Luke 1:50

Luk 1:50. Εἰς γενεὰς, to the generations) Although the promise may seem to be long retarded, yet it is fulfilled, and that too, to everlasting. It is the same generations which call Mary blessed, Luk 1:48.

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

To them that live godly and religiously, so speak the Hebrews.

Geneva Bible (1599) marginal notes — public domain. Text via Bolls.life.

Verse 50. His mercy is on them that fear him] His exuberant kindness manifests itself in acts of mercy to all those who fear or reverence his name; and this is continued from generation to generation, because he is abundant in goodness, and because he delighteth in mercy. This is a noble, becoming, and just character of the God of the Christians; a being who delights in the salvation and happiness of all his creatures, because his name is mercy, and his nature love.

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(50) His mercy is on them that fear him.—The words, as read by those for whom St. Luke wrote, would seem almost to foreshadow the Gospel of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Those that “feared God” were to be found not only among the children of Abraham, but also among “every nation” (Act_10:2; Act_10:35), and He would shew forth His mercy to all in whom that temper should be found.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. his mercy] Psa_89:2-3 and passim.

From generation to generation] Rather, Unto generations and generations; ledôr vadôr, Gen_17:9, &c. See Deu_7:9.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And his mercy is on them that fear him,.... Not with slavish fear of hell and damnation, but with reverence and godly fear; with a filial fear, with a reverential love of God, and affection for him; with that fear which springs from the goodness of God, which has that for its object, and is encouraged by it: and though this fear is not the cause and reason of the mercy of God, yet is descriptive of the persons towards whom it is exercised in various ways, and to whom it is openly shown; they hereby appearing to be the vessels of mercy, afore prepared to glory; and in whose redemption, mercy and truth have met together, and who, according to the abundant mercy of God the Father, have been begotten again; whose unrighteousnesses he has been merciful to, and whose sins he will remember no more: and it may have a particular regard to the incarnation of Christ, which in this chapter is said to be in remembrance of mercy; to be the mercy promised, and to come through the tender mercy of our God, Luk 1:54. And which was a mercy Mary considered, not as peculiar to herself, but as extended to all that fear the Lord; not in that age only, but from

generation to generation; to the end of the world, to God's elect in all times and places, who should all be partakers of it, and sharers in it.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

50 And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.

Ver. 50. From generation to generation] Personal goodness is profitable to posterity.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His mercy - Favor shown to the miserable and the guilty.

Is on them - Is shown or manifested to them.

That fear him - That “reverence” or honor Him. One kind of fear is that which a servant has of a cruel master, or which a man has of a precipice, the plague, or death. This is not the “fear” which we ought to have toward God. It is the fear which a dutiful child has of a kind and virtuous father a fear of injuring his feelings; of dishonoring him by our life; of doing anything which he would disapprove. It is on those who have such fear of God that his mercy descends. This is the fear of the Lord which is the beginning of wisdom, Psa 111:10; Job 28:28.From generation to generation - From one age to another - that is, it is unceasing; it continues and abounds. But it means also more than this. It means that God’s mercy will descend on the children and children’s children of those that fear him and keep his commandments, Exo 20:6. In this respect it is an unspeakable privilege to be descended from pious parents; to have been the subject of their prayers, and to have received their blessing. It is also a matter of vast guilt not to copy their example and to walk in their steps. If God is “disposed” to show mercy to thousands of generations, how heavy will be the condemnation if the children of pious parents do not avail themselves of it and early seek his favor!

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Having celebrated God for his glory and majesty, she here celebrates him for his mercy, which extends to all, but especially is showed to such as fear him. She certainly respecteth the promise of God to be the God of Abraham and this seed, but declareth this to be most eminently made good to those who are truly pious, all piety being expressed ordinarily in Scripture (especially in the Old Testament) under the notion of the fear of God. We have almost the same words Psa 103:17. It is elsewhere expressed under the notion of thousands, Exo 20:6, signifying not only the extent of the Divine goodness to all his people, but the continuance of it for ever.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

II. Recognition that God ever exalts the lowly.

50-53. From her own case, Mary now generalizes that thus does God ever deal; debasing the proud, exalting the humble. The past tense of the verbs here is intended to express past, present, and future. Paganism, now reigning supreme in the Roman empire, is destined to give way before the religion of the despised cross. In two or three passing centuries the power of the son of this Nazarene maiden will subdue the Roman empire, and the throne of Augustus shall be inherited by his worshippers. So does God put down the mighty from their seats, and exalt them of low degree.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

His mercy

"God's mercy"

from generation to generation

"from one generation to the next generation" or "throughout every generation" or "to people in every time period"

displayed strength with his arm

Here "his arm" is a metonym that stands for God's power. AT: "shown that he is very powerful" (See: Metonymy)

has scattered those ... hearts

"has caused those ... hearts to run away in different directions"

who were proud about the thoughts of their hearts

Here "hearts" is a metonym for people's inner beings. AT: "who were proud in their thoughts" or "who were proud" (See: Idiom)

translationWords

mercy

generation

fear

proud

heart

unfoldingWord translationNotes — © Distant Shores Media and the Door43 World Missions Community, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Source: git.door43.org/Door43/en_tn.

50. εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεάς ‘unto generations and generations’ R. V[12] BCL It[13] Vulg[14] &c. The Rec[15] perhaps arose from the phrase in saecula saeculorum.

[12] R. V. Revised Version.

[13] It. Old Latin Version (Itala).

[14] Vulg. Vulgate.

[15] Rec. The Textus Receptus.

50. τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. Psa 89:2-3 and passim.

εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεάς. ‘unto generations and generations’; ledôr vadôr, Gen 17:9, &c. See Deu 7:9. “Et nati natorum et qui nascentur ab illis.” Virg.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

50. καὶ τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ εἰς γενεὰς καὶ γενεὰς τοῖς φοβουμένοις αὐτόν. Comp. Ps. Sol. 10:4, καὶ τὸ ἔλεος Κυρίου ἐπὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτὸν ἐν ἀληθείᾳ, καὶ μνησθήσεται Κύριος τῶν δούλων αὐτοῦ ἐν ἐλέει: also 13:11, ἐπὶ δὲ τοὺς ὁσίους τὸ ἔλεος κυρίου, καὶ ἐπὶ τοὺς φοβουμένους αὐτὸν τὸ ἔλεος αὐτοῦ. With εἰς γενεὰς κ. γ. comp. εἰς γενεὰς γενεῶν (Isa 34:17), εἰς γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν (Psa 89:2), and κατὰ γενεὰν καὶ γενεάν (1 Mac. 2:61). “Fearing God” is the O.T. description of piety. Nearly the whole verse comes from Psa 103:17. Syr-Sin. for καὶ γενεάς has “and on the tribe.”

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Mercy [ελεος] . The word emphasizes the misery with which grace (see on verse 30) deals; hence, peculiarly the sense of human wretchedness coupled with the impulse to relieve it, which issues in gracious ministry. Bengel remarks, "Grace takes away the fault, mercy the misery."

From generation to generation [εις γενεας και γενεας] . Lit., as Rev., unto generations and generations.

Fear [φοβουμενος] . The word is used in both a good and a bad sense in the New Testament. For the latter, see Mt 21:46; Mr 6:20; Mr 11:32; Luk 12:4. For the former, as here, in the sense of godly reverence, Act 10:2, 22, 35; Col 3:22; Rev 14:7; Rev 14:4.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.