| Luke 2 | |
|---|---|
 Luke 2:1–7 in the originalKing James Version showing verse 2 parenthetical | |
| Book | Gospel of Luke |
| Category | Gospel |
| Christian Bible part | New Testament |
| Order in the Christian part | 3 |
Luke 2 is the second chapter of theGospel of Luke in theNew Testament, traditionally attributed toLuke the Evangelist, a companion ofPaul the Apostle on his missionary journeys.[1] It contains an account ofJesus's birth inBethlehem, "its announcement and celebration",[2]his presentation in theSecond Temple, and an incident from hischildhood. Verses 1–14 are often read during services of worship onChristmas Day.[3]
The original text was written inKoine Greek.This chapter is divided into 52 verses.
Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are:
According to the Gospel of Luke,Caesar Augustus ordered acensus be conducted of the ".. entireRoman World", during (or possiblybefore) the governorship ofQuirinius (or "Cyrenius") inSyria, and this is the reason thatJoseph and Mary, who lived inNazareth, were inBethlehem,King David's place of birth, when Jesus was born. ManyEnglish translations suggest that the purpose of the census was for everyone to be registered, but theKing James Version and others state that everyone was to betaxed.[5] The Expanded Bible suggests that the register was compiled for taxation.[6] The accuracy of this account of the timing of the birth of Jesus has beendisputed by many modern scholars. Quirinius was not governor of Syria until 6–7 CE.[7] The suggestion that the census therefore took placebefore Quirinius's governorship is made by biblical scholarJohn Nolland as a way of resolving a historical difficulty about the timing of Jesus's birth in relation to this census.[8]Jesuit theologianJoseph Fitzmyer, however, argues that this is not a natural reading of the Greek and "has about it something of the air of desperation".[9]
This sentence is bracketed as a parenthetical explanation in theKing James Version.[11]
Most texts refer tohis ownπολιν (polin, "city"), whileCodex Bezae refers tohis ownπατρίδα (patrida) or "homeland".[13]
Although a reading of Luke 1:32 suggests thatMary may have been herself "sprung from the lineage of David", and Bethlehem would also therefore be "her own city", it does appear that the evangelist's meaning is that she traveled to Bethlehem in order to accompany herbetrothed husband.[2] According to the narrative inchapter 1, Mary had travelled fromNazareth to a city in the hill country of Judah to visit her cousinElizabeth, and then returned to Nazareth,[15] then travelled again with Joseph from Nazareth to Bethlehem.
Luke then tells ofshepherds working at night nearby (in the same region, or the same country),[22] who are visited by anangel who tells them that in Bethlehem, the "...town ofDavid, asaviour who isChrist the Lord" had been born.Bede notes that in theOld Testament, angelic visits typically occurred at night and not in the daytime.[23]
"A multitude of theheavenly host" appear, praising God and saying "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace..." There is some variation in how the latter part of the sentence is translated, the most usual modern interpretations being "... and goodwill to men", "... towards men of goodwill" or "... to those he favours". TheAmerican Standard Version, for example, has "...among men in whom he is well pleased", which corresponds to the third reading. The line is the opening part of theGreater Doxology, and as such is important in the main rites of the Christian church.
The angels then return to heaven, and the shepherds go "even unto Bethlehem",[26] to see for themselves andfind Joseph and Mary and the infant Jesus. They then "...spread the word..." about the angels and Jesus, then return to their flocks. It is generally considered significant that this message was given to shepherds, who were located on the lower rungs of the social ladder in first-centuryPalestine.[27] Contrasting with the more powerful characters mentioned in theNativity, such as the EmperorAugustus, they seem to reflectMary's words in theMagnificat: "He has brought down the mighty from their thrones and exalted those of humble estate."[28] The phrase "peace to men on whom his favor rests" has been interpreted both as expressing a restriction to a particular group of people that God has chosen,[29] and inclusively, as God displaying favor to the world.[30]
Luke does not mention the visit of theMagi, theMassacre of the Innocents, or the escape of Jesus' family toEgypt, which are found inMatthew 2.
Luke 2:21 tells how Joseph and Mary have their babycircumcised on the eighth day after birth, and name him Jesus, asGabriel had told Mary to do in Luke1:31. Protestant theologianJeremy Taylor argues that Jesus's circumcision proved his human nature while fulfilling thelaw of Moses and had Jesus been uncircumcised, it would have made Jews substantially less receptive to hisEvangelism.[31]
The law inLeviticus 12:1–8 requires that after the birth of a male child, a mother is regarded as 'unclean' for seven days and is required to stay at home for a further 33 days, after which, on the 40th day, a sacrifice is to be offered for her purification, which can only be done inJerusalem.[33] Some translations refer to "their purification",[34] but it was Mary, not her child, who needed to be purified,[33] and even though Mary was not polluted by the conception, bearing, and giving birth of Jesus, who had no impurity in his nature (although he was made sin for his people), she still came under this law of purification,[35] so that all possible requirements of the law were fulfilled (cf.Galatians 4:4).[33]
"The days of her purification" or "her purifying" (Hebrew:ימי טהרה,yə-mêṭā-ho-rāh,[36] inLeviticus 12:4 and12:6[35]) are to be fulfilled or accomplished at the time described byMaimonides:
a new mother does not bring her offering on the fortieth day for a male, nor on the eightieth day for a female, but after her sun is set: and she brings her offering on the morrow, which is the forty first for a male, and the eighty first for a female: and this is the day of which it is said, [in]Leviticus 12:6, and "when the days of her purifying are fulfilled for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring ...[37]
This was the time when they, Joseph and Mary, brought the child Jesus, to theTemple in Jerusalem to complete Mary'sritual purification and to provide the sacrifice specified in theLaw of Moses, in which she took the option provided for poor people (those who could not afford a lamb) inLeviticus 12:8, sacrificing "a pair of doves or two young pigeons."[33] This was done in the eastern gate, called the gate of Nicanor, specially for:
Then, they presented Jesus to God through the priest, his representative. Here Mary appeared with her firstborn son, the true Messiah, marking the first time of Jesus' coming into his temple, as was foretold (Malachi 3:1).[35]
The presentation of Jesus in the Temple officially inducts him intoJudaism and concludes the birth narrative in the Gospel of Luke.[39] Within the account, "Luke's narration of the Presentation in the Temple combines the purification rite with the Jewish ceremony of the redemption of the firstborn (Luke 2:23–24)."[40]
In the Temple, they meetSimeon andAnna. Simeon had been waiting for the Christ, and believes Jesus is him. Simeon prays theNunc Dimittis (Canticle of Simeon) and tells Mary "This child is destined to cause the falling and rising of many in Israel, and to be a sign that will be spoken against, so that the thoughts of many hearts will be revealed. And a sword will pierce your own soul too." Anna, an old widowed woman who spent all her time in the temple praying, comes and praises Jesus as well.
In verses 39–40, the family returns to Nazareth in Galilee, where Jesus grows and becomes strong and wise. He receives God's favour or grace. Unlike theapocryphal gospels, nopreternatural stories of Jesus' childhood are found in Luke, or indeed any of the four canonical gospels. Verse 40 is echoed in verse 52:Lutheran pietistJohann Bengel suggests that verse 40 refers to the period from his first to his twelfth year, when Jesus grew in body, whereas verse 52 covers the period from his twelfth to his thirtieth year, when his progress is a spiritual increase towards "full perfection".[41]
The Gospel then provides the only story of Jesus's childhood in the Canonical Gospels. When Jesus is twelve he travels with his family to Jerusalem for thePassover festival. Then they leave with a large group of their relatives and friends and after a day his parents realize Jesus is not with them. They go back to Jerusalem and, after three days of searching, find him in the temple talking with the temple teachers. His parents scold him[42] for running off, but Jesus replies that they should have known where he was. "Didn't you know I had to be in my Father's house?[43] (or about my Father's business)?"[44] The Greek is not specific: εν τοις του πατρος μου (en tois tou patros mou).Nicoll comments that "about my Father’s business" is a more accurate translation, but "the place or house of my Father" carries "the real meaning Jesus wished to suggest".[45] His family fails to understand what he is talking about. They all then go to Nazareth.[46]
Jesus continues to grow and flourish both in wisdom and stature, and in the favour of God and man. This mirrors verse 40, and completes Jesus' early years. The next we see of him is inChapter 3, verse 21, when he is baptised byJohn the Baptist.
Verses 1–19 are commonly read duringNativity plays as part of the celebration of Christmas.[citation needed] Verses 29–32, theNunc Dimittis, with theGloria Patri, form part ofEvening Prayer in theChurch of England'sBook of Common Prayer.[47]
TheKing James Version of verses 8–11 and 13–14 from this chapter is cited as text in the English-languageoratorio "Messiah" byGeorge Frideric Handel (HWV 56).[48]
The story of the Presentation of Jesus to God in the Temple concludes Luke's birth narrative (Luke 2.22–39).
| Preceded by Luke 1 | Chapters of the Bible Gospel of Luke | Succeeded by Luke 3 |
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