Chapter One
Lk. 1:1. Since many have undertaken to compile narratives
Who were these many who undertook? The false apostles. For indeed many composed gospels, such as, for example, the Gospel of the Egyptians and the gospel inscribed "of the Twelve." They only began but did not finish. Since they began without the grace of God, they also did not finish. So Luke well said: "many undertook." Truly few, namely Matthew and Mark, did not merely begin but also finished, for they had the Spirit who brings things to perfection.
Lk. 1:1. "about the events that are completely well-known among us,"
For that which pertains to Christ is not simply known through unsubstantiated tradition, but is true, completely certain, and fully demonstrable. How then, tell me, Luke, is this demonstrable?
Lk. 1:2. as those who from the very beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the Word handed down to us,
From this it is evident that Luke was a disciple not from the beginning, but from a later time. For others were disciples of the Word from the very beginning, for example Peter and the sons of Zebedee (Matt. 4:18–22). It was they who transmitted to Luke that which he himself had not seen or heard.
Lk. 1:3. it seemed good to me also, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, to write to you in an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus,
Lk. 1:4. So that you may know the firm foundation of that teaching in which you were instructed.
I understand this in two ways. First, thus: previously I instructed you, Theophilus, without writing, and now, transmitting the Gospel to you in writing, I confirm your mind so that it would not forget what was delivered without writing. Second, thus: we people often have the custom, when someone tells us something without writing, of suspecting him that perhaps he is even speaking falsehood; but when he writes down his words, we believe that he would not have written them if he were not boldly confident in the truth of his words. So the Evangelist also says: I wrote the Gospel to you for this reason, so that you would hold with greater confidence that in which you were instructed without writing, having more trust in me now, when I am so confident in what was delivered without writing that I set it forth also in writing. He did not say "that you might know," but "that you might fully know," that is, so that you would receive twofold knowledge and together with it bold confidence that I am not lying.
Lk. 1:5. In the days of Herod, king of Judea,
He mentioned the reign of Herod, on the one hand, out of a desire to narrate after the example of the prophets, for they begin thus: "In the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah and such-and-such a one, the following took place" (Is. 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Am. 1:1), and on the other hand, since he intends to speak about Christ, he mentioned Herod in order to show that under Herod Christ truly came. For this Herod was ruling at the time when, according to the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49:10), there were no longer princes from among the Jews, and from this it is proved that Christ came. He also achieves another purpose: by speaking of the time, he shows the truthfulness of the Gospel, for he gives those who wish the opportunity to rejoice and to learn the truthfulness of the Gospel from the time period.
Lk. 1:5. A priest of the division of Abijah, whose name was Zacharias,
It is fitting to begin from Zechariah and the birth of John. Since he intends to speak about the Nativity of Christ, and John is the Forerunner of Christ, it is therefore fitting that before the Nativity of Christ he narrates the birth of John, which itself is not without miracle. Since a Virgin was to give birth, grace arranged beforehand that an old woman would give birth not according to the law of nature, although with a husband. What then do the words "of the course of Abijah" mean? Some understand it thus: that there were two priests who alternately performed the divine service, one named Abijah and the other Zechariah, and since Abijah had completed his service, after his course Zechariah served. But the matter seems not to be so. For Solomon, having finished the temple, also established daily courses, that is, weeks: in one week, for example, he appointed the sons of Korah, in another Asaph, in the next Abijah, in another yet another (2 Chron. 8:14; 1 Chron. 24). Therefore, when it says that Zechariah was "of the course of Abijah," it must be understood that he served in the week of Abijah, and not that he took up service after the week of Abijah; for then it would have said: after the course of Abijah; but now, when it says "of the course of Abijah," it indicates that he was of the course and week of Abijah.
Lk. 1:5. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.
And wishing to show that John on both sides (on his father's and on his mother's) was lawfully of the priestly lineage, he says: "and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron," for it was not permitted to take a wife from a foreign tribe, but from the same one (Num. 36:6–9). Elisabeth, by interpretation, means "rest of God," and Zacharias means "remembrance of the Lord."
Lk. 1:6. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Often some people are righteous, but not before God — only in appearance and before men. But Zechariah and Elizabeth "were righteous before God." Commandments are, for example: "You shall not commit adultery," "You shall not steal" (Ex. 20:14–15), while ordinances ("justifications") are, for example: "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death" (Ex. 21:17), for this is just. But know that a commandment can also be called a justification, since it makes a person righteous, and even more so it is a justification of God. For on that day God will judge us, holding the commandments as a kind of written justification: "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would have no sin" (Jn. 15:22), and again: "The word that I have spoken will judge him on the last day" (Jn. 12:48). Why is "blamelessly" added to the words "walking in all the commandments"? Listen. Often some people walk according to the Law of God, but do everything in order to be seen by men (Mt. 23:5). Such people are not blameless. But Zechariah both kept the commandments and kept them blamelessly, and not in order to please men through their observance.
Lk. 1:7. They had no children, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were already advanced in years.
The wives of the righteous were themselves often righteous yet childless, so that you might learn that the Law demands not fleshly but spiritual fruitfulness. "Both were advanced in years" both in body and in spirit, for in soul they had grown old, that is, they had made great progress, setting "ascents in the heart" (Ps. 84:5) and having their life as day and not night (Rom. 13:12–13), walking properly as in the light.
Lk. 1:8. Once, when he was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
Before God, only the pure serve as priests, while from the unclean God turns His face away.
Lk. 1:9. According to the lot, as was the custom among the priests, it fell to him to enter the temple of the Lord to burn incense,
Lk. 1:10. and the whole multitude of the people was praying outside during the time of the incense offering, –
When did his turn come to burn incense? Without doubt, on the day of atonement, when the high priest alone entered the Holy of Holies, so that we might learn that just as this high priest, having entered the Holy of Holies, received fruit, so too the Lord Jesus, the one and truly great High Priest, having entered the Holy of Holies, that is, with His flesh into heaven, received the fruit of His manifestation in the flesh — our adoption by God and salvation.