Post by Lee on Mar 11, 2014 4:59:03 GMT
"The name Luke means “light giving.” He is supposed to have been born at Antioch in Syria. He is thrice mentioned in Paul’s Epistles, Colossians 4:4, Philemon, verse 24, and 2 Timothy 4:11.
Toward the close of the 400 years of Divine silence since the days of Nehemiah and Malachi, Herod was appointed Governor of Galilee by Hyrcanus the nominal ruler. When the Parthians plundered the country Herod hastened to Rome, and was by the decree of the Senate declared King of Judea. Two years later he besieged Jerusalem, and, after six months’ siege, captured the city in the third month B.C. 37. He reigned 34 years. His home life was unhappy, his conduct to the Jews very cruel. It was somewhere near the end of his reign that these events occurred.
In David’s day the priests were divided into twenty-four courses, each course served for one week; lots were cast to decide what part of the service each priest should take, so that nothing should be of man’s appointment.
We are told that when the silver trumpet sounded, the people assembled outside the Court of the priests. The sacrifice was laid on the Altar of Burnt Offering, the priest and two attendants entered the Holy Place. The attendants laid the live coals on the Altar of Incense, and withdrew. The priest, dressed in pure white linen, a turban on his head, and his feet bare (for it was holy ground) stood alone. A bell rang without, and at the signal, the priest threw the incense on the Altar; it stood close to the entrance of the Most Holy Place, the cloud rose up before the Mercy Seat, while the Priest within and the people without, lifted up their prayer to God."
1911 Christadelphian: Volume p 528
and from JFB:
"Course of Abia"—or Abijah; the eighth of the twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see 1 Ch 24:1, 4, 10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity (Ezr 2:34–39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four—retaining the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service for a week each.
Jamieson, R., Fausset, A. R., & Brown, D. (1997). Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (Lk 1:5).