The New Testament with Commentary Luke 2

The birth of Jesus—4 bc

1 Now it happened in those days that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole inhabited world should be enrolled.* 2 This first census took place while Quirinius was governing Syria.† 3 So everyone was traveling, each to his own town, to enroll himself.

At night, in Bethlehem, the Savior is born

4 So Joseph also went up from Galilee, out of Natsareth town, into Judea to the city of David, that is called Bethlehem, because he was of David's ‘house’, that is, line of descent, 5 to enroll himself with Mary, the woman who had been betrothed to him,‡ who was pregnant. 6 So it happened that when they got there the days for her to give birth were completed; 7 and she gave birth to her firstborn§ Son, wrapped Him in pieces of cloth and laid Him in the manger,* because there was no room for them in the lodging place.

Angels and shepherds

8 Now there were shepherds in that same area, staying out in the field and keeping the nightly watches† over their flock. 9 When wow, an angel of the Lord stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. 10 The angel said to them: “Do not be afraid because listen, I am announcing the most joyful news to you, which will be to all the people! 11 You see, today,‡ in David's city, a Savior was born to you, who is Lord Christ! 12 And this is the sign to you: you will find a Baby wrapped in pieces of cloth, lying in a manger.”§ 13 Suddenly a multitude of the heavenly army was with the angel praising God and saying,

14 “Glory to God in the highest

and on earth peace, good will toward mankind!”*

Shepherds go and report

15 So when the angels went away from them into the sky the men, the shepherds, said to one another, “Hey, let's go to Bethlehem and see this event that has taken place, that the Lord made known to us!” 16 So they went in a hurry and located both Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in the manger. 17 And having seen they spread an exact account of the saying that had been spoken to them concerning this Child. 18 All who heard marveled at the things told them by the shepherds.† 19 As for Mary, she treasured all these sayings, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God over all that they had heard and seen, just as it was told them.

Jesus is named

21 When eight days were completed so as to circumcise Him, His name was indeed called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

Jesus is presented to God

22 And when the days of their‡ purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they took Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord 23 (just as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens a womb shall be called holy to the Lord”§), 24 and to offer a sacrifice according to what was specified in the Lord's Law, “a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons”.*

Simeon

25 Well now, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon; this man was righteous and devout, expectantly waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and Holy Spirit was upon him. 26 (It had been revealed to him repeatedly by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he saw the Lord's Messiah.†) 27 So by the Spirit he came into the temple; and when the parents brought the Child Jesus in, to do concerning Him according to the custom of the law, 28 Simeon took Him into his arms and blessed God and said:

29 “Sovereign,‡ now You can release your slave in peace,

according to Your word,

30 because my eyes have seen Your salvation,

31 which You have prepared before the face of all peoples:

32 a light for revelation to Gentiles,

and the glory of Your people Israel.”

33 And Joseph§ and His mother were marveling at the things* being spoken concerning Him.

34 Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother: “Listen, this One is appointed to bring about the fall and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that is spoken against, 35 so that the reasonings of many hearts may be revealed (furthermore, a sword will pass through your own soul also).”†

Anna

36 Also there was a prophetess Anna, a daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher—she was of a great age, having lived with a husband seven years from her virginity 37 and having been a widow for about eighty-four years‡—who did not depart from the temple, serving God with fastings and petitions night and day. 38 Well she, having come up at that very moment, started praising the Lord,§ and kept on speaking of Him to all those in Jerusalem who were looking for redemption.*

Back to Natsareth

39 When they had completed everything, according to the law of the Lord, they went back to Galilee, to their own town, Natsareth.† 40 And the Child kept growing and being strengthened in spirit,‡ being filled§ with wisdom; yes, the grace of God was upon Him.

A twelve-year-old Boy

41 Now every year His parents would go to Jerusalem to the feast of the Passover; 42 so when He was twelve years old they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the feast. 43 When they had fulfilled the days, as they were returning, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but Joseph and His mother* did not know it. 44 Supposing Him to be in the caravan, they went a day's journey and then started looking for Him among their relatives and acquaintances. 45 Not finding Him, they returned to Jerusalem seeking Him. 46 So it happened that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions. 47 (All who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.†)

48 So upon seeing Him they were amazed, and His mother said to Him: “Son, why have you treated us like this? Look, your father and I have been searching for you in distress.”‡ 49 So He said to them: “Why were you seeking me? Didn't you know that I must be about my Father's concerns?”§ 50 But they did not understand the statement that He made to them.*

51 Then He went down with them and came to Natsareth, and continued subordinating Himself to them; His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.† 52 And Jesus kept increasing in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

* 2:1 Of course the Roman Empire did not control the whole world, but the decree was doubtless worded in grandiose terms. † 2:2 Quirinius served two terms: the best known was in ad 6-10, but there is good evidence for a prior term in 4-1 bc ‡ 2:5 That is what the Text says. We know from Matthew 1:24-25 that Joseph had already received her as his wife, but still had not had sexual relations with her—obviously an atypical situation. He had taken responsibility for her as his wife, but as far as sex was concerned she was still ‘pledged’—thus Luke's unusual turn of phrase. § 2:7 Luke's use of the term ‘firstborn’, writing after Mary had passed the age that she could bear children, clearly implies that she had other children after the first; otherwise Luke would have used ‘only’ rather than ‘first’. * 2:7 Some 95% of the Greek manuscripts have the definite article with ‘manger’, so there was only one in the place, which implies that it was a stable. Since Bethlehem stands on a limestone ridge, there were probably natural caves that would make excellent stables. Actually, mother and baby were probably better off there than in the crowded lodging. † 2:8 They would take turns standing watch. ‡ 2:11 The shepherds were Jews, and their ‘day’ began at 6 p.m. The angel's use of ‘today’ indicates that Jesus was born at night, since the angel delivered his message at night. § 2:12 This may not seem like much of a ‘sign’ to us, but doubtless there was only one newborn baby in the whole area who met those conditions. * 2:14 “Good will toward mankind”—what greater proof of God's good will could there be than the whole plan of salvation, the center piece of which was the incarnation! “Good will toward mankind” reflects some 1700 Greek manuscripts; only six known Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, read “among those with whom He is pleased” (as in NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.); the New Living Translation favors us with a footnote: “Some manuscripts read… goodwill among people”—by ‘some’ they mean (1,700 against six! [how could the editors be so perverse?]). † 2:18 Since the shepherds lived in that town, presumably, they would certainly tell their families and friends; in short order the whole town had heard the news. In all probability, the very next day someone offered Joseph a house to use. ‡ 2:22 The Text has ‘their’, not ‘her’; since a woman was not to have intercourse for forty days after giving birth to a boy (80 for a girl), Leviticus 12:2-5, her purification obviously affected her husband as well. § 2:23 See Exodus 13:2, 12-15. * 2:24 See Leviticus 12:8. The prescribed sacrifice was a lamb; only if the couple was too poor to bring a lamb could they substitute the birds (since they could be caught in the wild, the poorest of the poor could meet this requirement). Evidently Joseph and Mary could not afford a lamb, which indicates that they had not yet received the gifts from the magi. † 2:26 The Greek Text has ‘Christ’, but the Holy Spirit presumably used Hebrew to communicate with Simeon. The man evidently lived in communion with God, and thus the Holy Spirit could guide him at any time—here He sends him into the temple at just the right moment. ‡ 2:29 Simon actually used the term from which we get ‘despot’, but in English this term has a negative flavor, unless one adds ‘benevolent’; but ‘benevolent despot’ does not work very well in direct address—so I render ‘Sovereign’. [When I myself address God, I habitually follow Simeon's example—I also am His slave.] § 2:33 Instead of ‘Joseph’, about 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have ‘his father’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, TEV, etc.). * 2:33 Simeon may have actually said more than is here recorded; in fact, I rather imagine that he did. † 2:35 Watching her Son suffer, Mary would also suffer. Jesus obliged the people, especially the leaders, to take sides, and so the reasonings of their hearts were exposed. ‡ 2:37 If she married at 15 she would have been about 105 at the time. Instead of “for about eighty-four”, perhaps 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, read ‘until eighty-four’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, etc.). § 2:38 Instead of ‘the Lord’, less than 1% of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, have ‘God’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). * 2:38 She must have known who they were. † 2:39 We know from Matthew that there was a detour through Egypt, that began from Bethlehem, so from Jerusalem they went back to Bethlehem. ‡ 2:40 Less than half a percent of the Greek manuscripts, of objectively inferior quality, omit ‘in spirit’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). § 2:40 Both ‘strengthened’ and ‘filled’ are in the passive voice; like John, only more so, Jesus had outside help. * 2:43 Instead of ‘Joseph and His mother’, perhaps 3% of the Greek manuscripts, have ‘his parents’ (to be followed by NIV, NASB, LB, TEV, etc.). † 2:47 Really and truly—how many of us could discuss theology intelligently for one hour, let alone three days! ‡ 2:48 They evidently thought that Jesus had met with foul play; they were afraid for His life. In contrast, Jesus never worried about suffering harm (see next note). § 2:49 At twelve Jesus knew precisely who He was—“my father” cannot refer to Joseph because Jesus was not discussing carpentry with the doctors of the Law—He was consciously about God's business. Notice that Jesus does not even come close to apologizing; in fact He rebukes them for worrying—after all, they also knew just who He was. (Jesus was no doubt unusually mature for His age, and may have just had His bar mitzvah.) The only time Jesus feared for His life was in Gethsemane—Matthew 26:38, Mark 14:34, Luke 22:44, Hebrews 5:7-8 (compare by contrast Luke 4:28-30, Mark 4:35-41, John 8:59, 10:39, 18:6). * 2:50 Perhaps they should have, knowing who He really was, but by now they probably had at least four children and each day was filled with very ordinary concerns—do the concerns of life not cause us also to forget spiritual realities? † 2:51 This is the second time Luke records this. No doubt Mary was one of the eyewitnesses that Luke interviewed; I imagine it was a long and detailed interview, and maybe several.