Verse:
Luke 1:33
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom (kingdom/basileia) there shall be no end.
Commentary by Adam Clarke
Verse 32. He shall be great Verse 33. The house of Jacob
Behold the greatness of the man Christ Jesus: The angel seems here to refer to Isaiah 9:7;; Isaiah 16:5; Jeremiah 23:5; ; Daniel 2:44;; Daniel 7:14. All which prophecies speak of the glory, extent, and perpetuity of the evangelical kingdom. The kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory form the endless government of Christ.
1st. Because that human nature that should be born of the virgin was to be united with the Divine nature.
2dly. In consequence of this, that human nature should be called in a peculiar sense the SON of the most high God; because God would produce it in her womb without the intervention of man.
3. He shall be the everlasting Head and Sovereign of his Church.
4thly. His government and kingdom shall be eternal. Revolutions may destroy the kingdoms of the earth, but the powers and gates of hell and death shall never be able to destroy or injure the kingdom of Christ. His is the only dominion that shall never have an end.
Isaiah 9:7 Isaiah 16:5
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.Jeremiah 23:5
In love a throne will be established;
in faithfulness a man will sit on it-
one from the house of David-
one who in judging seeks justice
and speeds the cause of righteousness.Daniel 2:44
"The days are coming," declares the LORD ,
"when I will raise up to David a righteous Branch,
a King who will reign wisely
and do what is just and right in the land.Daniel 7:14
"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed. Source
All who belong to the twelve tribes, the whole Israelitish people.
Commentary by Albert Barnes
Over the house of Jacob. Of his kingdom there shall be no end.
The house of Jacob means the same thing as the family of Jacob, or the descendants of Jacob--that is, the children of Israel. This was the name by which the ancient people of God were known, and it is the same as saying that he would reign over his own church and people for ever. This he does by giving them laws, by defending them, and by guiding them; and this he will do for ever in the kingdom of his glory. Daniel 7:14,27
He shall reign among his people on earth until the end of time, and be their king for ever in heaven. His is the only kingdom that shall never have an end; He the only King that shall never lay aside his diadem and robes, and that shall never die. He the only King that can defend us from all our enemies, sustain us in death, and reward us in eternity. O how important, then, to have an interest in his kingdom! and how unimportant, compared with his favour, is the favour of all earthly monarchs! Micah 4:7
14 He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
27 Then the sovereignty, power and greatness of the kingdoms under the whole heaven will be handed over to the saints, the people of the Most High. His kingdom will be an everlasting kingdom, and all rulers will worship and obey him.'Source
I will make the lame a remnant,
those driven away a strong nation.
The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
Commentary by Coffman
Verse 33 The house of Jacob ...
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. And of his kingdom there shall be no end ...
This patriarch's God-given name was "Israel"; and the Israel over which Christ is now reigning is the true "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16; Matthew 19:28).
Galatians 6:16 Matthew 19:28
Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule, even to the Israel of God.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, at the renewal of all things, when the Son of Man sits on his glorious throne, you who have followed me will also sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. Source
has reference to the perpetual existence of Christ's church throughout the present dispensation of God's grace (Daniel 2:44; Ephesians 3:21).
Ephesians 3:21 Daniel 2:44
to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.
44 "In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
Commentary by The Fourfold Gospel
and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Source
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob. For ever.
That is, over the family or descendants of Jacob; but the expression includes his spiritual, rather than his carnal, descendants (Galatians 3:7,28,29). This name therefore includes the Gentiles as the name of a river includes the rivers which flow into it.
Galatians 3:7,28,29
7 Understand, then, that those who believe are children of Abraham.
28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.
29 If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.And of his kingdom there shall be no end.
See Daniel 2:44; Daniel 7:13,14,27; Micah 4:7; Psalms 45:6; Hebrews 1:8 Revelation 11:15.
Revelation 11:15Hebrews 1:8
The seventh angel sounded his trumpet, and there were loud voices in heaven, which said:
"The kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ,
and he will reign for ever and ever."Psalms 45:6
But about the Son he says,
"Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever,
and righteousness will be the scepter of your kingdom.Micah 4:7
6 Your throne, O God, will last for ever and ever;
a scepter of justice will be the scepter of your kingdom.
I will make the lame a remnant,
those driven away a strong nation.
The LORD will rule over them in Mount Zion
from that day and forever.
See Isaiah 7:9. Christ shall reign his mediatorial kingdom to the Father at the close of this dispensation (1 Corinthians 15:24-28); but as being one with his Father he shall rule forever.
Isaiah 7:9 1 Corinthians 15:24-28
The head of Ephraim is Samaria,
and the head of Samaria is only Remaliah's son.
If you do not stand firm in your faith,
you will not stand at all.' "
24 Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet.
26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
27 For he "has put everything under his feet." Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ.
28 When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all.
Commentary by David Guzik
The throne of His father David: He will be the Messiah prophesied to David (2 Samuel 7:12-16), who has the rightful authority to rule over Israel, and of His kingdom there will be no end. Source
2 Samuel 7:12-16
12 When your days are over and you rest with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring to succeed you, who will come from your own body, and I will establish his kingdom.
13 He is the one who will build a house for my Name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.
14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. When he does wrong, I will punish him with the rod of men, with floggings inflicted by men.
15 But my love will never be taken away from him, as I took it away from Saul, whom I removed from before you.
16 Your house and your kingdom will endure forever before me; your throne will be established forever.' "
Commentary by John Gill
And he shall reign over the house of Jacob and this reign of his shall be "for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end";
Not over the Jews, the posterity of Jacob, in a literal sense; but over the whole Israel of God, consisting of Jews and Gentiles. For as his father David reigned over the Idumeans, Syrians, and others, as well as over the house of Judah and Israel, so this his son shall reign over both Jews and Gentiles: his kingdom shall be from one end of the earth to the other, even over all the elect of God; who in successive generations call themselves by the name of Jacob, and surname themselves by the name of Israel, of whatsoever nation they be; Source
referring to (Isaiah 9:7) see also (Daniel 2:44) (Daniel 7:14) he shall reign in the hearts of his people here unto the end of the world; and with his saints a thousand years in the new heavens and new earth; and with them to all eternity, in the ultimate glory.
Isaiah 9:7 Daniel 2:44
Of the increase of his government and peace
there will be no end.
He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom,
establishing and upholding it
with justice and righteousness
from that time on and forever.
The zeal of the LORD Almighty
will accomplish this.Daniel 7:14
"In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.
He was given authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every language worshiped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed.
Commentary by Matthew Henry
He will be very highly preferred in the lower world; for, though born under the most disadvantageous circumstances possible, and appearing in the form of a servant, yet the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David, He puts her in mind that she was of the house of David; and that therefore, since neither the Salique law, nor the right of primogeniture, took place in the entail of his throne, it was not impossible but that she might bring forth an heir to it, and therefore might the more easily believe it when she was told by an angel from heaven that she should do so, that after the sceptre had been long departed from that ancient and honourable family it should now at length return to it again, to remain in it, not by succession, but in the same hand to eternity. His people will not give him that throne, will not acknowledge his right to rule them; but the Lord God shall give him a right to rule them, and set him as his king upon the holy hill of Zion. He assures her, Source
[1.] That his kingdom shall be spiritual: he shall reign over the house of Jacob, not Israel according to the flesh, for they neither came into his interests nor did they continue long a people; it must therefore be a spiritual kingdom, the house of Israel according to the promise, that he must rule over.
[2.] That it shall be eternal: he shall reign for ever, and of his kingdom there shall be no end, as there had been long since of the temporal reign of David's house, and would shortly be of the state of Israel. Other crowns endure not to every generation, but Christ's doth, Proverbs 27:24. The gospel is the last dispensation, we are to look for no other.
Proverbs 27:24
for riches do not endure forever,
and a crown is not secure for all generations.
Commentary by Robertson's Word Pictures
Shall be no end (ouk estai telov). Source
Luke reports the perpetuity of this Davidic kingdom over the house of Jacob with no Pauline interpretation of the spiritual Israel though that was the true meaning as Luke knew. Joseph was of the house of David (Luke 1:27) and Mary also apparently (Luke 2:5).
Luke 1:27 Luke 2:5
to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin's name was Mary.
He went there to register with Mary, who was pledged to be married to him and was expecting a child.
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Prepared by William C. Barman for George Young Memorial United Methodist Church -- Palm Harbor, FL on 3/9/04; 8:48:53 AM