Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 2:37
And she [was] a widow of about fourscore and and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served [God] with fastings and prayers night and day.
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 ) 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.”
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
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.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
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.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
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.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
37. departed not from the templewasfound there at all stated hours of the day, and even during the nightservices of the temple watchmen (Psa 134:1;Psa 134:2), “serving Godwith fastings and prayer.” (See 1Ti5:5, suggested by this.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And she was a widow of about fourscore and four years,…. Which is not the date of her whole age, as some have thought, but of her widowhood state, as distinct from her marriage state, and the time of her virginity. And this sense all the versions favour.
Which departed not from the temple that is, she was constant in her devotion there, at the time of divine service, whether by night or day; not that she was in it, for she had been out of it now; otherwise it could not with propriety be said of her, that
she coming in that instant, as in the next verse; but that she always was there when there was any worship performed, in which women might be concerned, and which is pointed out in the next clause:
but served God with fastings and prayers, night and day: she attended to the usual fasts of twice a week, and to such as were enjoined the whole congregation, and to the several set times of prayer, and to every act of devotion, private or public, by night or day. In Ex 38:8 we read of women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation: both the Targums of Onkelos and Ben Uzziel render it, “who came to pray”; and the Septuagint version, “that fasted”: Anna did both.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Which departed not ( ). Imperfect indicative middle. She kept on not leaving. The Spirit kept her in the temple as he led Simon to the temple (Plummer). The case of “the temple” ( ) is ablative.
Night and day ( ). Accusative of duration of time, all night and all day. She never missed a service in the temple.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Of about fourscore and four years [ ] . 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 [] . The present participle, serving. Rev., worshipping. See on chapter Luk 1:74.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And she was a widow,” (kai aute chera) “And she was (now) a widow,” long unmarried, Jas 1:27. And widows indeed are to be honored, 1Ti 5:3; 1Ti 5:5; 1Ti 5:16.
2) “Of about fourscore and four years,” (heos eton ogdonkonta tessaron) “Of about eighty four years,” of age, who had perhaps been a widow more than fifty years, Luk 2:36.
3) “Which departed not from the temple,” (ho ouk aphistatoaa tou hierou) “Who did not withdraw or stay away from the temple,” because of her age, or pine because she had long since lost her companion. It appears that she may have lived in one of the chambers of the Holy building, Act 2:46.
4) “But served God with fastings and prayers,” (nesteiais kai decsesin latereuousa) “And she served God with fastings and petitions,” a means by which far too few serve Him today. It was an expression of earnest devotion, the only one fast was prescribed by law, that on the Great Day of Atonement, Lev 23:27; Lev 23:29.
5) “Night and day.” (nukta kai hemeran) “Night and day,” put this way because night preceded day in the chronology of computing Hebrew time, as “the evening and the morning were the first day,” etc., Gen 1:5. Mourning, sorrows, and afflictions were associated with fasting and prayer, from Moses to New ‘ Testament times. Moses fasted 40 days, Exo 34:28; Elijah fasted many days, 1Ki 15:18; and Jesus fasted 40 days in the wilderness. Mat 4:2; Mat 6:15.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
37. She departed not from the temple This is a hyperbolical expression; but the meaning is plain, that Anna was almost constantly in the temple. Luke adds, that she worshipped God with fastings and prayers day and night Hence we infer, that she did not visit the temple for the mere purpose of performing the outward service, but that she added to it the other exercises of piety. It deserves our attention, that the same rule is not enjoined on all, and that all ought not to be led indiscriminately to copy those performances, which are here commended in a widow. Each person ought to make a judicious inquiry, what belongs to his own calling. Silly ambition has filled the world with apes, from superstitious persons seizing, with more “zeal” than “knowledges” (Rom 10:2,) every thing that they hear praised in the saints: as if the distinction of rank did not render a selection of employments necessary, that each person may answer to his own calling. What is here related of Anna, Paul applies in a particular manner to widows, (1Ti 5:5😉 so that married people act a foolish part, if they regulate their life by an unsuitable model.
But there still remains another doubt. Luke appears to make fastings a part of divine worship But we must observe, that of the acts which relate to worship, some are simply required, and, as we are accustomed to say, are in themselves necessary; while others are accessory, and have no other design than to aid the former class. Prayers belong strictly to the worship of God. Fasting is a subordinate aid, which is pleasing to God no farther than as it aids the earnestness and fervency of prayer. We must hold by this rule, that the duties of men are to be judged according as they are directed to a proper and lawful end. We must hold, also, by this distinction, that prayers are a direct worship of God; while fastings are a part of worship only on account of their consequences. Nor is there any reason to doubt, that the holy woman employed fastings as an excitement to bewail those calamities of the Church which then existed.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(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 Juda 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.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
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.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Luk 2:37 . (see the critical remarks) . .: 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 in the Stud. u. Krit. 1838, p. 221. Comp. Dem. 262, 5.
. . .] a popular description of unremitting zeal (comp. Hom. Od. ii. 345, Il. xxiv. 72) in the public worship of God. Comp. xxiv. 53.
. .] 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 , 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 .
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
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.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
37. . . ] 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.
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?
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 2:37 . : 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 after (Luk 2:36 , advanced in days many ). : the fasting might be due to poverty, or on system, which would suggest a Judaistic type of piety. . .: did she sleep within the temple precincts?
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
not. Greek. ou. App-105.
served. Same as Luk 1:74.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
37. . .] 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.
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?
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 2:37. , 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]- , 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.-, 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.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
which: Exo 38:8, 1Sa 2:2, Psa 23:6, Psa 27:4, Psa 84:4, Psa 84:10, Psa 92:13, Psa 135:1, Psa 135:2, Rev 3:12
but: Psa 22:2, Act 26:7, 1Ti 5:5, Rev 7:15
Reciprocal: Num 30:9 – General Ezr 8:23 – we fasted Neh 1:6 – day and night Psa 1:2 – day Psa 86:3 – for I Psa 88:1 – I have Psa 134:1 – which by night Pro 16:31 – if Dan 9:3 – with Mat 6:16 – when Luk 18:7 – which Act 13:2 – fasted 1Co 7:34 – careth 1Th 2:9 – night 1Th 3:10 – Night 1Ti 5:3 – indeed 1Ti 5:9 – under 2Ti 1:3 – night 1Pe 3:5 – who
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
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This woman was a good example of the widow described in 1Ti 5:5.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
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.
[Departed not from the Temple.] I. It may be doubted whether any women ever discharged any office in the Temple: some think they did. But that which they allege out of 1Sa 2:22; concerning the women that assembled at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, is quite another thing from any public ministering, if we will admit the Targumist and the Rabbins for expositors. So Exo 38:8; women assembling by troops at the door of the tabernacle of the congregation. The Targumists both here and in the place before quoted have it, women that came to pray…
It is apparent, that women were wont to come from other parts to the tabernacle for devotion’s sake, not to perform any ministry. So this Anna; by birth of the tribe of Aser; had changed her native soil, and fixed her abode at Jerusalem, partly for devotion, that she might be the more at leisure for praying in the Temple, and partly as a prophetess, that she might utter her prophecies in the great metropolis.
II. She departed not from the Temple; that is, not in the stated times of prayer: according as it is commanded Aaron and his sons, Lev 10:7; “Ye shall not go out from the door of the tabernacle.” Where Siphra; folio 24. 2, not in the time of their ministry.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Luk 2:37. Even unto fourscore and four years. The correct reading suggests that she was now eighty-four years old, not a widow for that period. This is evidently mentioned as a commendation (comp. 1Ti 5:3; 1Ti 5:5), especially as it is plainly intimated that she was young at the death of her husband.
Who departed not, etc. Description of her mode of life. She not only appeared in the temple at the ordinary hours of prayer, and on ordinary fast days (Monday and Thursday), but her life was devoted entirely to religious exercises. As, however, she represents expectant Israel, this cannot be an argument in favor of monastic life. The tradition that Mary had been brought up under her guidance in the temple is groundless. Simeon and Anna stand in striking contrast to the infant Saviour, exemplifying the Old Covenant decaying and waxing old before the New, which is to grow and remain. Van Oosterzee.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 37
Night and day; that is, with habitual constancy.