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Overview of the Contents of Luke 1—2:
1:1-4 - Prologue: Literary Introduction to the Gospel |
1:5-25 - Angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah to announce the birth of John (the Baptist) |
1:26-38 - Angel Gabriel appears to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus (the “Annunciation”) |
1:39-56 - Mary visits her cousin Elizabeth (the “Visitation”; incl. Mary's “Magnificat”) |
1:57-58 - Elizabeth gives birth to her son (John the Baptist) |
| 1:59-80 - 8th day: circumcision & naming of John the Baptist (incl. Zechariah's “Benedictus”) |
2:1-5 - Joseph and Mary journey to Bethlehem |
2:6-7 - Mary gives birth to her baby in Bethlehem of Judea (the “Nativity”) |
| 2:8-14 - Angels appear to some shepherds (incl. the angels' “Gloria”) |
2:15-20 - Shepherds visit Mary and Joseph and their infant |
2:21 - 8th day: circumcision and naming of Jesus |
2:22-38 - 40th day: Jesus is presented to God in the Jerusalem Temple (the “Presentation”) |
2:39-40 - Jesus' family returns to Nazareth |
2:41-52 - Twelve-year-old Jesus is found in the Temple (incl. Simeon's “Nunc Dimittis”) |
Parallels in Biblical Birth Narratives:
| . | Birth of Ishmael (Gen 15:1-21; 16:1-16) |
Birth of Isaac (Gen 17:15-22; 18:9-15; 21:1-8) |
Birth of Samson (Judg 13:2-25) |
Birth of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1—2:11) |
Birth of John (Luke 1:5-25, 57-80) |
Birth of Jesus (Luke 1:26-38; 2:1-40) |
Mother's Situation |
Sarai: barren (11:30; 16:1-2) | Sarah: old (17:17; 18:11-12) | Anonymous Wife: barren | Hannah: barren | Elizabeth: barren, old | Mary: virgin, not yet married |
| Father's Role | Abram: questions God | Abraham: listens to God | Manoah: dialogues with wife | Elkanah: comforts Hannah | Zechariah: priest in temple | Joseph: no major role |
| Child Requested | by Abram (15:3) | (not explicit) | (not explicit) | by Hannah's prayer | by Zechariah's prayer (implicit) | (not requested) |
| Announcement of Birth* | many descendants (15:5) | by God to Abraham | by an angel to the woman | by Eli's assurance to Hannah | by angel Gabriel to Zechariah | by angel Gabriel to Mary |
| Initial Reaction | Abram believed (15:6) | Abraham laughs | Woman tells her husband | Eli thinks Hannah is drunk | Zechariah questions / doubts | Mary questions / believes |
| Result of Announcement | Sarai gives Hagar to Abram | delay of several chapters | Angel appears again to both | Hannah conceives from husband | Elizabeth conceives from husband | Mary conceives from Holy Spirit |
| Birth of Child | conflict before birth (16:4-16) | brief mention (21:1-3) | brief mention (13:24a) | very brief mention (1:20) | brief narration (1:57-58) | extensive narration (2:1-20) |
| Circumcision | first instituted (17:1-27) | brief mention (21:4) | (not mentioned) | (not mentioned) | extensive narration (1:59-79) | brief mention (2:21) |
| Boy's Name | Ishmael (16:11, 15-16) | Isaac (17:19; 21:3-5) | Samson (13:24a) | Samuel (1:20) | John (1:13, 59-63) | Jesus (1:31, 35; 2:21) |
| Reaction [Praising God] | (not explicit) | by Sarah (21:6-7) | (sacrifice offered before birth) | by Hannah (2:1-10) | by Zechariah (1:67-79) | by Mary (1:46-55); by angels (2:8-14); by shepherds (2:20) by Simeon (2:28-32) |
| Child Grows | driven away (21:9-21) | great feast (21:8) | brief mention (13:24b-25) | (1:24-28; 2:11) | brief mention (1:80) | incident at age twelve (2:40-52) |
*Note: Raymond Brown (Birth of the Messiah, p. 156) subdivides these Biblical Annunciations into five steps, most of which occur in most of the above stories:
Nazareth & Bethlehem:
Related Resources:
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This page was last updated on
December 27, 2012
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