The Jewish Annotated New Testament (212 page)

19
:
Gabriel
, with Michael, one of two angels named in the Tanakh (Dan 8.16; 9.21; see also
1 En
. 9, 20, 40;
Jub
. 2.18; 54.6; 1QH 6.13; 1QM 9.14–16; 15.14).
Presence of God
, the heavenly throneroom.
Good news
, the noun form of this term is “euangellion,” “gospel”; in Roman society “euangellion” was, e.g., proclamation of tax relief or the emperor’s birthday; for the LXX (Ps. 40.9 [Heb v. 10]; 68.11 [Heb v. 12]; 96.2; Isa 40.9 and elsewhere), the verbal form [Heb “basar,” noun “besorah”] can refer to divine salvation.

20
:
Become mute
, see Ezek 3.26; 24.27; 33.22.

22
:
Vision in the sanctuary
, see Acts 22.17–21.

1.24
–25: John’s conception.

25
:
Disgrace
, see Gen. 30.23, where Rachel’s reproach may be from Leah. In the Tanakh, God opens and closes wombs (Gen 16.2; 25.21; 1 Sam 1.1–18).

1.26
–38: The annunciation. 26:
Sixth month
, after John’s conception.
Gabriel
, see 1.19.
Galilee
, northern Israel.
Nazareth
, a small village (cf. Jn 1.46) in southern Galilee, outside of the NT unattested in first-century literature. Although Matthew and Luke locate Jesus’ birth in Bethlehem (Mt 2.6 specifies in Judea), Jesus was known as being from Nazareth (see, e.g., Jn 1.46).

27
:
Virgin
(Gk “parthenos”); Luke emphasizes the term (also v. 34).
Engaged
, the wedding contract (“ketubah”) had been signed.
M. Avot
5.21 sets the ideal age for a man to marry at eighteen; Josephus, following Roman norms, married at about thirty.
House of David
, one dominant Jewish messianic expectation was that the messiah would be David’s descendant (see 2 Sam 7.12).
Mary
(Gk “Mariam”), from Heb “Miryam”; the name, recollecting both Moses’ sister Miriam and Herod’s Hasmonean wife Mariamme, was common among first-century Jewish women.

28
:
Greetings
, a traditional Greek salutation, which can also be translated “Hail” as in “Hail Mary” (Lat “Ave Maria”).
The Lord is with you
, see Judg 6.12; 2 Sam 7.3; 2 Chr 15.2.

29
:
Perplexed
(Gk “diatarassō”), the related term (“tarassō”) in 1.12, referring to Zechariah’s vision, is translated “terrified.”

31
:
You will name him
, 1.13n.
Jesus
, Gk “Iesous,” from Heb “Yehoshua,” “the Lord saves” (see Mt 1.21), a common name in the Tanakh and subsequently.

32
:
Son of the Most High
, indicating royal authority (2 Sam 7.13–16) and rectitude (Sir 4.10; see also Dan 7.25); “Most High” translates the Heb “El Elyon” or “YHWH Elyon” (e.g., Gen 14.18–22; Ps 78.35).
Throne of his ancestor David
, v. 27n.; on the promises to David, see also Ps 89; Jer 23.5–8;
Pss. Sol
. 17.4,6,21; etc.

33
:
House of Jacob
, synonym for Israel (Ex 19.3; Isa 46.3; 48.1, Jer 2.4; Ps 114.1; and elsewhere).
Kingdom there will be no end
, See 2 Sam 7.13,16, which use the Hebrew “‘ad ‘olam,” “forever,” of the Davidic dynasty.

35
:
Holy Spirit
…
overshadow
, see 1.15n., Ex 40.35.
Son of God
, in 3.38, Adam is a “son of God”; cf. 2 Sam 7.14. Luke develops Jesus’ divine nature throughout the narrative. The virginal conception is clearer in Mt 1.23. No Jewish texts regard Isa 7.14 as predicting the messiah’s birth or take
Son of God
as indicating anything other than divine adoption (2 Sam 7.14; Ps 2.7; 4QFlor 10–13).

36
:
Your relative Elizabeth
, indicating Mary’s priestly ancestry.

37
:
Nothing will be impossible
, see Gen 18.14 concerning the birth of Isaac; Jer 32.17; Zech 8.6.

38
:
Servant
, Gk “doulē,” “slave.”

1.39
–45: The visitation.

39
:
Judean
, in southern Israel, where Jerusalem is located.

41
:
Filled with the Holy Spirit
, 1.15n.

43
:
Lord
(Gk “Kyrios”), here a divine title.

1.46
–56: Mary’s Magnificat.
The first of four canticles in Lk 1–2. The song is modeled on Hannah’s prayer (1 Sam 2.1–10; for similar songs by women see Ex 15.19–20 [Miriam]; Judg 5.1–31 [Deborah]; Jdt 16.1–17 [Judith]).

46
:
Magnifies
, Lat “Magnificat.”

48
:
See 1 Sam 1.11[LXX]; Mary’s
lowliness
is the same Gk word (“tapeinōsis,” “low estate”) as Hannah’s “misery.”

49
:
Holy is his name
, see 11.1n.

50
:
Generation to generation
(Heb “dor [le]’dor”), see Ex 17.16; Isa 34.10; Ps 79.13;
T. Levi
18.8, and elsewhere.

54
:
His servant Israel
, Isa 44.1; Ps 136.22; 1 Chr 16.13.

55
:
Promise he made
, Gen. 12.3; 15.5; 17.7; 18.18; 22.17; Mic 7.20, and elsewhere. Combining covenants with David and
Abraham
, to this point, Luke emphasizes the promises to Israel first, and then, via Israel, to the nations.

1.57
–66: John’s birth and naming. 59:
Circumcise
, the sign of the covenant (Heb “brit”) between God and Israel, in accord with Gen 17.11–12; 21.4; Lev 12.3; see also Lk 2.21;
m. Shabb
. 18.3.
Zechariah after his father
(see Tob 1.1; Josephus,
J.W
. 5.13.2;
Ant
. 14.1.3), a tradition maintained in Sephardic (Mediterranean) but not Ashkenazic (Eastern European) Jewish culture; in the latter, children are named after deceased relatives. Naming sons at circumcision is not attested in Jewish sources until the post-Talmudic period (eighth century). Earlier Jewish texts attest naming after grandfathers, but not after fathers (unless the father is deceased).

60
:
John
, see 1.13n.

66
:
Hand of the Lord
, Ex 9.3; 16.3; Josh 4.24; 22.31; Isa 41.20; 66.14; and elsewhere, often in contexts of judgment.

1.67
–79: The second canticle, called the “Benedictus”
(Lat “blessed”; see v. 68).

67
:
Holy Spirit
, see 1.15n.; Joel 2.28–31 (Acts 2.17–18) on the connection between the
Spirit
and prophecy.

68
:
Blessed be the Lord
, familiar blessing in the Tanakh (1 Sam 25.32; 1 Kings 1.48; 8.15; etc.).
Redeemed
, Zechariah speaks as if redemption has already occurred (see 2.38; 24.21n.).

69
:
Mighty savior
, lit., “horn [Heb “qeren”] of salvation,” see 2 Sam 22.3; Ps 18.2; see also Ps 89.17–24; 132.17; 148.14; Sir 51.12.

70
:
Holy prophets
, the Tanakh depicts prophets as God’s servants (Ezek 38.1) but not usually as holy; contrast Wis 11.1; Eph 3.5;
2 Bar
. 85.1.

72
–73:
Remembered his holy covenant
, e.g., Ex 2.24; Lev 26.42; Ps 105.8, as well as the. “hesed avot” [“steadfast love of the fathers”] of Mic 7.20; Ps 106.45; etc.
Oath
, see Gen 26.3.
Holy covenant
, Dan 11.30; 1 Macc 1.15,63.

76
:
Most High
, 1.32n.
Prepare his ways
, 3.4n.

77
:
Forgiveness of their sins
, see 3.3n.

78
:
Tender mercy
, evoking Heb “ra. hamim,” see, e.g., Isa 54.7; 63.7; Jer 42.12; Ps 25.6; 103.4.

79
:
Sit in darkness
, see Isa 42.7; Mic 7.8; Ps 107.10; 143.3; Lam 3.6.
Shadow of death
(Mt 4.16), Ps 23.4.
Peace
, a major concern for the Tanakh.

80
:
Grew and became strong
, compare 2.52.
Wilderness
, see 3.4; site of Israel’s encounter with God at Sinai; here, by the Jordan River; see also Judg 13.25.

2.1
–7: Jesus’ birth
(Mt 1.18–25).

1
:
Augustus
, who ruled 27 BCE–14 CE, was called “god,” “son of god,” “savior,” and “father.”
Registered
, this census is not externally attested. Rome registered its citizens primarily to determine taxes; in Jewish thought, counting people directly is contrary to divine will (see Ex 30.12; 2 Sam 24). Acts 5.37 dates the revolt of Judas the Galilean to the “time of the census” and thus contrasts Joseph and Mary’s obedience to Judas’s revolution.

2
:
Quirinius
, appointed “legatus” (military governor) to suppress the revolt by the Homonadensians in Cilicia; the actual governor was Varus. Josephus (
Ant
. 17.354; 18.1–2; cf.
J.W
. 2.117; 7.253) reports a census under Quirinius in 6 CE, not during Herod’s reign.