The Meaning of Luke 1:9 Explained

Luke 1:9

KJV: According to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

YLT: according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot was to make perfume, having gone into the sanctuary of the Lord,

Darby: it fell to him by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter into the temple of the Lord to burn incense.

ASV: according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.

KJV Reverse Interlinear

According  to the custom  of the priest's office,  his lot  was to burn incense  when he went  into  the temple  of the Lord. 

What does Luke 1:9 Mean?

Context Summary

Luke 1:1-12 - The Beginning Of The Good News
The opening verses are very explicit. They are answer enough to those who question the story of our Lord's supernatural birth and early years. Luke did not catch up the first legend that floated past him. He made searching inquiry. Doctor Weymouth renders the words in Luke 1:3, "having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first," as, "After careful examination of the facts from the commencement."
That our Lord should come into our race under special and supernatural conditions was as it should have been; but the historicity of this story largely rests on the careful investigations of "the beloved physician," who was authenticated by Paul.
The priests were divided into 24 courses, and shared the Temple services for a week each, the work of each priest being decided by lot, 1 Chronicles 24:1-31. Sweeter than the incense which he sprinkled on the coals, was Zacharias' own prayer, commemorated in the name given to his son, "God's gracious gift," Exodus 30:7-8; Revelation 8:3, etc. [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 1:9

His lot was [ελαχε]
Literally, he obtained the lot. Second aorist active indicative of λαγχανω — lagchanō to obtain by lot, a very old verb from Homer on. It is used either with the genitive as here, or the accusative as in Acts 1:17; 2 Peter 1:1. Papyri show examples with the accusative. It was only once in a lifetime that a priest obtained the lot of going The fortunate lot was “a white stone” to which Revelation 2:17 may refer. [source]
Burn incense [του τυμιασαι]
Here only in the N.T. Occurs on inscriptions. Hobart finds it used by medical writers for fumigating herbs. “Ascending the steps to the Holy Place, the priests spread the coals on the golden altar, and arranged the incense, and the chief operating priest was then left alone within the Holy Place to await the signal of the president to burn the incense. It was probably at this time that the angel appeared to Zacharias” (Vincent). [source]
His lot was [ἔλαχε]
Four lots were drawn to determine the order of the ministry of the day: the first, before daybreak, to designate the priests who were to cleanse the altar and prepare its fires; the second for the priest who was to offer the sacrifice and cleanse the candlestick and the altar of incense; the third for the priest who should burn incense; and the fourth appointing those who were to lay the sacrifice and meat-offering on the altar, and pour out the drink-offering. There are said to have been twenty thousand priests in Christ's time, so that no priest would ever offer incense more than once. [source]
Temple [ναὸν]
The sanctuary. See on Matthew 4:5. [source]
Burn incense [θυμιᾶσαι]
Only here in New Testament. The incensing priest and his assistants went first to the altar of burnt-offering, and filled a golden censer with incense, and placed burning coals from the altar in a golden bowl. As they passed into the court from the Holy Place they struck a large instrument called the Magrephah, which summoned all the ministers to their places. Ascending the steps to the holy place, the priests spread the coals on the golden altar, and arranged the incense, and the chief officiating priest was then left alone within the Holy Place to await the signal of the president to burn the incense. It was probably at this time that the angel appeared to Zacharias. When the signal was given, the whole multitude withdrew from the inner court, and fell down before the Lord. Silence pervaded the temple, while within, the clouds of incense rose up before Jehovah. (For a more detailed account see Edersheim, “The Temple, its Ministry,” etc.). [source]

Reverse Greek Commentary Search for Luke 1:9

Matthew 4:5 Pinnacle of the temple [τὸ πτερέγιον τοῦἱροῦ]
Pinnacle, from the Latin pinnaculum, a diminutive of pinna or penna (awing )is a literal translation of πτερύγιον , which is also a diminutive (a little wing or winglet )Nothing in the word compels us to infer that Christ was placed on the top of a tower or spire, which is the popular meaning of pinnacle. The word may be used in the familiar English sense of the wing of a building. Herod's temple had two wings, the northern and southern, of which the southern was the higher and grander; that being the direction in which the chief enlargement of the temple area made by Herod was practicable. That enlargement, according to Josephus, was effected by building up walls of solid masonry from the valley below. At the extremity of the southern side of the area, was erected the “royal portico,” a magnificent colonnade, consisting of a nave and two aisles, running across the entire space from the eastern to the western wall. Josephus further says, that “while the valley of itself was very deep, and its bottom could scarcely be seen when one looked down from above, the additional vastly high elevation of the portico was placed on that height, insomuch that, if any one looked down from the summit of the roof, combining the two altitudes in one stretch of vision, he would be giddy, while his sight could not reach to such an immense depth.” This, in comparison with the northern wing, was so emphatically the wing of the temple as to explain the use of the article here, as a well-known locality. The scene of the temptation may have been (for the whole matter is mainly one of conjecture) the roof of this portico, at the southeastern angle, where it joined Solomon's Porch, and from which the view into the Kedron valley beneath was to the depth of four hundred and fifty feet. The word temple ( ἱερόν , lit., sacred place )-DIVIDER-
signifies the whole compass of the sacred inclosure, with its porticos, courts, and other subordinate buildings; and should be carefully distinguished from the other word, ναός , also rendered temple, which means the temple itself - the “Holy-DIVIDER-
Place” and the “Holy of Holies.” When we read, for instance, of Christ teaching in the temple ( ἱερόν )we must refer it to one of the temple-porches. So it is from the ἰερόν , the court of the Gentiles, that Christ expels the money-changers and cattle-merchants. In Matthew 27:51, it is the veil of the ναός which is rent; the veil separating the holy place from the holy of holies. In the account of Zacharias entering into the temple of the Lord to burn incense (Luke 1:9), the word is ναός , the holy place in which the altar of incense stood. The people were “without,” in the fore-courts. In John 2:21, the temple of his body, ἱερόν , would be obviously inappropriate. -DIVIDER-
-DIVIDER-
[source]

John 19:24 Let us not rend it [μη σχισωμεν αυτον]
Μη — Mē with first aorist active volitive subjunctive of σχιζω — schizō to split. It was too valuable to ruin. Cast lots Second aorist active volitive subjunctive of λαγχανω — lagchanō The usual meaning is to obtain by lot (Luke 1:9; Acts 1:17). Field (Ot. Norv. 72) holds that no example has been found where it means “cast lots” as here, but Thayer cites Isocrates, p. 144b and Diod. 4, 63. John here quotes with the usual formula Psalm 22:18 (lxx verbatim) and finds a fulfilment here. The enemies of the Lord‘s Anointed treated him as already dead (Westcott) and so cast lots (ελαβον κληρον — elabon klēron the common phrase as in Matthew 27:35). [source]
Acts 1:17 Obtained [ἔλαχε]
Strictly, “received by lot. ” Rev., better, received. Compare Luke 1:9. In classical Greek, of receiving public magistracies. [source]
Acts 1:17 Received his portion [ελαχεν τον κληρον]
Second aorist active indicative of λαγχανω — lagchanō old verb, to obtain by lot as in Luke 1:9; John 19:24, especially by divine appointment as here and 2 Peter 2:1. Κληρος — Klēros also means lot, an object used in casting lots (Acts 1:26), or what is obtained by lot as here and Acts 8:21, of eternal salvation (Acts 26:18; Colossians 1:12), of persons chosen by divine appointment (1 Peter 5:3). From this latter usage the Latin cleros, clericus, our clergy, one chosen by divine lot. So Peter says that Judas “obtained by lot the lot of this ministry” (διακονιας — diakonias) which he had when he betrayed Jesus. The Master chose him and gave him his opportunity. [source]
Hebrews 7:5 The office of the priesthood [τὴν ἱερατίαν]
Only here and Luke 1:9. [source]
Hebrews 10:25 As the manner of some is [καθὼς ἔθος τισίν]
For manner rend. custom. Lit. as is custom unto some. Ἔθος mostly in Luke and Acts. Comp. Luke 1:9; John 19:40. [source]
Hebrews 7:5 The priest‘s office [την ιερατειαν]
lxx and Koiné word from ιερευς — hiereus in N.T. only here and Luke 1:9. To take tithes Present active infinitive (in -οιν — oin not -ουν — oun as the best MSS. give it) of αποδεκατοω — apodekatoō a lxx word Brethren (λαον — adelphous). Accusative case in apposition with τουτ εστιν — laon (people) unaffected by the explanatory phrase καιπερ εχεληλυτοτας — tout' estin (that is). Though come out (καιπερ — kaiper exelēluthotas). Concessive participle (cf. Hebrews 5:8) with εχερχομαι — kaiper (perfect active of exerchomai). [source]
2 Peter 1:1 To them that have obtained [τοῖς λαχοῦσιν]
Lit., obtained by lot. So Luke 1:9; John 19:24. In the sense which it has here it is used by Peter (Acts 1:17) of Judas, who had obtained part of this ministry. In this sense it occurs only in that passage and here. [source]
2 Peter 1:1 To them that have obtained [τοις λαχουσιν]
Dative plural articular participle second aorist active of λαγχανω — lagchanō old verb, to obtain by lot (Luke 1:9), here with the accusative (πιστιν — pistin) as in Acts 1:17. [source]
2 Peter 1:1 Servant and apostle [δουλος και αποστολος]
Like Romans 1:1; Titus 1:1.To them that have obtained (τοις λαχουσιν — tois lachousin). Dative plural articular participle second aorist active of λαγχανω — lagchanō old verb, to obtain by lot (Luke 1:9), here with the accusative (πιστιν — pistin) as in Acts 1:17.Like precious Late compound adjective Associative-instrumental case after ισοτιμον — isotimon Equal to τηι ημων — tēi hēmōn (the faith of us).In the righteousness Definite because of the preposition εν — en and the following genitive even though anarthrous. The O.T. sense of δικαιοσυνη — dikaiosunē applied to God (Romans 1:17) and here to Christ.Of our God and Saviour Jesus Christ (του τεου ημων και σωτηρος Ιησου Χριστου — tou theou hēmōn kai sōtēros Iēsou Christou). So the one article (του — tou) with τεου — theou and σωτηρος — sōtēros requires precisely as with του κυριου ημων και σωτηρος Ιησου Χριστου — tou kuriou hēmōn kai sōtēros Iēsou Christou (of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ), one person, not two, in 2 Peter 1:11 as in 2 Peter 2:20; 2 Peter 3:2, 2 Peter 3:18. So in 1 Peter 1:3 we have ο τεος και πατηρ — ho theos kai patēr (the God and Father), one person, not two. The grammar is uniform and inevitable (Robertson, Grammar, p. 786), as even Schmiedel (Winer-Schmiedel, Grammatik, p. 158) admits: “Grammar demands that one person be meant.” Moulton (Prol., p. 84) cites papyri examples of like usage of τεος — theos for the Roman emperors. See the same idiom in Titus 2:13. The use of τεος — theos by Peter as a predicate with Jesus Christ no more disproves the Petrine authorship of this Epistle than a like use in John 1:1 disproves the Johannine authorship of the Fourth Gospel and the same use in Titus 2:13 disproves the genuineness of Titus. Peter had heard Thomas call Jesus God (John 20:28) and he himself had called him the Son of God (Matthew 16:16). [source]
Revelation 5:8 Prayers []
For incense as the symbol of prayer, see Leviticus 16:12, Leviticus 16:13; Psalm 141:2. See on Luke 1:9. Edersheim, describing the offering of incense in the temple, says: “As the President gave the word of command which marked that 'the time of incense had come,' the whole multitude of the people without withdrew from the inner court and fell down before the Lord, spreading their hands in silent prayer. It is this most solemn period, when, throughout the vast temple-buildings, deep silence rested on the worshipping multitude, while within the sanctuary itself the priest laid the incense on the golden altar, and the cloud of odors rose up before the Lord, which serves as the image of heavenly things in Revelation (Revelation 8:1, Revelation 8:3, Revelation 8:4). The prayers offered by priests and people at this part of the service are recorded by tradition as follows: 'True it is that Thou art Jehovah, our God and the God of our fathers; our King and the King of our fathers; our Savior and the Rock of our salvation; our Help and our Deliverer. Thy name is from everlasting, and there is no God beside Thee. A new song did they that were delivered sing to Thy name by the seashore. Together did all praise and own Thee as King, and say, 'Jehovah shall reign who saveth Israel.'” Compare “the Song of Moses,” Revelation 15:3, and “a new song,” Revelation 5:9. [source]
Revelation 5:8 Fell down [επεσαν]
Second aorist active indicative of πιπτω — piptō with first aorist “Holding.”A harp Old word, the traditional instrument (lyre or zithern) for psalmody (Psalm 33:2; Psalm 98:5, etc.).Golden bowls (πιαλας χρυσας — phialas chrusās). Broad shallow saucers, old word, in N.T. only in Revelation 5:8; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 16:1-4, Revelation 16:8, Revelation 16:10, Revelation 16:12, Revelation 16:17; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9.Of incense Old word from τυμιαω — thumiaō to burn incense (Luke 1:9), as in Luke 1:10.Which are (αι εισιν — hai eisin). “Which (these bowls of incense) symbolize the prayers of the saints” as in Psalm 140:2; Luke 1:10. [source]
Revelation 5:8 A harp [κιταραν]
Old word, the traditional instrument (lyre or zithern) for psalmody (Psalm 33:2; Psalm 98:5, etc.).Golden bowls (πιαλας χρυσας — phialas chrusās). Broad shallow saucers, old word, in N.T. only in Revelation 5:8; Revelation 15:7; Revelation 16:1-4, Revelation 16:8, Revelation 16:10, Revelation 16:12, Revelation 16:17; Revelation 17:1; Revelation 21:9.Of incense Old word from τυμιαω — thumiaō to burn incense (Luke 1:9), as in Luke 1:10.Which are (αι εισιν — hai eisin). “Which (these bowls of incense) symbolize the prayers of the saints” as in Psalm 140:2; Luke 1:10. [source]
Revelation 5:8 Of incense [τυμιαματων]
Old word from τυμιαω — thumiaō to burn incense (Luke 1:9), as in Luke 1:10.Which are (αι εισιν — hai eisin). “Which (these bowls of incense) symbolize the prayers of the saints” as in Psalm 140:2; Luke 1:10. [source]

What do the individual words in Luke 1:9 mean?

according to the custom of the priesthood it fell to him by lot - to burn incense having entered into the temple of the Lord
κατὰ τὸ ἔθος τῆς ἱερατείας ἔλαχε τοῦ θυμιᾶσαι εἰσελθὼν εἰς τὸν ναὸν τοῦ Κυρίου

κατὰ  according  to 
Parse: Preposition
Root: κατά 
Sense: down from, through out.
ἔθος  custom 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Neuter Singular
Root: ἔθος  
Sense: custom.
τῆς  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
ἱερατείας  priesthood 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Feminine Singular
Root: ἱερατεία  
Sense: the priesthood, the office of a priest.
ἔλαχε  it  fell  to  him  by  lot 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Indicative Active, 3rd Person Singular
Root: λαγχάνω  
Sense: to obtain by lot.
τοῦ  - 
Parse: Article, Genitive Neuter Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
θυμιᾶσαι  to  burn  incense 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Infinitive Active
Root: θυμιάω  
Sense: to burn incense.
εἰσελθὼν  having  entered 
Parse: Verb, Aorist Participle Active, Nominative Masculine Singular
Root: εἰσέρχομαι  
Sense: to go out or come in: to enter.
εἰς  into 
Parse: Preposition
Root: εἰς  
Sense: into, unto, to, towards, for, among.
ναὸν  temple 
Parse: Noun, Accusative Masculine Singular
Root: ναός  
Sense: used of the temple at Jerusalem, but only of the sacred edifice (or sanctuary) itself, consisting of the Holy place and the Holy of Holies (in classical Greek it is used of the sanctuary or cell of the temple, where the image of gold was placed which is distinguished from the whole enclosure).
τοῦ  of  the 
Parse: Article, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root:  
Sense: this, that, these, etc.
Κυρίου  Lord 
Parse: Noun, Genitive Masculine Singular
Root: κύριος  
Sense: he to whom a person or thing belongs, about which he has power of deciding; master, lord.