This song is second only to that of Mary. It is a noble ode, tracing our Lord's advent back to the early covenant of God with the fathers and anticipating its effects to the end of time.
It is wholesome to apply the song to ourselves and ask how far we have participated in these great blessings. Are we experiencing this daily salvation from our spiritual enemies, who hate us? Do we serve God without the slavish fear of the serf, and with the loyal allegiance of the child? Are all our days characterized by holiness toward God and righteousness toward man? Has the "dayspring from on high" visited our hearts and are our feet walking in the way of peace? Solemn questions these, but they must be faced. [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 1
1The preface of Luke to his whole gospel 5The conception of John the Baptist; 26and of Jesus 39The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus 57The nativity and circumcision of John 67The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus, 76and of John
Greek Commentary for Luke 1:74
Delivered [ρυστεντας] First aorist passive participle of an old verb, ρυομαι rhuomai The accusative case appears, where the dative could have been used to agree with ημιν hēmin because of the infinitive λατρευειν latreuein (Luke 1:74) to serve (from latros for hire). But Plato uses the word of service for God so that the bad sense does not always exist. [source]
Serve [λατρεύειν] Originally to serve for hire, from λάτρον ,hire. Plato uses it of the service of God. [source]
Luke 2:37Served [λατρεύουσα] The present participle, serving. Rev., worshipping. See on Luke 1:74. [source]
Luke 1:74Delivered [ρυστεντας] First aorist passive participle of an old verb, ρυομαι rhuomai The accusative case appears, where the dative could have been used to agree with ημιν hēmin because of the infinitive λατρευειν latreuein (Luke 1:74) to serve (from latros for hire). But Plato uses the word of service for God so that the bad sense does not always exist. [source]
Romans 1:9I serve [λατρεύω] See on Luke 1:74. The word was used in a special sense to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Romans 9:4; Acts 26:7. Compare Hebrews 9:1,Hebrews 9:6. As in his Philippian letter, Paul here appropriates the Jewish word for the spiritual Christian service. See on Philemon 3:3. [source]
Revelation 7:15Serve [λατρεύουσιν] See on Luke 1:74. In scripture the verb never expresses any other service but that of the true God, or of the gods of heathenism. [source]
Revelation 22:3Shall serve [λατρεύσουσιν] See on Luke 1:74. Rev., do Him service. The word originally means to serve for hire. In the New Testament, of the worship or service of God in the use of the rites intended for His worship. It came to be used by the Jews in a very special sense, to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Romans 9:4; Acts 26:7; Hebrews 9:1,Hebrews 9:6. Hence the significant application of the term to Christian service by Paul in Philemon 3:3. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 1:74 mean?
without fearfrom[the] handof our enemieshaving been savedto serveHim
Greek Commentary for Luke 1:74
First aorist passive participle of an old verb, ρυομαι rhuomai The accusative case appears, where the dative could have been used to agree with ημιν hēmin because of the infinitive λατρευειν latreuein (Luke 1:74) to serve (from latros for hire). But Plato uses the word of service for God so that the bad sense does not always exist. [source]
Originally to serve for hire, from λάτρον ,hire. Plato uses it of the service of God. [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:74
See on Luke 1:74. [source]
The present participle, serving. Rev., worshipping. See on Luke 1:74. [source]
First aorist passive participle of an old verb, ρυομαι rhuomai The accusative case appears, where the dative could have been used to agree with ημιν hēmin because of the infinitive λατρευειν latreuein (Luke 1:74) to serve (from latros for hire). But Plato uses the word of service for God so that the bad sense does not always exist. [source]
Rev., more correctly, serve, See on Luke 1:74. [source]
Compare Acts 24:14; and see on Luke 1:74. [source]
Better, as Rev., serve. See on Luke 1:74. [source]
See on Luke 1:74. The word was used in a special sense to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Romans 9:4; Acts 26:7. Compare Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 9:6. As in his Philippian letter, Paul here appropriates the Jewish word for the spiritual Christian service. See on Philemon 3:3. [source]
See on John 16:2; see on Luke 1:74; see on Revelation 22:3; see on Philemon 3:3. Here the sum total of the Levitical services instituted by the law. [source]
In Pastorals only here. Comp. Romans 1:9, Romans 1:25; Philemon 3:3. Frequent in Hebrews. Originally, to serve for hire. In N.T. both of ritual service, as Hebrews 8:5; Hebrews 9:9; Hebrews 10:2; Hebrews 13:10; and of worship or service generally, as Luke 1:74; Romans 1:9. Especially of the service rendered to God by the Israelites as his peculiar people, as Acts 26:7. Comp. λατρεία service Romans 9:4; Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 9:6. In lxx always of the service of God or of heathen deities. [source]
For δικαίωμα ordinancesee on Romans 5:16. For λατρεία servicesee on Luke 1:74; see on Revelation 22:3; see on Philemon 3:3; see on 2 Timothy 1:3. The meaning is ordinances directed to or adapted for divine service. [source]
See on Luke 1:74. In scripture the verb never expresses any other service but that of the true God, or of the gods of heathenism. [source]
See on Luke 1:74. Rev., do Him service. The word originally means to serve for hire. In the New Testament, of the worship or service of God in the use of the rites intended for His worship. It came to be used by the Jews in a very special sense, to denote the service rendered to Jehovah by the Israelites as His peculiar people. See Romans 9:4; Acts 26:7; Hebrews 9:1, Hebrews 9:6. Hence the significant application of the term to Christian service by Paul in Philemon 3:3. [source]