476
σωτήριόν σου, 31. ὃ ἠτοίμασας κατὰ πρόσωπον πάντων τῶν λαῶν - 32. as εἲς ἀποκάλυψιν ἐθνῶν, καὶ δόξαν λαοῦ σου σραήλ.” 33. Καὶ ἦν Ἰωσὴφ καὶ ἡ µήτηρ αὐτοῦ] θαυμάζοντες ἐπὶ τοῖς
λαλουμένοις περὶ αὐτοῦ.
34. καὶ εὐλόγησεν αὐτοὺς Συμεών, καὶ
9 ΡΗΠ. 1.1. εἶπε πρὸς Μαριὰμ τὴν µητέρα αὐτοῦ, “Ιδού, οὗτος "κεῖται εἰς
1 Thess. tii. 3.
fal ‘ [ο al 2 U ‘ > a πτῶσιν καὶ ἀνάστασιν πολλῶν ἐν τῷ ‘Iopand, καὶ εἰς σημεῖον
ἀντιλεγόμενον: 35. (καὶ cod δὲ αὐτῆς τὴν ψυχὴν διελεύσεται ῥομφαία:) ὅπως ἂν ἀποκαλυφθῶσιν ἐκ πολλῶν καρδιῶν διαλο-
γισμοί.” f Rev. ii. a0.
36. Καὶ ἦν “Awa *mpoditis, θυγάτηρ Φανουήλ, ἐκ φυλῆς ᾽Ασήρ:
αὕτη προβεβηκυῖα ἐν ἡμέραις πολλαῖς, ζήσασα ἔτη μετὰ ἀνδρὸς ὃ
1 Ῥοτην .
. - θαυμ. read ην ο πατηρ αντον και η µητηρ θαυμ. with BDL 1,
131. ΜΜ, retain second αυτον. The substitution of ἰωσηφ for ο πατηρ explains itself.
3δε omitted in BLE.
σωτήριον = τὴν σωτηρίαν, often in Sept. —Ver. 31. πάντων τῶν adv: peoples concerned in the salvation, at least as spectators. —Ver. 32. φῶς εἰς a. ἐ.: the Gentiles are to be more than spectators, even sharers in the salvation, which is represented under the twofold aspect of a light and a glory.—d@s and :δόξαν may be taken in apposition with 6 as objects of ἠτοίμασας: salvation pre- pared or provided in the form of a light for the Gentiles, and a glory for Israel. Universalism here, but not of the pronounced type of Lk. (Holtz., H. Ο.), rather such as is found even in O. T. prophets.—Ver. 33. ἦν: the con- struction is peculiar, the verb singular, and the participle, forming with it a periphrastic imperfect, plural = was the father, and was the mother, together wondering. Vide Winer, § 58, p. 651. The writer thinks of the two parents first as isolated and then as united in their wonder.—Ver. 34. εὐλόγησεν: “the less is blessed of the better”. Age, however humble, may bless youth. Jacob blessed Pharaoh.— κεῖται, is appointed—els πτῶσιν, etc. : generally, this child will influence His time in a decided manner, and to opposite effects, and with painful consequences to Himself; a forecast not necessarily be- yond prophetic ken, based on insight into the career of epoch-making men. It is so more or less always. The blessing of being father or mother of such a child is great, but not unmixed with sorrow.— Ver. 35. καὶ σοῦ, singles out the mother for a special share in the sorrow con- mected with the tragic career of one
3 pera ανδρος before ery in NBLA 13, 33, 60, 131.
destined to be much spoken against (ἀντιλεγόμενον) ; this inevitable because of a mother’s intense love. Mary’s sorrow is compared vividly to a sword (ῥομφαία here and in Rev. i. 16, and in Sept., Zech. xiii. 7) passing through her soul. It is a figure strong enough to cover the bitterest experiences of the Mater Dolorosa, but it does not necessarily imply prevision of the cross. There is therefore no reason, on this account at least, for the suggestion that ver. 35a is an editorial addition to his source by the evangelist (J. Weiss).— ὅπως introduces a final clause which can hardly refer to the immediately pre- ceding statement about the sword piercing Mary’s soul, but must rather indicate the purpose and result of the whole future career of the child, whereof the mother’s sorrow is to be an inci- dental effect. Theconnection is: κεῖται εἰς πτ., etc... . ὅπως ἂν ἀποκαλ. The general result, and one of the Divine aims, will be the revelation of men’s inmost thoughts, showing, 6.5., that the reputedly godly were not really godly. Observe the ἂν in this pure final clause. It does not affect the meaning. Godet says that it indicates without doubt that the manifestation of hidden thoughts will take place every time occasion presents itself, in contact with the Saviour.