Luke 1:70

1:67-80 Zacharias uttered a prophecy concerning the kingdom and salvation of the Messiah. The gospel brings light with it; in it the day dawns. In John the Baptist it began to break, and increased apace to the perfect day. The gospel is discovering; it shows that about which we were utterly in the dark; it is to give light to those that sit in darkness, the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. It is reviving; it brings light to those that sit in the shadow of death, as condemned prisoners in the dungeon. It is directing; it is to guide our feet in the way of peace, into that way which will bring us to peace at last, Ro 3:17. John gave proofs of strong faith, vigorous and holy affections, and of being above the fear and love of the world. Thus he ripened for usefulness; but he lived a retired life, till he came forward openly as the forerunner of the Messiah. Let us follow peace with all men, as well as seek peace with God and our own consciences. And if it be the will of God that we live unknown to the world, still let us diligently seek to grow strong in the grace of Jesus Christ.

Luke 1:70 . No parenthesis. τῶν ἁγίων ] not used substantivally (Bornemann), but see Bernhardy, p. 322; Krüger, § 50. 9. 7. ἀπʼ αἰῶνος ] not absolutely , as though there had been prophets even ab orbe condito (“imo per os Adami,” Calovius), but relatively ; when the oldest prophets emerged (and Moses already was such an one), was the commencement of prophecy since the beginning of the world . Comp. Genesis 6:4 ; Acts 3:21 ; Longin. 34: τοὺς ἀπʼ αἰῶνος ῥήτορας .

Luke 1:70 . Καθὼς ἐλάλησε , as He spake ) The point at which Mary left off, Luke 1:55 , is the same as that at which Zacharias now begins.— διὰ στόματος , by the mouth ) To prophesy cost the prophets no labour in so far as they received the power from God; whatever it cost them, was merely in so far as they had to put forth their prophecies to men hostile to them. They needed merely to lend their mouth [for God to supply the words]: nay, even “ a mouth ” was given tham, Luke 21:15 .— ἁγίων , holy ) There was no prophet that was not holy:[18] 2 Peter 1:21 ; Hebrews 11:32-33 .— ἈΠʼ ΑἸῶΝΟς , since the world began ) Even from the very beginning there were prophets. [18] Balaam seems an exception. But perhaps Beng. means by ‘sanctus’ consecrated to God, and set apart from other men by God to His service.—Ed. and Transl.

(70) His holy prophets, which have been since the world began. —The words were probably more than a lofty paraphrase of the more usual language, “of old time,” “of ancient days,” and imply a reference to the great first Gospel, as it has been called, of Genesis 3:15 , as well as to those made to Abraham, who is the first person named as a prophet ( Genesis 20:7 ).

Verse 70. - By the mouth of his holy prophets . Zacharias looked on all that was then happening as clearly foretold in those sacred prophetic writings preserved in the nation with so much care and reverence. Which have been since the world began. He considered Messianic prophecy as dating from the first intimation after the fall in Eden ( Genesis 3:15 ), and continuing in an intermittent but yet unbroken line from Genesis to Malachi. Luke 1:70

70 . by the mouth of his holy prophets ] namely “in the Law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms,” see on Luke 24:44 . since the world began ] Rather, of old ( ἀπ ' αἰῶνος ). “At sundry times and in divers manners” ( Hebrews 1:1 ) but even “in old time” ( 2 Peter 1:21 ) and dating back even to the promises to Eve and to Abraham ( Genesis 3:15 ; Genesis 22:18 ; Genesis 49:10 ) and the sceptre and the star of Balaam Numbers 24:17 ).

His holy prophets ... - All the prophets are said to have referred to the Messiah, from the beginning of the world. The most striking of these were Jacob Genesis 49:10 ; Moses Deuteronomy 18:15 ; Isaiah Isa 9:6-7; Isaiah 53:1-12 . Since the world began - This is not to be taken literally, for there were no prophets "immediately after" the creation. It is merely a general expression, designed to denote that all the prophets had predicted the coming of the Messiah. Compare the Luke 24:27 note; Revelation 19:10 note.