Luke 2

     2:1-20.  V.5.  Note the word “engaged” (espoused wife of KJV is better).  The point being that Joseph “kept her a virgin until she gave birth….”  (Mt.1:25).

     2:2. Quirinius’ first tax took place in AD 6! Jesus was born late 5 BC or early 4 BC. The verse can (and should) be translated: “This was the census taken before Quirinius was governor of Syria.” The Greek word in question is often translated “before” rather than “first” (see Strong’s Concordance Greek Dictionary and footnote in ESV).

     2:7.  The child was swathed; wrapped tightly as with bandages.  I was reminded of this verse when my twin granddaughters were born.  After their mother had fed them, the attending nurse bundled them very tightly in their blankets, and said, “For a few days, we wrap them up tightly like this.  They seem to like it.”

     Note that there is no mention of what a cruel monster the innkeeper was.  Not having seen the film, apparently Mary didn’t remember that part. The point is that there was no room (private space) in the lodging place. The word here is different than the one also translated “inn” in Luke 10:24, where it means public lodging place. They may have been in a crowded private home.

     2:8-9.  Watch.  Cf. Mt.24:42.

     2:10, “all the people” refers to all the Israel of God, the elect nation (see notes at 31-32).  This heavenly announcement came to lowly shepherds, who were keeping watch over their flock.  Those who were supposed to be watching over the flock of Israel through the long night, received no such good news.  Cf. Mt.9:36.

     2:11, “born for you . . .” He did not come to help angels, but the seed of Abraham (Heb.2:16).

     Jerusalem is also called the city of David, but these shepherds apparently knew their Scripture better than Herod.  They knew Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem, not Jerusalem (Mt.2:3-6; Mic.5:2-5).

     2:12.  The sign given them points to his lowly birth (cf. Is.53:2, etc.).

     2:13-14.  The angels message is widely interpreted so as to become a feel-good message for the wicked that an indulgent God loves them and wants to give them a group hug.  But it is not good news to those who refuse his gracious gift.  It is peace for men of (His) good pleasure (i.e. His will).  Cf. Is.57:14-21; Eph.1:5-6, 11; John 6:44, 65.

     2:17 refers to v.11.

     2:19.  See note at v.51.

     2:21-40.  Born under the Law, Gal.4:4.

     Lev.12 describes in brief most of what was required by the Law at childbirth.  For a male child, the woman was unclean from the issue of blood for seven days.  On the eighth day, the child was circumcised.  Thirty-three days afterward (40 days from birth), the sacrifice for the woman’s purification was to be offered, which in this case was the offering of the poor (21-24). 

     2:29.  Simeon may have Mic.5:5 in mind, “And this One will be our peace”.

     2:30-32.  In Scripture, the plural “peoples” generally signifies the nations, i.e. Gentiles, as it clearly does here.  The singular, people, usually as here, refers to Israel (cf.2:10).  It was for the Jew first (10), and also for the Gentiles (31-32).

     2:34-35.  Even the most blessed are not exempt from the sorrow and pain of this world.

     2:36, Anna is another form of the name Hannah.  She was a remnant of one of the “lost” tribes, Asher. 

     2:39.  Luke skips over the time in Egypt, which took place before their return to Nazareth.

     2:40-42.  At twelve, he would have reached the age the Jews considered to be the age of moral accountability.

     2:43-52.  The full number of days for the feast was eight days (Lev.23:5-8).  See note at Mt. 26.  Being a responsible boy, and now 12 years old, his parents supposed him to be with others in the caravan (44).  Since they were a day out before missing him, the three days of v.46 included a day’s journey back, a day of fruitless searching, and finally finding him the third day.

     2:47.  Cf. Ps. 119:99-100.

     2:48.  The margin says that his mother really called him child, rather than son.  This was possibly part of her rebuke for perceived immature behavior in her twelve year old morally responsible young man.

     2:49.  The lit., in the things of My Father (margin), is preferable to “in My Father’s house”.  This is probably his first claim to be the Son of God.  It is no wonder his parents didn’t understand.  But later, the Jews understood very well that he was making such a claim of equality with God (John 5:18).

     2:51-52.  He had not rebelled against his parents (48), but continued in subjection to them.

     Mary treasured these things in her heart (19, 51).  This is a clear reference to Luke’s primary source for these things.  Just as Matthew tells the story from Joseph’s perspective, so Luke does from Mary’s.  Who else could have known these things?  It is one support among several for the argument that the genealogy at Luke 3:23ff. is Mary’s male line.