The Boy Jesus in the Temple

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 2:39) And when they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city Nazareth.

In the last post and first part of Luke 2, Mary and Joseph had taken the baby Jesus to Jerusalem to the temple to be presented to the Lord and redeemed as He was their firstborn and therefore holy to God.  After presenting Him and offering their offering, they returned to Nazareth in Galilee.  They actually didn't go immediately back to Nazareth but must have first returned to Bethlehem as the wise men later came to Bethlehem to see the Christ Child.  From there the family went to Egypt until the death of Herod, and then they returned to Nazareth where Jesus grew up.

(40) And the Child grew and strengthened in spirit, filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was upon Him.

Indeed, Jesus did grow and become strong in spirit and wisdom in Nazareth, and God's favor was upon Him.

(41) Now His parents went to Jerusalem every year at the Feast of the Passover.

Every year Jesus's parents went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover as was their custom, and it was the law for Jewish males.

(42) And when He was twelve years old, they went up to Jerusalem according to the custom of the Feast.

When Jesus was twelve years old, they went to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover as they always did.

(43) And when they had fulfilled the days, as they returned, the Child Jesus tarried behind in Jerusalem, and Joseph and His mother did not know it.

When they had fulfilled all the days of the Passover, eight in all, they began their journey back, but Jesus had stayed behind in Jerusalem and His parents did not know it.

(44) But supposing Him to have been in the company, they went a day's journey, and they sought Him among kinsfolk and acquaintances.

Apparently, the people journeyed in large groups so that Jesus's parents did not immediately look for Him, but assumed Him to be with another part of the company.  It wasn't until after a day's journey that they began to enquire of friends and relatives in the group about Jesus's whereabouts.

(45) And when they did not find Him, they turned back again to Jerusalem, seeking Him.

When Mary and Joseph could not find Jesus among their group, they returned to Jerusalem to look for Him.

(46) And it came to pass that after three days they found Him in the temple sitting in the midst of the instructors, both listening to them and asking them questions.

My first thought was how unbelievable it was that His parents could let their Child get so far from them that it took three days to find Him, but I imagine it was one day journeying and then one day back, and they found Him on the third day.  They found Him in the temple sitting among the instructors, listening and asking questions.  It's rather remarkable to think that for three days He did not seek His parents but preferred rather to be in the temple discussing the things of God.

(47) And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.

All in the temple who heard twelve-year-old Jesus were astonished at His understanding and knowledge for someone of His young age.

(48) And when they saw Him, they were amazed, and His mother said to Him, "Son, why have You dealt this way with us? Behold, Your father and I have sought You, sorrowing."

Mary and Joseph were amazed to Jesus sitting calmly in the temple with the teachers.  Mary asked Him why He had done that to them as they had been frantically looking for Him and were worried.

(49) And He said to them, "Why is it that you sought Me? Did you not know that I must be about My Father's business?"

I believe the sense of Jesus's question and reply was that they should not have been so anxious about where to find Him, but should have known He would be in the temple as it was time to be about His heavenly Father's business, engaged in the learning and teaching of His Father.

(50) And they did not understand the saying which He spoke to them.

It seems that Mary and Joseph didn't understand the gist of what Jesus meant.  Even knowing Who Jesus was and Who He was to become, they did not yet see Him for more than their child who needed looking after.

(51) And He went down with them and came to Nazareth and was subject to them; but His mother kept all these sayings in her heart.

Jesus returned with His parents to Nazareth and remained subject to them as a child to His parents.  However, Mary pondered the things that had happened and what was said by Jesus in her heart.

(52) And Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.

Jesus continued to grow in stature and in wisdom and in favor with God.  It seems He also grew to be esteemed by men.

As short as this post is, it is the end of the second chapter of Luke, and as the subject changes entirely in the next chapter, I will end this post here, and continue with chapter 3 in the next.

The Birth of Jesus

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 2:1) And it came to pass in those days that there went out a decree from Caesar Augustus, that all the world should be taxed.

In the last chapter Mary had learned she would bear a child, the Savior of the world.  She had gone to visit her cousin Elizabeth who had learned she was also to bear a child, John the Baptist.  She stayed with Elizabeth for about three months and then returned to her home.  It was at this time that a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be registered in a census in order to afterward lay a tax on the people.  During the reign of Augustus, the Roman empire extended itself further than ever before so that it was literally called the empire of the whole earth.

(2) (This taxing was first made when Cyrenius was governor of Syria.)

This was a parenthetical statement made by Luke.  The way it was translated is not exactly what is meant as Cyrenius was not governor of Syria when the registry was made.  However, this first registry was first made by Cyrenius who would later become governor of Syria.  Luke spoke of Cyrenius as governor as that was what he later was, and he was the first to make the registry, and later made a second when he indeed was governor.

(3) And all went to be taxed, everyone to his own city.

All the people went to be registered in their own city, that is, perhaps where they were born and where their estates might be.

(4) And Joseph also went up from Galilee out of the city of Nazareth into Judea to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem (because he was of the house and lineage of David), (5) to be taxed with Mary, his espoused wife, being great with child.

Joseph, Mary's betrothed, also went from Nazareth in Galilee, where he and Mary both lived, to Bethlehem where David was born and lived, as he was a descendant of David, to be registered.  Mary, then great with child, went with him.

(6) And so it was that while they were there, the days were completed that she should be delivered.

While Joseph and Mary were in Bethlehem to be registered, it came time for Mary to deliver her baby.  The timing for this to put Mary in Bethlehem at the time of Jesus's birth fulfilled a prophecy from Micah 5:2.

(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.

Mary brought forth her Son, called her firstborn.  This in itself does not mean that Mary must have borne more children, although I do believe she did.  Being a firstborn according to the Bible in Exodus 13:2 meant the one who opened the womb, even if no other children came later.  After all, at the time of the firstborn's birth, no one knows if there will be more to follow.  Having no midwife, Mary would have delivered the baby herself, cutting the umbilical cord, cleaning up the baby and wrapping Him in swaddling strips of cloth.  She had to lay Him in a manger, a trough for feeding the animals in the stable where they lodged, because there was no room for them in the inn.

The circumstances surrounding Jesus's birth are remarkable in their unremarkableness, or rather perhaps better said, in their lowliness of status.  He was born at a time when Judea was at its lowest point, when it had become a Roman province, fulfilling the prophecy of Jacob in Genesis 49:10 that Shiloh would come when the scepter was departed from Judah and the lawgiver between his feet.  Not only Judah, but for the first time the whole world was in bondage to the Romans.  He was born in the little town of Bethlehem, said to be the city of David, but not because of his power and prosperity there as in Zion, also called the city of David, but because he was born there and was a lowly shepherd boy.  God chose the lowly place for Christ's birth, not the place of power and prosperity.  The literal meaning of the name Bethlehem is "house of bread."  Jesus was the bread of life born there.  Because everyone was coming back to their towns to be taxed, the inn at Bethlehem was full, and Joseph and Mary had to lodge in the stable where Jesus was born among the animals and laid in their feed trough that acted as a cradle.  Even though Joseph had gone back to his city, he evidently had no inheritance of real property there where he could lodge, or any relatives there with whom he could lodge.  Jesus was born in the stable of an inn, a symbol of the fact he had come to the world only to sojourn for a while, and to teach us to think likewise.  

(8) And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night.

At the same time Christ was born, there were shepherds keeping watch over their flock in the night in a nearby field.

(9) And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; and they were greatly afraid.

The fact that Luke stated the angel and not an angel of the Lord, led some of the old Bible commentators I study to deduce that this may have been the same angel, Gabriel, who had brought the good tidings about the conception of the Savior to Mary.  The angel appeared suddenly to the shepherds and the glory of the Lord shone around them, surely a very visible glorious light by which they could easily see the angel, and this sight made them very afraid.  

(10) And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people."

The angel told them not to be afraid because he was there to bring them good tidings, not bad.  In fact, they were tidings of great joy which would be to all people, and of course, that was because Jesus who could be the Savior to all people if they would only accept Him, had been born.

(11) "For to you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord."

The angel continued with his good tidings, telling the shepherds that that very night a Savior, Christ the Lord, had been born in Bethlehem.

(12) "And this will be a sign to you, you shall find the Baby wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger."

The angel went on describing how they would know the Savior; they would find Him wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.  Without this "sign" from the angel, the shepherds surely would have never thought to see the Savior in a stable in a manger.

(13) And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, (14) "Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace, good will toward men."

Suddenly there was with the angel a whole army of angels praising God and declaring His glory as the most high God and in the highest heavens, and on earth He was bringing peace and His good will toward men by sending them a Savior.

(15) And it came to pass, as the angels had gone away from them into heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us now go to Bethlehem and see this thing that has come to pass which the Lord has made known to us."

When the angels left the shepherds and went back up to heaven, the shepherds discussed among themselves that they should go to Bethlehem and see just what had come to pass that their Lord had made known to them.

(16) And they came with haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the Baby lying in a manger.

It seems they immediately went to Bethlehem and indeed found Mary and Joseph and their Baby lying in a manger.

(17) And when they had seen Him, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this Child.

When the shepherds had seen for themselves the Christ Child, they made it known far and wide what the angel had told them regarding the Child.

(18) And all those who heard it wondered at those things which were told them by the shepherds.

All those who heard what the shepherds told them, marveled and wondered about it.

(19) But Mary kept all these things and pondered them in her heart.

However, Mary didn't proclaim those things which had been told to her by the shepherds, but kept them in her heart and pondered them and weighed them against the other things she had been told about her Baby, the Christ Child.

(20) And the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had heard and seen, as it was told to them.

The shepherds left Bethlehem and returned to their flock, glorifying and praising God for all the things they had been told and those things they had witnessed themselves.

(21) And when eight days were completed for the circumcising of the Child, His name was called JESUS, which was so named by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.

On the eighth day after His birth, as was the law, the Baby was to be circumcised and was given His name of Jesus as the angel had told Mary it should be when he brought her the good tidings of His birth.

(22) And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord, (23) (As it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the Lord").

According to the law of Moses in Leviticus 12:3-4, a woman was considered impure for forty days after the birth of a son.  After that time for Mary, she and Joseph brought Jesus to Jerusalem to the temple to present Him to the Lord, as was the custom to present and sanctify to God every firstborn child (Exodus 13:2).  Additionally, in Exodus 13:12, the law stated that the firstborn males were to be the Lord's, devoted and consecrated to Him, and had to be redeemed with something of value.  This was instituted to memorialize the time God struck all the firstborn of the Egyptians and saved all the firstborn of Israel. 

(24) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons."

At that time, also according to the law, Mary was to offer a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.  Worthy of note is the fact that wealthier women were required to bring a lamb, but the poor, as Mary must have been, could offer the birds, another indication of the lowliness of Christ's birth.

(25) And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Ghost was upon him.

There was a man there in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was a just and devout man of God who was anticipating and waiting for the Messiah, who was called the consolation of Israel because He would give comfort to Israel.  The Holy Spirit was upon Simeon.

(26) And it was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ.

The Holy Spirit had revealed to Simeon that he would not die before he got to see the Messiah for whom he had been waiting.

(27) And he came by the Spirit into the temple. And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, 

The Holy Spirit led Simeon to the temple at the time Mary and Joseph were bringing Jesus there to present Him to the Lord, according to the law.

(28) Then he took Him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, (29) "Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace according to Your word,"

Simeon took the Christ Child up in his arms and praised God that He had indeed let him see the Messiah before he departed this world, just as the Holy Spirit had revealed to him.

(30) "For my eyes have seen Your salvation (31) Which You have prepared before the face of all people, (32) A light to lighten the Gentiles and a glory of Your people Israel."

Simeon continued praising God, thanking Him for allowing him to see His salvation, which of course was brought forth through Jesus Christ.  He added that the Lord had done this before the face of all people; God had revealed His plan for the salvation of the world through the birth of the Christ Child, the Messiah.  He would be a light to enlighten the Gentiles and the glory of His people Israel, as He was one of them, first sent to them as they were God's chosen people.

(33) And Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.

Mary and Joseph marveled at the things Simeon had said about Jesus, not because those things had not been revealed to them also, but at the fact that this stranger should instantly know those things about their child.

(34) And Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, "Behold, this Child is set for the fall and the rising again of many in Israel, and for a sign which shall be spoken against, (35) (Yea, a sword shall pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed."

Then Simeon blessed Jesus's parents and spoke to His mother Mary.  He told her that her Child was destined for the fall and the rising up again of many in Israel.  I believe this means that many would fall from their high and mighty hypocritical places because they had turned the knowledge of God into something it was never meant to be.  The original word "anastasis" that was translated as "rising again" does not always mean "again," but can mean merely "rising," or if "rising again," it here referred to rising again from death to life.  I don't believe that Simeon meant to suggest that the same people who fell because of Jesus would necessarily then rise up again, although that might happen to some.  I believe the sense is that some would stumble and fall because of Him, and others would rise from their sinful deaths to live again, and in eternity with God.  This Child would also be a sign that would be spoken against, that is, a Sign from God, but rejected by men.  In a sort of parenthetical statement, Simeon said that Mary's soul would be pierced through with a sword also, probably meaning that she would suffer much through the suffering and death of her Son; just as His side would be pierced with a sword, so would her soul be pierced also.  Removing the parenthetical thought, that sign from God which would be spoken against and rejected would reveal the true hearts of many men.

(36) And there was one Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher. She was of great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity, (37) And she was a widow of about four score and four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Also in the temple at the time Mary and Joseph and Jesus were there, was an old woman named Anna, the daughter of Phanuel of the tribe of Asher.  She had been married and had lived with her husband for seven years, but was then widowed for 84 years and spent all her time in the temple, serving God with fasting and prayers day and night.

(38) And she, coming in at that instant, gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.

Anna came into the temple at the same time Simeon was holding the Christ Child and speaking to Mary, and she likewise gave thanks to the Lord for allowing her to see the Messiah, and as a prophetess, she spoke of Him to all those she met who were also looking forward to the coming of the Messiah, said to be their redemption.  

I will stop here for now as this ends the account of Jesus's birth and infancy.  The rest of the second chapter of Luke will resume in the next post.

The Birth of John the Baptist

Continuing a Bible study of the Gospels:

(Luke 1:39) And Mary arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste to a city of Judah.

At the end of the last post, Mary had just been given the message from the Lord that she would conceive and bear the Son of God.  At that time she made an earnest journey into the hill country to a city of Judah.  Early commentators said this was probably Hebron, a city of priests, in the hill country of Judea and belonging to the house of Aaron.  If that is true, it was a hundred mile journey for Mary!  Even though the scripture only mentioned Mary, surely some family member or perhaps Joseph arranged to have Mary join a caravan traveling to Hebron.

(40) And entered into the house of Zacharias and saluted Elizabeth.

Mary went to the house of Zacharias and Elizabeth.  It is understandable that she would go to the one person with whom she could freely talk about her pregnancy, as being a pregnant virgin would not have been well accepted in her village, and no one would have believed her story about how it came to be.

(41) And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost.

This is one of my favorite verses in all the Bible.  When Elizabeth heard Mary's entrance and greeting, the baby in her womb leaped!  The baby, not a fetus, actually reacted to the voice of Mary.  The baby, not Elizabeth's baby and property to do with what she wished.  This was a separate human being inside Elizabeth's womb reacting of his own accord.  Is there any clearer message that the baby growing inside a woman is indeed a life separate from her?  The baby can react and feel pain if he is killed even inside the womb.  There is just no way to dispute the fact that abortion is murder of an innocent child!  When the baby leaped inside of her, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

(42) And she spoke out with a loud voice and said, "Blessed are you among women and blessed is the fruit of your womb!"

Elizabeth, being filled with the Holy Spirit, recognized what her baby had just recognized and to what he had reacted, and declared in a loud voice that Mary was blessed among women, using the words the angel had spoken to Mary, and that the child within her womb was blessed which, of course, was the reason why Mary was blessed.

(43) "And why this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"

Elizabeth continued, citing the Holy Spirit revelation that Mary was the mother of her Lord, and she asked why it was that Mary should come to her, obviously a question in humility that she should be honored with a visit from Mary, and her Lord, especially.

(44) "For lo, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy."

Elizabeth continued, telling Mary how the baby in her womb leapt for joy when he heard Mary's salutation.

(45) "And blessed is she who believed, for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord."

Still obviously speaking the words of the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth concluded that Mary was blessed because she had believed the prophecy of the angel, and confirmed that those things that had been told to her by the angel of the Lord would indeed come to pass.

(46) And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord,"

Mary began what is called the Magnificat, said to be a hymn of Mary, surely by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.  She said her soul magnified the Lord, meaning not that she herself could magnify or make Him greater, but that her soul realized and declared His greatness.

(47) "And my spirit has rejoiced in God my Savior."

Mary declared her spirit rejoiced in God her Savior, the Holy Spirit within her declaring that she was saved by God through the redemption that would be in Christ Jesus, the baby in her womb.

(48) "For He has regarded the lowly state of His handmaiden, for, behold, from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed."

The Lord God had highly favored Mary in her lowly and humble state, meaning there was not any particular excellence in her, except that she was a willing handmaiden of the Lord, but it was from God's excellent love and mercy that she would from then on through all generations be called blessed.

(49) "For He who is mighty has done to me great things, and holy is His name."

Mary declared that the mighty God had done great things for her and specifically to her with regard to her immaculate conception of a child who would become the Savior of the world.  She declared God's name as holy, and indeed this miracle within her was brought about with no impurity and only by the Holy Spirit.

(50) "And His mercy is on them who fear Him from generation to generation."

Mary proclaimed God's mercy was on the people who feared Him, meaning a reverential respect for just who He was, from that generation to the next and to the next forever.

(51) "He has shown strength with His arm; He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts."

God had shown strength with His arm referring to what He had done with His almighty power.  He had dispelled the proud and haughty who were high and mighty in their own imaginations and brought them to nothing.  He made foolish the wisdom of the world:  "For it is written, 'I will destroy the wisdom of the wise and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.' Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? Has God not made foolish the wisdom of this world?" (1 Corinthians 1:19-20)

(52) "He has put down the mighty from their seats and exalted them of low degree."

Mary declared, by inspiration of the Holy Spirit, that God had taken down the mighty from their thrones, as when Saul was removed as king to establish David's kingdom.  However, it is also a prophetic statement about Satan being removed from his throne as the prince of the world by Jesus Christ who conquered death and saved His people from Satan.  God is no respecter of persons (Acts 10:34); He exalts people of low esteem as He exalted the young shepherd boy David and He was exalting Mary in her lowly state (v. 48 above).

(53) "He has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich He has sent away empty."

God has filled the hungry and poor with the good things they need and has blessed them with things greater than the riches of the world.  He has sent the rich away empty, not necessarily a proactive move on God's part but because they don't rely on Him for their needs.  If they prayed at all, their prayers would likely be those to enrich themselves even more and to make them less likely to depend on God.  God might indeed deny or take away riches in order to bring one closer to Him, their only true source of salvation and joy.

(54) "He has helped His servant Israel, in remembrance of His mercy."

God has continued to support Israel, mercifully remembering His covenant with Abraham, "I will make you a great nation, I will bless you and make your name great, and you shall be a blessing. And I will bless those who bless you, and I will curse him who curses you, and in you shall all families of the earth be blessed." (Genesis 12:2-3)  The original word translated as "helped" is a very long word meaning so much more than helped.  It means to lay hold of and participate in the support of something, in this case Israel.  God was always an ever-present support for His people, Israel, and in bringing forth Jesus from Mary's womb, all families of the earth would now be blessed.

(55) "As He spoke to our fathers, to Abraham and to his seed forever."

Mary concluded her hymn by adding that God had spoken to and reminded their fathers from Abraham down through the generations through David to Jesus about His promise.  From Jesus forward in time the covenant would be with His spiritual seed, as of course, Jesus would have no natural descendants.

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

Mary stayed with Elizabeth and Zacharias about three months, which would have been about the time that Elizabeth was to deliver her child, and then she returned to her home.

(57) Now Elizabeth's full time came that she should deliver, and she brought forth a son.

Indeed, it was Elizabeth's time to give birth and she brought forth a son.

(58) And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shown great mercy on her and they rejoiced with her.

When her neighbors and relatives heard how the Lord had blessed Elizabeth with a son in her old and barren age, they rejoiced with her.  Indeed, this was a fulfillment of the prophecy the angel had given Zacharias in Luke 1:14, that many would rejoice at his birth.

(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.

When the baby was eight days old, some of those same neighbors and relatives came to circumcise the baby as was Jewish law.  It was the time at which the baby was normally given his name.  Those who were in attendance for the circumcision called the baby Zacharias after his father.

(60) And his mother answered and said, "No, he shall be called John."

Elizabeth objected and said that her baby's name was to be John as the angel had said it was to be.

(61) And they said to her, "There is none of your kindred who is called by this name."

However, the people answered back that there was no one in her family who was called by John, as it must have been a usual custom to name babies after others in their family.  The name John literally meant "Jehovah is a gracious giver," as He certainly had been in giving Elizabeth this child.  This was especially true when you consider who it was that John was sent to proclaim and prepare the way for; the gracious God gave the world Jesus to save them.

(62) And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

The people used sign language to ask Zacharias what he wanted the baby called.

(63) And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, saying, "His name is John." And they all marveled.

Zacharias motioned for a writing tablet and wrote that the baby's name was to be John.  The people were amazed at this, probably because he didn't want the baby named after him, and because he and Elizabeth were in agreement when he had been deaf and dumb this whole time.

(64) And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosened, and he spoke and praised God.

As soon as Zacharias had named the child John, all things being accomplished that the angel had foretold, all impediments to his speech, and to his hearing if there was any, were removed and He was able to speak and praised God.

(65) And fear came on all who dwelt around them, and all these sayings were talked about abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.

At that, the people marveled even more and were in awe and even fear.  They told about the things that had happened and word spread throughout the hill country of Judea.

(66) And all those who heard laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What manner of child will this be?" And the hand of the Lord was with him.

Those who heard about the circumstances surrounding John's birth and naming stored those things in their hearts, wondering what sort of child he would grow to be, as it was obvious to them that the extraordinary circumstances of his birth meant the hand of God was on him.  The King James Version of this verse made the statement declarative and exclamatory, rather than a question:  "What manner of child will this be!"  That suggests the same thing that he must be something special.  Indeed, the hand of the Lord was on John.

(67) And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost and prophesied, saying, (68) "Blessed the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited and redeemed His people."

Zacharias was then filled with the Holy Spirit and began to prophesy, first by praising His Lord God of all Israel who was with them and was redeeming His people.  Zacharias may not have known just how He was doing that, but by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, he spoke it as if it were done.

(69) "And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of His servant David."

Obviously still speaking the words of the Holy Spirit, Zacharias went on to say that God had raised up a horn of salvation, the horn signifying strength, glory, and power, for His people from the line of His servant David, who was of course, Jesus Christ.  "The horn of my salvation" was quoted by David in Psalms 18:2.

(70) "As He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets who have been since the world began, (71) That we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;"

This horn of salvation in the form of Jesus Christ had been spoken of by prophets of God since the beginning of time, from Genesis to Moses to the prophets.  This salvation would save them from their enemies and all who hated them in that their sins and Satan and his wicked followers could no longer destroy them.  Their mortal earthly bodies might be destroyed, but through the redemption in the saving grace of Jesus Christ, they could live forever with God in heaven.

(72) "To perform the mercy to our fathers and to remember His holy covenant, (73) The oath which He swore to our father Abraham."

In saving His people, God was performing the mercy He promised to their patriarchs and remembering His covenant made with Abraham that He would bless Abraham and make his descendants as numerous as the stars in heaven and that his descendants would possess the gates of his enemies, as with Solomon and David and other kings, and ultimately with Jesus Christ who triumphed over death itself, and in his descendants all nations of the world would be blessed (Genesis 22:17-18).

(74) "That He would grant to 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."

That promised merciful salvation that the Lord granted to His people even at the time Zacharias was speaking, since His people were being delivered from the hands of their enemies, should allow them to serve Him without fear in true holiness and righteousness, not in mere outward rituals and legal ceremonies.  Through the redemption that would be in Jesus Christ, His people would be considered holy and righteous before the Lord and could serve Him all the days of their lives.

(76) "And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways."

Zacharias, turning his prophetic speech to his son, said that this child would be called the prophet of the Highest, the Highest obviously being God, but he could also be called the prophet of the highest calling, as he was the one who went before the Lord Jesus to prepare the way for Him.

(77) "To give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins, (78) Through the tender mercy of our God, whereby the Dayspring from on high has visited us, (79) To give light to them who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Zacharias's son John would prophesy and prepare the way of the Lord by giving the knowledge of salvation through the remission of their sins to His people.  That salvation would come to be because of the tender mercy of our Father God from whom that morning Light of the World from on high would come down to earth to give light to His people who sat in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide them into the way of spiritual peace and joy.

(80) And the child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his showing to Israel.

Zacharias's prophecy now ended, scripture returned to the child of Zacharias and Elizabeth, John, who would become known as John the Baptist.  He grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts until he entered public ministry.  Either he grew up and then went to the desert region until ready to start his ministry, or perhaps the meaning is that while he grew, he spent his time in the deserts near his home, indicating he did not attend the schools of the Jews or apprentice with rabbis.  In solitude he was taught by God and he became strong in spirit.  He began his ministry at about the age of 30, as Jesus did, as was the law as gleaned from Numbers 4:3.