to pray to her, yet we ought to praise
God for her.
Christ must be born miraculously. The
Angel's address means
only,
Hail, thou that art the especially
Chosen and favoured of
the Most High, to attain the honour Jewish mothers have
So long
desired. This wondrous
Salutation and appearance troubled
Mary.
The
Angel then assured her that she had found favour with
God,
and would become the mother of a son whose name she should
Call
Jesus, the Son of the Highest, one in a nature and
Perfection
with the
Lord God.
Jesus! the name that refreshes the fainting
spirits of humbled sinners; sweet to speak and sweet to hear,
Jesus, a
Saviour! We know not his riches and our own poverty,
therefore we run not to him; we perceive not that we are lost
and perishing, therefore a
Saviour is a
Word of little relish.
Were we convinced of the huge mass of guilt that lies upon us,
and the wrath that hangs over us for it, ready to fall upon us,
it would be our continual thought, Is the
Saviour Mine? And that
we might find him
So, we should trample
On all that hinders our
way to him.
Mary's reply to the
Angel was the language of
Faith
and humble admiration, and she asked
No sign for the confirming
her
Faith. Without controversy, great was the
Mystery of
Godliness,
God manifest in the
Flesh, 1Ti 3:16.
Christ's human
nature must be produced
So, as it was fit that should be which
was to be taken into union with the Divine nature. And we must,
as
Mary here, guide our desires
By the
Word of God. In all
conflicts, let us remember that with
God nothing is impossible;
and as we read and hear his promises, let us turn them into
prayers, Behold the willing servant of the
Lord; let it be unto
me according to thy
Word.
39-56 It is very good for those who have the work of
Grace
begun in their souls, to communicate one to another.
On Mary's
arrival,
Elisabeth was conscious of the approach of her who was
to be the mother of the great
Redeemer. At the same time she was
filled with the
Holy Ghost, and under his influence declared
that
Mary and her expected
Child were most blessed and happy, as
peculiarly honoured of and dear to the Most High
God.
Mary,
animated
By Elisabeth's address, and being also under the
influence of the
Holy Ghost, broke out into joy, admiration, and
gratitude. She knew herself to be a sinner who needed a
Saviour,
and that she could
No otherwise rejoice in
God than as
interested in his
Salvation through the promised
Messiah. Those
who see their need of
Christ, and are desirous of
Righteousness
and
Life in him, he fills with good things, with the best
things; and they are abundantly satisfied with the blessings he
gives. He will satisfy the desires of the
Poor in
Spirit who
long for spiritual blessings, while the self-sufficient shall be
sent empty away.
57-66 In these verses we have an account of the
Birth of
John
the Baptist, and the great joy among all the relations of the
family. He shall be called
Johanan, or "Gracious," because he
shall bring in the
Gospel of
Christ, wherein
God's
Grace shines
most bright.
Zacharias recovered his speech. Unbelief closed his
mouth, and believing opened it again: he believes, therefore he
speaks. When
God opens our lips, our mouths must show forth his
praise; and better be without speech, than not use it in
praising
God. It is said, The
Hand of the
Lord was working with
John.
God has ways of working
On children in their infancy,
which we cannot account for. We should observe the dealings of
God, and wait the event.
67-80 Zacharias uttered a
Prophecy concerning the kingdom and
Salvation of the
Messiah. The
Gospel brings
Light with it; in it
the
Day dawns. In
John the Baptist it began to break, and
increased apace to the perfect
Day. The
Gospel is discovering;
it shows that about which we were utterly in the dark; it is to
give
Light to those that sit in
Darkness, the
Light of the
knowledge of the
Glory of
God in the
Face of
Jesus Christ. It is
reviving; it brings
Light to those that sit in the
Shadow of
Death, as condemned prisoners in the
Dungeon. It is directing;
it is to guide our feet in the way of peace, into that way which
will bring us to peace at last, Ro 3:17.
John gave proofs of
strong
Faith, vigorous and holy affections, and of being above
the fear and
Love of the world. Thus he ripened for usefulness;
but he lived a retired
Life, till he came forward openly as the
Forerunner of the
Messiah. Let us follow peace with all men, as
Well as seek peace with
God and our own consciences. And if it
be the will of
God that we live unknown to the world, still let
us diligently seek to grow strong in the
Grace of
Jesus Christ.