Luke 1

The Lord their God, whom John goes before

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. Luke 1:16–17

Gabriel says John will go before 'the Lord their God.' The one John actually prepared the way for was Jesus, so Israel's God, Jehovah, is Jesus Christ come in the flesh.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfils Malachi 3:1 — My messenger shall prepare the way before me
• fulfils Isaiah 40:3 — Prepare ye the way of the LORD
• alludes to Malachi 4:5-6 — Elijah turning the heart of the fathers to the children
• the same event in D&C 27:7 — Elias visited Zacharias and promised him a son named John

Jesus

Jesus — Greek form of Joshua (Yehoshua), 'Jehovah is salvation' or 'Jehovah saves'

And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, Luke 1:26–31

Heaven itself chooses the name Jesus, which means 'Jehovah saves.' The virgin birth in Nazareth fulfills prophecies given centuries earlier in both the Bible and the Book of Mormon.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfils Isaiah 7:14 — A virgin shall conceive, and bear a son
• fulfils 1 Nephi 11:13-20 — Nephi sees the virgin in the city of Nazareth
• fulfils Mosiah 3:8 — His mother shall be called Mary
• fulfils Alma 7:10 — He shall be born of Mary... she being a virgin
• the same title in Matthew 1:21 — Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins

Son of the Highest

Son of the Highest — Son of the Most High God, the Father

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: Luke 1:32

Gabriel gives Mary's child a title no other baby has: the Son of God the Father, the Most High.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in Mark 5:7 — Jesus, thou Son of the most high God

Heir of David's throne, eternal King

He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: Luke 1:32–33

God promised David that his throne would last forever. Jesus is the King who fulfills that promise, and His kingdom will never end.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfils 2 Samuel 7:12-16 — The Lord promises David a seed whose throne shall be established for ever
• fulfils Isaiah 9:6-7 — Of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end, upon the throne of David
• alludes to Daniel 7:14 — An everlasting dominion, a kingdom that shall not be destroyed

Son of God — the Only Begotten in the flesh

Son of God — literally the Son of God the Father

Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? Luke 1:34–35

Jesus is the Son of God in a literal way: His mortal mother is Mary and His Father is God. That is why He is called the Only Begotten of the Father in the flesh.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfils 1 Nephi 11:18-21 — The virgin is the mother of the Son of God, after the manner of the flesh
• fulfils Alma 7:10 — Overshadowed and conceive by the power of the Holy Ghost

My Lord (the unborn Jesus)

And it came to pass, that, when Elisabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb; and Elisabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost: Luke 1:41–44

Before Jesus is even born, the Holy Ghost tells Elisabeth that Mary's child is her Lord, and unborn John leaps for joy. These are the first human witnesses of Christ in Luke.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfils Luke 1:15 — John filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb

God my Saviour

Saviour — one who rescues and delivers

And Mary said, My soul doth magnify the Lord, Luke 1:46–49

Mary praises 'God my Saviour.' In the Old Testament the LORD (Jehovah) declares that He alone is the Saviour, and the Saviour is the very child she carries.

How we know: the verse itself names Him · the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in Isaiah 43:11 — I, even I, am the LORD; and beside me there is no saviour
• alludes to 1 Samuel 2:1-2 — Hannah's song of rejoicing in the LORD's salvation

Promise to Abraham and his seed

He hath holpen his servant Israel, in remembrance of his mercy; Luke 1:54–55

Mary sees her son's coming as God keeping His promise to Abraham. Paul teaches that the promised seed through whom all nations are blessed is Christ.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfils Genesis 22:18 — In thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed
• interpreted by Galatians 3:16 — To thy seed, which is Christ

Lord God of Israel who visits and redeems

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying, Luke 1:67–68

By the Holy Ghost, Zacharias praises the God of Israel for coming to visit and redeem His people. The God of Israel came in person as Jesus Christ, the Redeemer.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in 3 Nephi 11:14 — The risen Christ: I am the God of Israel... slain for the sins of the world
• the same title in Isaiah 44:6 — The LORD the King of Israel, and his redeemer the LORD of hosts

Horn of Salvation

Horn of Salvation — a mighty power that saves; in scripture a horn stands for strength and kingly might

And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; Luke 1:69–73

A 'horn' in scripture means strength. Zacharias calls the coming Messiah from David's house a mighty Saviour, the one all the holy prophets spoke of since the world began.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• the same title in Psalm 18:2 — The LORD... the horn of my salvation
• the same title in 2 Samuel 22:3 — The horn of my salvation
• fulfils Psalm 132:17 — There will I make the horn of David to bud
• fulfils Genesis 22:16-18 — The oath sworn to Abraham
• alluded to by Acts 3:21 — Spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began

The Lord whose way John prepares

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; Luke 1:76–77

Zacharias prophesies that his baby will prepare the way of 'the Lord,' the LORD of Isaiah and Malachi, who is Jesus. Salvation will come through the remission of sins that Christ makes possible.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him

• fulfils Isaiah 40:3 — Prepare ye the way of the LORD
• fulfils Malachi 3:1 — He shall prepare the way before me
• fulfils 1 Nephi 10:7-8 — Lehi foretells a prophet who shall prepare the way of the Lord

Dayspring from on High

Dayspring — the dawn; the rising light that comes from heaven

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us, Luke 1:78–79

Christ is pictured as the sunrise breaking over a world sitting in darkness. He brings light, hope, and peace to people in the shadow of death.

How we know: the chapter heading names Him · a footnote points to Him · a Church study aid lists it

• fulfils Isaiah 9:2 — They that dwell in the land of the shadow of death, upon them hath the light shined
• alludes to Malachi 4:2 — The Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings