The Meaning of Luke 1:78 Explained

Luke 1:78

KJV: Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

YLT: Through the tender mercies of our God, In which the rising from on high did look upon us,

Darby: on account of the bowels of mercy of our God; wherein the dayspring from on high has visited us,

ASV: Because of the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the dayspring from on high shall visit us,

KJV Reverse Interlinear

Through  the tender  mercy  of our  God;  whereby  the dayspring  from  on high  hath visited  us, 

What does Luke 1:78 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 1:57-80 - The Song At The Herald's Birth
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

1  The preface of Luke to his whole gospel
5  The conception of John the Baptist;
26  and of Jesus
39  The prophecy of Elisabeth and of Mary, concerning Jesus
57  The nativity and circumcision of John
67  The prophecy of Zachariah, both of Jesus,
76  and of John

Greek Commentary for Luke 1:78

Tender mercy [σπλαγχνα ελεους]
Bowels of mercy literally (1 Peter 3:8; James 3:11). Revised margin has it, hearts of mercy. [source]
The dayspring from on high [ανατολη εχ υπσους]
Literally, rising from on high, like the rising sun or stars (Isaiah 60:19). The word is used also of a sprouting plant or branch (Jeremiah 23:5; Zechariah 6:12), but that does not suit here.Shall visit (επεσκεπσεται — epeskepsetai), correct text, cf. Luke 1:68. [source]
Shall visit [επεσκεπσεται]
(επεσκεπσεται — epeskepsetai), correct text, cf. Luke 1:68. [source]
Tender mercy [σπλάγχνα ἐλέους]
Lit., bowels of mercy. See on 1 Peter 3:8; and James 5:11. Rev. gives heart of mercy in margin. Wyc., frightfully, entrails of mercy. [source]
The day-spring from on high [ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους]
Lit., the rising. The word occurs in the Septuagint as a rendering of branch, as something rising or springing up, by which the Messiah is denoted (Isaiah 60:1; Malachi 4:2. This latter is the sense here. See on Matthew 2:2. Wyc. has he springing up from on high. [source]
Hath visited [ἐπεσκέψατο]
See on Matthew 25:36; and 1 Peter 2:12. Some, however, read ἐπισκέψεται ,shall visit. So Rev. [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:78

Matthew 2:2 The east [ἀνατολή]
Literally,the rising. Some commentators prefer to render at its rising, or when it rose. In Luke 1:78, the word is translated dayspring, or dawn. The kindred verb occurs in Matthew 4:16, “light did spring up ” ( ἀνέτειλεν ) [source]
Mark 8:2 I have compassion [σπλαγχνίξομαι]
A peculiar verb, from σπλάγχνα , the inward parts, especially the nobler entrails - the heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys. These came gradually to denote the seat of the affections, like our word heart. This explains the frequent use of the word bowels in the A. V. in the sense of tender mercy, affection, compassion. See Luke 1:78; 2 Corinthians 7:15; Philemon 1:8; Philemon 1:7, Philemon 1:12, Philemon 1:20. The Rev. has properly rejected it in every such case, using it only in its literal sense in the single passage, Acts 1:18. [source]
Colossians 3:12 As God‘s elect [ως εκλεκτοι του τεου]
Same phrase in Romans 8:33; Titus 1:1. In the Gospels a distinction exists between κλητος — klētos and εκλεκτος — eklektos (Matthew 24:22, Matthew 24:24, Matthew 24:31), but no distinction appears in Paul‘s writings. Here further described as “holy and beloved” The items in the new clothing for the new man in Christ Paul now gives in contrast with what was put off (Colossians 3:8). The garments include a heart of compassion (σπλαγχνα οικτιρμου — splagchna oiktirmou the nobler viscera as the seat of emotion as in Luke 1:78; Philemon 1:8), kindness (χρηστοτητα — chrēstotēta as in Galatians 5:22), humility (ταπεινοπροσυνην — tapeinophrosunēn in the good sense as in Philemon 2:3), meekness (πραυτητα — prautēta in Galatians 5:23 and in Ephesians 4:2 also with ταπεινοπροσυνη — tapeinophrosunē), long-suffering (μακροτυμιαν — makrothumian in Galatians 5:22; Colossians 1:11; James 5:10). [source]
James 1:9 Of low degree [ο ταπεινος]
“The lowly” brother, in outward condition (Luke 1:52), humble and poor as in Psalm 9:12; Proverbs 30:14, not the spiritually humble as in Matthew 11:29; James 4:6. In the lxx ταπεινος — tapeinos was used for either the poor in goods or the poor in spirit. Christianity has glorified this word in both senses. Already the rich and the poor in the churches had their occasion for jealousies.Glory in his high estate (καυχαστω εν τωι υπσει αυτου — kauchasthō en tōi hupsei autou). Paradox, but true. In his low estate he is “in his height” (υπσος — hupsos old word, in N.T., also in Luke 1:78; Ephesians 3:1; etc.). [source]
James 1:9 Glory in his high estate [καυχαστω εν τωι υπσει αυτου]
Paradox, but true. In his low estate he is “in his height” (υπσος — hupsos old word, in N.T., also in Luke 1:78; Ephesians 3:1; etc.). [source]
Revelation 7:2 East [ἀνατολῆς ἡλίου]
Rev., more literally, the sunrising. See on Matthew 2:2; see on Luke 1:78. Compare Ezekiel 43:2. [source]
Revelation 21:13 East [ἀνατολῆς]
See on Matthew 2:2, and see on day-spring, Luke 1:78. See the tribes arranged by gates in Ezekiel 48:31-34. [source]
Revelation 16:12 Of the east [ἀπὸ τῶν ἀνατολῶν ἡλίου]
Lit., as Rev., from the sunrising. See on Matthew 2:2; and see on dayspring, Luke 1:78. [source]
Revelation 22:16 Have sent [επεμπσα]
First aorist active indicative of πεμπω — pempō used here in the same sense as αποστειλας — aposteilas in Revelation 1:1 as his personal messenger. It is the Jesus of history here speaking, who is also the Christ of theology and the Lamb of God.For the churches (επι ταις εκκλησιαις — epi tais ekklēsiais). For this use of επι — epi see Revelation 10:11; John 12:16. It is not just for the seven churches (Revelation 1:4), but for all the churches in the world then and now.I am the root and the offspring of David See Revelation 5:5 for “the root of David,” to which John now adds το γενος — to genos in the sense of “offspring” (Acts 17:28.), not of family or race (Acts 4:6; Acts 7:13). Cf. Matthew 22:42-45.The bright, the morning star (ο αστηρ ο λαμπρος ο πρωινος — ho astēr ho lampros ho prōinos). The Davidic King is called a star in Numbers 24:17; Luke 1:78. This “day-star” (πωσπορος — phōsphoros) is interpreted as Christ (2 Peter 1:19). In Revelation 2:28 the phrase “the morning star” occurs in Christ‘s words, which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming into the world (John 1:9; John 8:12). [source]
Revelation 22:16 The bright, the morning star [ο αστηρ ο λαμπρος ο πρωινος]
The Davidic King is called a star in Numbers 24:17; Luke 1:78. This “day-star” In Revelation 2:28 the phrase “the morning star” occurs in Christ‘s words, which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming into the world (John 1:9; John 8:12). [source]
Revelation 22:16 I am the root and the offspring of David [Εγω ειμι η ριζα και το γενος Δαυειδ]
See Revelation 5:5 for “the root of David,” to which John now adds το γενος — to genos in the sense of “offspring” (Acts 17:28.), not of family or race (Acts 4:6; Acts 7:13). Cf. Matthew 22:42-45.The bright, the morning star (ο αστηρ ο λαμπρος ο πρωινος — ho astēr ho lampros ho prōinos). The Davidic King is called a star in Numbers 24:17; Luke 1:78. This “day-star” (πωσπορος — phōsphoros) is interpreted as Christ (2 Peter 1:19). In Revelation 2:28 the phrase “the morning star” occurs in Christ‘s words, which is here interpreted. Christ is the Light that was coming into the world (John 1:9; John 8:12). [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 1:78 mean?

through [the] affections of compassion of God of us in which will visit us [the] Sunrise from on high
διὰ σπλάγχνα ἐλέους Θεοῦ ἡμῶν ἐν οἷς ἐπισκέψεται ἡμᾶς ἀνατολὴ ἐξ ὕψους

διὰ  through 
Parse: Preposition
Root: διά  
Sense: through.
σπλάγχνα  [the]  affections 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Plural
Root: σπλάγχνον  
Sense: bowels, intestines, (the heart, lungs, liver, etc.).
ἐλέους  of  compassion 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ἔλεος  
Sense: mercy: kindness or good will towards the miserable and the afflicted, joined with a desire to help them.
Θεοῦ  of  God 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: θεός  
Sense: a god or goddess, a general name of deities or divinities.
ἡμῶν  of  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Genitive 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἐπισκέψεται  will  visit 
Parse: Verb, Future Indicative Middle, 3rd Person Singular
Root: ἐπισκέπτομαι  
Sense: to look upon or after, to inspect, examine with the eyes.
ἡμᾶς  us 
Parse: Personal / Possessive Pronoun, Accusative 1st Person Plural
Root: ἐγώ  
Sense: I, me, my.
ἀνατολὴ  [the]  Sunrise 
Parse: Noun, Nominative Feminine Singular
Root: ἀνατολή  
Sense: a rising (of the sun and stars).
ὕψους  on  high 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root: ὕψος  
Sense: height.