Additional Notes From Luke Chapter 1 Sermons

The world events leading up to the first mention of Mary being chosen to bear Jesus were shaped by historical, political, and cultural factors in the ancient Near East. Here’s a brief summary of the key events and conditions:

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1. The Roman Empire’s Expansion and Rule

• Roman Occupation of Judea: By 63 BCE, the Roman general Pompey had conquered Jerusalem, bringing Judea under Roman rule. By the time of Jesus’ birth, Judea was governed by King Herod the Great, a client king under the Roman Empire. This established a tense and oppressive political climate, as the Jewish people longed for deliverance.
• Pax Romana: The “Roman Peace” ensured relative stability and allowed for the spread of ideas and commerce, setting the stage for the later dissemination of the Gospel.

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2. The Decline of Jewish Independence

• End of the Hasmonean Dynasty: Jewish self-rule under the Hasmoneans ended with Roman intervention. Herod’s rise to power marked the loss of Jewish sovereignty and heightened Messianic expectations for a Savior to restore Israel.

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3. Messianic Expectation

• Prophetic Silence: By the time of Mary, there had been no new prophetic revelations for about 400 years (the intertestamental period). Jewish scriptures, such as Isaiah 7:14 and Micah 5:2, fueled hope for a coming Messiah.
  • Isaiah 7:14 NIV [14] Therefore the Lord himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.
  • Micah 5:2 NIV [2] “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”
• Roman Oppression and Religious Zeal: The heavy taxation and Roman oppression intensified Jewish longing for deliverance, which they believed would come through a divinely anointed King.

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4. Cultural and Religious Context

• Second Temple Judaism: Jewish religious life centered on the Temple in Jerusalem and the synagogue. The Pharisees, Sadducees, Essenes, and Zealots represented different responses to Roman rule and religious challenges.
• Hellenistic Influence: Greek culture, language, and philosophy had a significant impact on the region since the time of Alexander the Great. This created a diverse cultural environment in which Jewish traditions coexisted with Hellenistic ideas.

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5. Announcement to Mary (Luke 1:26-38)

The angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary occurred within this historical and cultural context.Mary was a young Jewish woman living in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee under Roman jurisdiction. Her humble background emphasized the unexpected and revolutionary nature of God’s plan, choosing an ordinary person to fulfill extraordinary purposes.

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Summary of Events Leading to Mary’s Mention

1. Roman political domination and cultural influence over Judea.
2. Loss of Jewish independence and increased longing for a Messiah.
3. Prophetic anticipation from Old Testament promises.
4. Religious fervor amid Roman oppression and economic hardship.

These factors created the perfect backdrop for the arrival of Jesus, the Savior, fulfilling the promises of God and addressing the deep needs of humanity.

The lineage of Jesus, as described in the Bible, establishes His fulfillment of prophecy as the Messiah and underscores His dual nature as fully human and fully divine. The Gospels of Matthew and Luke both provide genealogies, though they differ in structure and emphasis.

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Examples of Old and Childless Individuals in the Old Testament

1. Abraham and Sarah

• Scripture: Genesis 17:15-19; Genesis 21:1-7
• Situation:
  • Abraham and Sarah were old and childless when God promised that Sarah would bear a son. Sarah was 90 years old, and Abraham was 100 when Isaac was born.
• God’s Promise:
  • “Your wife Sarah will bear you a son, and you will call him Isaac. I will establish my covenant with him as an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.” (Genesis 17:19, NIV)
• Significance:
  • Isaac’s birth was a fulfillment of God’s promise to make Abraham the father of many nations.

2. Isaac and Rebekah

• Scripture: Genesis 25:21-26
• Situation:
  • Isaac and Rebekah were childless for 20 years before God answered Isaac’s prayer. Rebekah gave birth to twins, Esau and Jacob, when Isaac was 60 years old.
• God’s Promise:
  • “Two nations are in your womb, and two peoples from within you will be separated; one people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.” (Genesis 25:23, NIV)
• Significance:
  • Jacob would become the father of the twelve tribes of Israel, fulfilling God’s covenant promises.

3. Elkanah and Hannah

• Scripture: 1 Samuel 1:1-20
• Situation:
  • Hannah was barren and deeply distressed over her inability to have children. She prayed fervently to God, and He blessed her with a son, Samuel.
• God’s Response:
  • “The Lord remembered her. So in the course of time Hannah became pregnant and gave birth to a son. She named him Samuel, saying, ‘Because I asked the Lord for him.’” (1 Samuel 1:19-20, NIV)
• Significance:
  • Samuel became a prophet and judge of Israel, playing a crucial role in anointing Israel’s first kings, Saul and David.

4. Manoah and His Wife (Samson’s Parents)

• Scripture: Judges 13:1-24
• Situation:
  • Manoah’s wife (her name is not mentioned) was barren. An angel of the Lord appeared to her and announced that she would give birth to a son, Samson, who would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines.
• God’s Promise:
  • “You are barren and childless, but you are going to become pregnant and give birth to a son.” (Judges 13:3, NIV)
• Significance:
  • Samson’s life demonstrated God’s power, though his story also warns of the consequences of unfaithfulness.

Common Themes in These Stories

1. Divine Intervention:
   • God acted supernaturally to bless these individuals with children despite their age or barrenness.
   • Cross-Reference:“Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14, NIV)
2. Fulfillment of God’s Promises:
   • The children born in these circumstances often played significant roles in God’s redemptive plan.
3. God’s Sovereignty:
   • These stories remind us that God is in control and works His purposes through human limitations.
4. Faith and Trust:
   • While some, like Sarah, initially doubted, others like Hannah demonstrated deep faith, showing a range of human responses to God’s promises.

These examples illustrate how God’s power transcends human limitations and fulfills His promises in miraculous ways. They also reflect His grace in using ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things for His kingdom.

The Two Genealogies

1. Matthew’s Genealogy (Matthew 1:1-17)

• Focus: Matthew emphasizes Jesus’ legal right to the throne of David through Joseph, his earthly (adoptive) father.
• Structure: Traced from Abraham to Jesus, highlighting Jesus as the fulfillment of the Abrahamic covenant and the Davidic covenant.
• Key Features:
  • Divided into three sets of 14 generations: Abraham to David, David to the Babylonian exile, and the exile to Jesus.
  • Includes key figures such as Abraham, David, Solomon, and Jeconiah.
  • Uniquely mentions four women: Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba (referred to as “Uriah’s wife”), emphasizing God’s grace and redemption.

Key Verse: “This is the genealogy of Jesus the Messiah the son of David, the son of Abraham.” (Matthew 1:1)

2. Luke’s Genealogy (Luke 3:23-38)

• Focus: Luke emphasizes Jesus’ biological lineage through Mary, showing His human connection to all of humanity.
• Structure: Traced from Jesus back to Adam, demonstrating Jesus as the Savior for all people, not just Israel.
• Key Features:
  • Begins with Jesus and moves backward to Adam, “the son of God.”
  • Highlights a different line from David, tracing through his son Nathan instead of Solomon.
  • Avoids legal or kingly emphasis, focusing on Jesus’ universal significance.

Key Verse: “He was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph, the son of Heli…” (Luke 3:23)

Key Figures in Jesus’ Lineage

1. Abraham
   • Scriptural Significance: God’s covenant with Abraham promised that all nations would be blessed through his offspring (Genesis 12:3).
   • Fulfilled in Jesus: Jesus is the ultimate blessing to the nations.
2. David
   • Scriptural Significance: God promised David that his throne would endure forever (2 Samuel 7:12-16).
   • Fulfilled in Jesus: Jesus is called the “Son of David,” establishing His rightful claim to the eternal throne.
3. Tamar, Rahab, Ruth, and Bathsheba
   • Significance: These women highlight God’s inclusion of Gentiles (Rahab and Ruth) and His work through broken or unexpected circumstances (Tamar and Bathsheba).
4. Joseph and Mary
   • Significance: Joseph establishes Jesus’ legal right to the throne of David. Mary provides the biological link, fulfilling prophecies of the virgin birth (Isaiah 7:14, Luke 1:27-35).

Why Are the Genealogies Different?

• Matthew’s Perspective: Focuses on Jesus’ role as the King of the Jews, tracing His legal lineage through Joseph (royal line).
• Luke’s Perspective: Focuses on Jesus’ humanity and universal mission, tracing His biological lineage through Mary (bloodline).

Prophetic Fulfillment

Jesus’ lineage fulfills Old Testament prophecies:

1. Messiah as Descendant of Abraham:“Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.” (Genesis 22:18)
2. Messiah as Descendant of David:“I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” (2 Samuel 7:13)
3. Messiah Born of a Virgin:“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son…” (Isaiah 7:14)

Key Takeaways

1. Jesus is the Promised Messiah: Both genealogies emphasize His fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy.
2. Jesus’ Universal Mission: Luke traces His lineage to Adam, reinforcing that Jesus is the Savior for all humanity, not just Israel.
3. God’s Sovereignty in History: The inclusion of unexpected individuals in Jesus’ lineage (e.g., Gentiles and those with flawed pasts) highlights God’s redemptive work through human history.

By studying Jesus’ lineage, we see God’s faithfulness to His promises and His ability to bring salvation to the world through His Son.

The angel’s announcement to Mary in Luke 1:26-38 reveals the fulfillment of several key Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah. These prophecies confirm Jesus as the promised Savior and validate the divine plan of redemption. Below is a list of prophecies fulfilled by this event:

1. The Messiah Would Be Born of a Virgin

• Prophecy:
  • Isaiah 7:14 (NIV):“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Luke 1:34-35 (NIV): Mary, a virgin, asks, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel explains that the Holy Spirit will miraculously conceive the child.

2. The Messiah Would Be the Son of God

• Prophecy:
  • Psalm 2:7 (NIV):“You are my son; today I have become your father.”
  • 2 Samuel 7:14 (NIV):“I will be his father, and he will be my son.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Luke 1:32 (NIV):“He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High.”
  • Luke 1:35 (NIV):“The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.”

3. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of Abraham

• Prophecy:
  • Genesis 22:18 (NIV):“Through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Mary and Joseph were descendants of Abraham (as seen in Matthew 1:1-2 and Luke 3:34). Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of this promise, bringing blessing to all nations.

4. The Messiah Would Be from the Tribe of Judah

• Prophecy:
  • Genesis 49:10 (NIV):“The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Both genealogies of Jesus (Matthew 1:2-3 and Luke 3:33) trace His lineage through the tribe of Judah.

5. The Messiah Would Be a Descendant of King David

• Prophecy:
  • 2 Samuel 7:12-13 (NIV):“I will raise up your offspring to succeed you… and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.”
  • Isaiah 9:6-7 (NIV):“He will reign on David’s throne and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and righteousness.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Luke 1:32-33 (NIV):“The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever.”

6. The Messiah Would Be Born to Rule an Eternal Kingdom

• Prophecy:
  • Daniel 7:13-14 (NIV):“His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Luke 1:33 (NIV):“His kingdom will never end.”

7. The Messiah Would Be Called Immanuel (God With Us)

• Prophecy:
  • Isaiah 7:14 (NIV):“The virgin will conceive and give birth to a son, and will call him Immanuel.”
• Fulfillment:
  • While the name “Immanuel” is not explicitly mentioned in Luke, the angel’s message confirms the concept:
    • Luke 1:35 (NIV):“The holy one to be born will be called the Son of God.” This reflects God’s presence with humanity.

8. The Messiah Would Bring Light to Galilee

• Prophecy:
  • Isaiah 9:1-2 (NIV):“In the past he humbled the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the future he will honor Galilee of the nations, by the Way of the Sea, beyond the Jordan—the people walking in darkness have seen a great light.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Luke 1:26 (NIV): The angel Gabriel is sent to Mary in Nazareth, a town in Galilee. Jesus’ ministry would later shine a spiritual light on this region (Matthew 4:12-16).

9. The Messiah Would Be a Blessing to All Nations

• Prophecy:
  • Genesis 12:3 (NIV):“All peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”
  • Isaiah 49:6 (NIV):“I will also make you a light for the Gentiles, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth.”
• Fulfillment:
  • Jesus’ birth and life were the beginning of a mission to bring salvation to all people, Jews and Gentiles alike (Luke 2:30-32).

Key Takeaways

1. God’s Faithfulness: The fulfillment of these prophecies shows that God is faithful to His promises, even when they span centuries.
2. Jesus as the Promised Messiah: These events confirm that Jesus is the long-awaited Savior foretold in Scripture.
3. God’s Sovereignty in History: The specific details fulfilled in Jesus’ birth demonstrate God’s control over time, places, and events to accomplish His plan.
4. Hope for All Nations: Jesus’ birth brings universal hope, showing that God’s plan of redemption includes everyone.

This miraculous announcement in Luke 1:26-38 reminds us of the intricate and purposeful way God fulfills His promises, assuring us of His continued work in our lives today.