John Wesley

Therefore, having carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

“To write in order - St. Luke describes in order of time; first, The Acts of Christ; his conception, birth, childhood, baptism, miracles, preaching, passion, resurrection, ascension: then, The Acts of the Apostles.”

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of…

“The course of Abia - The priests were divided into twenty-four courses, of which that of Abia was the eighth, 1 Ch xxiv, 10. Each course ministered in its turn, for seven days, from Sabbath to Sabbath.”

And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.

“Perhaps one reason of ordaining incense might be, to intimate the acceptableness of the prayer that accompanied it; as well as to remind the worshippers of that sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, which was once to be offered to God for them, and of that…”

But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard.

“Thou shalt call his name John - John signifies the grace or favour of Jehovah. A name well suiting the person, who was afterward so highly in favour with God, and endued with abundance of grace; and who opened a way to the most glorious…”

for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He shall never take wine or strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from…

“He shall be great before the Lord - God the Father: of the Holy Ghost and the Son of God mention is made immediately after.”

Many of the sons of Israel he will turn back to the Lord their God.

“And many of the children of Israel shall he turn - None therefore need be ashamed of "preaching like John the Baptist." To the Lord their God - To Christ.”

to a virgin pledged in marriage to a man named Joseph, who was of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.

“Espoused - It was customary among the Jews, for persons that married to contract before witnesses some time before.”

The angel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”

“The Lord is with thee, was said to Gideon, Judg. vi, 12; and blessed shall she be above women, of Jael, Judg. v, 24.”

He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David,

“He shall be called the Son of the Highest - In this respect also: and that in a more eminent sense than any, either man or angel, can be called so.”

The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you.

“The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee - The power of God was put forth by the Holy Ghost, as the immediate Divine agent in this work: and so he exerted the power of the Highest…”

Look, even Elizabeth your relative has conceived a son in her old age, and she who was called barren is in her sixth month.

“And behold, thy cousin Elisabeth - Though Elisabeth was of the house of Aaron, and Mary of the house of David, by the fathers side, they might be related by their mothers.”

“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May it happen to me according to your word.” Then the angel left her.

“And Mary said, Behold the handmaid of the Lord - It is not improbable, that this time of the virgin's humble faith, consent, and expectation, might be the very time of her conceiving.”

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.

“When Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary - The discourse with which she saluted her, giving an account of what the angel had said, the joy of her soul so affected her body, that the very child in her womb was moved in an uncommon…”

and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior!

“And she rejoiced in hope of salvation through faith in him, which is a blessing common to all true believers, more than in being his mother after the flesh, which was an honour peculiar to her.”

Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied:

“And Zacharias prophesied - Of things immediately to follow. But it is observable, he speaks of Christ chiefly; of John only, as it were, incidentally.”

to give to His people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins,

“To give knowledge of salvation by the remission of sins - The knowledge of the remission of our sins being the grand instrument of present and eternal salvation, Heb. viii, 11, 12.”

And she gave birth to her firstborn, a Son. She wrapped Him in swaddling cloths and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the…

“She laid him in the manger - Perhaps it might rather be translated in the stall. They were lodged in the ox stall, fitted up on occasion of the great concourse, for poor guests.”

Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.

“The consolation of Israel - A common phrase for the Messiah, who was to be the everlasting consolation of the Israel of God. The Holy Ghost was upon him - That is, he was a prophet.”

Finally, after three days they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.

“And if he was, with others, at the feet of these teachers (where learners generally sat) he might be said to be in the midst of them, as they sat on benches of a semicircular form, raised above their hearers and disciples.”

But they did not understand the statement He was making to them.

“It is observable that Joseph is not mentioned after this time; whence it is probable, he did not live long after.”

And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man.

“Jesus increased in wisdom - As to his human nature, and in favour with God - In proportion to that increase.”

In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, while Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and…

“The fifteenth year of Tiberius - Reckoning from the time when Angustus made him his colleague in the empire. Herod being tetrarch of Galilee - The dominions of Herod the Great were, after his death, divided into four parts or tetrarchies.”

during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness.

“Annas being high priest, and Caiaphas - There could be but one high priest, strictly speaking, at once. Annas was the high priest at that time, and Caiaphas his sagan or deputy.”

Produce fruit, then, in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

“Say not within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father - That is, trust not in your being members of the visible Church, or in any external privileges whatsoever: for God now requires a change of heart; and that without delay.”

The crowds asked him, “What then should we do?”

“He answereth - It is not properly John, but the Holy Ghost, who teaches us in the following answers, how to come ourselves, and how to instruct other penitent sinners to come to Christ, that he may give them rest.”