Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:10
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
10. the whole multitude ] This seems to shew that the vision took place either on a sabbath, or some great feast-day.
praying ] The Temple was mainly used for sacrifice. Prayer in the Tabernacle is only once mentioned in the Pentateuch (Deu 26:12-15). But the Temple had naturally become a ‘House of Prayer’ (Isa 56:7; Neh 11:17; Mat 21:13). One of the Rabbis went so far as to argue that prayer was a Rabbinic not a Mosaic institution! See Cohen, Jud. Gottesdienst, p. 186.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The whole multitude – This was the regular time of evening prayer, and multitudes came up to the temple to worship.
Praying without – That is, in the courts around the temple, particularly in the court of the women.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 10. The whole multitude – were praying] The incense was itself an emblem of the prayers and praises of the people of God: see Ps 141:2; Re 8:1. While, therefore, the rite is performing by the priest, the people are employed in the thing signified. Happy the people who attend to the spirit as well as the letter of every divine institution! Incense was burnt twice a day in the temple, in the morning and in the evening, Ex 30:7-8; but the evangelist does not specify the time of the day in which this transaction took place. It was probably in the morning.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
We are told, that the order of the Jewish daily service was this: twice in the day the priests whose course it was to minister, or such of them whose lot it was, went into the holy place to burn incense, according to the law, Exo 30:7. When they went in, a bell rung, to give notice that it was the hour of prayer. There were constantly there,
1. The rest of the priests of the same course.
2. The Levites.
3. Their stationary men, who represented the whole congregation, and laid their hands upon the beast slain.
4. So many more of the people as would voluntarily come; and it was very ordinary for many to go.
Thus we read, Act 3:1, of Peter and John going into the temple at the hour of prayer. These made the multitude, of whom it is said, that while the priest was burning incense they were without, not without the temple, but in the court of Israel, without the holy place, in which the priests were burning incense, praying; so they used to do privately by themselves. There is a text in Ecclesiasticus, Ecc 1:15, which (though it be not canonical Scripture) is as credible as any other civil history, and will much help to make the readers understand the order of the Jewish service, and what this text saith.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. praying withoutoutsidethe court in front of the temple, where stood the altar of burntoffering; the men and women in separate courts, but the altar visibleto all.
the time of incensewhichwas offered along with the morning and evening sacrifice of everyday; a beautiful symbol of the acceptableness of the sacrificeoffered on the altar of burnt offering, with coals from whose altarthe incense was burnt (Lev 16:12;Lev 16:13). This again was asymbol of the “living sacrifice” of themselves and theirservices offered daily to God by the worshippers. Hence the languageof Psa 141:2; Rev 8:3.But that the acceptance of this daily offering depended on theexpiatory virtue presupposed in the burnt offering, andpointing to the one “sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savor”(Eph 5:2), is evident fromIsa 6:6; Isa 6:7.
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without,…. In the court of the Israelites, whilst Zacharias was in the holy place; though not in the holy of holies, where only the high priest entered: it looks, as Dr. Lightfoot conjectures, as if this was on a sabbath day, since there was such a multitude of people together; for on the weekday, there were only the priests and Levites of the course, and the stationary men, which represented the Israelites, and some of the more devout sort of the people; but here was the whole multitude of the people; or as the Ethiopic version renders it, “all the people were in a full congregation praying”: prayer, was wont to be made at the time of incense; hence it is compared to it, Ps 141:2. And hence it is, that Christ is said to offer up the prayers of all saints, with his much incense, Re 8:3
in the time of incense: whether it was morning or evening, the people were obliged to be at a distance, whilst that was burning; the Jewish canons confirm this i:
“in the time they burn the incense in the temple every day,
, “they separate all the people”, from the temple, and from between the porch and the altar; there is not a man there, till he comes out that burns the incense.”
i Maimon. Hilch. Tamidin, c. 3. sect. 3. 9. & Yore. haccipurim, c. 4. sect. 2. Vid. T. Bab. Yoma, fol. 44. 1.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Were praying without ( ). Periphrastic imperfect indicative picturing the posture of the people while the clouds of incense rose on the inside of the sanctuary.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
1) “And the whole multitude of people,” (kai pan to plethos tou laou) “And all the crowd (multitude) of the people,” gathered for the solemn occasion, perhaps for the Sabbath day, Lev 16:12-13; Psa 141:2.
2) “Were praying without at the time of incense.” (proseuchomenon ekso te hira tou thumiamatos) “Were continually praying outside the temple proper, at the hour of the incense offering,” perhaps at the morning offering, or burning. While God’s people today pray “without”, Jesus Himself, as High Priest, prays within the veil, heaven itself, making intercession for His children on earth, Rom 8:34; Heb 7:25; Heb 9:24.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(10) The whole multitude.Knowing as we do from this Gospel, what hopes were cherished by devout hearts at this time, we may well believe that the prayers of the people, no less than those of the priest, turned towards the manifestation of the kingdom of God. In that crowd, we may well believe, were the aged Simeon (Luk. 2:25), and Anna the prophetess (Luk. 2:36), and many others who waited for redemption in Jerusalem (Luk. 2:38). What followed was, on this view, an answer to their prayers.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. People were praying When the priest within the Holy Place, sprinkles the incense in the censor upon the burning altar, as the column of incense rises, the prayers of the people also ascend, of which the incense was the sacred type; and while the incense is ascending the bleeding victim is on the altar. Just so, when our prayers ascend, the great atoning victim avails in our behalf. So does the scene which introduces the new dispensation typify the results for which the new dispensation took existence.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense.’
Meanwhile at that hour of incense a fairly large crowd of worshippers would gather in the Temple courtyards so that as the incense fumes arose they might all worship God together. Such crowds gathered three times a day at the hours of prayer, two of which occurred at the times of the offering of the incense. So the scene was set. Zacharias alone in the sanctuary, as was required, probably apprehensive because of his sacred task, and all the people waiting expectantly outside ready to burst into worship and to receive the officiating priest’s blessing.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 1:10. The whole multitude, &c. Because it sometimes happened, that, on ordinary week-days, few or none of the people attended the morning and evening sacrifices, there were four and twenty men employed to attend this service, as representatives of the people of Israel, to lay their hands on the heads of the sacrifice, to pray, and to receive the blessing. These were called, from their office, stationary men. Wherefore the manner in which the evangelist has expressed himself on this occasionthe whole multitude of the people, shews that an unusual concourse was in the temple when Zacharias had this vision. Probably the day on which he burned this incense was a sabbath, or some high festival, when there was always a great multitudeassembled.Zacharias’sremaininginthe temple beyond the usual time, must thus have been taken notice of by many. See Luk 1:21. There were likewise many, who, upon his coming out dumb, conjectured that he had seen a vision, Luk 1:22. Matters of so public a nature, the truth or falsehood whereof so many must have known, would never have been thus openly appealed to by St. Luke, if they had been false. The evangelist adds, that the people were praying without at the time of incense.As the daily sacrifice represented the sacrifice of Christ, and the incense the prayers of the saints, Rev 8:1-4 the incense was ordered to be burned while the sacrifice was offering, to teach mankind that it was through the sacrifice of Christ they had access to God. Accordingly, the sacrifices and incense both morning and evening were fitly accompanied with the prayers of the people; and that not in the temple only, but every where else; pious men choosing to put up their supplications particularly at the hours of sacrifice, while the ministers of religion interceded for the nation. Hence these hours were called hours of prayer, Act 3:1. What is above-mentioned was the foundation of that elegant figure by which prayer is so often compared in scripture to incense: perhaps one reason of ordaining incense might be to intimate the acceptableness of those pious prayers which were to accompany it; and indeed burning fragrant perfumes was, and in Eastern nations still is, so important a part of the entertainment of illustrious families, that one might well expect it in the house of God, where so great a part of the worship was of the ceremonial kind. It is so plain that this was only an office of daily ministration, and that Zacharias was one of theordinary priests, that one cannot but be surprised that any should conclude from this circumstance, that Zacharias was sagan, or assistant to the high-priest, and was now performing his grand office on the day of atonement, and so on this foundation should calculate the birth of John the Baptist and of Christ, and all the other feasts which depend upon them; yet this is done in the calendars both of the Roman and Greek churches. See Doddridge and Hammond.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 1:10 . And now, while this burning of incense (symbol of adoration; see Bhr, Symbol. I. p. 463 469; Leyrer, l.c. p. 510 f.) allotted to him was taking place in the sanctuary, the entire multitude of the people (which expression does not exactly presuppose a festival, as Chrysostom, Chemnitz, and Calovius hold) was found ( ) in the forecourts, silently praying. This was implied in the arrangements for worship; see Deyling, Obss. III. p. 343 f.; Leyrer, l.c. p. 509.
] not: of burning incense ( ), but: of incense (see Luk 1:11 ; Rev 5:8 ; Rev 8:3-4 ; Wis 18:21 ; Sir 45:6 ; 1Ma 4:49 ; Mal 2:5Mal 2:5 ; Plat. Pol. ii. p. 373 A, Legg. viii. p. 847 C; Herod, i. 198, iv. 71, viii. 99; Soph. O. R. 4), namely, at which this was burnt .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Ver. 10. Praying without at the time of incense ] Son 3:6 , the Church is said to ascend out of the wilderness of this world with pillars of smoke, elationibus fumi, that is, with affections, thoughts, desires toward heaven. And although she be black as smoke, in regard of infirmities, yet hath she a principle to carry her upwards.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Luk 1:10 . : there might be a crowd within the temple precincts at the hour of prayer any day of the week, not merely on Sabbath or on a feast day (“dies solennis, et fortasse sabbatum,” Bengel).
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
praying. See App-134.
at the time = at the hour. This was the signal.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Luk 1:10. , all) It must therefore have been a solemn day, and perhaps the Sabbath, on which Zacharias entered upon his duty, Luk 1:22-23.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Lev 16:17, Heb 4:14, Heb 9:24, Rev 8:3
Reciprocal: Exo 29:39 – in the morning Exo 37:25 – General Lev 2:1 – frankincense Num 7:32 – incense Num 13:6 – Caleb Deu 33:10 – they shall put incense Psa 141:2 – as incense Son 4:6 – the mountain Isa 6:2 – stood Eze 46:3 – General Mal 1:11 – incense Mat 1:20 – the angel Luk 18:10 – into Act 3:1 – the hour Heb 10:11 – daily Rev 8:4 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
THE CHURCHS POWER
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
Luk 1:10
Both the parents of John, Zacharias and Elizabeth, were of the family of the Hebrew priesthood. For a long time the ministrations of this great sacerdotal order in the Temple service at Jerusalem had been distributed among twenty-four courses of priests, each course taking its turn for a week, and each having its own leader. At the time when the Evangelists narrative opens, Abia stood at the head of the eighth of these twenty-four courses, and Zacharias, the father of the Baptist, was officiating in his turn in that course.
Near the entrance of the Temple, outside what was properly the sanctuary, was the large altar of the daily sacrifice. Farther in toward the most holy place, very near to the veil of the covenant, stood another altar, with its crown of pure gold and its golden rings, on which one of the priests, chosen by lot, offered twice every day the sweet incense, which with its ascending smoke, in the beautiful language of John, is as the prayers of saints. The fire which lighted this altar was always to be taken fresh from the outer altar, of the sacrifice for sin.
At the moment when the effectual work of propitiation and intercession was going forward within the Templewhat is seen without? The whole multitude of the people, bending in silent awe, seconding the priestly office and making it in some sense their own, joining their faith to the sacrifice, and lifting their hearts with the rising incense-cloud, are in supplication before God.
This can represent nothing else than the power of the united prayers of the Christian congregation, aiding and supporting the official work of the threefold ministry and the holy offices of the Church, in declaring Christ to the world.
The question thus brought before us, in its broadest form, is this: Are we using the devotional power of the Church in due proportion to its other powers?
I. The business of religion, therefore, is to bring offerings to Him and, in answer to our prayers, to take blessings from Him.This is the first business of the Church. It sets open the channel of communion, where there is this incessant spiritual passing and repassing between the Infinite Heart of Love which is open there, and these hearts of ours, weak and struggling, uneasy and hungry, and sinning here. By this spiritual interchange our whole life opens a path into heaven, and the blessed life of heaven opens down upon us. So we stand, in this sacred and redeemed creation, always at a temple door. It is as if the scene at Jerusalem were reproduced in its Christian and everlasting reality. The whole multitude of the Church below is on its knees.
II. Every movement of religious life among us must get its power and direction from the Spirit of God.Every contrivance of ecclesiastical or parochial wisdom, of energy, even of piety, is nothing but a making ready for this Spirit. The amount of spiritual product is exactly in proportion to the coming into all our organisations of that living Spirit of God. And the degree of that coming and power again, will be exactly in proportion to the fervency and the frequency of prayers that are offered by believers around it.
III. Look into the Bible records of the beginnings and growth of Gods kingdom on the earth. On every spot where that kingdom struck root we see a group of men bending in prayer.From page to page, in the Acts of the Apostles, the disciples are shown to us together looking upward. The whole fiery heart of the Church of Christ was in instant communication with its ascended Head. And what followed? Why, that was the period when the Church grew before mens eyes with such swiftness that a thousand converts were gathered in the time that it takes us to gather ten: in the short lifetime of a single generation the worship of Christ raised itself to power in the chief cities of three continents; the swords of all the Herods and Csars and their legions could not strike fast enough to cut down one Christian while twenty sprang up; hundreds were baptized in a day; the times of refreshing had comethe prediction was literally accomplishedthe windows of heaven were opened, and the blessing was so poured out that there was not room enough to receive it.
IV. All along since the last of the twelve laid down his life, this rule has never had an exception.The Church has been both strong and pure, victorious abroad and peaceful within itself, just according to its devotional spirit of supplication; according to its devotional nearness to Christ its Head. That means and carries with it its separation from worldly-mindedness and its indifference to the worldly standards of success. Men have not been seen running about, till they first went into their sanctuaries and their closets, with stronger and heartier cries for the Spirit. They were not looking to each other for help, but to God.
V. A lingering doubt casts up its faithless suggestion at these words: Is not the Church constantly praying? Yet where is the fulfilment of the promise?The answer is found under another word, the prayer of faith. We may be sure that the measure of such prayer is, sooner or later, the measure of the blessing we receive. We very often mistake the strength of our desire for the strength of our faith.
VI. Can we look on any side of us now, and not confess that the great need of Christs body is this need of Him?The power, we have seen, can come only from Him, and comes only as we pray for it. The Church seems to stand, with her holy mysteries, very much as the Temple stood that daythe ark of promise and the altar of incense and of the one eternal sacrifice all safe and sure within. But is the multitude praying as that multitude prayed? Is it that prayer of yearning, and earnest and living faith for new spiritual gifts, which will not be denied? Light the lamps of faith, then, and watch. Kindle the fire of incense and waitnot sleeping, but watching unto prayer.
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
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The whole multitude were obeying Lev 16:17.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense.
[The whole multitude of the people were praying without.] When the priest went in unto the holy place to burn incense, notice was given to all by the sound of a little bell, that the time of prayer was now: as hath been already noted.
I. As many as were in the court where the altar was retired from between the Temple and the altar, and withdrew themselves lower: They drew off from the space that was between the porch and the altar while the incense was burning.
R. Jose saith, “That in five circumstances the space between the porch and the altar is equal to the temple itself. For no one comes thither bareheaded, disturbed with wine, or with hands and feet unwashed. And as they withdraw themselves from the temple itself in the time of incense, so do they the same at that time from the space that is between the porch and that altar.”
II. In the other courts they were not bound to retire or change their place; but in all they gave themselves to prayer, and that in deep silence: “The fathers ordained prayers in the time of the daily sacrifice”: And of what kind soever the prayers were, whether their phylacterical ones alone, or their phylacterical in conjunction with others, or others without their phylacterical, still they uttered them very silently: “He that repeats his prayers in that silent manner that he does not hear himself, he does his duty. But R. Jose would have it, that he repeats his prayers so that the sound of his own voice may reach his own ears.” To this deep silence in the time of incense and prayers that passage seems to allude, Rev 8:1; Rev 8:3.
When the incense and prayers were ended, the parts of the sacrifice were laid upon the altar, and then the Levites began their psalmody, and their sounding the trumpet.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 1:10. Were praying. The smoke of the incense was symbolical of acceptable prayer rising to God; comp. Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4. It was the custom to pray without, i.e.:, in the courts of the men and women, at the hour of incense, i.e., while it was burnt. This was probably at the time of the morning sacrifice, as the allotment seems to have just occurred. Josephus tells of a vision to John Hyrcanus, the high-priest, while offering incense.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Observe here, 1. While the incense was burning, the people were praying; while the priest sends up his incense in the temple within, the people send up their prayers in the court without. The incense of the priest and the prayers of the people meet, and go up to heaven together.
Hence learn, that it is a blessed thing when both minister and people jointly offer up their prayers for each other at the same throne of grace, and mutually strive together in their supplications, one with, and one for another.
Observe, 2. How both priest and people keep their place and station; the priest burns incense in the holy place, and the people offer up their prayers in the outward court. The people might no more go into the holy place to offer up their prayers, than Zacharias might go into the holy of holies to burn incense. Whilst the partition wall stood betwixt Jew and Gentile, there was also a partition betwixt the Jews themselves. But now, under the gospel, every man is a priest to God, and may enter the holy of holies by the blood of Jesus. But, Lord! what are we the better for this great and gracious freedom of access to thee, if we want hearts to prize and improve our privilege from thee?
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Luk 1:10. The whole multitude of the people, &c. The manner in which the evangelist expresses himself here, shows that a more than ordinary concourse of the people was in the temple on this occasion, from which we may infer that it was a sabbath, or some high festival time; for often on ordinary week-days, few of the people were present at the morning and evening sacrifices, and therefore four and twenty men were employed to attend this service, as representatives of the people of Israel, to lay their hands on the head of the sacrifice, to pray, and to receive the blessing. These were called, from their office, stationary men. Macknight. This circumstance of there being a multitude present, would give great publicity to the facts here recorded, and cause them to become the subject of much inquiry and conversation, both in Jerusalem and through all the country. In consequence of which, doubtless, an expectation would be excited in the minds of many, that God was about to visit his people in some extraordinary way; which would tend greatly to prepare them for the reception of the gospel, when it should be offered to them. The people were praying without at the time of incense This the pious Jews constantly did, and that not only in the temple, but everywhere else; choosing to present their supplications to God at the hours of sacrifice and incense, while the ministers of religion interceded for the nation. Hence these hours were called the hours of prayer, Act 3:1. And this was the foundation of that elegant figure, by which prayer is, in Scripture, so often compared to incense. And perhaps one reason of ordaining incense might be, to intimate the acceptableness of those pious prayers which accompanied it, as well as to remind the worshippers of that sacrifice of a sweet-smelling savour, which was in due time to be offered to God for them, and of that incense which was and is continually offered with the prayers of the saints, upon the golden altar that is before the throne, Rev 8:3-4. Observe, reader, 1st, All the prayers which we offer to God here, in his courts, are acceptable and successful only by virtue of Christs intercession in the temple of God above. 2d, We cannot expect to have an interest in his intercession, if we do not unite our own supplications to his, and sincerely and fervently pray for ourselves. Nor, 3d, is it sufficient for us to be present where God is worshipped, if our hearts do not join in the worship, and go along with the minister in all the parts of it. If he burn the incense ever so well; if he pray in ever so pertinent, judicious, and lively a manner, if we be not at the same time engaged in prayer in concurrence with him, what will it avail us?
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Many godly people (Gr. laos, an important word in this Gospel) assembled in the temple courtyards for this daily offering, as was customary. Laos occurs 36 times in Luke, but only 14 times in Matthew and two times in Mark. Luke used this word as a virtual synonym for ochlos, "crowd" or "multitude." This was probably the evening incense offering (3:00 p.m., cf. Dan 9:21; Act 3:1). This verse heightens the suspense and prepares the reader for Luk 1:21-22. Incense symbolized the ascending prayers of God’s people that are as a sweet fragrance to Him (cf. Psa 141:2; Rev 5:8; Rev 8:3-4). Luke stressed prayer more than any of the Gospel writers, and this is his first reference to it. [Note: See Kyu Sam Han, "Theology of Prayer in the Gospel of Luke," Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society 43:4 (December 2000):675-93.]