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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8" /><meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width; initial-scale=1.0; maximum-scale=1.0; user-scalable=0;"/><title>Luke 2:9 Commentaries: And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened.</title><link rel="stylesheet" href="/newcom.css" type="text/css" media="Screen" /><link rel="stylesheet" href="/print.css" type="text/css" media="Print" /><script type="application/javascript" src="https://scripts.webcontentassessor.com/scripts/8a2459b64f9cac8122fc7f2eac4409c8555fac9383016db59c4c26e3d5b8b157"></script><script src='https://qd.admetricspro.com/js/biblehub/biblehub-layout-loader-revcatch.js'></script><script id='HyDgbd_1s' src='https://prebidads.revcatch.com/ads.js' type='text/javascript' async></script><script>(function(w,d,b,s,i){var cts=d.createElement(s);cts.async=true;cts.id='catchscript'; cts.dataset.appid=i;cts.src='https://app.protectsubrev.com/catch_rp.js?cb='+Math.random(); document.head.appendChild(cts); }) (window,document,'head','script','rc-anksrH');</script></head><body><div id="fx"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx2"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="30" scrolling="no" src="../vmenus/luke/2-9.htm" align="left" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div><div id="blnk"></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable"><tr><td><div id="fx5"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" id="fx6"><tr><td><iframe width="100%" height="245" scrolling="no" src="/bmcom/luke/2-9.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" class="maintable3"><tr><td><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center" id="announce"><tr><td><div id="l1"><div id="breadcrumbs"><a href="http://biblehub.com">Bible</a> > <a href="http://biblehub.com/commentaries/">Commentaries</a> > Luke 2:9</div><div id="anc"><iframe src="/anc.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></div><div id="anc2"><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><iframe src="/anc2.htm" width="100%" height="27" scrolling="no" frameborder="0"></iframe></td></tr></table></div></div></td></tr></table><div id="movebox2"><table border="0" align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0"><tr><td><div id="topheading"><a href="../luke/2-8.htm" title="Luke 2:8">◄</a> Luke 2:9 <a href="../luke/2-10.htm" title="Luke 2:10">►</a></div></td></tr></table></div><div align="center" class="maintable2"><table border="0" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"><tr><td><div id="topverse">And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.</div><div id="jump">Jump to: <a href="/commentaries/alford/luke/2.htm" title="Henry Alford - Greek Testament Critical Exegetical Commentary">Alford</a> • <a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/2.htm" title="Barnes' Notes">Barnes</a> • <a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/2.htm" title="Bengel's Gnomen">Bengel</a> • <a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/2.htm" title="Benson Commentary">Benson</a> • <a href="/commentaries/illustrator/luke/2.htm" title="Biblical Illustrator">BI</a> • <a href="/commentaries/calvin/luke/2.htm" title="Calvin's Commentaries">Calvin</a> • <a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/2.htm" title="Cambridge Bible">Cambridge</a> • <a href="/commentaries/clarke/luke/2.htm" title="Clarke's Commentary">Clarke</a> • <a href="/commentaries/darby/luke/2.htm" title="Darby's Bible Synopsis">Darby</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/2.htm" title="Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers">Ellicott</a> • <a href="/commentaries/expositors/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Bible">Expositor's</a> • <a href="/commentaries/edt/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Dictionary">Exp Dct</a> • <a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/2.htm" title="Expositor's Greek">Exp Grk</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gaebelein/luke/2.htm" title="Gaebelein's Annotated Bible">Gaebelein</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/2.htm" title="Geneva Study Bible">GSB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/2.htm" title="Gill's Bible Exposition">Gill</a> • <a href="/commentaries/gray/luke/2.htm" title="Gray's Concise">Gray</a> • <a href="/commentaries/guzik/luke/2.htm" title="Guzik Bible Commentary">Guzik</a> • <a href="/commentaries/haydock/luke/2.htm" title="Haydock Catholic Bible Commentary">Haydock</a> • <a href="/commentaries/hastings/luke/2-7.htm" title="Hastings Great Texts">Hastings</a> • <a href="/commentaries/homiletics/luke/2.htm" title="Pulpit Homiletics">Homiletics</a> • <a href="/commentaries/icc/luke/2.htm" title="ICC NT Commentary">ICC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/2.htm" title="Jamieson-Fausset-Brown">JFB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/kelly/luke/2.htm" title="Kelly Commentary">Kelly</a> • <a href="/commentaries/king-en/luke/2.htm" title="Kingcomments Bible Studies">King</a> • <a href="/commentaries/lange/luke/2.htm" title="Lange Commentary">Lange</a> • <a href="/commentaries/maclaren/luke/2.htm" title="MacLaren Expositions">MacLaren</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Henry Concise">MHC</a> • <a href="/commentaries/mhcw/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Henry Full">MHCW</a> • <a href="/commentaries/meyer/luke/2.htm" title="Meyer Commentary">Meyer</a> • <a href="/commentaries/parker/luke/2.htm" title="The People's Bible by Joseph Parker">Parker</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pnt/luke/2.htm" title="People's New Testament">PNT</a> • <a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/2.htm" title="Matthew Poole">Poole</a> • <a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/2.htm" title="Pulpit Commentary">Pulpit</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sermon/luke/2.htm" title="Sermon Bible">Sermon</a> • <a href="/commentaries/sco/luke/2.htm" title="Scofield Reference Notes">SCO</a> • <a href="/commentaries/ttb/luke/2.htm" title="Through The Bible">TTB</a> • <a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/2.htm" title="Vincent's Word Studies">VWS</a> • <a href="/commentaries/wes/luke/2.htm" title="Wesley's Notes">WES</a> • <a href="#tsk" title="Treasury of Scripture Knowledge">TSK</a></div><div id="leftbox"><div class="padleft"><div class="comtype">EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/ellicott/luke/2.htm">Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers</a></div>(9) <span class= "bld">Came upon them.</span>—The Greek verb, like the English, implies a sudden appearance. The form of the angel was probably, as in <a href="/mark/16-5.htm" title="And entering into the sepulcher, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, clothed in a long white garment; and they were affrighted.">Mark 16:5</a>, that of a young man in white apparel. (See Note on <a href="/luke/1-12.htm" title="And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell on him.">Luke 1:12</a>). The wings of angels are, without exception, an after-thought of Christian imagination, those of <a href="/isaiah/6-2.htm" title="Above it stood the seraphim: each one had six wings; with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he did fly.">Isaiah 6:2</a>, <a href="/ezekiel/1-6.htm" title="And every one had four faces, and every one had four wings.">Ezekiel 1:6</a>, <a href="/revelation/4-8.htm" title="And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, LORD God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.">Revelation 4:8</a>, being connected with the mysterious figures of the cherubim, the “living creatures” seen in apocalyptic vision.<p><span class= "bld">The glory of the Lord</span> <span class= "bld">. . .</span>—The word suggests the thought of the Shechinah, or cloud of intolerable brightness, which was the token of the divine presence in the Tabernacle and the Temple (<a href="/context/1_kings/8-10.htm" title="And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,">1Kings 8:10-11</a>; <a href="/context/isaiah/6-1.htm" title="In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.">Isaiah 6:1-3</a>). (See Note on <a href="/john/1-14.htm" title="And the Word was made flesh, and dwelled among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.">John 1:14</a>.) Never before had there been such a manifestation to such men as these. What had been the privilege of patriarchs and priests was now granted to shepherds, and the first proclamation of the glad tidings was to those who were poor in their outward life as well as in spirit.<p><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/benson/luke/2.htm">Benson Commentary</a></div><span class="bld"><a href="/context/luke/2-9.htm" title="And, see, the angel of the Lord came on them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid....">Luke 2:9-12</a></span>. <span class="ital">And lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them </span>— <span class="greekheb">Επεστη αυτοις</span>, <span class="ital">stood over them, </span>that is, appeared in a visible form, standing in the air over their heads; <span class="ital">and the glory of the Lord shone round about them </span>— Not only a great light, but such a glorious splendour as used to represent the presence of God, and was often attended with a host of angels, as here, <a href="/luke/2-13.htm" title="And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,">Luke 2:13</a>. <span class="ital">And they were sore afraid </span>— At so uncommon and so awful an appearance. <span class="ital">And the angel said </span>— In the mildest and most condescending manner; <span class="ital">Fear not </span>— Thus the angel Gabriel had encouraged Zacharias and Mary, <a href="/luke/1-12.htm" title="And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell on him.">Luke 1:12</a>; <a href="/luke/1-30.htm" title="And the angel said to her, Fear not, Mary: for you have found favor with God.">Luke 1:30</a>. As if he had said, The design of my appearing to you hath nothing terrible in it, but the contrary: <span class="ital">for behold, I bring you</span> <span class="ital">good tidings of great joy </span>— The original expression here is peculiar, <span class="greekheb">ευαγγελιζομαι υμιν χαραν μεγαλην</span>, <span class="ital">I evangelize unto you great joy. </span>So the Vulgate. Or, <span class="ital">I announce unto you good tidings, </span>which shall be matter of great joy, and that not only to you, and the Jewish nation in general, but <span class="ital">to all people, </span>to the whole human race: <span class="ital">for unto you, </span>and all mankind, <span class="ital">is born this day, </span>this welcome, blessed day, <span class="ital">a Saviour </span>— That Isaiah , 1 st, A <span class="ital">Deliverer </span>from ignorance and folly, from guilt, condemnation, and wrath, from depravity and weakness, in which the whole human race are involved through the fall of their first parents and their own actual transgressions; in other words, from sin, and all its consequences: 2d, A <span class="ital">Restorer </span>(so <span class="greekheb">σωτηρ </span>also means) to the favour and image of God, and communion with him, lost by the same fall: and, 3d, A <span class="ital">Preserver, </span>(as the same word also implies,) namely, unto eternal life; one as willing as able to <span class="ital">keep </span>such as perseveringly believe in him, <span class="ital">through faith, unto </span>final <span class="ital">salvation; </span>to <span class="ital">keep </span>them <span class="ital">from falling, </span>and to <span class="ital">present them faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy. Who is Christ </span>— The Messiah, the divinely — appointed Prophet, Priest, and King of his people; their <span class="ital">wisdom, righteousness, sanctification, and redemption; </span>and who is sufficiently qualified to sustain these unspeakably important offices and characters, because he is <span class="ital">the Lord, </span>God as well as man, <span class="ital">God manifest in the flesh, the Lord </span>that <span class="ital">in the beginning laid the foundations of the earth,</span> &c., <a href="/hebrews/1-10.htm" title="And, You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of your hands:">Hebrews 1:10</a>; and without whom <span class="ital">was not any thing made that was made, </span><a href="/john/1-3.htm" title="All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.">John 1:3</a>; <a href="/colossians/1-16.htm" title=" For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:">Colossians 1:16</a>. The message refers to <a href="/isaiah/9-6.htm" title="For to us a child is born, to us a son is given: and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.">Isaiah 9:6</a>, <span class="ital">Unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given. And this shall be a sign unto you </span>— The angel gives them a sign for the confirmation of their faith in this important matter. <span class="ital">You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling-clothes, </span>&c. — Doubtless they would expect to be told that they should find him, though a babe, dressed up in fine robes, and lying in state, in the best house of the town, with a numerous train of attendants: no, you will find him <span class="ital">lying in a manger</span>. And surely they might know him by this token, for what other babe could be found in so mean a condition? For the shepherds to have found the Messiah lying in a manger, might have scandalized them. It was therefore very proper that the angel should forewarn them of this circumstance, and make it the signal whereby they should distinguish him. When Christ was here on earth, he distinguished himself, and made himself remarkable, by nothing so much as the instances of his humiliation. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="mhc" id="mhc"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/mhc/luke/2.htm">Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary</a></div>2:8-20 Angels were heralds of the new-born Saviour, but they were only sent to some poor, humble, pious, industrious shepherds, who were in the business of their calling, keeping watch over their flock. We are not out of the way of Divine visits, when we are employed in an honest calling, and abide with God in it. Let God have the honour of this work; Glory to God in the highest. God's good-will to men, manifested in sending the Messiah, redounds to his praise. Other works of God are for his glory, but the redemption of the world is for his glory in the highest. God's goodwill in sending the Messiah, brought peace into this lower world. Peace is here put for all that good which flows to us from Christ's taking our nature upon him. This is a faithful saying, attested by an innumerable company of angels, and well worthy of all acceptation, That the good-will of God toward men, is glory to God in the highest, and peace on the earth. The shepherds lost no time, but came with haste to the place. They were satisfied, and made known abroad concerning this child, that he was the Saviour, even Christ the Lord. Mary carefully observed and thought upon all these things, which were so suited to enliven her holy affections. We should be more delivered from errors in judgment and practice, did we more fully ponder these things in our hearts. It is still proclaimed in our ears that to us is born a Saviour, Christ the Lord. These should be glad tidings to all.<a name="bar" id="bar"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/barnes/luke/2.htm">Barnes' Notes on the Bible</a></div>The glory of the Lord - This is the same as a "great" glory - that is, a splendid appearance or "light." The word "glory" is often the same as light, <a href="/1_corinthians/15-41.htm">1 Corinthians 15:41</a>; <a href="/luke/9-31.htm">Luke 9:31</a>; <a href="/acts/22-11.htm">Acts 22:11</a>. The words "Lord" and "God" are often used to denote "greatness" or "intensity." Thus, "trees of God" mean great trees; "hills of God," high or lofty hills, etc. So "the glory of the Lord" here means an exceedingly great or bright luminous appearance perhaps not unlike what Paul saw on the way to Damascus. <a name="jfb" id="jfb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/jfb/luke/2.htm">Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary</a></div>9. glory of the Lord—"the brightness or glory which is represented as encompassing all heavenly visions" [Olshausen].<p>sore afraid—So it ever was (Da 10:7, 8; Lu 1:12; Re 1:17). Men have never felt easy with the invisible world laid suddenly open to their gaze. It was never meant to be permanent; a momentary purpose was all it was intended to serve.<div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/poole/luke/2.htm">Matthew Poole's Commentary</a></div> Christ was promised to men who by their occupation were shepherds, <span class="bld"><a href="/genesis/47-3.htm" title="And Pharaoh said to his brothers, What is your occupation? And they said to Pharaoh, Your servants are shepherds, both we, and also our fathers.">Genesis 47:3</a></span>. He himself was the chief Shepherd, and the true Shepherd, <span class="bld"><a href="/john/10-11.htm" title="I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd gives his life for the sheep.">John 10:11</a></span>. The first publication of his birth is made to shepherds; not to shepherds that were idle, but busied in their honest vocations, keeping their flocks. This publication of his birth is made by an angel, whether the angel Gabriel before mentioned, or another, is not certain. This angel surprises the shepherds, cometh upon them thinking no such thing, but only minding their business. The angel comes in a glorious appearance, probably an extraordinary light, for it is said, it <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">shone round about them:</span> such an appearance of extraordinary light is <span class="bld"><a href="/luke/9-31.htm" title="Who appeared in glory, and spoke of his decease which he should accomplish at Jerusalem.">Luke 9:31</a>,32</span>. That <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="bld">they were sore afraid</span> was but natural; we are naturally affected at sudden and unusual appearances with fear and amazement. <span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="gil" id="gil"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gill/luke/2.htm">Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible</a></div>And lo, the angel of the Lord,.... It may be Gabriel, who had brought the tidings of the conception of the Messiah to the virgin, and now the birth of him to the shepherds: <p>came upon them; on a sudden, unexpectedly, at once, and stood by them, as some versions read; or rather, stood over them, over their heads, just above them; so that he was easily and perfectly seen by them, <p>and the glory of the Lord shone round about them; or a very glorious and extraordinary light shone with surprising lustre and brightness all around them; by which light, they could discern the illustrious form of the angel that was over them: <p>and they were sore afraid; at the sight of such a personage, and at such unusual light and glory about them: they were not used to such appearances, and were awed with the majesty of God, of which these were symbols, and were conscious to themselves of their own sinfulness and frailty. <a name="gsb" id="gsb"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/gsb/luke/2.htm">Geneva Study Bible</a></div><span class="cverse2">And, lo, the angel of the Lord <span class="cverse3">{e}</span> came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.</span><p>(e) Came suddenly upon them, when they were not at all thinking about such a matter.</div></div><div id="centbox"><div class="padcent"><div class="comtype">EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)</div><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/egt/luke/2.htm">Expositor's Greek Testament</a></div><a href="/luke/2-9.htm" title="And, see, the angel of the Lord came on them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.">Luke 2:9</a>. <span class="greekheb">ἐπέστη</span>, used elsewhere by Lk. in reference to angelic appearances, eighteen times in his writings in all = stood beside; one more than their number, suddenly.—<span class="greekheb">περιέλαμψεν</span>: here and in <a href="/acts/26-13.htm" title="At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me.">Acts 26:13</a>, only, in N. T. = shone around.—<span class="greekheb">ἐφοβήθησαν</span>, they feared greatly; yet they were not utterly unprepared, their thoughts had been of a Divine gracious visitation—waiting for the consolation of Israel; subjective and objective corresponding.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/cambridge/luke/2.htm">Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges</a></div><span class="bld">9</span>. <span class="ital">And lo</span>] The phrase often introduces some strange or memorable event.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">the angel</span>] Rather, <span class="bld">an Angel</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">came upon them</span>] <span class="ital">Epestê</span>—a common word in St Luke, who uses it eighteen times, <a href="/luke/24-4.htm" title="And it came to pass, as they were much perplexed thereabout, behold, two men stood by them in shining garments:">Luke 24:4</a>; <a href="/acts/12-7.htm" title="And, behold, the angel of the Lord came on him, and a light shined in the prison: and he smote Peter on the side, and raised him up, saying, Arise up quickly. And his chains fell off from his hands.">Acts 12:7</a>, &c. It may mean <span class="ital">stood by them</span>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><span class="ital">the glory of the Lord</span>] The Shechinah, or cloud of brightness which symbolised the Divine Presence, as in <a href="/exodus/24-16.htm" title="And the glory of the LORD stayed on mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it six days: and the seventh day he called to Moses out of the middle of the cloud.">Exodus 24:16</a>; <a href="/1_kings/8-10.htm" title="And it came to pass, when the priests were come out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the LORD,">1 Kings 8:10</a>; <a href="/context/isaiah/6-1.htm" title="In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the LORD sitting on a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple....">Isaiah 6:1-3</a>; <a href="/acts/7-55.htm" title="But he, being full of the Holy Ghost, looked up steadfastly into heaven, and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God,">Acts 7:55</a>. See on <a href="/luke/1-35.htm" title="And the angel answered and said to her, The Holy Ghost shall come on you, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow you: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of you shall be called the Son of God.">Luke 1:35</a>. The presence of the Shechinah was reckoned as one of the most precious blessings of Israel, <a href="/romans/9-4.htm" title="Who are Israelites; to whom pertains the adoption, and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God, and the promises;">Romans 9:4</a>.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/bengel/luke/2.htm">Bengel's Gnomen</a></div><a href="/luke/2-9.htm" title="And, see, the angel of the Lord came on them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.">Luke 2:9</a>. <span class="greekheb">Ἄγγελος</span>, <span class="ital">the angel</span>) In every instance of Christ’s humiliation, measures were taken by a kind of befitting protest [precaution against His humility causing His divinity to be lost sight of], to secure the recognition of His divine glory. In this passage this was effected by the announcement of the angel: in His circumcision, by means of the giving to Him the name ‘Jesus’ [= <span class="ital">God</span> Saviour]: in His purification, by the testimony of Simeon: in His baptism, by the objection John the Baptist raised [John forbade Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized of Thee,” etc., <a href="/matthew/3-14.htm" title="But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you, and come you to me?">Matthew 3:14</a>]: in His passion, by ways and means far exceeding in number all the previous instances.<span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a name="pul" id="pul"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/pulpit/luke/2.htm">Pulpit Commentary</a></div><span class="cmt_sub_title">Verse 9.</span> - <span class="cmt_word">The angel of the Lord came upon them</span>; better, an angel. The Greek word rendered "came upon them" - a very favorite word with St. Luke - suggests a sudden appearance. <span class="cmt_word">The glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid.</span> The white shining cloud of intolerable brightness, known among the Jews as the Shechinah, the visible token of the presence of the Eternal, in the bush, in the pillar of fire and cloud which guided the desert-wanderings, in the tabernacle and the temple. It shone round the Redeemer on the Mount of Transfiguration. It robed him when, risen, he appeared to the Pharisee Saul outside Damascus. The occasional presence of this visible glory was exceedingly precious to the chosen people. The terror felt by the shepherds was the natural awe ever felt by man when brought into visible communion with the dwellers in the so-called spirit-world. Luke 2:9<a name="vws" id="vws"></a><div class="vheading2"><a href="/commentaries/vws/luke/2.htm">Vincent's Word Studies</a></div>Behold<p>Omitted by the best texts.<p>The angel<p>More correctly an angel, as Rev. The Greek has no article.<p>Came upon (ἐπέστη)<p>The word is used in this sense in classical Greek, as well as in that of to stand by, which Rev. prefers here, as in <a href="/acts/12-7.htm">Acts 12:7</a>. In <a href="/luke/2-38.htm">Luke 2:38</a> of this chapter, Rev. renders coming up. The rendering to come upon has a hostile flavor, as properly in <a href="http://biblehub.com/acts/17-5.htm">Acts 17:5</a>, where the verb is rendered assaulted; so that the Rev. rendering here is preferable.<p>They were sore afraid<p>Lit., feared with great fear. <div class="vheading2">Links</div><a href="/interlinear/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Interlinear</a><br /><a href="/texts/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Parallel Texts</a><br /><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/niv/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 NIV</a><br /><a href="/nlt/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 NLT</a><br /><a href="/esv/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 ESV</a><br /><a href="/nasb/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 NASB</a><br /><a href="/kjv/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 KJV</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="http://bibleapps.com/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Bible Apps</a><br /><a href="/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Parallel</a><br /><a href="http://bibliaparalela.com/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Biblia Paralela</a><br /><a href="http://holybible.com.cn/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 Chinese Bible</a><br /><a href="http://saintebible.com/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 French Bible</a><br /><a href="http://bibeltext.com/luke/2-9.htm">Luke 2:9 German Bible</a><span class="p"><br /><br /></span><a href="/">Bible Hub</a><br /></div></div></td></tr></table></div><div id="mdd"><div align="center"><div class="bot2"><table align="center" width="100%"><tr><td align="center"><div align="center"> <script id="3d27ed63fc4348d5b062c4527ae09445"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=51ce25d5-1a8c-424a-8695-4bd48c750f35&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script> <script id="b817b7107f1d4a7997da1b3c33457e03"> (new Image()).src = 'https://capi.connatix.com/tr/si?token=cb0edd8b-b416-47eb-8c6d-3cc96561f7e8&cid=3a9f82d0-4344-4f8d-ac0c-e1a0eb43a405'; </script><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-2'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-0' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-3'> </div><br /><br />  <div id='div-gpt-ad-1529103594582-1' style='max-width: 300px;'> </div><br /><br />  <div align="center" id='div-gpt-ad-1531425649696-0'> </div><br /><br /> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:inline-block;width:200px;height:200px" data-ad-client="ca-pub-3753401421161123" data-ad-slot="3592799687"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); </script><br /><br /> </div> <div id="left"><a href="../luke/2-8.htm" onmouseover='lft.src="/leftgif.png"' onmouseout='lft.src="/left.png"' title="Luke 2:8"><img src="/left.png" name="lft" border="0" alt="Luke 2:8" /></a></div><div id="right"><a href="../luke/2-10.htm" onmouseover='rght.src="/rightgif.png"' onmouseout='rght.src="/right.png"' title="Luke 2:10"><img src="/right.png" name="rght" border="0" alt="Luke 2:10" /></a></div><div id="botleft"><a href="#" onmouseover='botleft.src="/botleftgif.png"' onmouseout='botleft.src="/botleft.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botleft.png" name="botleft" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div><div id="botright"><a href="#" onmouseover='botright.src="/botrightgif.png"' onmouseout='botright.src="/botright.png"' title="Top of Page"><img src="/botright.png" name="botright" border="0" alt="Top of Page" /></a></div> <div id="bot"><iframe width="100%" height="1500" scrolling="no" src="/botmenubhnew2.htm" frameborder="0"></iframe></div></td></tr></table></div></body></html>