SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:15
Porque ser grande delante de Dios, y no beber vino ni sidra; y ser lleno del Espíritu Santo, aun desde el vientre de su madre.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 1:15
Verse 15. He shall be great in the sight of the Lord] That is, before Jesus Christ, whose forerunner he shall be; or he shall be a truly great person, for so this form of speech may imply. Neither wine nor strong drink] sikera, i.e. all fermented liquors which have the property of intoxicating, or producing drunkenness. The original word sikera, sikera, comes from the Hebrew, rk shakar, to inebriate.
"Any inebriating liquor," says St. Jerome, (Epis. ad Nepot.)" is called sicera, whether made of corn, apples, honey, dates, or any other fruits." One of the four prohibited liquors among the East Indian Moslimans is called sikkir. "Sikkir is made by steeping fresh dates in water till they take effect in sweetening it: this liquor is abominable and unlawful." HEDAYA, vol. iv. p. 158. Probably this is the very liquor referred to in the text. In the Institutes of Menu it is said, "Inebriating liquor may be considered as of three principal sorts: that extracted from dregs of sugar, that extracted from bruised rice, and that extracted from the flowers of the madhuca: as one, so are all; they shall not be tasted by the chief of the twice-born." Chap. xi. Inst. 95. Twice-born is used by the Brahmins in the same sense as being born again is used by Christians. It signifies a spiritual regeneration. From this word comes our English term cyder, or sider, a beverage made of the fermented juice of apples. See the note on Lev. x. 9.
Shall be filled with the Holy Ghost] Shall be Divinely designated to this particular office, and qualified for it, from his mother's womb-from the instant of his birth. One MS., two versions, and four of the primitive fathers read en th koilia, IN the womb of has mother-intimating that even before he should be born into the world the Holy Spirit should be communicated to him. Did not this take place on the salutation of the Virgin Mary?-and is not this what is intended, ver. 44? To be filled with the Holy Ghost, implies having the soul influenced in all its powers, with the illuminating, strengthening, and sanctifying energy of the Spirit.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 15. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord , etc.] Of Jehovah, the Father; with whom, what is highly esteemed among men, is oftentimes an abomination; and of the Lord Jesus Christ, before whom he was to go, and who pronounced him a prophet, and more than a prophet, and even greater than any born of women, ( Matthew 11:9,11) and of the Lord, the Spirit, with whom he was filled from his mother's womb: he was great, not in birth and blood, in worldly riches and grandeur, but in gifts and grace, in his work, office, and usefulness, and in the esteem of God, and even of men too: and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink ; which were forbidden the Nazarites, ( Numbers 6:3) where the Jews, by wine, understand new wine; and by strong drink, old wine: so all the three Targums, of Onkelos, Jonathan ben Uzziel, and the Jerusalem, paraphrase the words there, from wine new and old, he shall separate himself; and they allow strong drink to a Nazarite, that has no wine in it: their canon runs thus, three things are forbidden a Nazarite, defilement, and shaving, and whatever proceeds from the vine, whether fruit, or the refuse of fruit; but strong drink made of dates, or dried figs, and such like, is free for a Nazarite; and the strong drink which is forbidden him in the law, is strong drink made of mixture of wine.
But the Hebrew word, rk , and which is here retained by the evangelist, signifies any sort of liquor, which is inebriating, whether it is made of fruits, or honey, or what not. The Jews had no such strong drink as ours, which we call beer or ale; but they speak of the strong drink of the Medes, which they say was an inebriating liquor, made of barley f43 : and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb ; or whilst in his mother's womb, as the Syriac, Arabic, and Persic versions render it: like Jeremiah, he was sanctified, set apart, and ordained to be the prophet of the Highest, before he came out of his mother's womb; and was then under such an influence of the Spirit of God, as to leap in it for joy, at the salutation of the mother of Christ to his, ( Luke 1:41,44) and very early appeared to have the extraordinary gifts and graces of the Holy Ghost, qualifying him for his work.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-25 - The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, an were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they wer eminent for piety and integrity. They had no children, and it could no be expected that Elisabeth should have any in her old age. Whil Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers we offer up to God, ar acceptable and successful only by Christ's intercession in the templ of God above. We cannot expect an interest therein if we do not pray and pray with our spirits, and are not earnest in prayer. Nor can we expect that the best of our prayers should gain acceptance, and brin an answer of peace, but through the mediation of Christ, who eve lives, making intercession. The prayers Zacharias often made, receive an answer of peace. Prayers of faith are filed in heaven, and are no forgotten. Prayers made when we were young and entering into the world may be answered when we are old and going out of the world. Mercies ar doubly sweet that are given in answer to prayer. Zacharias shall have son in his old age, who shall be instrumental in the conversion of man souls to God, and preparing them to receive the gospel of Christ. He shall go before Him with courage, zeal, holiness, and a mind dead to earthly interests and pleasures. The disobedient and rebellious woul be brought back to the wisdom of their righteous forefathers, or rather, brought to attend to the wisdom of that Just One who was comin among them. Zacharias heard all that the angel said; but his unbelie spake. In striking him dumb, God dealt justly with him, because he ha objected against God's word. We may admire the patience of God toward us. God dealt kindly with him, for thus he prevented his speaking an more distrustful, unbelieving words. Thus also God confirmed his faith If by the rebukes we are under for our sin, we are brought to give the more credit to the word of God, we have no reason to complain. Eve real believers are apt to dishonour God by unbelief; and their mouth are stopped in silence and confusion, when otherwise they would have been praising God with joy and gratitude. In God's gracious dealing with us we ought to observe his gracious regards to us. He has looke on us with compassion and favour, and therefore has thus dealt with us.
Greek Textus Receptus
εσται 2071 5704 V-FXI-3S γαρ 1063 CONJ μεγας 3173 A-NSM ενωπιον 1799 ADV του 3588 T-GSM κυριου 2962 N-GSM και 2532 CONJ οινον 3631 N-ASM και 2532 CONJ σικερα 4608 N-OI ου 3756 PRT-N μη 3361 PRT-N πιη 4095 5632 V-2AAS-3S και 2532 CONJ πνευματος 4151 N-GSN αγιου 40 A-GSN πλησθησεται 4130 5701 V-FPI-3S ετι 2089 ADV εκ 1537 PREP κοιλιας 2836 N-GSF μητρος 3384 N-GSF αυτου 846 P-GSM
Vincent's NT Word Studies
15. Strong drink (sikera). A Hebrew word, meaning any kind of intoxicating liquor not made from grapes. Wyc., sydir.Even from his mother's womb. Eti, yet, still, means while yet unborn. Tynd., even in his mother's womb. Compare verse 41.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:15 {Strong drink} (sikera). A Hebrew word transliterated into Greek, an intoxicating drink. Here only in the N.T. John was to be a personal "dry" or Nazarite (#Nu 6:3). {Shall not drink} (ou me piei). Strong prohibition, double negative and second aorist subjunctive. {The Holy Ghost} (pneumatos hagiou). The Holy Spirit in contrast to the physical excitement of strong drink (Plummer). Luke uses this phrase 53 times, 12 in the Gospel, Mark and John 4 each, Matthew 5 times. {Even from his mother's womb} (eti ek koilias metros autou). A manifest Hebraism. Cf. verse #41.
