The sign that Messiah God had indeed come to save the people would be the baby that the shepherds would find wrapped in cloths lying in a manger. This was an unusual place for any baby to lie but especially the divine Messiah. The term "swaddling clothes" (AV) translates the Greek word spargano meaning "to swathe" or "wrap." The Jews also wrapped their dead in strips of cloth, as they did their infants. Thus a birth was a reminder of the death that would inevitably follow one day. [source][source][source]
Context Summary
Luke 2:1-14 - The Savior Of Mankind Is Born
The manger bed and its precious occupant are among the most cherished memories of our childhood; but as we come there in later life, the wonder ever grows. "Great is the mystery of godliness; God was manifest in the flesh," 1 Timothy 3:16.
What company we meet there! Shepherds with their naive wonder; angels from the realms of glory; wise men with their gifts; aged saints like Simeon and Anna, Surely the desire of all nations is here! Let us ask that the Lord of glory will condescend to be born in the mean stable of our heart, transforming it into a palace!
Notice how, to bring Mary to Bethlehem, the Master of all emperors sets on foot the machinery of providence and history. What can He not do for us and His Church! [source]
Chapter Summary: Luke 2
1Augustus taxes all the Roman empire 6The nativity of Jesus 8An angel relates it to the shepherds, and many sing praises to God for it 15The shepherds glorify God 21Jesus is circumcised 22Mary purified 25Simeon and Anna prophesy of Jesus, 39who increases in wisdom, 41questions in the temple with the teachers, 51and is obedient to his parents
The babe [βρέφος] See on 1 Peter 2:2. Rev., properly, “a babe.” No article [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:12
Luke 2:7Wrapped in swaddling-clothes [ἐσπαργάνωσεν] Only here and Luke 2:12. Naturally found often in medical writings. Swaddle is swathed, from the verb to swathe. [source]
Luke 13:15Hypocrites [υποκριται] This pretentious faultfinder and all who agree with him.Each of you (εκαστος υμων hekastos humōn). An argumentum ad hominen. These very critics of Jesus cared too much for an ox or an ass to leave it all the sabbath without water.Stall Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7,Luke 2:12,Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
Luke 13:15Stall [πατνης] Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7,Luke 2:12,Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
Luke 2:7Wrapped in swaddling clothes [εσπαργανωσεν] From σπαργανον sparganon a swathing band. Only here and Luke 2:12 in the N.T., but in Euripides, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Plutarch. Frequent in medical works.In a manger (εν πατνηι en phatnēi). In a crib in a stall whether in a cave (Justin Martyr) or connected with the inn we do not know. The cattle may have been out on the hills or the donkeys used in travelling may have been feeding in this stall or another near.In the inn A lodging-house or khan, poor enough at best, but there was not even room in this public place because of the crowds for the census. See the word also in Luke 22:11; Mark 14:14 with the sense of guest-room (cf. 1 Kings 1:13). It is the Hellenistic equivalent for καταγωγειον katagōgeion and appears also in one papyrus. See Exodus 4:24. There would sometimes be an inner court, a range or arches, an open gallery round the four sides. On one side of the square, outside the wall, would be stables for the asses and camels, buffaloes and goats. Each man had to carry his own food and bedding. [source]
Acts 1:5Not many days hence [ου μετα πολλας ταυτας ημερας] A neat Greek idiom difficult to render smoothly into English: “Not after many days these.” The litotes (not many=few) is common in Luke (Luke 7:6; Luke 15:13; Acts 17:27; Acts 19:11; Acts 20:12; Acts 21:39; Acts 28:14; Acts 28:2). The predicate use of ταυτας tautas (without article) is to be noted. “These” really means as a starting point, “from these” (Robertson, Grammar, p. 702). It was ten days hence. This idiom occurs several times in Luke (Luke 24:21; Acts 24:21), as elsewhere (John 4:18; 2 Peter 3:1). In Luke 2:12 the copula is easily supplied as it exists in Luke 1:36; Luke 2:2. [source]
1 Peter 2:2Babes [βρέθη] The word signifying peculiarly a child at birth, or of tender years. See Luke 18:15; Acts 7:19. Of the infant Jesus, Luke 2:12,Luke 2:16. Here marking the recency of Christian life in the converts addressed. [source]
1 Peter 2:2As newborn babes [ως αρτιγεννητα βρεπη] ρεπος Brephos old word, originally unborn child (Luke 1:41-44), then infant (Luke 2:12), here figuratively, like νηπιοι nēpioi Αρτιγεννητα Artigennēta is a late and rare compound (Lucian, imperial inscription) from αρτι arti and γενναω gennaō with evident allusion to αναγεγεννημενοι anagegennēmenoi in 1 Peter 1:23, probably meaning that they were recent converts, possibly slight proof that the Epistle written before Romans by Paul (Kuhl). [source]
1 John 5:19Lieth in the evil one [εν τωι πονηρωι κειται] Present middle indicative of the defective verb κειμαι keimai to lie, as in Luke 2:12. Πονηρωι Ponērōi is masculine, like ο πονηρος ho ponēros in 1 John 5:18. This is a terrible picture of the Graeco-Roman world of the first century a.d., which is confirmed by Paul in Romans 1 and 2 and by Horace, Seneca, Juvenal, Tacitus. [source]
What do the individual words in Luke 2:12 mean?
Andthis [is]to youthesignYou will finda babywrapped in swaddling clothslyingina manger
Greek Commentary for Luke 2:12
See on Matthew 11:20. [source]
See on 1 Peter 2:2. Rev., properly, “a babe.” No article [source]
Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 2:12
Only here and Luke 2:12. Naturally found often in medical writings. Swaddle is swathed, from the verb to swathe. [source]
This pretentious faultfinder and all who agree with him.Each of you (εκαστος υμων hekastos humōn). An argumentum ad hominen. These very critics of Jesus cared too much for an ox or an ass to leave it all the sabbath without water.Stall Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
Old word, in the N.T. only here and Luke 2:7, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16 the manger where the infant Jesus was placed.To watering (ποτιζει potizei). Old verb, causative, to give to drink. [source]
From σπαργανον sparganon a swathing band. Only here and Luke 2:12 in the N.T., but in Euripides, Aristotle, Hippocrates, Plutarch. Frequent in medical works.In a manger (εν πατνηι en phatnēi). In a crib in a stall whether in a cave (Justin Martyr) or connected with the inn we do not know. The cattle may have been out on the hills or the donkeys used in travelling may have been feeding in this stall or another near.In the inn A lodging-house or khan, poor enough at best, but there was not even room in this public place because of the crowds for the census. See the word also in Luke 22:11; Mark 14:14 with the sense of guest-room (cf. 1 Kings 1:13). It is the Hellenistic equivalent for καταγωγειον katagōgeion and appears also in one papyrus. See Exodus 4:24. There would sometimes be an inner court, a range or arches, an open gallery round the four sides. On one side of the square, outside the wall, would be stables for the asses and camels, buffaloes and goats. Each man had to carry his own food and bedding. [source]
A neat Greek idiom difficult to render smoothly into English: “Not after many days these.” The litotes (not many=few) is common in Luke (Luke 7:6; Luke 15:13; Acts 17:27; Acts 19:11; Acts 20:12; Acts 21:39; Acts 28:14; Acts 28:2). The predicate use of ταυτας tautas (without article) is to be noted. “These” really means as a starting point, “from these” (Robertson, Grammar, p. 702). It was ten days hence. This idiom occurs several times in Luke (Luke 24:21; Acts 24:21), as elsewhere (John 4:18; 2 Peter 3:1). In Luke 2:12 the copula is easily supplied as it exists in Luke 1:36; Luke 2:2. [source]
The word signifying peculiarly a child at birth, or of tender years. See Luke 18:15; Acts 7:19. Of the infant Jesus, Luke 2:12, Luke 2:16. Here marking the recency of Christian life in the converts addressed. [source]
ρεπος Brephos old word, originally unborn child (Luke 1:41-44), then infant (Luke 2:12), here figuratively, like νηπιοι nēpioi Αρτιγεννητα Artigennēta is a late and rare compound (Lucian, imperial inscription) from αρτι arti and γενναω gennaō with evident allusion to αναγεγεννημενοι anagegennēmenoi in 1 Peter 1:23, probably meaning that they were recent converts, possibly slight proof that the Epistle written before Romans by Paul (Kuhl). [source]
Present middle indicative of the defective verb κειμαι keimai to lie, as in Luke 2:12. Πονηρωι Ponērōi is masculine, like ο πονηρος ho ponēros in 1 John 5:18. This is a terrible picture of the Graeco-Roman world of the first century a.d., which is confirmed by Paul in Romans 1 and 2 and by Horace, Seneca, Juvenal, Tacitus. [source]