The Jewish Annotated New Testament (213 page)

3
–4:
Their own towns
, the census explains how Jesus can be born in
Bethlehem
, the
city of David
(1 Sam 17; 20; Mic 5.2 predicts a ruler from Bethlehem; see Mt 2.5–6). Bethlehem is approximately five miles from Jerusalem, eighty-five miles from Nazareth.

7
:
Firstborn
(Gk “prototokos”; Heb “
ḥ
or”) can indicate that which is dedicated to God (Ex 13.2,12,15; Num 3.12–13; Deut 21.17); Israel is God’s “firstborn son” (Ex 4.22).
Manger
, feeding trough; the symbolism anticipates the Last Supper (22.19).
Inn
, Luke gives no indication residents rejected the family; there may have been no room for the privacy needed for the birth.

2.8
–20: Annunciation to shepherds
(cf. Mt 2.1–12).

8
:
Shepherds
, contrary to some Christian teaching, Jews of the time did not view shepherds as outcast or unclean, as numerous positive images of shepherds in Israel’s Scriptures, the association of Moses and David with shepherding, and the connection of sheep with the sacrificial system indicate (see also Philo,
Spec. Laws
1.133,136).

9
:
Glory of the Lord
, compare Heb “kavod” [of YHWH] (Ex 16.7,10; 24.16–17; Isa 40.5; Ps 104.31; etc.).

10
:
Good news
, 1.19n.
All the people
(Heb “kol ha‘am”), would be heard by a Jewish audience as concerning the “people Israel.”

11
:
City of David
, 1.3n.
Messiah
(Gk “Christos”)
the Lord
, 1.17n.
Pss. Sol
. 17.32 mentions a
Lord, the anointed
in reference to a Davidic king; see also the “LORD’s anointed” in Lam 4.20; 1 Sam 24.7 (in reference to King Saul).

12
:
Wrapped in bands
, KJV: “swaddling cloths”; see Wis 7.4–5.
Manger
, 1.7n.

13
:
Heavenly host
, Deut 4.19; 33.2; 1 Kings 22.19; Jer 8.2; Ps 33.6; etc., the angels who serve God.

19
:
See 2.51.

2.21
–24: Jesus’ circumcision and presentation. 21:
Eight days had passed
, lit., “had been fulfilled”; the circumcision took place on the eighth day after birth; see 1.59n.
Called Jesus
, 1.31n.

22
:
Their purification
, no purification rites were required for fathers or newborns. For the mother’s purification (forty days after the birth of a son), see Lev 12 and “The Law,” p.
515
.
Jerusalem
, a Lukan focus.
Present him
, possible allusion to the “pidyon ha-ben,” “redemption of the firstborn” (Ex 13.2,12,15; Num 18.15–16; Neh 10.35–36); no law prescribes this presentation; presenting children at the Temple is not a recognized custom.

23
:
Paraphrasing Ex 13.2.

2.25
–38: Simeon and Anna. 25:
Jerusalem
, see 1.21.
Simeon
, not otherwise attested.
Consolation
(Gk “paraklēsis”), here synonymous with redemption, 1.68n.; 24.21n.; see also Isa 40 [LXX];
2 Bar
. 44.7.
Holy Spirit
, 1.15n.

27
:
What was customary
, see 2.21–22n.

29
:
Now you are dismissing
, Lat “Nunc dimittis.” The canticle is often referred to by this name.

30
–31:
Your salvation
, see 3.6.

32
:
Revelation to the Gentiles
, see Isa 49.6; Judaism generally taught that salvation was for all people, not only for Jews.
Glory to your people Israel
, see Isa 46.13.

33
:
Father
, Joseph (also 2.48; 3.23).

34
:
Blessed them
, perhaps hinting at a priestly blessing (see Num 6.23; 1 Sam 2.20).
Falling and the rising
, Jesus’ preaching, and the preaching about him, create division among Jews; Luke frequently depicts Jews who do not accept Jesus as violently opposed to him and his followers (see 4.28–29).

35
:
Sword will pierce your own soul
, views of Mary’s righteousness, suffering, and intercession will develop in Christian thought.

36
:
Prophet, Anna
, comparable to women prophets in Judaism (Miriam [Exod 15.20], Deborah [Judg 4.4], Huldah [2 Kings 22.14], and possibly Isaiah’s wife [Isa 8.3]).

37
:
As a widow
, Luke favors celibacy.

38
:
Redemption of Jerusalem
, 1.68n.; 24.21n.

2.39
–40: Jesus’ childhood.

39
:
Required by the law
, Luke emphasizes the family’s connection to Torah.

2.41
–52: Jesus in the Temple. 41:
Every year
, Luke continues the themes of Jerusalem, Temple, and Torah.
Passover
, one of three pilgrimage festivals (with Sukkot/Booths and Shavuot/Weeks), see Ex 23.14–17; Deut 16.1–8,16; also Lk 22.7–13.

42
:
Twelve years old
, the story is not, contrary to popular teaching, Jesus’ bar mitzvah; for thirteen as the age of adult responsibility, see
m. Nidd
. 5.6;
m. Avot
5.21;
Gen. Rab
. 63.10; for twelve, regarding vows and fasting,
Sifre Num
. 22;
b. Ber
. 24a.

47
:
Stories of heroes’ prodigious wisdom are conventional (e.g., Cyrus [Herodotus I, 114f.], Alexander the Great [Plutarch,
Life of Alexander
5], Moses [
Ant
. 2.230; Philo,
Life of Moses
1.21]; Josephus,
Life
9, records: “when I was a child, about fourteen years of age, I was commended by all for the love I had of learning; on which account the high priests and principal men of the city frequently came to me together, to know my opinion about the accurate understanding of points of the law”).

48
:
Father
, see 2.33n., anticipating the irony of Jesus’ response in 2.49.

49
:
Father’s house
, the phrase is common in the Tanakh but not in reference to the Temple.

51
:
See 2.19.

52
:
1 Sam 2.26; Lk 1.80; 2.40; similar terms describe Moses (
Ant
. 2.231; Philo,
Life of Moses
1.19); see also Prov 3.4.

3.1
–6: John the Baptist
(Mt 3.1–6; Mk 1.2–6). See also
Ant
. 18.5.2. Some scholars believe the original version of Luke’s Gospel began here (see Introduction and compare Mk 1).

1
:
Tiberius
ruled 14–37 CE.
Pontius Pilate
, Roman
governor
of
Judea
, Samaria, and Idumea (26–36 CE).
Herod
Antipas (see 23.6–7) ruled
Galilee
and Perea (4 BCE–29 CE).
Philip
, ruled 4 BCE–34 CE; see 3.19–20.
Lysanias
, Roman tetrarch of Abilene (west of Damascus), ca. 25–30 CE.

2
:
Annas
, high priest 6–15 CE when deposed by Rome. He was succeeded by his sons, then his son-in-law
Caiaphas
(18–36 CE). On dating by reigning powers, see e.g. Isa 6.1; Jer 1.1–3; Ezek 1.1–3.
Zechariah
, 1.5–23,59–80.
Wilderness
, 1.80n.

3
:
Baptism
, from a Gk term meaning “dip,” ritual immersion in water. Unlike “miqveh” immersion for ritual purity, John’s baptism was apparently a singular event. For washing as symbolizing God’s cleansing, see e.g., Ezek 36.25; Ps 51.2; for the renunciation of evil see Isa 1.16. Josephus (
Ant
. 18.117) states that John’s baptism did not wash away sins; rather, it served as public testimony of repentance. For 1QS 5.7–15, immersion functions as a rite of initiation; there is no evidence of John’s connection to the Qumran community. “Jewish proselyte baptism” (i.e., immersion as part of the ritual of conversion to Judaism) appears to be a post-70s practice (
b. Yebam
. 46a). For immersion prior to offering sacrifice, see
m. Pesah
. 8.8.

4
–6:
Isa 40.3–5 (see also 1QS 8.12–16). For Isaiah,
salvation
was Israel’s return from Babylonian exile to its homeland (“A voice cries out: ‘In the wilderness, prepare …’”); however, cantillation marks (for chanting the text in the synagogue) place “in the wilderness” with “prepare the way.” See also Mal 3.1.

3.7
–18: John’s teaching.

7
:
Crowds
, Mt 3.7–10 addresses John’s invective to Pharisees and Sadducees.
Brood of vipers
, Matthew’s designation for Pharisees, scribes, and Sadducees (Mt 3.7; 12.34; 23.33).
Wrath to come
, God’s final judgment.