Luke has just narrated the pronouncement and conception of John the Baptist. He makes the point of telling the audience that Elizabeth has hid herself for five months. This is the timeline that leads us up to today’s readings, The Annunciation.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

Luke begins with “In the sixth month” this is not related to the Jewish calendar but in reference to the previous verse, Elizabeth was in her fifth month of pregnancy. “In the sixth month” of Elizabeth’s pregnancy an Angel was sent from God to a city named Nazareth in Galilee. This places the annunciation six months after John’s conception. This is where the tradition of John and Jesus having a six month age gap comes from.

The Archangel Gabriel is the angel that God sends. Gabriel is one of the seven Archangels, of whom only four have names that we know but apocryphal Jewish texts do claim to know the name of the others. There is significant meaning to Gabriel being the messenger in this passage as it was Gabriel who delivered the timeline of the weeks of years that would lead to the Messiah to the Prophet Daniel and here he is, announcing the Messiah.

God sends Gabriel to Nazareth which was likely a small agricultural village during Jesus’ time, with an estimated population of 300-500 people. It was situated in the hills of Lower Galilee, near Sepphoris, a larger and wealthier city. Although Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the Talmud, or Josephus, archaeological digs have uncovered houses, storage caves, and agricultural tools from the 1st century, confirming it was a rural settlement. They also found the remains of a first century Synagogue there, further reinforcing the New Testaments claims despite sceptical critics of Nazareth’s historicity.

Some scholars suggest the name Nazareth may be linked to the Hebrew word netzer (branch), pointing to messianic prophecies like Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Speculators posit that it got its name by descendants of David leaving Bethlehem and setting up a new home for themselves, thus receiving the name “Nazareth” as they were a branch of David’s line. This would explain why two descendants of David, Joseph and Mary, were living there.

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Gabriel is sent specifically to Mary, a virgin who is betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary was a very popular name at the time, at least its original Hebrew version was. “Miriam” was the name of Moses’ sister and thus resonated with the Hebrew people. Scholars estimate that approximately 20-25% of Jewish women in this era bore the name Mary or its variants.

Mary was “betrothed” to Joseph which although a foreign concept to modern ears, was very common at the time. Marriage to them was a multistage process that included a formal agreement first (betrothal) then the consummation of the marriage later but it was all considered a part of the marriage itself.

I am going to be drawing a lot from Father Christiaan Kappas for the following sections as he has devoted so much work to it, I really recommend watching his Pints with Aquinas episode as he goes into a very long deep dive into all things Mary, especially as it relates to these verses.

Pints Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wzjAEHyizk&t=9042s

Joseph is explicitly identified as “of the house of David,” which confirms Jesus’ legal claim to the Davidic throne. Catholic scholar and theologian Fr. Christiaan Kappas emphasizes that this lineage fulfills Old Testament Messianic prophecies, such as 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11:1, establishing Jesus as the prophesied eternal king.

28 And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

“Hail, Full of Grace”: The Greek word kecharitomene indicates Mary’s unique state of grace, a perfect and completed action signifying her Immaculate Conception. Fr. Kappas connects this greeting to Mary’s singular role in salvation history as the Mother of God and affirms its theological importance as a title rather than a mere acknowledgment of favor (explored further in Catholic traditions).

It is important to note that Gabriel is addressing Mary as “Full of Grace” in the sense of a title, he is not describing her from an outside perspective but saying that this is who she is in her very being.

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.

Her reaction reflects humility and a deep awareness of divine mysteries, unlike Zechariah’s doubt earlier in Luke. Very rarely do we get narrative lines in the Gospels illustrating this type of mystical contemplation, people have many thoughts but they do not consider the greeting of an angel. Typically such interactions spawn fear and awe but Mary “considers in her mind” what it means.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

The angel reassures her, indicating that her favor with God stems from her grace-filled state, not personal merit.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Gabriel describes five aspects of Jesus: His greatness, divine sonship, Davidic kingship, eternal reign, and connection to the “house of Jacob.” These characteristics affirm both His divinity and His role as the fulfillment of Jewish Messianic hopes. Fr. Kappas notes the interplay between divine promises in 2 Samuel 7 (David’s eternal throne) and Daniel 7:13-14 (the Son of Man receiving an everlasting kingdom)​

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”

A more accurate translation of Mary’s words to the Angel would be “How shall this be, since I do not know man?”

The Greek verb ginōskō (translated as “know”) is used in a euphemistic sense for marital or sexual relations. The present tense in this context suggests an ongoing state or intention, rather than a temporary situation. If Mary were anticipating a normal marital relationship with Joseph, the question would be unnecessary.

Betrothed women in first-century Judea were typically expected to enter into a normal marital union, including having children. Mary’s question implies she did not expect to have a typical marital relationship, supporting the interpretation of a prior commitment to virginity.

Many Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, interpreted this as evidence of Mary’s vow of virginity. Augustine wrote that Mary’s question demonstrated her understanding of the angel’s announcement as a call to motherhood that would not involve ordinary human relations, affirming her unique role as the Mother of God (De Sancta Virginitate, Chapter 4). This view is also held by St Jerome and St Thomas.

35 And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Gabriel’s response highlights the miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception through the Holy Spirit, with language echoing the divine presence in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:35). The spirit of God is descending and overshadowing Mary, The Greek word episkiazo means “to overshadow” or “to envelop by a cloud” and carries connotations of divine glory and presence. The term episkiazo directly connects to the Shekinah, the visible presence of God represented by a cloud or radiant light in the Old Testament.

The Holy Spirit descending upon Mary and overshadowing her is the fulfilment of the Prophet Jeremiah’s words recorded in 2 Maccabees. “He declared that the place shall remain unknown until God gathers His people together again and shows His mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear…” (2 Maccabees 2:7-8).

The combination of the Tabernacle language and this prophecy make it clear that Mary is the New Ark but in a sense that she is much greater than the original which would never be made again.

36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy serves as confirmation of God’s power and the unfolding of His divine plan. The assurance that “nothing will be impossible with God” ties this narrative to broader biblical themes of trust in divine providence (Genesis 18:14).

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, expressed in her “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,” exemplifies perfect faith and obedience. Fr. Kappas underscores this as a pivotal moment in salvation history, showcasing Mary’s cooperation with divine grace and her integral role in the Incarnation.

When Mary says, “Let it be to me according to your word”, she is fully cooperating with God’s salvific plan. This full, free, and deliberate consent can be seen as her cooperation in God’s work of bringing about redemption for humanity.

The concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix (a title meaning “helper in the redemption”) is based on her voluntary and active participation in God’s redemptive plan through her consent. According to Catholic theology, Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix is not to suggest that she is equal to God or performs redemption apart from Christ, but rather that her fiat contributed to the redemptive plan by allowing Jesus to be born and begin His redemptive mission.

Early Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus saw Mary’s role in salvation history as critical. St. Irenaeus emphasized her obedience to God as the reversal of Eve’s disobedience, connecting her “yes” with humanity’s redemption.

CCC 494:

“The ‘yes’ of Mary opened the door for the Savior to come into the world and to fulfill the plan of redemption.”

Following Luke’s introduction to his Gospel, addressing it to the individual known as Theophilus and also informing his audience that he has gathered this information from eyewitnesses to the events that have happened among them, he begins.

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.

As he does elsewhere in his Gospel. Saint Luke anchors events to verifiable historical events outside of the narrative itself. This is the ancient equivalent of timestamping. Luke tells us “In the days of Herod, king of Judea.” This would be Herod the Great who reigned as King of the Jews from 36-1BC. The days of Herod as king would be this time frame.

Zechariah is introduced as a priest in the division of Abijah and the husband of Elizabeth who is also of a priestly lineage. Priests in the old covenant were responsible for ministering to the various rituals in the Temple liturgies. The detail of Zechariah being of the division of Abijah is very interesting because although to many this seems like a needless detail we actually get more information if we cross-reference it.

The priests (Cohanim) were divided into 24 divisions, each of which served in the Temple for one week at a time, twice a year. This division is recorded in 1 Chronicles 24:7-18, where King David organized the priests into 24 courses to ensure that there was continuous service at the Temple. Each division served for a full week, from Shabbat to Shabbat (Saturday to Saturday). The rotations were planned so that there would always be priests on duty for both daily sacrifices and special Temple rituals. Zechariah, being part of the Abijah division (as mentioned in Luke 1:5), would have served in one of these weeks. Zechariah’s division, the Abijah course, was the 8th division, which means it served in late May or early June. Since each division served twice per year, Zechariah’s second service would have been about six months later. So we actually can specify even the part of the year that this event took place.

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

Luke tells us they are both righteous before God, the Greek word translated as righteous is dikaios which means they observed all the laws required of them as Jews. Luke is clarifying what this means with the following half of the sentence “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” They did everything required of them to the letter, they are a holy couple.

7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

The holiness and observance of the couple is contrasted with their woe of barrenness. It was typical in Second Temple Judaism to ascribe sinfulness and disobedience to those who could not bare children so Luke clarifies their holiness before telling the audience of their inability to conceive a child. He also clarifies their age, they are advanced in years, this speaks to the natural impossibility of conceiving now. The image of the elderly barren but holy couple would bring to mind figures of Abraham and Sarah to the audience familiar with these.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,

It was while Zechariah was serving during that week period previous mentioned, when his division was on duty. This would have been either in May or November, as they served twice a year.

9 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

The actual inner parts of the Temple were reserved for special liturgical rites and the burning of incense was a highly sought after honour amongst the priests. This is why it “fell to him by lot” this left the honour up to chance so priests would not fight over it, every division would get a chance and every priest had an equal chance of drawing the lot to light the incense. Zechariah receives this honour and is there permitted to enter the most intimate part of the Temple.

10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.

Whilst Zechariah is lighting the incense, the crowds of Jewish men are praying outside. We can assume Jewish men because of the concentric rectangular courts around the Temple of increasing holiness. Anyone could be in the outer courts, Jewish men and women in the next, just Jewish men outsite the Temple itself and only priests were permitted entry into the Temple and only in particular moments of the year as according to the divisions of liturgical practice.

11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

Unlike Joseph, an Angel appears whilst Zechariah is awake, this speaks to the many methods and dispositions that the divine works with. Zechariah sees an angel appear standing on the right side of the altar where Zechariah has just lit the incense as according to custom.

12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

Zechariah has the normal reaction to seeing an angel. He feels troubled and fear comes upon him. Only Mary has a different reaction the appearance of an Angel. Joseph does not feel fear but he also does not encounter an angel whilst awake. Zechariah has a very similar reaction to that of the shepherds who are told of Jesus’ birth.

13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.

In typical Angelic fashion, the first thing they have to do is tell the person they are appearing to, to not be afraid. He brings good news, do not freak out. The Angel, whose name has not yet been revealed, informs Zechariah that his prayer has been heard. This would be a the prayer for him and his wife to have children. He continues telling him that Elizabeth will bear him a son and he, as this is the job of the father, name his son “John”. It will be clarified later in the Gospel but also we know from tradition that names were taken from the family line and John is not from Zechariah’s family name list. This is a divine decision that he be called John. A little mystery to ponder.

14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;

The Angel continues telling Zechariah that John’s birth is not just going to be the joy of his parents but his birth will cause many to rejoice. This will be clarified in a few more verses as John is to be the forerunner to Christ, the Elijah predicted by the prophets who will arrive before the Messiah.

15 for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.

Now the Angel informs Zechariah what his Son, John, is going to be like and how he will live. He will drink no wine or strong drink and be filled with the Holy Spirit, even whilst he is in the womb of his mother.

The first components, the no wine or strong drink, is a part of the Nazirite vows. These vows also include not cutting the hair and remaining ceremonially pure always, this would include celibacy as that made someone impure. These vows are detailed in the Book of Numbers 6 1-21.

Being filled with the Holy Spirit, even in the womb, is a striking statement. John would be receiving something in an extraordinary way that the people of the New Covenant would have to wait a couple of decades to receive. It is not his own actions that acquire this however, he is still only a baby in the womb. This marks out John as a special and pivotal figure in the coming of Jesus and the New Covenant.

16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,

17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Now Zechariah hears from the Angel how his son will come in the spirit and power of Elijah, he will be operating as the Elijah who was prophesied to come by Malachi in preparation for the Day of the Lord.

18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”

Despite all his petitions to God for him and his wife to conceive and now being told it is going to happen, Zechariah doubts that this is even possible. He protests against the good news he has received by implying that it is impossible for an old man and old woman to conceive. This is funny since he obviously knows the story of Abraham and others, this is not a roadblock for God. Even though Zechariah is devout and obedient he still has difficulty believing what God can do for him.

19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.

Now the Angel introduces himself with a name. He states he is Gabriel which means “God is my Strength”. In the immediate tense he declares that he stands in the presence of God. This could speak to the mystery of how Angels work. Despite manifesting in order to communicate with Zechariah and deliver other messages he is also simultaneously standing before God.

He tells Zechariah that he was sent specifically to give him this good news.

20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”

Because of his disbelief at God’s power, Gabriel makes Zechariah dumb and unable to speak until the day these things come pass. This would absolutely confirm what has occurred is real and he would have no reason to doubt God again.

21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.

22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.

After doing his requirements in the Temple, lighting the incense and then having a surprising conversation with an Angel, Zechariah leaves the Temple after spending more time than was expected in there. Since Zechariah is unable to speak and took so long they infer that he must have seen a vision inside the Temple. He “made signs to them” which basically means he used his hands to illustrate that he could not talk, he remained this way until Johns birth.

23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.

24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying,

25 “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”

After his week of service is ended, Zechariah returns home and some time after these days, Elizabeth conceives a child. No time frame is actually specified. She hides herself for five months of her pregnancy.

Elizabeth celebrates what the Lord has done for her by exclaiming “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me” and follows it by saying “to take away my reproach among men” this goes back to the perception that Second Temple Judaism had on barrenness. It was seen a curse by God on those who sinned or were from a line of sinners. Her conception of John proves that they were not any of these things but what Luke illustrates them to be. Righteous and observant Jews from a holy priestly line.

Luke has just introduced John at the time of his ministry and he is preaching and baptising around the region of the Jordan. In his rebukes to the Pharisees and other authorities of his time, John will call them a “brood of vipers”, an accurate description but also an interesting choice of words as this is what the Essenes also called them along with the quote of the prophet Isaiah, further highlighting their overlap.

10 And the multitudes asked him, “What then shall we do?”

The crowds surrounding John ask him what it is they should do, this is in response to his criticisms of the current mainstream way of life for Jews. It’s important to highlight just how popular John was, remnants of his followers even exist today with the Mandaeans of Iraq, who reject Christ’s divinity. One of their sacred texts the Ginza Rba reflects this:

“Yahya [John] is the great teacher of truth, sent by the great Life [God], a prophet who revealed the divine mysteries and baptized in the name of truth.”

In John’s own day however he exerted much greater influence. The Jewish historian Josephus had this to say:

“Now when many others came in crowds about him, for they were very greatly moved by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do any thing he should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death“.

So these multitudes were so large that even Herod feared his influence, something that is highlighted in the Passion of John (see Matthew 14:3-12). Many think of John’s ministry as being maybe a few hundred people if that but we should really understand the vastness of his audience and its class diversity.

11 And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

In verse 8 John tells the crowds to “bear fruits that befit repentance”. This is a call to demonstrate their internal repentance with outward actions to demonstrate their moral and social transformation. In verse 11 John gives them a direct example of something they can do.

He tells them if they have two “coats” they should share their surplus with those without one. The word for coat in Greek is chitōn which can refer to an inner tunic or outer garment, in the first century clothing was very expensive and if you had more than one of these you were very well off. John is saying if you want to prove your spiritual transformation you should do the charitable work of giving up your extra clothing for those that need it. He extends this giving up of surplus to food also, anyone who has extra food, should give it to those who have none. This is not a radical departure from the Mosaic Law itself which emphasizes the concern for the poor, the widow and the orphan but it is a radical position to take against the way Second Temple Judaism was currently interpreting the Law.

12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?”

13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than is appointed you.”

Even tax collectors are in the vast crowds and are convicted by John’s preaching. They seek to change their ways and receive the baptism of repentance that John offers. Like others they ask for direct instruction from John, calling him by the title of Teacher (didaskale) and ask about how they should go about their business. Many teachings at the time completely excluded tax collectors and saw them as unredeemable traitors since they worked for the Romans, this will be highlighted later with how the Pharisees and Scribes treat Jesus for dining with them. John offers something different, he does not tell them to stop being tax collectors but provides them a rule in how to do it justly, they are to take no more than they are instructed.

The dislike for tax collectors was not completely unfounded, they had a habit of scamming their fellow Jews all the while serving the empire that was oppressing them. It is most likely this behaviour that the tax collectors are seeking to turn away from. Since John does not instruct them to give up their job completely suggests he does not think their position is inherently immoral which is in stark contrast to the mainstream thought of Jews at the time.

14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”

Once again demonstrating the diversity of John’s ministry, soldiers approach John for teachings on how they should conduct their work lives. The word used for soldiers is strateuō and considering there are no other indications given by St Luke we can infer that these are auxiliary forces most likely serving under Herod Antipas but they could be serving under the Roman authorities. Luke likes to indicate gentiles explicitly like the Roman Centurion of Luke 7:1-10 and since they’re approaching John they’re likely to be Jews, furthering implying them serving under Herod.

They ask what they should do. At the time, whether you were serving under Herod or directly under the Romans you were not seen in a particularly positive light, soldiers had a habit of exerting more power than they needed and extorting people when superiors were not looking or not caring. They like the tax collectors feel convicted by John’s call to repentance.

John directly calls out the common bad behaviour of first century Judean soldiers, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation” he follows this with “be content with your wages”. This final line of advice is essentially the impetus for their bad behaviour they were infamous for, they did not think they earned enough but they also had a weapon they could threaten someone with when no one was looking. John calls out the origin of their bad actions as well as the actions themselves. Just like with the tax collectors, John does not see an inherent problem with their occupation itself but in how they are abusing it.

15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ,

This verse marks the pivot of transition in Luke’s narration of John’s ministry. People are seeing and hearing John’s preaching and it leads them to assume that he is the promised Messiah or Christ (anointed one) that would restore the Davidic Kingdom. The phrase “were in expectation” or in some translations “state of expectations” is a translation of the Greek word prosdokaō which evokes the eager waiting and sense of immediate fulfilment of what you have been waiting for.

This encapsulates the messianic fervour of first century Judea, which was not unfounded. The descendant of David who would rule forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16) and the divine Son of Man figure of Daniel 7:13-14 were correctly interpreted as the same individual and the timeline given through Daniels illumination of Nebuchadnezzar’s Dream of four earthly kingdom’s with final fifth Kingdom of God (Daniel 2) and also the Week’s of Years (Daniel 9:24-27) lock the Messiah’s arrival to first century Judea under the Romans. The Romans being the fourth earthly empire to have power of Judea and the Weeks of Years, counting from the rebuilding of the Temple leads you right here. So it is understandable why they thought John was the Christ.

16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John clarifies to the crowds, so there should be no confusion, that he only baptises with water but one who is “mightier” than him is coming. John says he is not even worthy to untie the thong of the this mans sandals. The untying of a sandal was a menial task for servants and slaves of their masters so John is emphasizing the gap of power and authority between himself and Jesus, he is not even worthy enough to be a servant to him.

The one who is to come is to baptise with the Holy Spirit and fire. This lines up with the prophetic expectations the crowds were glancing over as espoused by the prophets Ezekiel and Joel who spoke of an outpouring of the spirit. This baptism of John is merely a preparation for this greater, divinely bestowed baptism of spirit and fire.

17 His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

We typically think of Jesus as being the initiator of the agricultural metaphors and parables but they are common in the Old Testament and are explicitly started in the New Testament by John. He begins this theme by saying the one to come has a winnowing fork in his hand. A winnowing fork is a tool used to separate the heavier grain from the lighter chaff by tossing it in the air, the wind blows away the unwanted chaff and the grain remains. This grain is then processed on a threshing floor and gathered into a storage place for grain, a granary.

This separating of people of good and bad, grain and chaff will be done by this one who is to come, the tool is in his hand and it is his threshing floor and his granary. It’s his world, you are just living in it. The chaff will be burned with unquenchable fire, this evokes the typical imagery of the judgement to Hell and generally divine wrath (see Isaiah 66:24). This points to the permanence of this moment of Judgement and Jesus is the Judge.

18 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.

Luke summarises the rest of John’s ministry “with many other exhortations” we can assume this, like the tax collectors and soldiers, is direct advice to the many other diverse groups of people approaching John. He “preached good news” euangelizō to the people. This is where we get Evangelist or Evangelizer from. It means literally what it says, to bring good news or preach good news but in this context it is speaking of the grander, divine, cosmological Good News, that God is inviting his people back to himself. Typically it was used to announce a new earthly king at the time but this meaning in the modern day has dramatically changed.

19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodi-as, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done,

20 added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.

Herod Antipas the “tetarch” (meaning ruler of a fourth) who John has rebuked for his scandalous marriage to his brothers wife and “all the evil things that Herod had done”, uses John’s popularity and preaching to great crowds as his extra cause for John’s arrest. His reasoning, as implied by the Historian Josephus, that John being freely able to preach could cause a rebellion. Something that the weak ruler Herod did not want.

This ends John’s ministry despite it having such a long standing impact, Eusebius records in his Church History that even in the fourth century there were many who considered themselves followers of the Baptist without ever hearing of Christ. Luckily many of these groups got to hear the full Good News, though as I mentioned earlier in this post, there are a few curious small groups in Iraq that still to this day, follow John and deny Jesus.

Luke has just narrated the pronouncement and conception of John the Baptist. He makes the point of telling the audience that Elizabeth has hid herself for five months. This is the timeline that leads us up to today’s readings, The Annunciation.

26 In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth,

Luke begins with “In the sixth month” this is not related to the Jewish calendar but in reference to the previous verse, Elizabeth was in her fifth month of pregnancy. “In the sixth month” of Elizabeth’s pregnancy an Angel was sent from God to a city named Nazareth in Galilee. This places the annunciation six months after John’s conception. This is where the tradition of John and Jesus having a six month age gap comes from.

The Archangel Gabriel is the angel that God sends. Gabriel is one of the seven Archangels, of whom only four have names that we know but apocryphal Jewish texts do claim to know the name of the others. There is significant meaning to Gabriel being the messenger in this passage as it was Gabriel who delivered the timeline of the weeks of years that would lead to the Messiah to the Prophet Daniel and here he is, announcing the Messiah.

God sends Gabriel to Nazareth which was likely a small agricultural village during Jesus’ time, with an estimated population of 300-500 people. It was situated in the hills of Lower Galilee, near Sepphoris, a larger and wealthier city. Although Nazareth is not mentioned in the Old Testament, the Talmud, or Josephus, archaeological digs have uncovered houses, storage caves, and agricultural tools from the 1st century, confirming it was a rural settlement. They also found the remains of a first century Synagogue there, further reinforcing the New Testaments claims despite sceptical critics of Nazareth’s historicity.

Some scholars suggest the name Nazareth may be linked to the Hebrew word netzer (branch), pointing to messianic prophecies like Isaiah 11:1: “A shoot shall come out from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots.” Speculators posit that it got its name by descendants of David leaving Bethlehem and setting up a new home for themselves, thus receiving the name “Nazareth” as they were a branch of David’s line. This would explain why two descendants of David, Joseph and Mary, were living there.

27 to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.

Gabriel is sent specifically to Mary, a virgin who is betrothed to a man named Joseph. Mary was a very popular name at the time, at least its original Hebrew version was. “Miriam” was the name of Moses’ sister and thus resonated with the Hebrew people. Scholars estimate that approximately 20-25% of Jewish women in this era bore the name Mary or its variants.

Mary was “betrothed” to Joseph which although a foreign concept to modern ears, was very common at the time. Marriage to them was a multistage process that included a formal agreement first (betrothal) then the consummation of the marriage later but it was all considered a part of the marriage itself.

I am going to be drawing a lot from Father Christiaan Kappas for the following sections as he has devoted so much work to it, I really recommend watching his Pints with Aquinas episode as he goes into a very long deep dive into all things Mary, especially as it relates to these verses.

Pints Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wzjAEHyizk&t=9042s

Joseph is explicitly identified as “of the house of David,” which confirms Jesus’ legal claim to the Davidic throne. Catholic scholar and theologian Fr. Christiaan Kappas emphasizes that this lineage fulfills Old Testament Messianic prophecies, such as 2 Samuel 7 and Isaiah 11:1, establishing Jesus as the prophesied eternal king.

28 And he came to her and said, “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with you!”

“Hail, Full of Grace”: The Greek word kecharitomene indicates Mary’s unique state of grace, a perfect and completed action signifying her Immaculate Conception. Fr. Kappas connects this greeting to Mary’s singular role in salvation history as the Mother of God and affirms its theological importance as a title rather than a mere acknowledgment of favor (explored further in Catholic traditions).

It is important to note that Gabriel is addressing Mary as “Full of Grace” in the sense of a title, he is not describing her from an outside perspective but saying that this is who she is in her very being.

29 But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered in her mind what sort of greeting this might be.

Her reaction reflects humility and a deep awareness of divine mysteries, unlike Zechariah’s doubt earlier in Luke. Very rarely do we get narrative lines in the Gospels illustrating this type of mystical contemplation, people have many thoughts but they do not consider the greeting of an angel. Typically such interactions spawn fear and awe but Mary “considers in her mind” what it means.

30 And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.

The angel reassures her, indicating that her favor with God stems from her grace-filled state, not personal merit.

31 And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus.

32 He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David,

33 and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

Gabriel describes five aspects of Jesus: His greatness, divine sonship, Davidic kingship, eternal reign, and connection to the “house of Jacob.” These characteristics affirm both His divinity and His role as the fulfillment of Jewish Messianic hopes. Fr. Kappas notes the interplay between divine promises in 2 Samuel 7 (David’s eternal throne) and Daniel 7:13-14 (the Son of Man receiving an everlasting kingdom)​

34 And Mary said to the angel, “How shall this be, since I have no husband?”

A more accurate translation of Mary’s words to the Angel would be “How shall this be, since I do not know man?”

The Greek verb ginōskō (translated as “know”) is used in a euphemistic sense for marital or sexual relations. The present tense in this context suggests an ongoing state or intention, rather than a temporary situation. If Mary were anticipating a normal marital relationship with Joseph, the question would be unnecessary.

Betrothed women in first-century Judea were typically expected to enter into a normal marital union, including having children. Mary’s question implies she did not expect to have a typical marital relationship, supporting the interpretation of a prior commitment to virginity.

Many Church Fathers, including St. Augustine, interpreted this as evidence of Mary’s vow of virginity. Augustine wrote that Mary’s question demonstrated her understanding of the angel’s announcement as a call to motherhood that would not involve ordinary human relations, affirming her unique role as the Mother of God (De Sancta Virginitate, Chapter 4). This view is also held by St Jerome and St Thomas.

35 And the angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God.

Gabriel’s response highlights the miraculous nature of Jesus’ conception through the Holy Spirit, with language echoing the divine presence in the Tabernacle (Exodus 40:35). The spirit of God is descending and overshadowing Mary, The Greek word episkiazo means “to overshadow” or “to envelop by a cloud” and carries connotations of divine glory and presence. The term episkiazo directly connects to the Shekinah, the visible presence of God represented by a cloud or radiant light in the Old Testament.

The Holy Spirit descending upon Mary and overshadowing her is the fulfilment of the Prophet Jeremiah’s words recorded in 2 Maccabees. “He declared that the place shall remain unknown until God gathers His people together again and shows His mercy. Then the Lord will disclose these things, and the glory of the Lord and the cloud will appear…” (2 Maccabees 2:7-8).

The combination of the Tabernacle language and this prophecy make it clear that Mary is the New Ark but in a sense that she is much greater than the original which would never be made again.

36 And behold, your kinswoman Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren.

37 For with God nothing will be impossible.”

Elizabeth’s miraculous pregnancy serves as confirmation of God’s power and the unfolding of His divine plan. The assurance that “nothing will be impossible with God” ties this narrative to broader biblical themes of trust in divine providence (Genesis 18:14).

38 And Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.

Mary’s acceptance of God’s will, expressed in her “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord,” exemplifies perfect faith and obedience. Fr. Kappas underscores this as a pivotal moment in salvation history, showcasing Mary’s cooperation with divine grace and her integral role in the Incarnation.

When Mary says, “Let it be to me according to your word”, she is fully cooperating with God’s salvific plan. This full, free, and deliberate consent can be seen as her cooperation in God’s work of bringing about redemption for humanity.

The concept of Mary as Co-Redemptrix (a title meaning “helper in the redemption”) is based on her voluntary and active participation in God’s redemptive plan through her consent. According to Catholic theology, Mary’s role as Co-Redemptrix is not to suggest that she is equal to God or performs redemption apart from Christ, but rather that her fiat contributed to the redemptive plan by allowing Jesus to be born and begin His redemptive mission.

Early Church Fathers like St. Irenaeus saw Mary’s role in salvation history as critical. St. Irenaeus emphasized her obedience to God as the reversal of Eve’s disobedience, connecting her “yes” with humanity’s redemption.

CCC 494:

“The ‘yes’ of Mary opened the door for the Savior to come into the world and to fulfill the plan of redemption.”

In chapters one and two of his Gospel, St. Luke the Evangelist narrates the miraculous births of St. John the Baptist to Zechariah and Elizabeth and of Jesus to Mary, emphasizing their early lives especially that of Jesus who we follow up until he is about twelve. This sequence, where John appears as the forerunner and Jesus follows, prefigures the structure of the narrative in subsequent chapters.

Distinct from the other Gospel writers, St. Luke demonstrates a meticulous concern for historical precision, anchoring the commencement of Jesus’ public ministry within a specific and well-defined chronological framework. This precision not only underscores the historical reliability of his account but also provides the reader with a clear temporal context for these pivotal events.

1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberi-us Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysani-as tetrarch of Abilene,

Luke employs a Hellenistic historiographical style, anchoring John the Baptist’s ministry within a precise historical framework. By naming both secular rulers and Jewish religious leaders, Luke situates sacred events within the broader context of world history, lending credibility to his account and emphasizing the universal significance of Jesus’ mission. This approach is very reminiscent of the Hebrew “toledot” as seen in Genesis and other books that express genealogies.

Where it differs is its attention to detail, Luke mirrors the practices of Greco-Roman historians like Thucydides, Polybius, and Josephus, who often contextualized events within a specific chronological framework by referencing rulers, political officials, and key figures.

The scholar Sir William Ramsay, a renowned archaeologist and historian, praised St. Luke as a historian of exceptional accuracy and reliability. Ramsay initially approached the Gospel of Luke and the Acts of the Apostles with skepticism, intending to disprove their historical claims. However, after extensive research and archaeological findings that consistently supported Luke’s accounts, Ramsay changed his perspective and concluded that Luke was a first-rate historian.

Ramsay famously stated that “Luke is a historian of the first rank; not merely are his statements of fact trustworthy… but this author should be placed along with the very greatest of historians.”

The first detail we acquire is that it is in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar. He reigned from 14-37AD and considering they counted even parts of a year this would place us in 28-29AD. Then we are told of Pontius Pilate who will be a semi-central character in the Passion account. Pilate is the governor of Judea, he occupied this office between 26-36AD.

The sons of Herod the Great reign as “tetrarches”. This literally means “ruler of a fourth” denoting an individual who administrated over a quarter of a kingdom in the stead of the overarching ruler but by the time of the first century AD it had become more general basically referring to a subordinate ruler or governor of a smaller region under the oversight of a larger imperial power, such as Rome. Luke’s use of these titles expresses his full understanding of not only the historical context of the period but its political context. They all inherit this title, not Herod the Greats “King of the Jews” title, they will all occupy these offices starting from Herod’s death until the late 30s AD.

2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness;

Luke also gives us the religious hierarchy within Judea. This was internal Jewish governing structure that dictated the way of life for Jews through the administration body of the Sanhedrin. When they were not under the power of some foreign empire and did not have their own king (most of the time) this was where the buck stopped with Jewish governance.

What’s interesting is Luke’s use of what appears to be a dual high priesthood, which of course was not how the Jewish high priesthood worked but what Luke is doing is explaining a rather unusual circumstance that only occurred in this period. The office of the high priesthood was supposed to be for life, as according to the Law of Moses in the book of Numbers but the Romans were calling the shots as the domineering empire at the time and did not care for Jewish Law. They deposed Annas who was high priest 6-15AD and Annas substituted his Son-in-Law Caiaphas who held the office up to 36AD. Whilst officially according to the Romans Annas was deposed, the Law mandated that Annas was still technically in-charge. So a “dual” high priesthood was formed with Annas governing through his Son-in-Law who acted as the official appointed by the Romans.

John is reintroduced, in this time period, articulated via Roman and Jewish governance structures. Think of it as the worlds first time-skip. Luke reintroduces John as a prophet, the “word of God came” to him whilst he was out in the wilderness. To the Jewish mind this would bring forth the image of previous prophets of the Jewish people like Elijah.

3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.

The “region about the Jordan” recalls the Israelites’ crossing of the Jordan into the Promised Land (Joshua 3-4). John’s ministry in this area symbolically invites Israel to a renewed relationship with God, echoing the call to repentance and covenant fidelity.

Baptism (baptisma, Greek) was not entirely novel but builds on Jewish purification rites, particularly those associated with ritual washing (e.g., at Qumran). John’s baptism differs in its focus on repentance (metanoia), signifying a complete turning away from sin and preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

Luke explicitly connects John the Baptist to Isaiah’s prophecy, emphasizing his role as the forerunner of the Lord. The wilderness setting evokes themes of divine encounter and renewal, recalling Israel’s formative experiences in the desert (Exodus, Deuteronomy).

Biblical Scholars like Dr John Bergsma draw a connection here with the Qumran community that we typically refer to as Essenes, the authors and owners of the Dead Sea Scrolls. Not only were they active close to this region but their self imposed exile into the wilderness was paired with this same prophecy of Isaiah. In his work Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls, he goes over many connections between John’s way of life and the Essenes.

What is striking is that the context of Isaiah following the verses quoted is that of God coming to his people as a king, healing and saving his people, restoring Israel and pouring out the spirit, so not only was John the Baptist expecting this manifestation along with the Gospel Author but so were the Essenes who were the second biggest group after the Pharisees.

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

The leveling of mountains and filling of valleys represents the universal scope of salvation and the removal of all obstacles to God’s reign. This imagery may also symbolize the humbling of the proud and the lifting of the lowly, a theme consistent with Luke’s Gospel (cf. Mary’s Magnificat in Luke 1:52).

6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”

The phrase “all flesh” expands the scope of salvation beyond Israel to include all humanity. This universal perspective is a central theme in Luke’s Gospel and Acts, highlighting God’s plan for all nations. This contrasts with the view of the Essenes who up to this point had so much in common with John. Their view was very insular whereas John the Baptist takes very seriously the promises made in the Old Covenant to bring the Gentiles into God’s Family.

In Greek, the word for salvation (soterion) implies deliverance and restoration. This aligns with the name “Jesus” (Iesous in Greek, derived from Hebrew Yeshua), which means “The Lord saves.”

By citing Isaiah 40:5, Luke underscores the fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy in the person of Jesus Christ. John’s ministry is the opening act in this divine drama, preparing humanity to encounter the Savior.

Prior to this Jesus has sent out the 72 disciples out on mission and they have just returned. They are all in good spirits as even the demons are subject to them in Jesus’ name. Jesus has said in response to them the curious line “I saw Satan fall like lightning from Heaven” and pronounced that he has given them authority over the enemy and tread upon scorpions and serpents, that all spirits are subject to them and they should rejoice for their names are now written in Heaven. Todays readings follows this passage.

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank thee, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to babes; yea, Father, for such was thy gracious will.

Luke the Evangelist tells us that Jesus’ following words come at the “same hour” as the disciples rejoicing so what he is about to say is in reference to their victory over the evil spirits. Jesus “rejoiced in the Holy Spirit”. The word for “rejoiced” is a rare one, only appearing one other time in Luke’s Gospel. It is the Greek word agalliaō, its only other appearance is in Mary’s Magnificat where she says “and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”. In Jesus’ case he is rejoicing in the third person of the trinity, the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the trinity are highlighted very clearly in these passages.

Jesus then thanks his “Father, Lord of Heaven and earth”. It is important to note that this language that Jesus uses, is not “normal” for Second Temple Judaism, or any type of Judaism really. The personal relationship that Jesus speaks of when he refers to God is exclusive to the Christian context. He is thanking his Father for “hiding these things from the wise” and revealing them to “babes”. What is it that Jesus is referring to? Considering the previous passages it appears to be that of exorcism and healing that the disciples sent out on mission had accomplished.

Second Temple Judaism was no stranger to exorcisms although many only associate it with Christianity. In the Dead Sea Scrolls of the Essene Community at Qumran there were The Songs of the Sage (4Q510–511) they describe hymns to drive away evil spirits. These texts associate exorcism with praising God, emphasizing the power of spoken or sung words sanctified by divine authority (Dimant, 1984). Josephus the Jewish Historian recounts a first-century Jewish exorcist named Eleazar who performed an exorcism before Emperor Vespasian. Eleazar used a ring with a root prescribed by King Solomon, reciting incantations and invoking the name of Solomon to draw out the demon (Antiquities 8.45-49).

All of these methods seem rather hard to learn and acquire, requiring decades of study and of course the financial resources for ancient sacred objects. The disciples in their simplicity of obedience to Jesus’ authority are able to do even more than the learned and wise of their time with none of the material or intellectual resources that people like the Pharisees, Priests and Scribes had.

Jesus then says at the end of the verse that it was the Fathers will that this be the case. This is the common theme throughout the prophets of God’s reversal of expectations. That his strength is actually found in weakness.

22 All things have been delivered to me by my Father; and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and any one to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”

Jesus then takes this small scale acknowledgement of the divine to a grander theological scale, speaking to a crowd. He says all things have been delivered to him by his Father. This is inheritance language and is parallel with many verses in John’s Gospel.

He tells his audience that no one knows who the Son is fully except the Father, and no one knows who the Father is fully except the Son and that the Son has the authority to choose who receives these revelations. This speaks to the communion of the Holy Trinity. The intimate relationship of Persons in the Godhead. The Son gets to choose who gets to be included in that intimacy. This is very deep theology. The Son is the method through which people get to partake in the Communion of the Trinity itself.

23 Then turning to the disciples he said privately, “Blessed are the eyes which see what you see!

Jesus now turns from the crowds to tell his disciples something privately. He says their eyes are blessed because of what they are seeing and experiencing. Makarioi is the Greek word used for “blessed”. This term conveys more than just happiness; it denotes divine favor or a state of being in God’s grace. It’s used frequently in beatitudes (e.g., Matthew 5:3-11) to indicate spiritual privilege and fulfillment. Jesus emphasizes the disciples’ unique privilege of witnessing the fulfillment of the Messianic promises. Their “seeing” is not just visual but participatory, involving understanding and experiencing the inbreaking of God’s kingdom.

24 For I tell you that many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.”

After tell the disciples they are blessed, Jesus explains why. He says many prophets and kings desired to see what they are seeing fulfilled among them but but did not see, many wanted to hear for they are hearing in Jesus’ day but did not hear. The prophets and kings, standing within the various Old Covenant promises (e.g., Abrahamic, Mosaic, and Davidic covenants), longed for the Messianic age. These covenants were promissory, always pointing forward to their fulfillment in Jesus’ life, ministry, and sacrifice.

Moses and Elijah, representing the Law and the Prophets, each had profound yet incomplete encounters with God. In Exodus 33:22, Moses is placed in the cleft of the rock as God’s glory passes by. He could not see God’s face but only His “back”—a partial revelation. And again in 1 Kings 19:11-13, Elijah experiences God’s presence not in wind, earthquake, or fire, but in a “gentle whisper” while hiding in a cave. Like Moses, Elijah’s experience of God is limited, pointing to the need for a more complete manifestation.

Jesus’ statement contrasts the limited glimpses and hearings of God’s plan experienced by Moses, Elijah, and other prophets with the full revelation given to the disciples. In Christ, the disciples are witnessing the fulfillment of what the Old Covenant hinted at through shadows and types.

The Word has been promised to the prophets and kings and now it has been made flesh and tabernacled among them, uniting heaven and earth and the sons of Adam once again the opportunity to have their names written in Heaven as Sons of God.

Jesus has just been describing the events that are to come when Jerusalem is “surrounded by armies” ( Luke 21:20 ) and that those in Judea should flee to the mountains because the days of vengeance that have been written about must be fulfilled and even be trodden down by gentiles. He is obviously referring to the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD where the Romans will surround the Holy City, slay those inside and believers of Jesus will escape to Pella in the foothills of the Transjordan Mountains. It is following these sayings that Jesus gives us a parable.

29  And he told them a parable: “Look at the fig tree, and all the trees; 

Jesus is talking to his disciples, he gives them a parable which unlike his earlier previous parables, this one is very clear and Jesus explains it afterwards. He tells them to look at the “fig tree” and then follows it with “all the trees” he is most likely generalising so his listeners to not get stuck on a specific tree because he is going to explain a universal principle that applies to all of them. It could also has the connotation of specificity to generality which illustrates how universal the statement he is about to give is.

30  as soon as they come out in leaf, you see for yourselves and know that the summer is already near. 

Here he brings to focus the natural life cycle of trees, something which all of his audience would have a basic understanding of. He explains how the life cycle of tree corresponds to the seasons, when you see the leaves come out, you know that summer is near. Nothing exists in a vacuum, especially not living things, they exist in relation to something else. A trees lifecycle and the seasons are interconnected, with the tree reacting to the season.

31  So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near. 

“So also” now Jesus applies this simple parable to the situation at hand. All the warnings of devastation that he has given in the previous verses about what is to become of Jerusalem will be a sign that the Kingdom of God is near. The “Kingdom of God” can be a confusing phrase for Jesus to use as earlier in the Gospel he has already said that the Kingdom is here, among them. So here must be a reference to the active judgement or event that justifies the Kingdom of God. It is similar to how the Old testament refers to God as always being there but at specific times language is used to articulate God’s decisive action in a particular event which could be misinterpreted as God not being there beforehand but obviously he was. Something observable will serve as a sign of the Kingdom of God.

32  Truly, I say to you, this generation will not pass away till all has taken place. 

“Truly, I say to you” Jesus begins important statements with this phrase. It follows with Jesus stating that “this generation”, in reference to the followers of his that he is talking to, will not pass away till all of what he has previously said in his predictions of Jerusalem have taken place. This solidifies that Jesus is not talking about the yet to happen second coming event but something much sooner. Interestingly enough as we have already highlighted, all the details of his previous statements link with the siege of Jerusalem in 70AD. The siege will take place about 37-40 years after Jesus’ predicts it. 40 Years to the Jews was considered a generation because of the 40 years in the wilderness. It is a reversal of promise in the Exodus that this generation must pass away before they enter the promised land, spanning 40 years. Here the generation will survive the 40 years to witness the passing of the old promised land in order to make way for true promised land, the Kingdom of God. Jesus is making it clear that within this generations lifetime the events he predicted will happen.

33  Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away.

In the final verse of todays readings Jesus references Isaiah 51:6 “Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look at the earth beneath; for the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment, and they who dwell in it will die like gnats; but my salvation will be for ever, and my deliverance will never be ended.” Jesus is proclaiming that his own words have an equality with God’s or more accurately, he is implicitly saying “I am God” because my words hold equal authority. He is comparing the temporary nature of the sky and the earth with his words which are divinely grounded. Some commentators all note that this could be a reference to the celestial and nature imagery found in the Temple, which once destroyed, will pass away but Jesus’ words, the New and Eternal Covenant will remain, as it does to this day.

Jesus is moving from Galilee to Judea. This section of Luke is very long, building up to his final week in Jerusalem.

11 On the way to Jerusalem he was passing along between Samaria and Galilee.

Galilee is in the north, an agricultural region with mainly gentiles but some Jews. Jesus would spend much of his time here. Judea is in the most southern part of Israel and Samaria is in the middle. Instead of just passing through Samaria he follows the traditional pilgrimage route going around the edge of Samaria, this route took longer but it’s emblematic of the historical conflict between Jews and Samaritans . After the Assyrian conquest of the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 BC, many Israelites were exiled, and foreign populations were settled in their place, leading to intermarriage and the formation of a mixed population. These are who the Samaritans are. They even developed their own worship practices, centering on Mount Gerizim rather than Jerusalem, and accepted only the Pentateuch as canonical scripture, rejecting other Jewish traditions. They aren’t just considered not Jews but also inherently anti-jewish by their existence.

“The hostility between Jews and Samaritans stemmed from longstanding differences in ethnicity, worship practices, and religious texts, causing them to regard each other as unclean” (The New Interpreter’s Bible, Vol. 8, p. 276).

12 And as he entered a village, he was met by ten lepers, who stood at a distance

13 and lifted up their voices and said, “Jesus, Master, have mercy on us.”

Jesus enters a village on the border of Samaria and is greeted by ten lepers. Lepers were people with a contagious skin disease so they were required by religious law to only live amongst eachother and to be separated from non-infected people. They want to greet Jesus and they call him Master, epistatēs in greek, which means overseer or teacher so they seem to recognise who he is and at least to some degree they recognise his authority but they must stay at a distance because of the Law.

“The leprous person who has the disease shall wear torn clothes and let the hair of his head hang loose, and he shall cover his upper lip and cry out, ‘Unclean, unclean.’ He shall remain unclean as long as he has the disease. He is unclean. He shall live alone. His dwelling shall be outside the camp.” (Leviticus 13:45–46)

They ask Jesus to “have mercy” on them which means they believe he can help their affliction (something people thought incurable without divine help) implying that the authority they believe him to have is more than just that of mortal man.

14 When he saw them he said to them, “Go and show yourselves to the priests.” And as they went they were cleansed.

In other places Jesus will touch lepers to heal them (Matthew 8:1-4) but in this case perhaps because of the large crowds with him he demonstrates his divine capacity to simply will things into existence as he doesn’t even say they are healed just that they must present themselves to the priests according to custom to show that they are clean and along the way they are miraculously cured. This demonstrates the many methods that Jesus can heal.

“and the priest shall go out of the camp, and the priest shall make an examination; then, if the leprous disease is healed in the leper,” (Leviticus 14:3, RSV)

15 Then one of them, when he saw that he was healed, turned back, praising God with a loud voice;

All the lepers are healed but only one of them will turn back and thank Jesus for it. He praises God for this healing that Jesus has done, the leper is therefore recognising the son being sent by the father implicitly.

16 and he fell on his face at Jesus’ feet, giving him thanks. Now he was a Samaritan.

In the old testament context to fall at someone’s feet is a sign of reverence towards royalty.

“When the woman of Tekoa came to the king, she fell on her face to the ground and did obeisance, and said, ‘Help, O king.’” (2 Samuel 14:4, RSV)

Luke takes note of the fact that the only one to return to Jesus in order to thank him was a Samaritan, this implies that the other nine lepers were Jews. Interesting implication here beyond the obvious is that leprous Jews were welcomed to a degree among Samaritan villages albeit still isolated from the common population, in their exile from their own people. This speaks to the puritanical nature of Jews to the detriment of their own kind and what is perceived as laxity of the Law on the part of the Samaritans is closer to the compassion of Jesus himself. This is encapsulated by who actually returns to thank Jesus, it’s the Samaritan, not the Jews.

17 Then said Jesus, “Were not ten cleansed? Where are the nine?

18 Was no one found to return and give praise to God except this foreigner?”

19 And he said to him, “Rise and go your way; your faith has made you well.”

Jesus acknowledges the other nine not returning to thank him by asking the question “was no one found to return and give praise to God except for this foreigner?”. In response to their healing the Jews who are zealous for purity are absent of mind on to whom this purity is directed, that being God. They are more about returning to the world than they are to thank him who made it or more literally “give glory to God”. This can’t be overlooked, they have experienced a miraculous cure by a prophet but they are so taken up into being a part of the material world that they completely blank on the supernatural event that just occured. The Samaritan on the other hand, who worships what he does not know, does give glory to God in response to this healing.

A peculiar word for foreigner is used here and this is the only time the word is used in the entire new testament. The word is allogenēs.

(allos, “another,” genos, “a race”)

Moulton and Milligan illustrate the use of the word by the inscription on the Temple barrier, “No foreigner (allogenēs) may enter within the balustrade (soreg) around the sanctuary and the enclosure. Whoever is caught, on himself shall he put the blame for the death which will ensue” according to Mommsen this inscription was cut by the Romans.

“The stone bears an inscription forbidding any foreigner to enter within the balustrade and enclosure surrounding the sanctuary, under penalty of death.(Moulton, J. H., & Milligan, G. (1930). The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament: Illustrated from the Papyri and Other Non-literary Sources (p. 9)).

For context, this inscription has been discovered on several stone fragments and is consistent with accounts from the historian Josephus (Jewish War 5.5.2; Antiquities 15.11.5). The warning reflects the seriousness of maintaining the sanctity of the inner Temple areas and emphasizes the boundary between Jews and Gentiles in worship practices.

Considering the temple is the place of giving glory to God in the sacrificial liturgy in it’s fullness Jesus could be highlighting that a man who is not even allowed passed the temple barrier is giving greater glory to God than those literally allowed to partake in the liturgical rites.

Jesus then says the man’s faith has made him well. The other men were also physically healed but something invisible has been made well in the Samaritan, the phrase literally means he has been “saved”. The same Greek verb, σῴζω (sōzō), meaning “to save” or “to heal,” is used in the healing of Bartimaeus (Mark 10:52; Luke 18:42)

There are quite a few old testament correlations in this passage with that of 2 Kings 5:1-14 where the prophet Elisha heals the leprous gentile Naaman. Naaman asks to take two mule-loads of earth from Israel back to Syria so he can worship the God of Israel on it. This request reflects an ancient belief that worship was tied to specific lands or locations (2 Kings 5:17). The Samaritan receives entrance to the kingdom after his healing, Naaman brings the literal dirt of the kingdom to his own lands to worship the true God.

Jesus has just finished describing the destruction of the Temple in his prophecy of the days to come. The final verse of the previous reading is “there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.” So everything previous to these readings is establishing what will occur before and in the climax of 70A.D when the Romans destroy the City of the Jerusalem and the Second Temple and will culminate in signs from heaven.

12 But before all this they will lay their hands on you and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues and prisons, and you will be brought before kings and governors for my name’s sake. 

Beginning in verse 12, Jesus says “but before all this” referring to his prophecy focused on the City and the Temple, this makes it clear that before 70 A.D the following events will occur. Turning his attention to his disciples he describes a “they” who will lay hands on them, oppressing them. These same people with bring them to the synagogues and put them in prison. They will also be brought before foreign and secular authorities like monarchs and governors because of Jesus’ name. Up until this point Jesus’ prophecies have extended beyond the time the scriptures were written but now the prophecies he gives detailing the lives of the Apostles before 70A.D are all included in the New Testament itself.

Acts 4:3 “And they arrested them and put them in custody until the morrow, for it was already evening.”

Acts 5:18 “hey arrested the apostles and put them in the common prison.”

Acts 5:40 “So they took his advice, and when they had called in the apostles, they beat them and charged them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. 41 Then they left the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name.”

Acts 22:19  “And I said, ‘Lord, they themselves know that in every synagogue I imprisoned and beat those who believed in thee.”

Acts 24:1-5  “And after five days the high priest Ananias came down with some elders and a spokesman, one Tertullus. They laid before the governor their case against Paul; and when he was called, Tertullus began to accuse him, saying: “Since through you we enjoy much peace, and since by your provision, most excellent Felix, reforms are introduced on behalf of this nation, in every way and everywhere we accept this with all gratitude. But, to detain you no further, I beg you in your kindness to hear us briefly. For we have found this man a pestilent fellow, an agitator among all the Jews throughout the world, and a ringleader of the sect of the Nazarenes”

13 This will be a time for you to bear testimony. 

Jesus now says that these exact moments in the trials they are going to face are the moments when they will be able to bear witness to the Gospel in the most fruitful way. This is true based on what is mentioned in the Book of Acts

Acts 4:8-12 “Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, “Rulers of the people and elders, 9 if we are being examined today concerning a good deed done to a cripple, by what means this man has been healed, 10 be it known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by him this man is standing before you well.”

Acts 7:1-2  “And the high priest said, “Is this so?” 2 And Stephen said: “Brethren and fathers, hear me.”

Acts 24:10-21 “And when the governor had motioned to him to speak, Paul replied: “Realizing that for many years you have been judge over this nation, I cheerfully make my defense.  As you may ascertain, it is not more than twelve days since I went up to worship at Jerusalem;  and they did not find me disputing with any one or stirring up a crowd, either in the temple or in the synagogues, or in the city.  Neither can they prove to you what they now bring up against me.  But this I admit to you, that according to the Way, which they call a sect, I worship the God of our fathers, believing everything laid down by the law or written in the prophets,  having a hope in God which these themselves accept, that there will be a resurrection of both the just and the unjust.  So I always take pains to have a clear conscience toward God and toward men. Now after some years I came to bring to my nation alms and offerings.  As I was doing this, they found me purified in the temple, without any crowd or tumult. But some Jews from Asia—  they ought to be here before you and to make an accusation, if they have anything against me. Or else let these men themselves say what wrongdoing they found when I stood before the council,  except this one thing which I cried out while standing among them, ‘With respect to the resurrection of the dead I am on trial before you this day.’ ”“

14 Settle it therefore in your minds, not to meditate beforehand how to answer; 

15 for I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict. 

Here Jesus commands his disciples to not plan out what they are going to say or to meditate on it before they give an answer. The holy spirit will give them a voice and wisdom which nobody that opposes them will be able to refute. Once again this is all true by what occurs to the apostles in the previous examples given, in each case the spirit grants them the ability to say what is needed. This should be understood as a command only to the disciples, this is not a promise that in all cases this will happen, Jesus is specifically telling his disciples what they must do when they suffer their trials before 70 A.D.

16 You will be delivered up even by parents and brothers and kinsmen and friends, and some of you they will put to death; 

17 you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. 

Jesus now goes on to tell the disciples that through whom they will be reproached. It will be by close family members like parents, siblings and cousins. Even their social circles will be responsible for delivering them to the authorities who will persecute them. Jesus also says that “some of you they will put to death” this is true and some disciples will even suffer martyrdom within the writings scripture like Saint James. All of this suffering even at the hands of those closest to the disciples will be because of Jesus’ name. They will be hated.

18 But not a hair of your head will perish. 

The previous verse helps establish this verse as hyperbole, not a hair on their head will perish but he just said some will die, most commentators typically say this is proof of Jesus being hyperbolic and this is likely but there is a chance that Jesus could be referring to their glorified bodies in the resurrection which of course will not suffer any damage whatsoever and that will be their reward for going through all these trials and sufferings so although their bodies will be harmed in this life, they are only temporary tents, when their nature is changed and glorified it would be like they never suffered at all.

19 By your endurance you will gain your lives.

It is this final verse of the reading that makes it most clear to me that Jesus is referring to the resurrection and is being literal, not hyperbolic about his statement on not a hair of their head perishing. If we accept the glorified body and life in heaven as to being a fullness of our lives then it is a gain of life. So by the endurance of the apostles they will gain their (full) lives. Otherwise it would not make much sense to be hyperbolic then purely contradictory.

Jesus continues teaching in the temple in the last week of his life after cleansing it and he has just taught on the subject of the poor widow who gave her last two copper coins as a freewill offering to the temple.

5 And as some spoke of the temple, how it was adorned with noble stones and offerings, he said,

Jesus is teaching large crowds along with his disciples in the temple but Luke does not specify which people initiate the comments that Jesus responds to. Luke just says “some spoke of the temple” whereas the corresponding passages in Matthew 24:1-2 and Mark 13:1-2 isolate the disciples as the speakers. The words are not quoted here in verse 5 but neither are they in Matthew. Mark quotes the disciples saying “Teacher, look at the magnificent stones and buildings!” which is the substance of what Luke writes.

It was true that the temple complex and renovations by Herod were a marvel. The historian Josephus describes the Temple in both of his major works, Antiquities of the Jews and The Jewish war:

“Now the outward face of the Temple in its front wanted nothing that was likely to surprise either men’s minds or their eyes; for it was covered all over with plates of gold of great weight, and, at the first rising of the sun, reflected back a very fiery splendor, and made those who forced themselves to look upon it turn their eyes away, just as they would have done at the sun’s own rays. But this Temple appeared to strangers, when they were at a distance, like a mountain covered with snow; for as to those parts of it that were not gilt, they were exceeding white.” (Jewish War 5.222–223)

“The Temple had doors also at the entrance, and lintels over them, of the same height as the Temple itself. They were adorned with embroidered veils, with their flowers of purple, and pillars interwoven: and over these, but under the crown-work, was spread out a golden vine, with its branches hanging down from a great height, the largeness and fine workmanship of which was a surprising sight to the spectators.” (Jewish War 5.225–226)

“King Herod, having a mind to make this a most illustrious temple… beautified it all over, not only in the inner part, but in the outer courts also. The cloisters he built were on all sides, extended even to the utmost limits of the Temple mount, which was vastly raised and enlarged beyond what it was before.” (Antiquities 15.391–395)

6 “As for these things which you see, the days will come when there shall not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Jesus responds to the musings of his disciples by prophesying. Many think Jesus is talking about the end of the world be is only talking about the city and temple. He says that “days will come” when no bricks will be standing on another one that is not cast to the ground. He specifically identifies the temple “these things which you see”. This leaves no possibility for misinterpretation on the ears of Jesus’ listeners or the readers of scripture. He is declaring a physical destruction of the temple will take place in the future. This is not the first time Jesus has declared this. The details that Jesus uses line up with that of Josephus:

“NOW as soon as the army had no more people to slay or to plunder, because there remained none to be the objects of their fury, (for they would not have spared any, had there remained any other work to be done,) Caesar gave orders that they should now demolish the entire city and temple, but should leave as many of the towers standing as were of the greatest eminency; that is, Phasaelus, and Hippicus, and Mariamne; and so much of the wall as enclosed the city on the west side. This wall was spared, in order to afford a camp for such as were to lie in garrison, as were the towers also spared, in order to demonstrate to posterity what kind of city it was, and how well fortified, which the Roman valor had subdued; but for all the rest of the wall, it was so thoroughly laid even with the ground by those that dug it up to the foundation, that there was left nothing to make those that came thither believe it had ever been inhabited. This was the end which Jerusalem came to by the madness of those that were for innovations; a city otherwise of great magnificence, and of mighty fame among all mankind” (Jewish War)

7 And they asked him, “Teacher, when will this be, and what will be the sign when this is about to take place?”

In response to Jesus’ prophecy his disciples ask two questions. When will this happen and what will the sign be when it is about to happen. This might seem like the same question asked in different ways but since Jesus used the term “days” he is mostly like referring to an era of sorts, this was how ancient peoples measured time, they did not have our year system. They then ask about what “signs” will there be marking the event. Although throughout Hebrew history the acknowledgement of signs proceeding or marking events as they happen occurred, during the Second Temple Period a large amount of influential Jewish apocalyptic literature was influencing the common folk including the apostles, heavily focused on omens in the skies. These are the signs they are referring to in the second part of their question.

Michael E. Stone, in Scriptures, Sects, and Visions: A Profile of Jewish Apocalypticism, notes that apocalyptic literature such as 1 Enoch and 2 Baruch highlighted cosmic disturbances and signs as markers of the eschaton:

“Signs were often viewed as a form of divine validation and were anticipated in apocalyptic contexts as harbingers of divine intervention in history.”

John J. Collins, in The Apocalyptic Imagination, discusses the role of “signs” in texts like the Dead Sea Scrolls:

“The Qumran community believed that celestial and terrestrial signs would accompany the end of days, confirming the fulfillment of prophecy. The ‘War Scroll,’ for instance, envisions divine intervention marked by extraordinary phenomena 

8 And he said, “Take heed that you are not led astray; for many will come in my name, saying, ‘I am he!’ and, ‘The time is at hand!’ Do not go after them.

Jesus is attempting to tell his disciples what will happen without causing them to panic. Instead of asking their questions directly he jumps to the point of the dangers of misjudging what is occurring by warning them to not be led astray, that many will claim to be coming in his name, even that they are him and that the time is nigh but they should not follow them. Some of these Messianic imposters are actually mentioned in the book of Acts. The phrasing like much of the Olivet discourse is pulling from the Prophet Jeremiah was was prophesying the destruction of the first temple by the Babylonians.

“Do not trust in deceptive words, saying, ‘This is the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord!’” (Jeremiah 7:4)

9 And when you hear of wars and tumults, do not be terrified; for this must first take place, but the end will not be at once.”

He continues to try to keep his disciples heads level about the revelations that he is giving to them. When you hear about wars don’t be afraid because these things will occur between now and the end of the old covenant but they are not the actual endings, they are just events that happen before hand and must take place. The end will also not happen all at once, there will be stages that will reach a climax with the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D.

10 Then he said to them, “Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom;

Jesus now predicts even further turmoil on a much wider scale, nations will war against each other, kingdoms will clash and these are all to happen before the end of the covenant. The great Jewish-Roman war which is the symbolic cosmic conflict of Jew versus Gentile. Nation rising against nation.

11 there will be great earthquakes, and in various places famines and pestilences; and there will be terrors and great signs from heaven.

All of what Jesus says here is true. In the lead up to the destruction of the temple there will be cataclysms that will effect the world, Colossae was destroyed in the 50’s A.D because of an earthquake, Pompeii and Herculaneum, Roman cities, were nearly entirely destroyed in 62 A.D by powerful earthquakes that had a  magnitude of 5.2-6.1 on the Richter scale, with a maximum intensity of IX or X on the Mercalli scale. This means that the earthquake was extremely violent, causing widespread damage and loss of life.

A great famine struck Jerusalem before the Temple was destroyed, Josephus even recounts in his history on the Jewish War “the famine was so severe that people were eating human flesh, and even the very young children were being devoured by their own parents.” (Josephus, The Wars of the Jews, Book 6, Chapter 3).

Finally Jesus says “there will be terrors and great signs from heaven”. This too is corroborated by Josephus who wrote: “Thus there was a star resembling a sword, which stood over the city, and a comet that continued a whole year. … So these publicly declared that this signal foreshowed the desolation that was coming upon them. Besides these, a few days after that feast, on the one-and-twentieth day of the month Artemisius, a certain prodigious and incredible phenomenon appeared … which I suppose would seem a fable, were it not related by those that saw it … before sun-setting, chariots and troops of soldiers in their armor were seen running about among the clouds, and surrounding of cities.”