INTRODUCTION

TO THE

RECORDS OF CHRIST'S MINISTRY.

CIRCUMSTANCES CONNECTED WITH THE BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD OF JOHN THE BAPTIST AND OF JESUS CHRIST.

Announcement to Zachariah of the approaching Birth of John.

MATT.

MARK

LUKE I.

5 THERE was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachariah, of the course of Abijah: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth

JOHN

• On the import of St. Luke's General Introduction, see the Preliminary Observations.

B

was barren, and they both were well stricken in
years.

• And it came to pass, that while he executed the
priest's office before God in the order of his course,
9 according to the custom of the priest's 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. And there appeared unto him an angel
of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of
incense. 12 And when Zachariah saw him, he was
troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel
said unto him, "Fear not, Zachariah: for thy prayer
is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a
son; and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou
shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice
at his birth. 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 Spirit,
even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the
children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit
and power of Elijah, 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 Zachariah 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, who
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, until the day that these things shall be per-
formed, because thou believest not my words, which
shall be fulfilled in their season."
21 And the peo-
ple waited for Zachariah, and wondered 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 tem-
ple; 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,"

JOHN

SECT. III.

Announcement to Mary of the approaching Birth of Jesus.

:

LUKE I.

26 Now in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, 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, highly favoured; the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women." 29 And 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: 33 and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end." " 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 Spirit 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. 36 And, behold, thy kinswoman Elisabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. 7 For with God nothing shall be impossible." 38 And Mary said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." And the angel departed from her.

JOHN

MATT.

MARK

SECT. IV.

Mary's Visit to Elizabeth.

LUKE I.

39 Now Mary arose in those days, and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah. 40 And she entered into the house of Zachariah, and saluted Elisabeth. 41 And it came to pass, that when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled

• Or, therefore also thy holy offspring shall be called the Son of God.

JOHN

LUKE I.

with the Holy Spirit: 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, as soon as the voice of thy
salutation sounded in mine ears, the babe leaped in
my womb for joy. 45 And blessed is she who be
lieved that there will be a performance of the things
told her from the Lord."

46 And Mary said, "My soul doth magnify the
Lord, 47 and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my
Saviour; 48 because he hath regarded the low estate
his handmaiden. For, behold, from henceforth all
generations shall call me blessed; 49 because 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. 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. 54 He hath helped his servant
Israel, in remembrance of his mercy, (as he spake
to our fathers,) to Abraham and to his seed for
ever."

55

56 And Mary abode with her about three months, and returned to her own house.

SECT. V.

Birth of John the Baptist.

LUKE I.

57 Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should
be delivered; and she brought forth a son.
58 And
her neighbours and her kindred heard how the Lord
had shewed great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced
with her. And it came to pass, that on the eighth
day they came to circumcise the child; and they
called him Zachariah, after the name of his father.
60 And his mother answered and said, " Nay; but he
shall be called John." And they said unto her,
"There is no one among thy kindred that is called by
this name." 6 And they made signs to his father,
how he would have him called. 63 And he asked for
a writing tablet, and wrote, saying, "His name is
John." And they all wondered. 64 And his mouth
was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed; and

JOHN

JOHN