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.

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 show thee these glad tidings.

20 And behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

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 beckoned unto them, and remained speechless.

23 And it came to pass, that as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house.

24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself 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.

26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

preparation for the Messiah, as the spiritual benefit from John's labors. nation had long been expecting his See Matt. 11: 18. 21:32. Luke, 7: coming. But they were not in a 29, 30. And therefore, according to state of moral fitness for him. There the prediction of Malachi (4 : 6), the were, however, in the nation, those land was smitten with the curse of God. who would reverently and obediently 19. Gabriel. Compare Dan. 8: 16. hearken to a well-attested announce- 9: 21. This name is compounded ment of the Messiah's approach, and of two Hebrew words which signify to the exhortation to become pre-man of God. That stand in the pared, by timely repentance, for his presence of God. God was conceived teaching and government. The Lord of as a mighty king, having around seems most naturally to refer here to him servants whom he employed in the Messiah, the expected King and executing his will. To stand in his Lord, or Master, of the Jews. presence, then, would mean to be his servant.

Thus the official duty of John the Baptist, as the harbinger of the Messiah, was distinctly announced to Zacharias. But it may be asked, Was the design accomplished for which John was sent? To this it may be replied, that, in many instances, there was effected a turning to the Lord, and consequently a preparation for the Messiah. But by far the larger part of the nation, and especially the distinguished men, failed to receive

23. The days of his ministration were accomplished. See on v. 5.

24. Hid herself; kept herself in comparative retirement.

25. He looked on me; he looked kindly towards me, and mercifully regarded me. To take away my reproach. To be without children was considered, among the Jews, a peculiarly unhappy circumstance.

26. Nazareth. See on Matt. 2: 23.

27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favored ; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among 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 favor with God.

31 And behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring

23. The Lord is with thee; or, the Lord be with thee; that is, the Lord be favorable to thee. This was one of the forms of salutation among the Hebrews. Compare Judges 6: 12. Ruth 2: 4.

31. Jesus. See on Matt. 1: 21. 32. Give unto him the throne of his father David. The son of Mary would be a lineal descendant of David, and would be the king of the Jews, the long-expected Messiah. See on Matt. 1: 1.

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.

33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

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

be perpetuated, and that the blessings of the Messiah's reign would be communicated to other nations, by their becoming attached to the Jewish nation and owning the sway of the Messiah, the king of the Jews; so that, with them, the people of the Messiah and the Jews were synonymous terms. But the Messiah's object was a spiritual one, the deliverance of men from sin; and only those are in reality his people who are truly pious. It is over his believing and redeemed people, distinguished by the name house of Jacob, that he will rule forOf his kingdom; of his reign, There

33. The house of Jacob. Jacob, or Israel, was the father of the twelve patriarchs, the progenitors of the Jew-ever. ish nation. Thus the whole nation his royal administration. might be designated as the house, or family, of Jacob. Since the family of Jacob, or the Jewish nation, had been set apart as the people of God, the two phrases house of Jacob and people of God came to be of the same signification; and even when the people of God, strictly speaking, that is, the truly pious, were meant, the phrase house of Jacob would naturally be employed. In this verse, the true people of God, owning subjection to the Messiah, are meant, of whom the 35. The Holy Ghost house of Jacob was an emblem. The the Highest. These expressions are Jews supposed that their nation would | here equivalent. Such repetitions of

VOL. II.

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shall be no end. He will never cease to reign in the hearts of his people. While the world stands, and the work of redemption is going forward, he will rule as King and Lord of the new dispensation; and when the work of redemption is completed, and his of fice, as the Mediator, shall cease, still the great principles of his government shall rule in the hearts of those whom he shall have saved. Compare 1 Cor. 15: 24.

the power of

59. The eighth day. See Gen. 17: merciful manner.

60. John. Compare v. 13. 62. They made signs to his father. Compare v. 20.

67. Filled with the Holy Ghost. See on v. 41. Prophesied. The word prophet is applied, in the Scriptures, to persons who spoke, or acted, 63. He asked; by signs, doubtless. under a divine influence, whether in A writing-table; a tablet, a small predicting future events, or in utterboard covered with a substance suit-ing the praises of God, or exhorting able for writing on. Such tablets to religious duty. The verb prophesy

・

68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

69 And hath raised up a horn of salvation 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;

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 out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear,

75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

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 salas the Jews had been, with flocks and herds. The phrase horn of salvation, or power of salvation, is equivalent to the phrase powerful one, by whom deliverance will be wrought, that is, pow

is used with the same extent of meaning. The language of Zacharias on this occasion was mostly praise to God for having now so signally commenced the fulfilment of the promises respecting the Messiah. He also dis-erful, mighty deliverer, or saviour. || In tinctly mentioned the office which the the house, &c.; in the family of Dainfant would hereafter perform, as the vid. See Matt. 1: 1. herald of the Messiah.

70. Since the world began; from the earliest times. Predictions concerning the Messiah, the future Saviour, commenced immediately after the fall of Adam, and continued during the time of God's employing prophets to announce his messages to men.

68. Visited; visited with favor, kindly regarded. || Redeemed; delivered from a lowly and afflicted condition. The Jews had long been in subjection to other nations, and they deeply felt this as a state of political degradation, and as marring the glory 71. That we should be saved, &c. of their religion. They fondly an- The Jews were in subjection, and ticipated the times of the Messiah, as were regarded by other people with days of prosperity, both in their secu- unfriendly feelings. Such a state of lar and their spiritual affairs. Those things the pious among them would days such a man as Zacharias would consider as unfavorable to their rehail in view of the religious prosperi-ligious prosperity, and would regard ty which would then begin to bless deliverance from it as a most desirable the world. But as a Jew, even he event. would probably connect with this religious prosperity special temporal good for his nation in its being elevated to power. Under a divine influence, he spoke of the desired deliverance as actually commenced.

69. A horn of salvation. In the Scriptures, a horn is employed as an emblem of strength, or power. Compare 1 Sam. 2: 10. Ps. 75: 10. 89: 17. See, too, Deut. 33: 17. Such a use of the word horn was natural to people who were so much occupied,

72. Covenant; promises, engagements.

73. To our father Abraham. Com. pare Gen. 12: 2, 3. 22: 18.

74. Compare vs. 68, 71.

75. Holiness and righteousness; piety towards God and integrity towards

men.

76. Prophet. See on v. 67. || Before the face of the Lord; probably, before the Lord Messiah. || To prepare his ways. Compare Matt. 3: 3.

77. Unto his people. The Jews