And the child grew, and became strong in spirit, filled with wisdom: and the grace of God was upon him.
All Commentaries on Luke 2:40 Go To Luke 2
Cornelius a Lapide
AD 1637
And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit. The Greek, Syriac, and Arabic add "in spirit," and Euthymius explains it that Christ did not receive greater spiritual strength inwardly day by day, since He was full of grace and the Holy Ghost from the first moment of His conception, but that He exhibited this strength more and more outwardly by word and work. The Latin version, the Latin fathers, and the interpreter reject "in spirit," as also Origen and Titus among the Greeks.
Filled with wisdom. The Greek πληζοÏμενον means both to be being filled and to be full, so as to be equivalent to πλήζης. The Arabic renders "was being filled again with Wisdom of Solomon ," the Syriac "was being filled with wisdom." So also Origen, Theophylact, Euthymius, and Titus on this passage, and S. Ambrose (de Incarn. Dom. Sact. cap. vii.). Theophylact explains—Not acquiring wisdom (for what could be more perfect than He who was perfect from the beginning?) but discovering it little by little. For had He manifested all His wisdom whilst he was small in stature, He would have appeared, as it were, monstrous, and as though not really a child, but a phantasm of a child.
And the Grace of God was upon Him. In the Greek ε̉π αυ̉τόν. All the favour, goodwill, care, and love of God the Father towards the Child Jesus, as His Song of Solomon , brooded, as it were, over Him from out of the heavens, to adorn Him with gifts and graces, to guide and dispose Him in all His actions, that all might see that He was ruled, and in all things directed by God, and that His actions were not so much human as Divine. So says Euthymius. In a similar manner it is said of John the Baptist, "And the hand of the Lord was with him," , Luke 1:66.
