Luke 2
Luke 2 | |
---|---|
Book | Gospel of Luke |
Category | Gospel |
Christian Bible part | New Testament |
Order in the Christian part | 3 |
Luke 2 is the second chapter of the
Text
The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 52 verses.
Textual witnesses
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
- Papyrus 4 (AD 150–175; extant verses: 1; 6–7)[4]
- Codex Vaticanus (AD 325–350; complete)
- Codex Sinaiticus (330-360; complete)
- Codex Bezae (~400; complete)
- Codex Washingtonianus (~400; complete)
- Codex Alexandrinus (400-440; complete)
- Codex Ephraemi Rescriptus (~450; extant verses 1–4, 43–52)
Jesus's birth (2:1–7)
According to the Gospel of Luke,
Verse 2
- And this taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria[10]
This sentence is bracketed as a parenthetical explanation in the King James Version.[11]
Verse 3
- So all went to be registered, everyone [went] to his own city:[12]
Most texts refer to his own πολιν (polin, "city"), while Codex Bezae refers to his own πατρίδα (patrida) or "homeland".[13]
Verse 5
- [Joseph went ...] to be registered with Mary, his betrothed wife, who was with child.[14]
Although a reading of Luke 1:32 suggests that
Verse 7
- And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.[16]
- "Swaddling clothes" refers to "strips of linen that would be wrapped around the arms and legs of an infant to keep the limbs protected".[17]
- "Manger": or "feed trough".[18][19]
- "The inn": translated from the Greek word κατάλυμα, kataluma, which may mean "guest room".[20][21] In the Greek Septuagint and New Testament texts it may refer to a variety of places for lodging.[20] Joseph and Mary would plan to stay with relatives in Bethlehem, but the "guest rooms" in the houses would have been filled beyond capacity with all the other relatives who had to journey to Bethlehem for the census; Bethlehem was not large and there was simply no other place to stay.[20]
The angels and shepherds (2:8–20)
Luke then tells of
Verse 10
- Then the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people".[22]
Verse 11
- "For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."[23]
"A multitude of the
The angels then return to heaven and the shepherds go into Bethlehem to see for themselves and
Luke does not mention the visit of the Magi, the Massacre of the Innocents, or the escape of Jesus' family to Egypt, which are found in Matthew 2.
Circumcision and naming (2:21)
Presentation in the Temple (2:22–38)
Verse 22
- And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord;[29]
The law in
"The days of her purification" or "her purifying" (
- women, suspected of adultery, to drink, and purified new mothers, and cleansed the lepers.[35]
Then, they presented Jesus to God through the priest, his representative. Here Mary appeared with her firstborn son, the true Messiah, marking the first time of Jesus' coming into his temple, as was foretold (
The presentation of Jesus in the Temple officially inducts him into Judaism and concludes the birth narrative in the Gospel of Luke.[36] Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the Temple combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24)."[37]
In the Temple, they meet
Return to Nazareth and early childhood (2:39–40)
In verses 39–40, the family returns to Nazareth in Galilee, where Jesus grows and becomes strong and wise. He receives God's favour or grace. Unlike the
Boy Jesus at the Temple (2:41–50)
The Gospel then provides the only story of Jesus's childhood in the Canonical Gospels. When Jesus is twelve his family travels to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. Then they leave with a large group of their relatives and friends and after a day they realize Jesus is not with them. They go back to Jerusalem and after three days of looking find him in the temple talking with the temple teachers. His parents scold [39] him for running off, but Jesus replies that they should have known where he was. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house? [40] (or about my Father's business)?"[41] His family fails to understand what he is talking about. They all then go to Nazareth.[42]
Later childhood and youth (2:51–52)
Jesus continues to grow and flourish both in wisdom and stature, and in the favour of God and man. This mirrors verse 40, and completes Jesus' early years. The next we see of him is in Chapter 3, verse 21, when he is baptised by John the Baptist.
Uses
Verses 1–19 are commonly read during
Music
The King James Version of verses 8–11 and 13–14 from this chapter is cited as text in the English-language oratorio "Messiah" by George Frideric Handel (HWV 56).[44]
See also
- Gloria in excelsis Deo
- Migdal Eder ("Tower of flock")
- Pidyon haben
- Related Bible parts: Micah 4, Micah 5, Matthew 2
References
- ^ Jerusalem Bible (1966), "Introduction to the Synoptic Gospels", New Testament p. 5
- ^ a b Alford, H., Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary - Alford on Luke 2, accessed 21 August 2023
- ^ BBC Radio 4, Midnight Mass, 24 December 2021 from Salford Cathedral
- ISBN 978-0-8028-4098-1.
- BibleGateway.com, Translations of Luke 2:1
- ^ Additional words "register for taxation" at Luke 2:1; EXB
- ^ Franklin, E., 59. Luke, in Barton, J. and Muddiman, J. (2001), The Oxford Bible Commentary, p. 929
- ^ Nolland, J. (1989–93), Luke, Word Biblical Commentary Series (Dallas: Word)
- ^ Fitzmyer, J. A. (1981, 1985), The Gospel According to Luke, AB (New York: Doubleday), quoted in Franklin, citation above
- ^ Luke 2:2: KJV
- ^ Nicoll, W. R., Expositor's Greek Testament. Luke 2. Accessed 24 April 2019.
- ^ Luke 2:3: NKJV
- ^ Meyer, H. A. W. (1890), Meyer's NT Commentary on Luke 2, accessed 5 July 2020
- ^ Luke 2:3: NKJV
- ^ Luke 1:39–40, 56
- ^ Luke 2:7 KJV
- ^ Note [a] on Luke 2:7 in NET Bible
- ^ Note on Luke 2:7 in NKJV
- ^ Note [b] on Luke 2:7 in NET Bible
- ^ a b c Note [c] on Luke 2:7 in NET Bible
- ^ Note on Luke 2:7 in ESV
- ^ Luke 2:10: NKJV
- ^ Luke 2:11 NKJV
- ^ Green, p. 130.
- ^ Luke 1:52: ESV
- ^ Marshall, p. 112.
- ^ Green, p. 137.
- ^ "But so mysterious were all the actions of Jesus, that this one [his circumcision] served many ends. For 1. It gave demonstration of the verity of human nature. 2. So he began to fulfill the law. 3. And took from himself the scandal of uncircumcision, which would eternally have prejudiced the Jews against his entertainment and communion. 4. And then he took upon him that name, which declared him to be the Savior of the world; which as it was consummate in the blood of the cross, so it was inaugurated in the blood of circumcision: for "when eight days were accomplished for circumcising of the Child, his name was called Jesus." – Taylor, Jeremy. The Whole works; with an essay biographical and critical, Volume 1 (1657). Frederick Westley and A. H. Davis, London, 1835. p. 51
- ^ Luke 2:22 KJV
- ^ a b c d Carson et al. 1994, p. 985.
- ^ E.g. the New Revised Standard Version at Luke 2:22
- ^ a b c Gill, John. Exposition of the Entire Bible. Luke 2:22. Accessed 29 June 2019.
- ^ Hebrew Text Analysis: Leviticus 12:4. Biblehub.com
- ^ Maimonides, Hilchot Mechosre Capharah, c. 1. sect. 5, quoted by Gill, J. in his Exposition of the Bible on Luke 2, accessed 19 December 2021
- ^ Misn. Sota, c. 1. sect. 5.
- ISBN 9780195214628. Retrieved 27 December 2016.
The story of the Presentation of Jesus to God in the Temple concludes Luke's birth narrative (Luke 2.22–39).
- ISBN 9780271048383.
- ^ Bengel, J. A. (1759), Bengel's Gnomon on Luke 2, accessed 6 July 2020
- ^ This word is used at Luke 2:48 in The Passion Translation by Brian Simmons; other translations refer to his parents' anxiety and their amazement on finding him
- ^ Luke 2:49 in various translations, such as the New Revised Standard Version
- ^ Luke 2:49 in translations such as the New King James Version
- ISBN 0-88207-812-7p. 210
- ^ Church of England, Book of Common Prayer: Evening Prayer as printed by John Baskerville in 1762, pp. 21
- ^ Block, Daniel I. (2001). "Handel's Messiah: Biblical and Theological Perspectives" (PDF). Didaskalia. 12 (2). Retrieved 19 July 2011.
Sources
- ISBN 9780851106489.
Further reading
- Brown, Raymond E. An Introduction to the New Testament 1997 Doubleday ISBN 0-385-24767-2
External links
- Luke 2 King James Bible – Wikisource
- English Translation with Parallel Latin Vulgate
- Online Bible at GospelHall.org (ESV, KJV, Darby, American Standard Version, Bible in Basic English)
- Multiple bible versions at Bible Gateway (NKJV, NIV, NRSV etc.)
Preceded by Luke 1 |
Chapters of the Bible Gospel of Luke |
Succeeded by Luke 3 |