Church Fathers Commentary Luke 1:79

"To shine upon them that sit in darkness and the shadow of death; To guide our feet into the way of peace." — Luke 1:79 (ASV)

The Venerable Bede: Christ is rightly called the Dayspring, because He has revealed to us the rising of the true light, as it says next: To give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.

St. John Chrysostom: By "darkness" he means not material darkness, but error, distance from the faith, and ungodliness.

St. Basil the Great: For the Gentile people were sitting in thick darkness, sunk deep in idolatry, until the rising light dispersed the darkness and spread abroad the brightness of truth.

St. Gregory the Great: The "shadow of death" is understood to mean the forgetfulness of the mind. For just as death causes what it kills to no longer be alive, so whatever oblivion touches ceases to exist in the memory. Hence the Jewish people, who were forgetful of God, are said to sit in the shadow of death.

The shadow of death is also understood to mean the death of the flesh. Just as the true death is that by which the soul is separated from God, so the shadow of death is that by which the flesh is separated from the soul. Thus, in the words of the martyrs it is said, the shadow of death has come over us.

The shadow of death also represents following the devil, who is called Death in the book of Revelation, because just as a shadow is formed according to the shape of the body, so the actions of the wicked are expressed according to the way they follow him.

St. John Chrysostom: He rightly says "sitting," for we were not walking in darkness, but were sitting down, as people having no hope of deliverance.

Theophylact of Ohrid: But not only does the Lord at His rising give light to those who sit in darkness; He says something more, as it follows: to direct our feet into the way of peace. The way of peace is the way of righteousness, to which He has directed our feet—that is, the affections of our souls.

St. Gregory the Great: For we guide our steps in the way of peace when we walk in that line of conduct in which we do not depart from the grace of our Maker.

St. Ambrose of Milan: Notice also how few words Elizabeth uses to prophesy, and how many Zechariah uses, yet each spoke filled with the Holy Spirit. But this principle is preserved: that women should study to learn the divine commands rather than to teach them.