Luke 2:33

His father and his mother (o pathr autou kai h mhthr). Luke had already used "parents" in Isaiah 2:27 . He by no means intends to deny the Virgin Birth of Jesus so plainly stated in Isaiah 1:34-38 . He merely employs here the language of ordinary custom. The late MSS. wrongly read "and Joseph" instead of "his father." Were marvelling (hn qaumazonte). The masculine gender includes the feminine when both are referred to. But hn is singular, not hsan, the normal imperfect plural in this periphrastic imperfect. This is due to the wide space between copula and participle. The copula hn agrees in number with o pathr while the participle coming last agrees with both o pater kai h mhthr (cf. Matthew 17:3 ; Matthew 22:40 ). If one wonders why they marvelled at Simeon's words after what they had heard from Gabriel, Elisabeth, and the Shepherds, he should bear in mind that every parent is astonished and pleased at the fine things others see in the child. It is a mark of unusual insight for others to see so much that is obvious to the parent. Simeon's prophecy had gone beyond the angel's outline and it was surprising that he should know anything about the child's destiny.