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William MacDonald · Citado em PreceptAustin
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William MacDonald - Zacharias was a priest belonging to the division of Abijah, one of the twenty-four shifts into which the Jewish priesthood had been divided by David (1 Chr 24:10) (See MacArthur's note). Each shift was called on to serve at the temple in Jerusalem twice a year from Sabbath to Sabbath. There were so many priests at this time that the privilege of burning incense in the Holy Place came only once in a lifetime, if at all." (Borrow a copy of Believer's Bible Commentary) Related Resources: What is the story of Zechariah and Elizabeth? gotquestions Fausset Bible Dictionary Zacharias Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Zacharias Kitto Biblical Cyclopedia Zacharias William
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William MacDonald - “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth.” (Rev. 19:6) The omnipotence of God means that He can do anything that is not inconsistent with His other attributes. Hear the uniform testimony of Scripture! “I am the Almighty God” (Gen. 17:1). “Is anything too hard for the Lord?” (Gen. 18:14). “I know that thou canst do all things, and that no purpose of thine can be thwarted” (Job 42:2 NASB). “There is nothing too hard for Thee” Qer. 32:17). “With God all things are possible” (Mt. 19:26). “For with God nothing shall be impossible” (Luke 1:37). But it is understood that God cannot do anything that is inconsistent with His own character. For instance, it is impossible for God to lie (Heb. 6:18). He cannot deny Himself (2 Tim. 2:13). He cannot sin because He is absolutely holy. He cannot fail because He is absolutely dependable. The omnipotence of God is seen in His creation and sustaining of the universe, in His providence, in the salvation of sinners, and in the judgment of the impenitent. The greatest display of His power in the Old Testament was the Exodus; in the New Testament, the resurrection of Christ. If God is omnipotent, then no man can fight successfully against Him. “There is no wisdom, nor understanding, nor counsel against the Lord” (Prov. 21:30). If God is omnipotent, then the believer is on the winning side. One with God is a majority. “If God be for us, who can be against us” (Rom. 8:31). If God is omnipotent, then in prayer we can deal in the realm of the impossible. As the chorus says, we can laugh at impossibilities and cry, “It shall be done.” If God is omnipotent, then we have the unutterable comfort that: The Savior can solve every problem, The tangles of life can undo. There is nothing too hard for Jesus, There is nothing that He cannot do. “When my weakness leans on His might, all seems light.” James Smith - What can be more difficult than this? "For with God, nothing shall be impossible!" Luke 1:37 Difficulties often crowd the believer's path, and trials line his way. Obstacles and oppositionmeet him at almost every turn. What to do at times — he scarcely knows, for he has beendisappointed so often, and is now so completely baffled — that his way is hedged up with thorns! Look whichever way he will, or to whatever quarter he may — there is something to discourage him, and cast him down! It is of no use looking any way, or to any one — but to the Lord; and while looking to Him, it will be well to remember what the angel said to the blessed virgin, to excite and strengthen her faith, "For with God, nothing shall be impossible." Look at the Fact. There are no impossibilities with God! He can do — as He will. He will do — all that He has promised. He has promised to do all that you can need or even wisely desire. In Mary's case, much faith was required — it was exercised and honored. A virgin did bear a son. That son was free from all taint of sin. That son was divine. That divine Son was the Savior of men. What can be more difficult than this? What should stagger us, after this? Look at what God IS: look at His power and grace, look at His wisdom and wealth, look at His pity and compassion, look at His greatness and glory. Look at what God has DONE: in nature — by His power, in providence — by His wisdom, in redemption — by His grace. And looking at what God is, and at what He has done — you must come to the conclusion, "With God, nothing is impossible!" Let us use this fact for our own benefit. Nothing shall be impossible with God! Not the conversion of that obstinate child. Not that hardened husband. Not that trying and degraded wife. Not the restoration of that backslider — as low as he may have sunk, and far as he may have gone. Not the pardon of those sins — as great, glaring, and numerous as they may be. Not the sanctification of that trouble — as deep, trying, and dreadful as it is. Not the bringing of the greatest good out of that worst evil — though it may have alarmed and terrified you. Not the perfecting of the soul in holiness — as sinful and polluted as it is at present. No, nothing is too hard for the Lord! Therefore cheer up, press on, take up your cross or burden afresh — and bear it after Jesus. Let this precious truth, feed and strengthen your faith — that you may be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. Let it excite and animate your hope — that you may expect great things from God. Let it stimulate you in prayer — that you may ask largely of God, and ask with confidence too. Let it crush your fears — that you may press boldly on, until you reach the mark, for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus. Let it stir you up to exertion — for as nothing shall be impossible to God, so nothing shall be impossible to you, which you undertake with His sanction, and with a view to His glory. Let it encourage and call forth praise — for how grateful and thankful we should be, that our God can do all things, and therefore will do for us, all that is necessary both in life and death. Let us keep this sweet truth always in mind, and when cast down — chide our fears and excite our hopes, saying, "With God, nothing shall be impossible!" J C
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William MacDonald - The Bible never speaks of Mary as “the mother of God.” While it is true that she was the mother of Jesus, and that Jesus is God, it is nevertheless a doctrinal absurdity to speak of God as having a mother. Jesus existed from all eternity whereas Mary was a finite creature with a definite date when she began to exist. She was the mother of Jesus only in His Incarnation. (See Believer's Bible Commentary ) John Trapp on would come to me - "That the Lord Himself should come among us, as He did in the flesh, and doth still by His Spirit. Oh, what a mercy!" Leon Morris makes a good point - We should not miss the absence of all jealousy in Elizabeth’s attitude to Mary. The older woman, who had received such a signal blessing from the Lord, might well have tried to guard her position jealously. But in genuine humility she recognized the greater blessing God had given to Mary....Apparently Elizabeth’s recognition that he is Lord was inspired, but personal. John had to find it out for himself. (See Luke: An Introduction and Commentary) That (in order that)(2443)(hina is a conjunction which is used as a marker of purpose, definition or result and is rendered in order that, that, so that. With the result or consequence that. With the particular aim or purpose of; in order that. “So that” means “in order to” which answers the question “Why?” We use it to begin adverb clauses of purpose. Let’s hear an example: It helps to lower blood sugar so that you feel less hungry. The adverb clause is “so that you feel less hungry.” It shows the purpose for the action in the main clause. Why does it help to lower blood sugar? To feel less hungry. (LearnEnglish) Lord (master, owner)(2962)(kurios from kuros = might or power) means a supreme one, one who is sovereign and possesses absolute authority, absolute ownership and uncontested power. Kurios is used of the one to whom a person or thing belonged, about which he has the power of deciding, the one who is the master or disposer of a thing (Mk 7:28) In classical Greek, kurios was used of the false gods, such as Hermes, Zeus, etc. Luke uses almost 30% of the 717 uses of kurios in the NT. Luke 1:69, 78-79 Luke uses kurios 104x in 96 verses in the Gospel (Mt = 80x in 73v; Mark = 18x in 16v; John 52x in 50v). Constable suggests Luke uses kurios so often because his Greek readers would not have been familiar with the title Messiah or Christ. J C