A Paraphrase on the New Testament, Luke · Chapter 1
CHAP. I.
1. FOraſmuch as many have taken in hand to ſet forth in order a declaration of thoſe things which are moſt ſurely believed amongſt us, 2. Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eye-wit-neſſes, and miniſters of the word:
1. Divers having publiſhed the declaration or Hiſtory in order, of thoſe matters of Fact and Doctrine, which have been done and are fully believed among us Chriſtians, 2. Even as thoſe men did faithfully deliver them to us, who from the beginning were eye-witneſſes of the works of Jeſus, and Miniſters who attended him, and have preached his word.
3. It ſeemed good to me alſo, having had perfect underſtanding of all things from the very firſt, to write unto thee in order, moſt excellent Theophilus,
3. I alſo thought good to write the like hiſtory in order to thee, moſt excellent Theophilus, both to confirm what is by others written, and to add eſpecially of the beginning of the hiſtory, what in others is omitted; having my ſelf, by very diligent ſearch, got full notice of theſe matters from the very firſt, which others mention not.
4. That thou mighteſt know the certainty of thoſe things wherein thou haſt been inſtructed,
4. That I may contribute my endeavour, to encreaſe thy knowledge, and confirm thy belief of thoſe things concerning Jeſus Chriſt, which thou haſt already learned among us.
5. THere was in the days of Herod the King of Judea, a certain prieſt named Zacharias, of the courſe of Abia, and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
5. Note, The Families of the Prieſts officiated in their courſes, and Abia's courſe was the 8th of old, 1 Chron. 24.10. After it was the 12th Nehem. 12.1. And after that the eleventh, Neh. 12.17.
6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments, and ordinances of the Lord blameleſs.
6. They were both ſincere godly perſons, living in true obedience to all the Commandments and ordinances of God, according to the Law and light which they were under, without the blot of any groſs or ſcandalous Sin.
7. And they had no child, becauſe that Elizabeth was barren, and they both were now well ſtricken in years. 8. And it came to paſs, that while he executed the prieſts office before God in the order of his courſe, 9. According to the cuſtom of the prieſts office, his lot was to burn incenſe when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10. And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incenſe.
7, 8, 9, 10. Note, The Prieſt went into the ſanctuary to offer, and the people that while prayed without the Sanctuary, not without the Temple. In imitation of which our Temples uſually are built in three parts, The Chancel for the Clergy, the body of the Church for the Laity, and all below the Font for the Catechumens, and ſuſpended, who are no communicants; (as the outward Court was for Gentiles.)
11. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord, ſtanding on the right ſide of the altar of incenſe. 12. And when Zacharias ſaw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13. But the angel ſaid unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for thy prayer is heard, and thy wife Elizabeth ſhall bear thee a ſon, and thou ſhall call his name John. 14. And thou ſhall have joy and gladneſs, and many ſhall rejoyce at his birth:
11, 12, 13, 14. He was born to an auſtere life, and and to martyrdom, yet his birth was joyful, though to ſuch a painful life and death, for the Churches ſervice:
15. For he ſhall be great in the ſight of the Lord, and ſhall drink, neither wine, nor ſtrong drink, and he ſhall be filled with the Holy Ghoſt, even from his mothers womb.
15. Note, 1. The beſt men and moſt uſeful are greateſt in Gods ſight. 2. Extraordinary denying the fleſh agreeth well with the extraordinary gift of the Spirit. 3. Infants may have the Holy-Ghoſt, before it appeareth.
16. And many of the children of Iſrael ſhall he turn the Lord their God.
6. Note, To turn many by repentance to God, was the effect of the Holy-Ghoſt, and of Johns extraordinary worth and work.
17. And he ſhall go before him in the ſpirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the diſobedient to the wiſdom of the juſt, to make ready a people, prepared for the Lord.
17. He ſhall be poſſeſſed with ſuch fulneſs of Spirit and Power to prepare the way for Chriſt, as Elias had, as is propheci'd in Mal. 4.6. Note, By [turning the hearts of the Fathers to the Children] ſome think is meant [turning the tyrannical oppreſſion of Rulers, to fatherly love and lenity to inferiours] But Dr. H. more probably tranſlateth it [with the Children;] That is, he ſhall turn Fathers and Children old and young. Others ſay it is but to turn mens minds to the Love of one another, and thoſe that diſobey God, to the true wiſdom of juſt men who obey and truſt him.
18. And Zacharias ſaid unto the angel, Whereby ſhall I know this, for I am an old man, and my wife well ſtricken in years. 19. And the angel anſwering, ſaid unto him, I am Gabriel that ſtand in the preſence of God, and am ſent to ſpeak unto thee, and to ſhew thee theſe glad tidings. 20. And behold, thou ſhalt be dumb, and not able to ſpeak, untill the day that theſe things ſhall be performed; becauſe thou believeſt not my words, which ſhall be fulfilled in their ſeaſon.
18, 19, 20. I am one of the many Angels that ſtand before God, and am ſent to tell thee this; And to reprove thy unbelief; And to convince thee, for a ſign, thou ſhalt be dumb, &c.
21. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried ſo long in the [temple.] 22. And when he came out, he could not ſpeak unto them: and they perceived that he had ſeen [a viſion] in the temple: for he beckned unto them, and remained ſpeechleſs.
21, 22. Sanctuary. 22. Some Revelation.
23. And it came to paſs, that aſſoon as the days of his miniſtration were accompliſhed, he departed to his own houſe.
23. That Ceremonious ſervice might be done by a dumb man; but ſo cannot the Goſpel Miniſtration.
24. And after thoſe days, his wife Elizabeth conceived, and hid her ſelf five months, ſaying, 25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me, in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.
24, 25. She retired from Peoples obſervation and diſcourſe, ſaying, the Lord hath ſhewed me mercy in taking away my reproach.
26. And in the ſixth month the angel Gabriel was ſent from God, unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 27. To a virgin eſpouſed to a man, whoſe name was Joſeph, of the houſe of David, and the the virgins name was Mary.
26, 27. Not married but betrothed.
28. And the angel came in unto her, and ſaid, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: Bleſſed art thou among women.
28. Rejoice, for thou art highly favoured of the Lord, who maketh thee bleſſed above all women.
29. And when ſhe ſaw him, ſhe was troubled at his ſaying, and caſt in her mind what manner of ſalutation this ſhould be. 30. And the angel ſaid unto her, Fear not, Mary, for thou haſt found favour with God. 31. And behold, thou ſhalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a ſon, and ſhalt call his name Jeſus, 32. He ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the Son of the Higheſt, and the Lord God ſhall give unto him the throne of his father David.
29, 30, 31, 32. She underſtood it not. That Glorious Kingdom meant in the promiſe to Davids ſeed, of which his Kingdom was but a type.
33. And he ſhall reign over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his kingdom there ſhall be no end:
33. His Kingdom over the Faithful Iſrael of God, begun in grace, ſhall be Everlaſting in Glory.
34. Then ſaid Mary unto the angel, How ſhall this be, ſeeing I know not a man? 35. And the angel anſwered and ſaid unto her, The holy Ghoſt ſhall come upon thee, and the power of the Higheſt ſhall overſhadow thee. Therefore alſo that holy thing, which ſhall be born of thee, ſhall be called the Son of God.
34, 35. This ſhall be done without Man by the Holy Ghoſt, and the overſhaddowing power of God, and therefore he ſhall be properly called; the Son of God.
N. 1. Though this give us the moſt known reaſon, why Chriſt is called the Son of God in Scripture, it is not ſaid to be the only reaſon, excluding his eternal Generation. 2. Yet Chriſt oft calleth himſelf, the Son of Man, which ſignifieth no more, but that he was truly a Man, and born of a woman.
36. And behold thy couſin Elizabeth, ſhe hath alſo conceived a ſon in her old age, and this is the ſixth monethmonth with her who was called barren. 37. For with God nothing ſhall be unpoſſible.
36, 37. Note, 1. Though Elizabeth was of the Tribe of Aaron, and Mary of the Tribe of Judah, they were a kin by Elizabeths Mother marrying a Levite.
2. Nothing ſhould ſeem difficult to faith, when it is known to be Gods will and word.
38. And Mary ſaid, Behold the handmaid of the Lord, be it unto me according to thy word:
38. Amen. Let thy word come to paſs: (They are the expreſſion of Maries faith and hope.)
38. And the angel departed from her. 39. And Mary aroſe in thoſe days, and went into the hill countrey with haſt, into a city of Judea. 40. And entered into the houſe of Zacharias, and ſaluted Elizabeth.
38, 39, 40. The Angels words made her go ſee how it was with Elizabeth.
41. And it came to paſs, that when Elizabeth heard the ſalutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the holy Ghoſt. 42. And ſhe ſpake out with a loud voice, and ſaid, Bleſſed art thou among women, and bleſſed is the fruit of thy womb. 43. And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord ſhould come to me? 44. For lo, aſſoon as the voice of thy ſalutation ſounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. 45. And bleſſed is ſhe that believed, for there ſhall be a performance of thoſe things which were told her from the Lord.
41, 42, 43, 44, 45. The Holy-Ghoſt filled her to ſpeak out theſe word prophetically, &c.
46. And Mary ſaid, My ſoul doth magnifie the Lord, 47. And my ſpirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour. 48. For he hath regarded the low eſtate of his hand-maiden: for behold, from henceforth all generations ſhall call me bleſſed.
46, 47, 48. Mary alſo filled with the Spirit, ſpeaks theſe words of praiſe to God; My Soul, &c. 48. He hath raiſed me higheſt who was one of the loweſt.
49. For he that is mighty hath done to me great things and holy is his name. 50. And his mercy is on them that fear him, from generation to generation.
49, 50. Mercy to all that fear God and their poſterity, is the great name or notification of the moſt Holy God to man.
51. He hath ſhewed ſtrength with his arm, he hath ſcattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts. 52. He hath put down the mighty from their ſeats, and exalted them of low degree. 53. He hath filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he hath ſent empty away;
51, 52, 33. He hath ſhewed that it is he that is Almighty, by ſcattering the proud in their own vain imaginations; And by caſting down the high and exalting the low; And by ſatisfying the needy, and bringing the proſperous to diſtreſs.
54. He hath holpen his ſervant Iſrael, in remembrance of his mercy, 55. As he ſpake to our fathers, and to Abraham, and to his ſeed for ever.
54, 55. The promiſes which he made to Abraham and his ſeed, he is now performing in their proper ſenſe, for the ſaving of all the believing ſeed: The mercy which promiſed it, is now performing it.
56. And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own houſe.
56. Note, It was many months between Maries eſpouſal to Joſeph, and their marriage.
57. Now Elizabeths full time came, that ſhe ſhould be delivered, and ſhe brought forth a ſon. 58. And her neighbours and her couſins heard how the Lord had ſhewed great mercy upon her, and they rejoyced with her.
57, 58. In giving a ſon to one ſo old.
59. And it came to paſs, that on the eighth day they came to circumciſe the child, and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. 60. And his mother anſwered and ſaid, Not ſo, but he ſhall be called John. 61. And they ſaid unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 62. And they made ſigns to his father, how he would have him called. 63. And he [asked] for a writing table, and wrote, ſaying, His name is John: and they marvelled all.
59, 60, 61, 62. Note, They would have the name, keep the memorial of Anceſtors. 63. By ſigns.
64. And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue looſed, and he ſpake, and praiſed God. 65. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them, and all theſe ſayings were noiſed abroad thoroughout all the hill-countrey of Judea. 66. And all they that had heard them, laid them up in their hearts, ſaying, What manner of Child ſhall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
64, 65, 66. It raiſed in all the Countrey great expectations, what this Child would prove: And God did extraordinarily bleſs him.
67. And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghoſt, and propheſied, ſaying, 68. Bleſſed be the Lord God of Iſrael, for he hath viſited and redeemed his people, 69. And hath raiſed up an horn of ſalvatition for us in the houſe of his ſervant David. 70. As he ſpake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been ſince the world began: 71. That we ſhould be ſaved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us.
67, 68, 69, 70, 71. Spake by inſpiration. Note, Chriſt was prophecyed of from the beginning of the World, after Adams Fall: N. Tho Gods Spirit in him underſtood juſt what manner of Saviour Chriſt would be, and what ſort of deliverance from enemies he would bring (by the deſtruction of the Jews and calling the Gentiles) we know, not that Zachary, Elizabeth and Mary underſtood this while they thus prophecyed,
72. To perform the mercy promiſed to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, 73. The oath which he ſware to our father Abraham, 74. That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered our of the hands of our enemies, might ſerve him without fear, 75. In holyneſs and righteouſneſs before him, all the days of our life.
72, 73, 74, 75. That the Meſſiah delivering us from all our enemies ſpiritual and corporal, we may ſerve him in ſafety, not terrified by them.
Note, Holineſs and Righteouſneſs are the ſum of Gods acceptable ſervice.
Note, The chief benefit of deliverance from cruel enemies, is that we freely and peaceably ſerve God.
76. And thou, child, ſhalt be called the prophet of the Higheſt: for thou ſhalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, 77. To give knowledge of ſalvation unto his people, by the remiſſion of their ſins,
76, 77. Thou ſhalt be a Prophet of God, to go before Chriſt, to prepare men to receive him, by calling them to repentance, proclaiming that a Saviour is come to ſave his people by pardoning their ſins.
78. Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the day-ſpring from on high hath viſited us, 79. To give light to them that ſit in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace,
78, 79. The tender mercy of God, having given us from Heaven, the ſum of heavenly Light to viſit us, 79. even to them that lived in the darkneſs of ſin and miſery, and to guide us into the way of life and happineſs.
80. And the child grew, and waxed ſtrong in ſpirit, and was in the deſarts, till the day of his ſhewing unto Iſrael.
80. And John, with his increaſe of age and ſtrength, ſhewed great ſtrength of the Spirit of God in him, and he dwelt in the wilderneſs, (or, ſay ſome, in the hill Countrey of Judaea,) (bred up in a life of holineſs, and mortification) till the time that he ſett upon his publick miniſtry; of preaching the Kingdom of the Meſſiah and repentance, and baptizing.