From 63fd5612295f919957adf0769bc5f664cc258e5b Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: rogerw Date: Tue, 17 Mar 2020 17:59:00 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Update '43-luk/02.md' --- 43-luk/02.md | 60 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++------------------- 1 file changed, 38 insertions(+), 22 deletions(-) diff --git a/43-luk/02.md b/43-luk/02.md index c75d458..a41fe94 100644 --- a/43-luk/02.md +++ b/43-luk/02.md @@ -50,66 +50,82 @@ See: Luke 9:58; 7:44-46; 9:52-53 Most people believe that Jesus was in the winter. However, some scholars do not think that Jesus was born in the winter. This is because it would have been too cold for sheep to stay in pastures. However, other scholars believe that the winters in ancient Israel were warm enough for the sheep to be outdoors. Luke did not say what season Jesus was born. -Advice to Translators: The sentence below about fulfilling a prophecy can be restructured as, “Some scholars think that Luke writes ‘today’ when he is showing that a message from a prophet in the past came true in his gospel.” -How did Luke write the word “today”? +**Advice to Translators**: The sentence below about fulfilling a prophecy can be restructured as, “Some scholars think that Luke writes ‘today’ when he is showing that a message from a prophet in the past came true in his gospel.” + +### How did Luke write the word “today”? + Luke wrote the word “today” (see: Luke 2:11) many times in his gospel (see: Luke 4:21; 5:26; 19:9; 23:43). Some scholars think that he wrote this word to show that something fulfilled a prophecy. However, other scholars think that “today” did not have any special meaning. They think that in this verse “today” means simply the day of Jesus’ birth. -What did the angel call the baby Jesus at his birth? + +### What did the angel call the baby Jesus at his birth? + The angel called Jesus three different things when he was born. - -The angel called Jesus “Savior”(σωτήρ/g4990). People who worshiped many gods sometimes called their gods “savior”, and the people of Rome sometimes called their leaders “savior”. However, here “Savior” refers to Zechariah’s prophecy that Jesus would save people from their sins (see: Luke 1:77). - - -The angel called Jesus the “Christ”(Χριστός/g5547). That is, Jesus is the “anointed one” whom God chose to be Israel’s Messiah. - - -The angel called Jesus “Lord”(κύριος/g2962). This word is usually translated “Lord,” but God the Father is called “Lord” in the Greek Old Testament. Scholars say when the angel called Jesus this same thing, he meant that Jesus is himself God. +1. The angel called Jesus “Savior”(σωτήρ/g4990). People who worshiped many gods sometimes called their gods “savior”, and the people of Rome sometimes called their leaders “savior”. However, here “Savior” refers to Zechariah’s prophecy that Jesus would save people from their sins (see: Luke 1:77). +1. The angel called Jesus the “Christ”(Χριστός/g5547). That is, Jesus is the “anointed one” whom God chose to be Israel’s Messiah. +1. The angel called Jesus “Lord”(κύριος/g2962). This word is usually translated “Lord,” but God the Father is called “Lord” in the Greek Old Testament. Scholars say when the angel called Jesus this same thing, he meant that Jesus is himself God. When the angel called Jesus “Savior,” “Christ,” and “Lord,” perhaps he was explaining what the angel Gabriel said to Mary (see: Luke 1:32-35). See: Angel; Incarnation; Messiah (Christ); Savior -Advice to Translators: Some languages prefer to use a verb instead of a noun such as “sign.” For example, instead of translating, “This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a feeding trough,” some languages will want to translate, “This is how you will know what I am talking about: You will find a baby….” In the same way, instead of writing, “Signs are things that show people that God has power…,” some languages will prefer to say, “God uses things to show people that he has power….” +**Advice to Translators**: Some languages prefer to use a verb instead of a noun such as “sign.” For example, instead of translating, “This will be a sign for you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths, lying in a feeding trough,” some languages will want to translate, “This is how you will know what I am talking about: You will find a baby….” In the same way, instead of writing, “Signs are things that show people that God has power…,” some languages will prefer to say, “God uses things to show people that he has power….” + +### What were “signs”? -What were “signs”? The angel told the shepherds that the newborn baby would be wrapped in cloths and lying in a feeding trough. He said that this would be a “sign”(σημεῖον/g4952) for them. Signs are things that show people that God has power, or that he is telling the truth about something. When the shepherds saw the baby in a feeding trough, they would know that this was the child of which the angel had spoken. They would also know that the angel had told them the truth. Luke often wrote about signs. He wrote about signs in the sky (see: Luke 21:25), and signs that King Herod wanted to see Jesus do (see: Luke 23:8). Even though Luke did not call it a sign, some scholars believe the judgment on Zechariah was a sign (see: Luke 1:20). See: Sign -What did the angels mean when spoke about peace on earth? + +### What did the angels mean when spoke about peace on earth? + The angels either promised or wished that God would give peace to certain people on earth. They did not speak, as many believe, of God giving general peace to everyone on earth. Here, “peace” meant complete well-being. It means more than just not worrying, or just not fighting with other people. See: Luke 7:50; 8:48 -Did the angels say “among people with whom God is pleased” or “among people who please God”? + +### Did the angels say “among people with whom God is pleased” or “among people who please God”? + The oldest Greek copies disagreed about whether the angels said “among people whom God ‘favors’”(εὐδοκία/g2017) or “among people who please God”. The difference of meaning is whether God choose people because of his “favor”, or whether he gave peace to people who had “favor” for God, that is, who loved God. See: Differences in Ancient Copies of the Bible -2:21-40 -Why did the parents of Jesus take him to the temple in Jerusalem? + +## 2:21-40 + +### Why did the parents of Jesus take him to the temple in Jerusalem? + Mary and Joseph were careful to obey the Law of Moses (see: Luke 2:22,23,24,27,39). Because Bethlehem was near the temple in Jerusalem, they were able to take Jesus to the temple. There, they asked God to bless Jesus. See: Temple See Map: Jerusalem; Bethlehem -How was Jesus’ family poor? + +### How was Jesus’ family poor? Some scholars believe that Mary and Joseph were poor because they brought two small birds to sacrifice for her. This was for them to obey the law of Moses. The normal sacrifice was a lamb, but it could be two small birds if the family was poor. Some scholars believe that Mary and Joseph made this trip to the temple before the “learned men”(μάγος/g3097) visited Jesus. Mary and Joseph would have been able to buy a lamb after the “learned men” brought Jesus valuable gifts (see: Matthew 2:11). See: Leviticus 12:8 -Who was Simeon? + +### Who was Simeon? + Luke wrote nothing about Simeon except that he honored God and obeyed him. He was waiting for the “helper”(παράκλησις/g3874) of Israel. That is, he was waiting for God to help Israel. Also the Holy Spirit was “on him”. That is, was with him. This was how Simeon was able to speak about what Jesus would do in the future. -What were the “helper” of Israel and the “deliverer” of Jerusalem? + +### What were the “helper” of Israel and the “deliverer” of Jerusalem? + The “helper”(παράκλησις/g3874) of Israel and the “deliverer”(λύτρωσις/g3085) of Jerusalem are both in this passage (see: Luke 2:25,38). They were both things that Simeon, Anna, and others were “waiting”(προσδέχομαι/g4327) for God to make happen. Some scholars believe that they were waiting for God to free Israel from the Romans, who ruled over it. Others believe that they were waiting for the kingdom of God, that is, for God to begin to rule in Israel. Simeon, Anna, and others like them were probably waiting for the Messiah to come and rescue them from their suffering. Some scholars say that when Jews talked about the “helper” of Israel, they were talking about the Messiah, the person they were expecting to come. See: Redeem (Redemption); Kingdom of God -Why was the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon? + +### Why was the Holy Spirit was upon Simeon? + The Holy Spirit was “upon”(ἐπί/g1909) Simeon. Because of this, Simeon honored God (see: Luke 2:25). Also, the Holy Spirit told Simeon that he would see the Messiah (see: Luke 2:26). The Holy Spirit guided Simeon’s life until he went to the temple at the right time to see the Messiah (see: Luke 2:27). Finally, the Holy Spirit made Simeon able to recognize the Messiah and to prophesy about him. See: Holy Spirit; Filling of the Holy Spirit -What did Simeon believe about Jesus? + +### What did Simeon believe about Jesus? + Simeon believed that Jesus is the Messiah God sent (see: Luke 2:26). He also believed that Jesus would “save”(σωτήριος/g4992) the people of Israel (see: Luke 2:30). Simeon also called Jesus the “light”(φῶς/g5457) for the Gentiles. This metaphor meant that Jesus would enable Gentiles to also know God. Simeon also believed that Jesus would bring “glory”(δόξα/g1391) to Israel (see: Luke 2:32). Some scholars say all the people in the world will honor Israel because of Jesus. Other scholars say Jesus is the Israelite whom all people in the world will honor in the future (see: Isaiah 49:5). God also honored Israel by planning to save people everywhere through Jesus, an Israelite man. See: Save (Salvation, Saved From Sins); Metaphor; Light and Darkness (metaphor)