Luke 1:15-16 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink… I. To be "children of Israel" not necessarily equivalent to being spiritually "sons of Abraham" (John 8:39). II. As a historical fact the children of Israel over and over again turned from the Lord, and at the beginning of the Baptist's ministry nearly the whole nation had sunk into religious formalism. III. But repentance was still possible to Israel after ages of unfaithfulness. Still they might turn to the Lord their God. John's message was "Repent!" and his preaching produced the effects here foretold (see Luke 3:7-14). IV. "He shall turn." Recognition of human instrumentality in the doing of the work which only the Spirit of God can do — the production of conviction leading to conversion. (J. R. Bailey.) Parallel Verses KJV: For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. |
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