IT is evident, from the dedication, that this gospel was not written to one ignorant of the glad tidings of great joy; and also that none of those already written by the many who took it in hand was suited for the purpose of the writer of this, namely, to certify to the most excellent Theophilus concerning things (λόγων) in which he had been instructed. Not the mere certainty of the subjects, I apprehend, but ἁσφάλειαν, the safety of them; it implies another idea besides truthfulness, and is only used in two other places in the Now Testament, in Acts 5:2323Saying, The prison truly found we shut with all safety, and the keepers standing without before the doors: but when we had opened, we found no man within. (Acts 5:23), and 1 Thess. 5:33For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (1 Thessalonians 5:3). I think one might very justly expect, from this preface, that every allusion which fell from our Lord, referring however directly or indirectly to the abstruse things of which Paul was especially the minister, would be inserted here, inasmuch as Luke was a fellow-traveler with that apostle; and if even it were disputed that Luke wrote this gospel, it cannot be gainsayed that the writer of the Acts was a companion of the apostle, or that the writer of one was the writer of the other; and therefore, I repeat, we are justified in expecting to find, in this gospel pro-eminently, many notices of the yet undisclosed mystery of the Church.
Man’s forfeiture of blessing has been over his own act; for God leaves him without excuse. Hence, if we are to look for the disclosure of another dispensation in this book, we should first be instructed as to the fullness of the offer of mercy to the one about to be superseded. Consequently, the subject begins by accurately recounting to us in this chapter all the circumstances of the birth of John the Baptist, who was to go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elias, and whom “the scribes said should come.” We get in Zacharias Israel’s condition before God in its best estate—orderly in ceremonials, but distrustful of God’s promises without a sign. We get also in this chapter the birth and origin of the promised Savior; all was purely to Israel. And yet more, there is no allusion to a Gentile, either by the angel to Zacharias or to Mary, nor in the prophetic utterances of Mary or of Zacharias. In their mind all the grace is confined to Israel: no other thought disturbs the full gladness of their soul. They witnessed the glorious favor to Israel, and they believed assuredly of their unhesitating reception of it. Surely, no son of Abraham could read this chapter and not feel that to him and his people did this salvation peculiarly come: if it turned aside from them, it must be from obstruction after its display, and not from a divergence in its issue. There could be no question but the first streak of light fell on Israel. “The day-spring from on high had visited us.” If it diverged, it must be Israel’s fault—and this we shall have to inquire into in the next chapter.