1151 matching verse commentaries
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they said unto her,.... Her neighbours and relations, there is none of thy kindred that is called by this name; from whence it appears, that it was usual to give names to children after their ancestors, relations, and friends. The Persic version renders it, "in thine Israel there is not any one of this name": but this could not be true; for...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And they made signs to his father,.... Who was deaf, as well as dumb; otherwise there would have been no occasion to have signs made to him: and so the word used, in Lu 1:20 signifies both deaf and dumb. These signs were made by hands or head; for such used to be made to a dumb man. According to the canon (q), a dumb man nods, and ונרמז "and is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And he asked for a writing table,.... That is, he made signs for one, for as yet he could not speak. The Persic version renders it "ink", and the Ethiopic, a book, and the Vulgate Latin, a notebook. The word signifies "a little table", such as they used to write not only "upon", but "in"; and was sometimes of brass (t), sometimes of wood, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And his mouth was opened immediately,.... As soon as ever the child was named, and so all things accomplished which the angel had foretold; and his tongue loosed; the impediments of speech were removed, and the use of his tongue and lips was restored unto him: and he spake and praised God; for the safe delivery of his wife; for the birth of his...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them,.... That is, the fear of God, an awful reverence of the divine majesty; they perceived the hand of God was in these things, and that these were effects of divine power; and which made very serious impressions upon their minds, and they thought, and spoke of them with great solemnity; see Acts 2:43....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And all they that heard them,.... The above things, laid them up in their hearts; treasured them up in their memories, and often thought of them in their minds, what should be the meaning, and what would be the issue of them: saying, what manner of child shall this be? what will he be, or come to? and what is it that he shall do? surely he must be...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,.... With a spirit of prophecy, as his wife Elisabeth had been before, Lu 1:41 and prophesied saying; the following things, relating to the Messiah, his incarnation and redemption by him; to the accomplishing of the covenant, oath, promise and mercy of God to his people; and to his son, the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,.... This was a form of blessing of long standing, Psalms 72:18 and very likely was in use, more or less, ever since Israel was distinguished from other nations, became a body politic, and were settled in the land of Canaan, in the enjoyment of peculiar privileges, both civil and religious; see other forms before...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us,.... Meaning the Messiah, whom God had now raised up: in the house of his servant David; in David's family, he being now conceived by a virgin of his house; and who, in a little time, would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David. He is called "an horn of salvation", because he is a powerful Saviour....
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
As he spake, by the mouth of his holy prophets,.... Which shows not only the veracity and faithfulness of God in his promises, but the early intimations that were given by him concerning the Messiah: for it follows, which have been since world began; or from the beginning of the world; ever since the first hint of the Messiah, as the seed of the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
That we should be saved from our enemies,.... This, and the two following verses, either contain and express the sum and substance of what God spake by the prophets; or point out the end or ends of his raising up an horn of salvation, or a Saviour for his people; namely, that they should be saved by him from their enemies: from sin, which wars...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
To perform the mercy promised to our fathers,.... By "mercy" is meant salvation by Christ, which springs from the mercy of God; the promise of which was an instance of mercy to the Jewish fathers under the Old Testament, and also the performance of it; for they were saved by the grace of our Lord Jesus, even as we: his blood was shed for the...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
The oath which he swore to our father Abraham. When he swore by himself, because he could swear by no greater, that in blessing he would bless him; that his seed should possess the gates of his enemies, and in it all the nations of the earth should be blessed: all which have been fulfilled in Jesus the Messiah; see Genesis 22:16.
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
That he would grant unto us,.... What is said in this and the following verse, is the substance of the promised mercy, covenant, and oath: that we being delivered out of the hands of our enemies, as before, in Lu 1:71 might serve him without fear. One principal end of deliverance from spiritual enemies by Christ, is the service of God; and nothing...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
In holiness and righteousness,...., Not in mere outward rites and legal ceremonies but as the saints serve, from principles of righteousness and true holiness; in which the new man is created, and of which the kingdom of God, or spiritual and internal religion consists; so in acts of piety and devotion towards God, and justice among men, which is...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And thou, child, shalt be called the Prophet of the Highest,.... Here Zacharias turns himself to his son John, though an infant, and incapable of knowing what was said to him; and for the sake of those that were present, describes his office and work; and says, that he should be "called", that is, that he should "be", and be accounted a "prophet":...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
To give knowledge of salvation,.... This is still said of John, and belongs to his work and office; though the Syriac and Arabic versions read, "that he may give"; as if it was spoken of the Lord, before whose face John was to go, and whose ways he was to prepare: by "salvation" is meant, not a temporal salvation, or a deliverance from the Roman...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
Through the tender mercy of our God,.... or "bowels of mercy", to which the forgiveness of sin is owing; the source and spring of pardon, is the free grace and abundant mercy of God; it takes its rise from thence, though it is channelled in the blood and sacrifice of Christ; and which no way derogates from, but rather heightens the riches of God's...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
To give light to them that sit in darkness,.... God's elect among the Jews, who were not only in a state of unregeneracy, which is a state of darkness, ignorance, and unbelief; but in the darkness of the legal dispensation, and at this time under more than ordinary darkness and ignorance; having lost the knowledge of the righteousness of God, and...
John Gill - Exposition - John Gill
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit,.... That is, John, the son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, grew in stature of body, and increased in wisdom and knowledge, and fortitude in his soul: and was in the deserts; or "desert", as the Syriac, Persic, and Ethiopic versions read; not in the wilderness of Judea, where he came preaching, but either...