Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Luke: Chapter 2]
and all day. She never missed a service in the temple.
2:38 {Coming up} (\epist•sa\). Second aorist active participle.
The word often has the notion of coming suddenly or bursting in
as of Martha in Lu 10:40. But here it probably means coming up
and standing by and so hearing Simeon's wonderful words so that
her words form a kind of footnote to his. {Gave thanks}
(\anth•mologeito\). Imperfect middle of a verb (\anthomologe•\)
in common use in Greek writers and in the LXX though here alone
in the N.T. It had the idea of a mutual agreement or of saying
something before one (\anti\). Anna was evidently deeply moved
and repeated her thanksgiving and kept speaking (\elalei\,
imperfect again) "to all them that were looking for
(\prosdechomenois\, as in 1:35 of Simeon) the redemption of
Jerusalem (\lutr•sin Ierousal•m\)." There was evidently a group
of such spirits that gathered in the temple either men around her
and Simeon or whom she met from time to time. There was thus a
nucleus of old saints in Jerusalem prepared for the coming of the
Messiah when he at last appears as the Messiah in Jerusalem (John
2 and 3). These probably all passed away. But they had a happy
hour of hope and joy. The late MSS. have "in Jerusalem" but "of
Jerusalem" is correct. What they meant by the "redemption of
Jerusalem" is not clear, whether political or spiritual or both.
Simeon was looking for the consolation of Israel (2:25) and
Zacharias (1:68) sang of redemption for Israel (Isa 40:2).
2:39 {To their own city Nazareth} (\eis polin heaut•n Nazaret\).
See on Mt 2:23 about Nazareth. Luke tells nothing of the flight
to Egypt and the reason for the return to Nazareth instead of
Bethlehem, the place of the birth of Jesus as told in Mt
2:13-23. But then neither Gospel gives all the details of this
period. Luke has also nothing about the visit of the wise men
(Mt 2:1-12) as Matthew tells nothing of the shepherds and of
Simeon and Anna (Lu 2:8-28). The two Gospels supplement each
other.
2:40 {The child grew} (\•uxane\). Imperfect indicative of a very
ancient verb (\auxan•\). This child grew and waxed strong
(\ekrataiouto\, imperfect middle), a hearty vigorous little boy
(\paidion\). Both verbs Luke used in 1:80 of the growth of John
the Baptist as a child. Then he used also \pneumati\, in spirit.
Here in addition to the bodily development Luke has "filled with
wisdom" (\pl•roumenon sophi•i\). Present passive participle,
showing that the process of filling with wisdom kept pace with
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