The Good News of Yeshua the Messiah as Recorded by
Luke [White-light]
Lucas [Bright illuminate] (Greek)
Loukas [From Lucania, Town in Southern Italy] (Greek)
Context: The author is not identified by name, yet he is educated, writes and researches history, a Greek educated Doctor (see Colossians 4:14). Some debate if he is a Gentile or a Hellenistic-Jew (Greek thinking), either way Luke has intimate knowledge of Jewish rituals and Torah practices. Also Luke has the most scientificly detailed notes about historical context, historical people, and empirical observations. This author interviewed first-hand accounts then complied this record by the decree of Theophilus. It records Greek and Judean interactions. Luke also wrote “Acts of the Apostles”. He was likely a historian and maybe companion of Rabbi Saul / Paul [Asked for].
1
1 Since many have undertaken to set in order a narrative concerning those matters which have been fulfilled among us, 2 even as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and servants of the word delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having traced the course of all things accurately from the first, to write to you in order, most excellent Theophilus [God friend]; 4 that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.
5 There was in the days of Herod [Heroic], the king of Judea [Praise], a certain priest named Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], of the priestly division of Abiyah [My father Yah]. *
He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron [Light-bringer], and her name was Elizabeth [My God oath]. 6 They were both upright before God, observing all the mitzvot ·instructions· and ordinances of Yahweh blamelessly. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth [My God oath] was barren, and they both were well advanced in years. 8 Now while he served in the priest’s office before God in the order of his priestly division, 9 according to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to enter into the temple of Yahweh and burn incense (as the Cohen Gadol ·High Priest· on Yom Kippur ·Day of Atonement·). On the seventh month Ethanim ·Ever-flowing durable stream (in Hebrew), 7· or Tishrei ·[Beginning (in Babylonian)]· on the 10th day). 10 All the people were outside, praying, at the time of the incense burning, † 11 when there appeared to him an angel of MarYah [Master Yahweh], standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias [Remembered by Yah] was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], because your request has been heard, and your wife, Elizabeth [My God oath], will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John [Yah is gracious]. 14 You will have joy and gladness; and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of MarYah [Master Yahweh], and he will drink no wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with Ruach haKodesh [Spirit, Breath of the Holiness], even from his mother’s womb. 16 ‡He will turn many of the children of to MarYah [Master Yahweh], their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah [My God Yah], ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ § and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to prepare a people prepared for Adonai .”
18 Zacharias [Remembered by Yah] said to the angel, “How can I be sure of this? For I am an old man, and my wife is well advanced in years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel [Man of God], who stands in the presence of God. I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news. 20 Behold, you will be silent and not able to speak, until the day that these things will happen, because you didn’t trust my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], and they marveled that he delayed in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple. He continued making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his service were fulfilled, he departed to his house. 24 After these days Elizabeth [My God oath], his wife, conceived, and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 “Thus has MarYah [Master Yahweh] done to me in the days in which he looked at me, to take away my reproach among men.”
26 Now in the sixth month Elul ·Search, 6·, the angel Gabriel [Man of God] was sent from God to a city of Galilee [District, Circuit], named Nazareth [Branch, Separated one], 27 *
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man whose name was Joseph [May he add], of David [Beloved]’s house. The virgin’s name was Mary [Rebellion]. 28 Having come in, the angel said to her, “Shalom ·Complete peace·, favored lady! Adonai is with you. Blessed are you among women!”
29 But when she saw him, she was greatly troubled at the saying, and considered what kind of salutation this might be. 30 †The angel said to her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary [Rebellion], for you have found favor with God. 31 ‡§Behold, you will conceive in your womb, and give birth to a son, and will call his name ‘Yeshua [Salvation].’ 32 *†
‡§He will be great, and will be *†called haBen haElohim Chayim [the Son of the God Living]. MarYah [Master Yahweh] ‡§God will give him the throne of his forefather, David [Beloved], * 33 †and he will ‡reign over the house of Jacob [Supplanter] forever. There will be no end to his Kingdom.” §
34 Mary [Rebellion] said to the angel, “How can this be, seeing I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered her, *“The Ruach Kodesh [Holy Spirit, Breath] will come on you, and the power of the Elyon [Most High] will overshadow you. †Therefore also the holy one who is born from you will be called the Ben-Elohim ·Son of Elohim God·. 36 Behold, Elizabeth [My God oath], your relative, also has conceived a son in her old age; and this is the sixth month Elul ·Search, 6· with her who was called barren. 37 For nothing spoken by God is impossible.”
38 Mary [Rebellion] said, “Behold, the servant of MarYah [Master Yahweh]; let it be done to me according to your word.”
The angel departed from her. 39 Mary [Rebellion] arose in those days and went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah [Praised], 40 and entered into the house of Zacharias [Remembered by Yah] and greeted Elizabeth [My God oath]. 41 When Elizabeth [My God oath] heard Mary [Rebellion]’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth [My God oath] was filled with Ruach haKodesh [Spirit, Breath of the Holiness]. 42 She called out with a loud voice, and said, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! 43 Why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 For behold, when the voice of your greeting came into my ears, the baby leaped in my womb for joy! 45 Blessed is she who trusted, for there will be a fulfillment of the things which have been spoken to her from MarYah [Master Yahweh]!”
46 Mary [Rebellion] said,
“My soul magnifies Adonai .
47 My spirit has rejoiced in God ‡ my Savior,
48 for he has looked at the humble state of his servant. §
For behold, from now on, all generations will call me blessed.
49 For he who is mighty has done great things for me.
Holy set-apart is his name. *
50 And in every generation, he has eleos ·merciful compassion in action· on those who fear him. †
51 He has shown strength with his arm.
He has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts.
52 He has put down princes from their thrones.
And has exalted the lowly.
53 He has filled the hungry with good things.
He has sent the rich away empty.
54 He has given help to Israel [God prevails], his servant, that he might remember eleos ·merciful compassion in action·,
55 As he spoke to our fathers,
to Abraham [Father of a multitude] and his offspring forever.” ‡
56 Mary [Rebellion] stayed with her about three months, and then teshuvah ·completely returned· to her house. 57 Now the time that Elizabeth [My God oath] should give birth was fulfilled, and she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and her relatives heard that Adonai had magnified his eleos ·merciful compassion in action· towards her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day, they came to circumcise the child; and they would have called him Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], after the name of his father. 60 His mother answered, “Not so; but he will be called John [Yah is gracious].”
61 They said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.” 62 They made signs to his father, what he would have him called.
63 He asked for a writing tablet, and wrote, “His name is John [Yah is gracious].”
They all marveled. 64 His mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God. 65 Fear came on all who lived around them, and all these sayings were talked about throughout all the hill country of Judea [Praise]. 66 All who heard them laid them up in their heart, saying, “What then will this child be?” The hand of MarYah [Master Yahweh] was with him. 67 His father, Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], was filled with Ruach haKodesh [Spirit, Breath of the Holiness], and prophesied, saying,
68 §“Blessed be MarYah [Master Yahweh], the God of Israel [God prevails], *
for he has visited and redeemed his people;
69 and has raised up a horn of yishu'ah ·salvation· for us in the house of his servant David [Beloved]
70 (as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets who have been from of old),
71 †‡yishu'ah ·salvation· from our enemies, and from the hand of all who hate us;
72 to show eleos ·merciful compassion in action· towards our fathers,
to remember his holy covenant ·binding contract between two or more parties·,
73 the covenant oath which he swore to Abraham [Father of a multitude], § Avinu ·our Father·,
74 to grant to us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies,
should serve him without fear,
75 In holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life.
76 *
And you, child, will be called a prophet of the Elyon [Most High],
for you will go before the face of Yahweh to prepare his ways, †
77 to give knowledge of yishu'ah ·salvation· to his people by the remission of their abstract sins ·miss the marks·,
78 because of the tender eleos ·merciful compassion in action· of our God,
whereby the dawn from on high will visit us,
79 to shine on those who sit in darkness and the shadow of death; ‡
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
80 The child was growing, and becoming strong in spirit, and was in the desert until the day of his public appearance to Israel [God prevails].
* 1:5 Context: Priestly division of Abiyah. In (1 Chr 24:7-18) there is a list of priestly division to serve in the Temple, scholars date this record around 400 B.C.E. In Oral Tradition, the list of a weekly rotation schedule is detailed. The priests themselves lived not only in Jerusalem but also in other settlements in the land of Israel. When it was “time for the division to go up (to Jerusalem)” (Mishnah, Ta’anit 4:2), the priests left their homes, went up to Jerusalem for a week, and afterwards returned to their homes in Judea or Galilee. According to modern Rabbi Shmuel Safrai, there are 12 divisions with 24 total rotations, each unit serving one week, twice a year, rotating on the Sabbath day. Abiyah’s division is #8. The rotations started in first month of Nissan (mid-March to mid-April), before Passover. The eighth unit (1 Chr 24:10) in the second month of Iyyar (mid-April to mid-May) and again at the end of the eighth month of Cheshvan (mid-October to mid-November), after Tabernacles. His job included offering incense in the Holy Place (Luke 1:11) which is a daily duty located next to the Most Holy Place (Ex 30:7-8, 40:5). Beyond this, a percise determation dates and times is limited. † 1:10 Context: This ritual of burning incense to fill the Most Holy Place with smoke before offering the blood on the Mercy Seat is commanded by God in (Lev 16:2-3, 16:12-14). This, in the greater context of making atonement for the entire nation on Yom Kippur [Day of Atonement]. See (Lev 16:11-17). ‡ 1:16 (16-17) MP: Messiah’s forerunner will turn the hearts of children to their fathers (possibly forefathers) and restore connection therein. (Mal 4:6) § 1:17 . Quoted from Mal 4:5-6 (Heb Bible 3:23-24) * 1:27 (+30-31) MP: A virgin female will conceive and bear a son, (combined with Gen 3:15, seed of a woman). (Is 7:14a)Note on textual variations: Why a virgin female as compared to young female? In the Hebrew Masoretic text, the prophecy in Isaiah uses the Hebrew word almah [a woman of marriageable age] whereas the verse in Matthew uses the Greek word parthenos [a pure virgin or woman of marriageable age]. However the translators of the Greek Septuagint, which is older than any existing Hebrew text, used parthenos in their translation of the verse in Isaiah. Therefore the translators understood the verse in Isaiah as referring to a literal virgin birth. † 1:30 (30-33) MP: Star out of Jacob. Star and Scepter (Gen 49:10) together identify royal leadership. (Num 24:17) ‡ 1:31 . MP: Messiah is the son of God. His throne is established forever. (Messiah is the son of God, see also 1 Chr 17:13-15; Ps 2:7). (2 Sam 7:13-14; 1 Chr 17:11-14) § 1:31 (31-33) MP: The Messiah’s dominion is everlasting. (Dan 7:13-14) * 1:32 . MP: Messiah comes to bear the responsibility as the prophesied heir who establishes the everlasting kingdom as the heir to the throne of David. (Is 9:6a, 9:7) † 1:32 (32-33) MP: Messiah son of David establishes a kingdom and rule that is over all and establishes righteousness and justice in accordance with Adonai, God of heaven’s Armies. (Also see Is 16:5; Dan 2:44). (Is 9:7) Note: In the Blessing of Aaron (Num 6:26), “God will give you peace,” this is called the peace of the Kingdom of David. (See also Is 16:5). ‡ 1:32 . MP: Messiah son of David will be the Shepard Leader Ruler teaching God’s people to live holy by God’s instructions. (Eze 37:24-25) § 1:32 (32-33) MPr: The King who the 12 Tribes will obey is the King Messiah. (Deut 33:5 in Jerusalem Targum). (Deut 33:5) * 1:32 (32-33) MP: The Righteous Branch from David’s household is given the name “Lord Our righteousness”. (Jer 23:5-6) † 1:32 (+35c) MP: Messiah is the Son of God, “a son is given”. Hence Messiah has divine origins. (Is 9:6a) ‡ 1:32 (32-33) MP: Messiah, as a descendant of David, establishes an everlasting throne for the house of David. (2 Sam 7:16; 1 Chr 17:11-12; Ps 89:29) § 1:32 . MP: The Messiah’s throne is everlasting. (Ps 45:6-7) * 1:32 . Quoted from Ps 132:11 † 1:33 . MP: Messiah is the son of God. (See also 2 Sam 7:12-14; Ps 2:7). (1 Chr 17:3-15) ‡ 1:33 . MP: The Kingdom will be received by the Saints of haElyon [the Most High]. (Dan 7:18) § 1:33 . (32-33) Quoted from Is 9:7 * 1:35 (with John 12:31) MP: Enmity between “Thy seed and her seed.” - Women have ovum, not seed as males, therefore this is a miraculous birth. (Gen 3:15) † 1:35 . MP: Messiah is the Ben-Elohim ·Son of Elohim God·. (See also 2 Sam 7:12-14a; 1 Chr 17:13-15). (Ps 2:7b) ‡ 1:47 . Quoted from 1 Sam 2:1 § 1:48 . Quoted from 1 Sam 1:11 * 1:49 . Quoted from Ps 111:9 † 1:50 . Quoted from Ps 103:17 ‡ 1:55 . Quoted from Gen 13:15, 17:19 § 1:68 (68-70) MP: Messiah is the sprout from David’s line. (Combined with Is 11:1). (Ps 132:17) * 1:68 . Quoted from Ps 41:13, 72:18, 106:48 † 1:71 . MP: Messiah is at the right hand of God crushing the kings against him. (Ps 110:5) ‡ 1:71 (+71-75) MP: In the last days, Moab will seek Israel for refuge and the throne of the honest judge from David’s line will be established. (See also Is 9:7). (Is 16:4-5) § 1:73 . Paraphrase Quoted from Gen 17:2 * 1:76 (76-79) MP: A messenger will prepare the way for the Messiah. (Mal 3:1) Note: In Malachi, the word “suddenly” refers to the imminent coming of the Messiah once this messenger appears. From the writings of Josephus, we know John the Baptist and Yeshua were contemporaries of one another. † 1:76 . Quoted from Is 40:3; Mal 3:1 ‡ 1:79 . Quoted from Is 9:2