Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1900 edition. Excerpt: ... from them the misfortune of childlessness and thereby giving them joy and gladness. Although many would rejoice at his birth, it is not for this that Zacharias is represented as praying. In the sight of (verse 10) 1 is equivalent to before in verse 6.' To drink no wine or strong drink was required of the Nazarite who had made a vow to " separate himself unto the Lord." * It is implied that John is to be a Nazarite from birth and through his whole life, like Samson 4 and Samuel, ' although no mention is made of the other rule of the Nazarite life which forbade the cutting of the hair. It is predicted of John that he will be a moral reformer, leading back many of his countrymen to the worship and service of Jehovah, from which they have departed. This is to be done as a preparation for the bringing in of the Messiah's kingdom; for although his in verse 17 refers grammatically to the Lord their God in the preceding verse, in the writer's thought it is the Messianic representative of Jehovah of whom John is to be the precursor. In the prophetic language of the first part of Is. xl., portions of which are quoted in Mark i.'and Luke iii., as applicable to John, only some manifestation of the power of Jehovah is thought of, and not His personal appearing. The mission of John is to be executed in the spirit and power of Elijah; that is to say, he will be a second Elijah (c). The most prominent literary characteristic of this section is the marked Hebrew tinge both of thought and expression, which distinguishes it strikingly from the Prologue. The historical elements which it furnishes prove, upon examination, to have little value for the fixing of the exact date of 1 iva>itiov, inbpidn. 'See Note 1, page 24. In verse 17 the context requires...