Luke 2:37

Luk_2:37

Which departed not from the Temple

Neglectors of public worship

I know that there are not a few who say that they can edify as well or better at home.

Hence these eat their morsel alone. But, so far as I have ever known them, they are neither to be envied nor imitated. They have always been feeble, sickly, useless, spiritual dyspeptics; while as certainly all observation has shown me, and all experience has proved to me, that they who neglect the house of prayer, or come to it reluctantly and rarely, are invariably dull in their spiritual conceptions, cold in their affections, wavering in their convictions, and useless in Christian work, while they are easily led away by the force of temptation. (J. Aldis.)

Blessedness of public worship

On the other hand, quite as certainly all who through long years have been early and constant in their attendance on the means of grace, who have planned carefully and toiled hard that they might be so, who have brought to the exercises of religion an attentive mind and a living heart, have, so far as my observation has extended, been distinguished for the cheerful trustfulness of Christian hope, for the consistent devotedness of Christian life, for diligence and success in Christian work; while they have been to all their brotherhood an example, an inspiration, and a joy. (J. Aldis.)

Delight in being in Gods house

A minister had noted among the most regular attendants at his church an aged woman. On all occasions she was in her place--always in time--always attentive. He sought her out and visited her, and great was his astonishment to find this poor woman so deaf as to be unable to hear a single word. By means of a slate he entered into conversation with her, and his first inquiry was, Why, being too deaf to hear one word of the service, are you so regular in your attendance at the house of God? Oh, sir, she replied, with warm tears swelling up from her eyes, it is my Fathers house, and I love to be there. He meets me in His own sanctuary, and I can, in spirit, join in the prayer and praise, though the words of others may not reach me; and as Jesus speaks to my soul, I hear the whispers of His love, though my outer ears are dead to all the sounds of earth. I love to be in the assembly of Gods people, because they are the people of God, the children of my Father, and and it is very pleasant to be in such good company, though I can no longer converse with them. There is now very little left that I can do for the cause and the kingdom of my Redeemer, besides trying to set a right example. My day for active effort is past, and all I can now do is to seek to influence others by the power of a humble and earnest life. Even this will soon be over, and while the opportunity remains I would improve it for my Masters glory. He did not in His last hour of deepest agony forget us poor sinners; and shall we weary of our lightest yoke, and throw it off before our last hour has come? What a powerful reproof was this aged womans example to those who, with faculties still unimpaired, and strength unabated by the infirmities of age, yet wilfully absent themselves from Gods house! Served God with fastings and prayers.

Fastings and prayers

It has been said that her form of piety was Jewish rather than Christian; but must not St. Paul have had her in his eye when he speaks of the true type of the Christian widow as trusting in God and continuing in supplications and prayers night and day? (1Ti_5:5.) Her piety was certainly not of that stamp which finds most favour amongst us now-active, bustling, energetic, and so assumed to be the most useful; but have we not gone much too far in despising the contemplative, ascetic, prayerful life? Who knows what may not have been the use of Annas lastings and prayers, in preparing hearts to receive the Lord? God, we doubt not, answered her many supplications in ways which could not be traced out, but which will assuredly be known at the last. Her life of fasting and devotion was evidently her calling of God, known and approved by Him. And may not, in this very day, the life of religion amongst ourselves be owing not only to sermons, and visitings, and meetings, but to the prayers of the few scattered handfuls of worshippers who here and there are constant at daily service? It has been rightly said, that the abuses which have attended often on the practice of a monastic life, should not render us insensible to the duty of spending large portions of our time in meditation, and prayer, and fasting. (M. F. Sadler.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

2:37 she lived as a widow to the age of eighty-four: In the ancient world, great age was associated with wisdom and honor. • She never left the Temple: This is probably hyperbole; we might say, “She was there all the time,” reflecting her total dedication to God.

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 2:37. Ἐτῶν, of years) These were the years of her whole life, not of her widowhood only. It was persons advanced in age who were the first after the angels in doing honour to the birth of the Christ: so that it might hereby be made evident that the salvation brought in by Him relates to the better life.[29]—ὁγδοήκοντα τεσσάρων, eighty-four) Therefore Anna had been about twenty-four years old when Jerusalem had come under the power of the Romans, led by Pompey as their general.—νηστεἰαις, fastings) even in her old age.

[29] Which succeeds this life. For old people could have derived no good from the salvation, if it affected merely the life which they were so soon about to leave.—ED.

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

Luk_2:37. Ἕως (see the critical remarks) ἐτ. ὀγδοήκ.: even to eighty-four years, she had come even to this age of life in her widowhood. Comp. Mat_18:21 f. Rettig is mistaken in his judgment upon ἕως in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838, p. 221. Comp. Dem. 262, 5.

οὐκ ἀφίστατο κ.τ.λ.] a popular description of unremitting zeal (comp. Hom. Od. ii. 345, Il. xxiv. 72) in the public worship of God. Comp. xxiv. 53.

νύκτα κ. ἡμέρ.] Thus also at Act_26:7; Mar_4:28; 1Ti_5:5. Elsewhere the order is inverted. Instances of both arrangements may be seen in Bornemann, Schol. p. 27; Lobeck, Paralip. p. 62 f., and from the Latin: Heindorf on Horat. Sat. i. 1. 77. In this place νύκτα, is prefixed in order, as in Acts, l.c., and 1Ti_5:5, to make the fervency of the pious temple-service the more prominent. The case is otherwise, where it is simply a question of definition of time, at Est_4:15.

Meyer — Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament — English translation by Peter Christie, edited by Frederick Crombie (T&T Clark, 1880) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 2:37 . ἕως : either a widow for eighty-four years (Godet), or, as most think, a widow till the eighty-fourth year of her life. The former rendering would make her very old: married, say, at sixteen, seven years a wife, eighty-four years a widow = 107; not impossible, and borne out by the πολλαῖς after ἡμέραις (Luk 2:36 , advanced in days many ). νηστείαις : the fasting might be due to poverty, or on system, which would suggest a Judaistic type of piety. νύκτα κ . ἡ .: did she sleep within the temple precincts?

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

departed not from the temple--was found there at all stated hours of the day, and even during the night services of the temple watchmen (Psa 134:1-2), "serving God with fastings and prayer." (See Ti1 5:5, suggested by this.)

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 37. Departed not from the temple] Attended constantly at the hours of prayer, which were nine in the morning and three in the afternoon. See Ac 2:15; Ac 3:1. It does not appear that women had any other functions to perform in that holy place.

With fastings] She accompanied her devotion with frequent fastings, probably not oftener than twice in the week; for this was the custom of the most rigid Pharisees: see Lu 18:12.

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

(37) A widow of about fourscore and four years.—The better MSS. read, “up to the point of fourscore and four years,” pointing to the fact that this was the duration of her widowhood. Assuming her to have been married at fifteen, this places her actual age at 106. She had lived through the whole century that preceded the birth of Christ, from the death of John Hyrcanus, and had witnessed, therefore, the conquest of Judæa by Pompeius, and the rise of the Herodian house.

Which departed not from the temple.—Probably some chamber within the precincts was assigned to her, as a reputed prophetess, as seems to have been the case with Huldah (2Ch_34:22). Her form, bent and worn, we may believe, with age and fastings, had become familiar to all worshippers at the Temple. She, too, was one of the devout circle who cherished expectations of the coming of the Christ.

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

37. departed not] She was present (that is) at all the stated hours of prayer; unless we suppose that her position as a Prophetess had secured her the right of living in one of the Temple chambers, and perhaps of doing some work for it like trimming the lamps (as is the Rabbinic notion about Deborah, derived from the word Lapidoth ‘splendours’).

fastings] The Law of Moses had only appointed one yearly fast, on the Great Day of Atonement. But the Pharisees had adopted the practice of ‘fasting twice in the week,’ viz. on Monday and Thursday, when Moses is supposed to have ascended, and descended from, Sinai (see on Luk_18:12), and had otherwise multiplied and extended the simple original injunction (v. 33).

prayers] Rather, supplications (a more special word).

night and day] ‘Night’ is put first by the ordinary Hebrew idiom (as in the Greek word νυχθήμερον) which arose from their notion that ‘God made the world in six days and seven nights.’ Comp. Act_26:7, “unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God night and day (Greek), hope to come.” 1Ti_5:5, “she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.”

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 she coming in that instant,.... That the parents of Christ brought him into the temple; just as Simeon was embracing him in his arms, and blessing God for him, and saying the things concerning him he had done; and who also came at that juncture, as he did, under the impulse, and by the direction of the Spirit of God,

gave thanks likewise unto the Lord: praised him, as he had done, that he had sent the promised, and long looked for Messiah and Saviour; and that she had lived to see his blessed face, and this happy day; and that she should be directed to come in at this instant, and be favoured with this singular mercy of seeing the new born Saviour, and his honoured parents:

and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem; this she either did at this time; they in Jerusalem that looked, and diligently waited for, and earnestly desired the Messiah, and spiritual redemption and salvation by him, being now assembled together in the temple; or afterwards, as she had opportunity of conversing with them, when she acquainted them with what she had heard and seen. By "the redemption" they were looking for, is meant, the Redeemer; as by salvation, the Saviour, in Luk 2:30. Some versions, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Ethiopic read, "the redemption of Jerusalem"; not literally, but spiritually, understood, even the redemption of the church of Christ, which is often so called: and others, as the Persic version, "the redemption of Israel"; that is, of spiritual Israel: some read "in Israel"; so one copy of Stephens's.

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

37 And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.

Ver. 37. A widow of about eighty-four years] She was now ripe, and ready, even of her own accord, to fall into God’s hand, as ripe fruits do into the hand of the gatherer. And the thoughts of death had long since forbade the banns of a second marriage. Cogita te quotidie moriturum, et de secundis nuptiis nunquam cogitabis. Think of death, and the thoughts of marrying again will die within thee.

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.

And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years - That is, she was about 84 years of age. It does not mean that she had been a widow for that long time.

Fastings and prayers - Constant religious service. pending her time in prayer, and in all the ordinances of religion.

Night and day - Continually - that is, at the usual times of public worship and in private. When it is said that she departed not from the temple, it is meant that she was “constant” and “regular” in all the public services at the temple, or was never absent from those services. God blesses those who wait at his temple gates.

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

37. A widow of fourscore years—It is honorable to Israel that the true widow was honored. If Anna were married, as is often the case with girls in the East, at thirteen, was seven years a wife, and eighty-four years a widow, she was now one hundred and four years old. But more probably this eighty-four years was her entire age. Though second marriages were not forbidden, yet among both Jews and Romans, a reverence was paid to the pure widow who retained unbroken and unrepeated her first wedding vows. So long had been Anna’s spotless widow-hood, and so profound was her piety, that whether she really uttered inspired predictions or not, she received the sacred epithet of prophetess. She departed not from the temple; for probably reverence for her piety secured for her the privilege of residing in some one of the chambers of the women’s court.

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

Which departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day. Probably, in virtue of her reputation as a prophetess, some small chamber in the temple was assigned to her. This seems to have been the case with Huldah. (2Ch_34:22) It has also been suggested that she lovingly performed some work in or about the sacred building. Farrar suggests such as trimming the lamps (as is the rabbinic notion about Deborah), derived from the word lapidoth, splendor. Such sacred functions were regarded among all nations as a high honor.

The great city of Ephesus boasted her name of newkorov , temple-sweeper, as her proudest title to honor.

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Fourscore and four years - These were the years of her life, not her widowhood only. Who departed not from the temple - Who attended there at all the stated hours of prayer. But served God with fastings and prayers - Even at that age. Night and day - That is, spending therein a considerable part of the night, as well as of the day.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

37. A widow even for fourscore and four years. She had passed seven years with a husband when young and then remained a widow until, at this time, she was eighty-four years old, devoting herself to a religious life. Departed not from the temple. Probably assigned, on account of her saintly character, a chamber in the temple.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

37. ἕως. אABL, Copt. Sah[52] &c.

[52] Sah. Sahidic Version.

37. οὐκ ἀφίστατο. She was present (that is) at all the stated hours of prayer; unless we suppose that her position as a prophetess had secured her the right of living in one of the Temple chambers, and perhaps of doing some work for it like trimming the lamps (as is the Rabbinic notion about Deborah, derived from the word Lapidoth ‘splendours’).

νηστείαις. The Law of Moses had only appointed one yearly fast, on the Great Day of Atonement. But the Pharisees had adopted the practice of ‘fasting twice in the week,’ viz. on Monday and Thursday, when Moses is supposed to have ascended, and descended from, Sinai (see on Luk 18:12). In other respects also they had multiplied and extended the simple original injunction (Luk 5:33).

δεήσεσι. Supplications (a more special word than προσευχαῖς).

λατρεύουσα νύκτα καὶ ἡμέραν. Worshipping night and day. ‘Night’ is put first by the ordinary Hebrew idiom (as in the Greek word νυχθήμερον) which arose from their notion that ‘God made the world in six days and seven nights.’ Comp. Act 26:7, “unto which promise our twelve tribes, instantly serving God night and day (Greek), hope to come.” 1Ti 5:5, “she that is a widow indeed, and desolate, trusteth in God, and continueth in supplications and prayers night and day.” Meyer thinks that this order of the words implies more fervency of service.

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.

37. νηστ. καὶ δεήσ.] Not merely in the ordinary hours of prayer, at nine, and three, or the ordinary fasts on Monday and Thursday, but in an ascetic-devotional method of life.

νύκτα is put first, because fasts were reckoned from one evening to another. Meyer. Is it not rather because the greater solemnity and emphasis rests on the religious exercise by night?

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

37. οὐκ ἀφίστατο τοῦ ἱεροῦ. See on 8:13. This is to be understood, like 24:53, of constant attendance, rather than of actual residence within the temple precincts, although the latter may have been possible. She never missed a service, and between the services she spent most of her time in the temple. In spite of her age she kept more than the customary fasts (comp. 5:33), perhaps more than the Mondays and Thursdays (see on 18:12), and spent an unusual amount of time in prayer.

λατρεύουσα. Freq. in Lk., Paul, and Heb. See on 4:8. Not in Mk. or In. Mat 4:10 from Deu 6:13.—νύκτα κ. ἡμέραν. Comp. Act 26:7. This is the usual order: Mar 4:27, Mar 4:5:5 ; Act 20:31; 1Th 2:9, 1Th 2:3:10; 2Th 3:8; 1Ti 5:5 ; 2Ti 1:3. But the other is also common: 18:7 ; Act 9:24; Rev 4:8, etc.; and in O.T. is more common. It may be doubted whether the order makes any difference of meaning: see Ellicott on 1Ti 5:5, and comp. Hom. Od. ii.345; Il xxiv. 73, v. 490; Plat. Theaet. 151 A.

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

Of about fourscore and four years [ως ετων ογδοηκοντα τεσσαρων] . The A. V. might be supposed to be stating her age; but the best texts read ewv, until, instead of wv, about; and the statement refers to the time of her widowhood; a widow even for (or up to) fourscore and four years. So Rev.

Served [λατρευουσα] . The present participle, serving. Rev., worshipping. See on chapter Luk 1:74.

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