The Heavenly 
o
(Luke 1:78–9)
University of Aberdeen
A consideration of the 
o
figure in Luke 1:78–9 leads to the suggestion that this is not merely a Davidic messiah, but also a heavenly, pre-existent figure. After a review of the main lines of debate in the past century, the discussion is centred on four points. First, the visitation (
) gives a strong impression of a divine figure. Secondly, from the evidence of the LXX and elsewhere in Luke, the advent of the figure ‘from on high’ (
&
;o
) points clearly to a heavenly origin for the o. Thirdly, though less conclusively, the reference to Isaiah 9 LXX strengthens the impression of an angelic ruler figure. Finally, the o itself is defined as both light-bringer and heavenly messiah, especially in contrast to the 
o character in Zech. 6:12, who comes not ‘from on high’ but ‘from beneath’.