Scofield Reference Bible Notes
Luke 1

Luk 1:2 Even as they delivered them unto us, which from the beginning were eyewitnesses, and ministers of the word;

were eyewitnesses

Jhn 15:27; Act 1:3; 10:39; Heb 2:3; 1Pe 5:1; 2Pe 1:16; 1Jo 1:1.

ministers

Rom 15:16; Eph 3:7-8.

Luk 1:3 It seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write unto thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,

having had perfect

Inspiration. Luk 4:17-21, 27. (Exo 4:15; Rev 22:19.)

understanding

Greek - parakolouthekoti," literally followed alongside of; or, closely traced.

from the very first

"From the very first": Greek - anothen, "from above." So translated in Jhn 3:31; 19:11; Jas 1:17; 3:15, 17. In no other place is anothen translated "from the very first." The use by Luke of anothen is an affirmation that his knowledge of these things, derived from those who had been eye-witnesses from the beginning (Luk 1:2), was confirmed by revelation. In like manner Paul had doubtless heard from the eleven the story of the institution of the Lord's Supper, but he also had it by revelation from the Lord (cf. 1Co 11:23), and his writing, like Luke's "anothen" knowledge, thus became first-hand, not traditional, merely.

in order

The words "in order" are emphatic, indicating Luke's purpose to reduce to order the Gospel story.

Theophilus

Act 1:1.

Luk 1:5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Herod

Herod the Great. Cf. Scofield Matthew 2:1, note.

his wife was of the daughters of Aaron

1Ch 24:1, 10.

Luk 1:6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.

righteous

Righteousness. Luk 2:25. (Gen 6:9; Luk 2:25.)

all the commandments and ordinances

Law (of Moses). Luk 10:25-37. (Exodus 19:1; Galatians 3:1-29).

Luk 1:13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

angel [See also Luk 1:19, 26, 28, 30, 34-35, 38.]

Scofield Hebrews 1:4, note.

thy prayer is heard

Gen 25:21; 1Sa 1:20.

Luk 1:15 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 Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

he shall be great

Luk 7:28.

Holy Ghost

Holy Spirit (N.T.). Luk 1:15, 17, 35, 41, 67, 80; Luk 2:25-27, 40. (Mat 1:18; Act 2:4.)

even from his mother's womb

Jer 1:5.

Luk 1:17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, 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.

he shall go before him

Mal 4:5. See Scofield Matthew 17:10, note.

the spirit and power of Elias

1Ki 21:20; 2Ki 1:8; Mat 3:4; 7:12.

a people prepared for the Lord

1Pe 2:9.

Luk 1:19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings.

Gabriel

i.e. Man of God. Cf. Psa 103:20; Dan 8:16.

sent to speak unto thee

Luk 7:27.

Luk 1:25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

take away my reproach

Gen 30:23; 1Sa 1:6.

Luk 1:26 And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth,

the sixth month

i.e. September; also Luk 1:36.

Luk 1:27 To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary.

a virgin

Mat 1:18.

Luk 1:28 And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women.

highly favoured

Or, graciously accepted, or much graced.

Luk 1:31 And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.

thou shalt conceive

Isa 7:14; Mat 1:21.

Luk 1:32 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:

He shall be great

Phl 2:9, 11.

Son of the Highest

Luk 1:35.

the throne

Isa 9:6-7.

his father David

Luk 3:23, 31; Mat 1:1.

Luk 1:33 And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.

he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever

Israel (prophecies). Luk 1:31-33; Luk 21:20-24. (Gen 12:2, 3; Rom 11:26.)

his kingdom

Dan 7:14, 27; Rev 11:15.

Kingdom (N.T.). Mat 2:2. (Luk 1:31-33; 1Co 15:28).

Luk 1:35 And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost 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.

the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee

Luk 1:26-35; Isa 7:14.

holy thing

Sanctify, holy (persons) (N.T.). Luk 1:35-49, 70; Luk 2:23. (Mat 4:5; Rev 22:11.)

Son of God

Act 5:31; Rom 1:3-4; Heb 1:1, 8.

Luk 1:37 For with God nothing shall be impossible.

with God nothing shall be impossible

Mat 19:26; Rom 4:21.

Luk 1:43 And whence is this to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?

my Lord

Jhn 13:13.

Luk 1:45 And blessed is she that believed: for there shall be a performance of those things which were told her from the Lord.

she that believed

Luk 1:38.

Luk 1:46 And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord,

magnify the Lord

1Sa 2:1; Psa 34:2-3.

Luk 1:47 And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour.

Saviour

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

Luk 1:49 For he that is mighty hath done to me great things; and holy is his name.

holy is his name

Psa 111:9; Rev 4:8.

Luk 1:50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

his mercy is on them

Gen 17:7; Exo 20:5-6; Psa 103:17.

Luk 1:55 As he spake to our fathers, to Abraham, and to his seed for ever.

he spake to our fathers

Gen 17:19

Luk 1:59 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.

circumcise the child

Gen 17:12.

Luk 1:63 And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all.

His name is John

Luk 1:13.

Luk 1:64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.

his mouth was opened

Luk 1:20.

Luk 1:68 Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

the Lord God of Israel

Jehovah. Psa 106:48.

redeemed

Scofield Romans 3:24, note.

Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

horn of salvation [See also Luk 1:47.]

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

house of his servant David

Luk 3:23, 31; Mat 1:1, 6, 16.

Luk 1:70 As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

by the mouth of his holy prophets

Gen 3:15; 12:3; 49:10; Jer 23:5-6; Dan 9:24.

Luk 1:71 That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

saved [See also Luk 1:47, 69.]

Scofield Romans 1:16, note.

Luk 1:73 The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

The oath

Gen 22:16.

Luk 1:74 That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

serve him

Rom 6:22.

Luk 1:77 To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

sins

Sin. Scofield Romans 3:23, note.

Luk 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

dayspring

Or, sunrising, or, branch. Isa 11:1; Zec 3:8; 6:12.

Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

To give light…to guide our feet

Luk 1:76-79; Mal 3:1.