Verse of the Day 2.22.18: Luke 2:19
Today, C4C is studying Luke 2:1-20 — The Lukan narrative of the birth of Jesus. In contrast to those who were merely amazed (Lk 2:18) at the shepherd’s proclamation of the Good News relayed to them by the angel (Lk 2:8-18), Mary treasured up and pondered in her heart all that had taken place.1
Text
19 ἡ δὲ Μαριὰμ πάντα συνετήρει τὰ ῥήματα ταῦτα συμβάλλουσα ἐν τῇ καρδίᾳ αὐτῆς.2
19 But Mary treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart.3
C4C Translation
But Mary treasured up all of these matters, pondering them in her heart.
Treasured
Mary treasured or, more literally, “preserved together” (συντηρέω | syntēreō)4 all these matters in her heart. This verb is in the imperfect tense, indicating that the action was ongoing. Mary continually considered “the events as a whole so that she was able to discern their meaning.”5
The wording here is virtually identical to that of Luke 2:51. As such, many commentators over the centuries have maintained that the source of these accounts in Luke is none other than Mary herself. In his historical investigation, Luke plausibly interviewed Mary (cf. Lk 1:3), and relayed the innermost thoughts that she pondered in her heart.6
Moreover, the root of the verb is shared by διατηρέω (diatēreō) which is the word used in the Septuagint (ancient Greek translation of the Old Testament) in Gen 37:11 when Jacob “keeps in mind” the prophetic dream of his son Joseph.
Matters
The word translated matters (ῥῆμα | rhēma) is a Hebraism of the Hebrew word דָּבָר (dābār), which can mean both “word” or “matter, thing.”7
All these matters refers not just to only the words of the shepherds, but all that has been recounted since Luke 1:5.8
Commentary
The but at the beginning of the verse indicates a contrast. To marvel at the Good News is one thing, to ponder it in one’s heart is another.
Heart
In our society, when we think of one’s figurative heart, what comes to mind is often “the emotional or moral as distinguished from the intellectual nature.”9 However, this is not a correct understanding of the biblical metaphor. In the Bible, the heart (καρδία | kardia (like cardio)) is not just the seat of the emotions, but the “seat of physical, spiritual and mental life.”10 Equating “heart” with intellect is now, according to Webster’s Dictionary, antiquated — “obsolete.”11 Yet, in the Bible, a person’s “heart” is often “thinking, feeling, and volition.”12 Biblically speaking, there is no strict dichotomy between “heart” and “mind.”
One’s heart thinks, feels, desires, wills, loves, and more.13
Think About Such Things
I say that to say, like Mary, when we hear the Good News, when we hear a good sermon, when we study the word of the LORD, I think, in our hearts, we too should ponder, consider, deliberate, think — in order to discern and endeavor to understand.
Whatever is true, noble, right(eous), pure, lovely, admirable, excellent, worthy of praising the LORD for — let us think about such things (Php 4:8).14
Memorization
Memorize Luke 2:19 after watching a brief video tutorial illustrating the How To Memorize Any Bible Verse in Less Than Five Minutes method below:
Sources
- “Although not characterized as necessarily negative in tone, “amazement” is not tantamount to faith and is no guarantee that a correct understanding of the extraordinary has or will be reached. This is the response of the undifferentiated crowds in 2:18, but not of Mary. For her, more reflection is needed in order to appreciate fully the meaning of this concurrence of events, and her pondering is with a view to hitting on the right meaning of these things.” Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, The New International Commentary on the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., 1997), 138.
- Barbara Aland et al., eds., The Greek New Testament, Fifth Revised Edition (Stuttgart, Germany: Deutsche Bibelgesellschaft, 2014), Lk 2:19.
- The New International Version (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2011), Lk 2:19
- Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 488.
- I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 114.
- Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 110. I. Howard Marshall, The Gospel of Luke: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Exeter: Paternoster Press, 1978), 114.
- James R. Edwards, The Gospel according to Luke, ed. D. A. Carson, The Pillar New Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.; Nottingham, England: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos, 2015), 79.
- Robert H. Stein, Luke, vol. 24, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1992), 110.
- Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003).
- William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 508.
- “obsolete: INTELLECT” Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary. (Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003)
- William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2000), 508.
- “καρδία…heart, mind, the seat of the inner life (thoughts, emotions, will), interior…” Moisés Silva, ed., New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan, 2014), 622.
- Richard R. Melick, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, vol. 32, The New American Commentary (Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers, 1991), 150.