Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:65
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.
65. fear ] The minds of men at this period were full of dread and agitated expectancy, which had spread even to the heathen. Virg. Ecl. iv.; Orac. Sibyl. iii.; Suet. Vesp. 4; Tac. Hist. v. 13; Jos. Bell. Jud. vi. 5, 4.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
And fear came … – The word fear often denotes religious reverence. The remarkable circumstances attending the birth of John, and the fact that Zechariah was suddenly restored to speech, convinced them that God was there, and filled their minds with awe and veneration.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 65. And fear came] Seeing what they might have thought a paralytic affection so suddenly and effectually healed. – This word certainly means in several places, religious fear or reverence; and in this sense it is used Ac 9:31; Ro 3:18; Ro 13:7; 1Pe 1:17; 1Pe 2:18; 1Pe 3:2. The meaning of it here is plainly this: The inhabitants of Hebron and its environs, who were well acquainted with the circumstances of Zacharias and Elisabeth, perceived that God had in a remarkable manner visited them; and this begot in their minds a more than ordinary reverence for the Supreme Being. Thus the salvation of one often becomes an instrument of good to the souls of many. The inhabitants of this hill country seem to have been an open, honest-hearted, generous people; who were easily led to acknowledge the interposition of God, and to rejoice in the comfort and welfare of each other. The people of the country are more remarkable for these qualities than those in towns and cities. The latter, through that evil communication which corrupts good manners, are generally profligate, selfish, regardless of God, and inattentive to the operation of his hands.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
By fear here is to be understood an awe and religions reverence of God, caused by these miraculous operations. Fear came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were done by the apostles, Act 2:43.
These sayings, rhmata tauta; it is a Hebraism; these doings, or matters, or things, were published throughout all the parts of Judea adjacent to the city where Zacharias dwelt, Luk 1:39.
And those serious people that heard them pondered on them, considering the work of the Lord, and did think that this child would prove no ordinary person. And the hand of the Lord was with him. By the hand of the Lord is meant, the power of the Lord, his providence, love, favour: thus the Lord is said to have been with Samuel, 1Sa 3:19. The hand of the Lord oft signifieth the power, help, and assistance of the Lord, 1Ch 28:19; Psa 80:17. The hand of the Lord upon a person sometimes signifieth the Spirit of prophecy, Eze 1:3; 40:1; but this is a different phrase, denoting only Gods special favour to John, watching over and protecting him, causing him to grow up and thrive, to improve in knowledge, &c.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
65. fearreligious awe; underthe impression that God’s hand was specially in these events (compareLuk 5:26; Luk 7:16;Luk 8:37).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And fear came on all that dwelt round about them,…. That is, the fear of God, an awful reverence of the divine majesty; they perceived the hand of God was in these things, and that these were effects of divine power; and which made very serious impressions upon their minds, and they thought, and spoke of them with great solemnity; see Ac 2:43.
and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea: the several things relating to the appearance of the angel to Zacharias in the temple; his message to him; the striking him deaf and dumb; the conception of Elisabeth, who had been barren; the birth of her son; the unusual name given him; and the more unusual manner in which it was given; and the opening of Zacharias’s mouth, and the loosening of his tongue upon this, were reported, and commonly talked of by all people to that part of Judea, where the parents of John dwelt.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Fear (). Not terror, but religious awe because of contact with the supernatural as in the case of Zacharias (1:12). Were noised abroad (). Imperfect passive. Occurs in Polybius. In the N.T. only here and Lu 6:11. It was continuous talk back and forth between () the people.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Were noised abroad [] . Were mutually [] talked of.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) And fear came on all,” (kai egeneto epi pantas phobos) “And fear came upon all,” fear, not terror, but reverential awe, at the supernatural events and Divine hand that had intervened in the lives of this aged couple, much as in Luk 5:26; Luk 7:16.
2) “That dwelt round about them:” (tous perioikountas autous) “Those who were residing near them,” and who had witnessed circumstances revolving around the birth of John.
3) “And all these sayings,” (kai panta ta hemata tauta) “And all these factual (reports),” of the birth of John the Baptist, of the name, and of the restoration of the speech of Zacharias.
4) “Were noised abroad,” (dielaleita) “Were talked over or discussed,” reported, going out like the ripple of spreading waves from an object thrown into the water of the pond, causing excitement.
5) “Throughout all the hill country of Judaea.” (en hole te oreine tes loudias) “In all the mountain country of Judaea,” where Zacharias and Elizabeth were known, in the Judean, Jerusalem, and Hebron areas especially, Luk 1:25; Luk 1:39-40.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
65. And fear fell upon all This fear mentioned by Luke proceeded from a feeling of the divine power: for the works of God ought to be contemplated by us with such reverence as to affect our minds with seriousness. (66) God does not amuse us with his miracles, but arouses the senses of men, which he perceives to be in a dormant state. (67) Luke says also that the report of those things was circulated in all the mountainous district of Judea And yet many derived no advantage from the temporary impression of the power of God: for, when John began to exercise his office as an instructor, there were few that remembered what wonders had attended his birth. It was not merely, however, for the sake of those who heard them, that God determined to spread abroad the report of those events, but to establish, in all ages, the certainty of the miracle, which was then universally known. Meanwhile, a general mirror of human ingratitude is here placed before our eyes: for, while trifling and frivolous occurrences remain firmly in our minds, those which ought to produce a constant recollection of divine favors immediately fade and disappear.
Luke does not speak of stupid men, or actual despisers of God: for he says that they put them in their heart: that is, they applied eagerly to the consideration of them. Some probably continued to remember, but the greater part rapidly shook off the fear which they had experienced. It deserves our notice that they were far from mistaking the design, when they interpreted the miracles which they saw as relating to the future excellence of the child: for such, we have said, was the design of God, that John should afterwards come forth with the highest reputation. And the hand of the Lord was with him The meaning is, that the grace of God was strikingly visible in many respects, and showed manifestly that he was not an ordinary person. It is a figurative mode of expression, and denotes that the power of God was as fully manifested as if his hand had been visibly seen, so that all readily acknowledged the presence of God.
(66) “ Que nous en soyons touchez et esmeus a bon escient.” — “That we may be touched and moved by them in good earnest.”
(67) “ Dieu en faisant miracles ne se joue point pour nous servir de passe- temps, mais reveille nos sens, lesquels il voit estre abrutis et en dormis.” — “God, in working miracles, does not amuse himself to supply us with pastime, but arouses our senses, which he sees to be stupified and asleep.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(65) All the hill country of Juda.The district so designated included the mountain plateau to the south of Jerusalem, which reaches its highest point at Hebron. (See Note on Luk. 1:39.) The whole verse describes the gradual spread of the report of the events from the immediate neighbourhood to the wider district of which it formed a part.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
65. Fear came on all A holy awe, inspired by the thought that the angel of God had indeed visited them, and that prophecy and miracle had revived, as in the Old Testament times. Noised abroad The wonder began at Jerusalem, but its consequences and results took place in the Hill Country; and there, too, the wonderful boy remained, to be the object of speculation and rumour.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And fear (awe) came on all who dwelt round about them, and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.’
And the consequence of all these things was that the whole countryside round about were filled with awe. Everyone was talking about what had happened. It was a seven day wonder. And the news spread widely throughout the hill country of Judaea.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Luk 1:65 f. An historical digression, narrating the impression which these marvellous events at the circumcision produced in wider circles.
] not amazement , but fear , the first impression of the extraordinary (comp. Mar 4:41 ; Act 2:43 ).
] applies to Zacharias and Elizabeth. On , comp. Herod. v. 78; Xen. Anab. v. 6. 16; Plut. Crass. 34.
] were mutually talked of , Polyb. i. 85. 2, ix. 32. 1.
] these utterances , which had occurred with such marvellous significance at the circumcision of the child from Luk 1:59 to Luk 1:64 ; Luk 2:19 .
. ] Comp. (1Sa 21:12 ), and the Homeric , , and see Valckenaer in loc. They made those utterances the subject of their further reflection. Comp. Luk 2:19 .
] quid igitur, under these circumstances, according to these auspices, what then now will, etc.; see Klotz, ad Devar. p. 176; Ngelsbach, Anm. z. Ilias, Exo 3 , p. 10 f. Comp. Luk 8:25 , Luk 12:42 . On the neuter , which is more in keeping with the uncertainty and the emotion of the inquirers than , comp. Act 12:18 ; Schaefer, Melet. p. 98; Bornemann, Schol. p. 15.
] An observation of Luke, in which he would indicate that the people rightly asked this question, expecting something unusual of the child: for also ( , see the critical remarks) the hand of the Lord was with him. The emphasis rests on , which, with , makes known to us the mighty help of God (so very frequently in the O. T.; comp. also Hermann, ad Vig. p. 732) as in keeping with the ominous phenomena. Others, like Storr, Kuinoel, Paulus, Ewald, place these words too in the mouth of those asking the question (so also Rettig in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838, p. 219, who, following the Recepta. places a colon after : and others said). But this reflective specifying of a reason would have been superfluous in the mouth of those people, and little in keeping with the emotion of their question. And instead of they would have said , inferring, namely, the help of God from the events at the circumcision; while the would be but tame and cumbrous.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
Ver. 65. And fear came on all ] This was either the fear of admiration at the many strange accidents about the birth of the Baptist; or the fear of punishment, seeing so good a man as Zacharias so long to have suffered for his unbelief. (Ludoff. de Vita Christi. )
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
65. ] For the construction . , see Herod. Luk 1:78 : Xen. Anab. ver 6. 16.
, words; not ‘ things ,’ see above on Luk 1:4 ; Luk 1:37 . All this tale became matter of throughout, &c.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
on = upon. Greek. epi. App-104.
sayings. Greek. Plural of rhema. See note on Mar 9:32.
were noised abroad = were talked of.
throughout all = in (Greek. en. App-104.) the whole.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
65.] For the construction . , see Herod. Luk 1:78 : Xen. Anab. ver 6. 16.
, words; not things, see above on Luk 1:4; Luk 1:37. All this tale became matter of throughout, &c.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 1:65. [, fear) This whole affair breathed of Divine guidance.]-, …, all, etc.) All whatsoever is recorded from Luk 1:11.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
fear: Luk 7:16, Act 2:43, Act 5:5, Act 5:11, Act 19:17, Rev 11:11
sayings: or, things
all the: Luk 1:39, Jos 10:6, Jos 10:40
Reciprocal: Luk 2:18 – wondered Luk 2:33 – General
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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Fear means a general feeling of respectful consideration for the wonderful things that had occurred. These sayings or happenings were reported extensively all through the country of Judea.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 1:65. Fear. The first effect produced by events which betoken what is supernatural (comp, chap. Luk 1:12; Luk 1:29; Luk 2:9; Luk 5:8; Mar 4:41; Act 2:43).
All these sayings, i.e., the story of what had happened at the circumcision of the child, possibly including the whole series of remarkable events in regard to John.
Throughout all the hill-country of Judea, in which the home of Zacharias was situated (Luk 1:39).
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 65
Fear; a feeling of wonder and awe.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
1:65 And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all {d} these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea.
(d) All this which was said and done.