VISITATION.—1. The ecclesiastical term applied to the visit of the Virgin Mary to Elisabeth three months before the birth of the Baptist ([Luk 1:39-56]), commemorated in Western Church Calendars on 2nd July.
2. ἐπισκοπή ([Luk 19:44]). Occurs only once in the Gospels, but is found also in [Act 1:20], where it = ‘charge,’ ‘office,’ ‘bishopric’ (Authorized Version ); cf. [1Ti 3:1], where it = ‘oversight,’ ‘office of a bishop’ (Authorized Version ). It occurs in a sense more nearly approaching that of [Luk 19:44] in [1Pe 2:12], where, however, ‘the day of visitation’ (ἡμέρα ἐπισκοπῆς) seems to imply trial and affliction, whereas in [Luk 19:44] ‘the time of visitation’ (ὁ καιρὸς τῆς ἐπισκοπῆς) is suggestive rather of the special care and mercy of God, and the opportunity thereby afforded.
In classical Greek ἐτισκοτή is found only in Lucian, ἐτίσκεψις being the usual form. In LXX Septuagint פְקד, פְק֖דּה are rendered by ἐπισκέπτομαι, ἐπισκοπή ([Gen 50:24-25], [Exo 3:16]; [Exo 13:19], [Isa 10:3] [ἡ ἡμερα τῆς ἐτισκοτῆς, as in [1Pe 2:12]], [Jer 10:15] [καιρος ἐτισκοπῆς, as in [Luk 19:44]], [Psa 8:4]). In the Apocrypha the word is used in the sense of inspection or examination, though in [Wis 14:11] there is an implication of Divine wrath, derived, however, mainly from the context. In NT ἐτισκέπτομαι is used to signify visitation in sympathy or compassion ([Mat 25:36]; [Mat 25:43], [Jas 1:27]); God’s gracious regard ([Luk 1:68]; [Luk 1:78]; [Luk 7:16], [Act 15:14], [Heb 2:6]); in the sense of ‘going and seeing’ ([Act 7:23]); and to imply enquiry for the purpose of selection ([Act 6:3]).
To the general use of ἐπισκέπτομαι, ἐπισκοπή, we may find a parallel in the use of the English word ‘regard,’ which, in addition to the sense of ‘observation,’ may imply also a kindly or gracious purpose. ἐπισκοπή may be said generally to signify critical inspection (by God), in which due regard is had to the good and bad features in the characters of the persons inspected. ἐπισκέπτομαι implies also a Divine purpose of blessing. [The technical use of ἐπισκοπή, indicated above, to denote the office of a bishop, is of course secondary]. Thus in [Luk 19:44] we may understand the ‘time of visitation’ as being either the time during which Jerusalem was being critically regarded by God, and neglected, through ignorance of this inspection, to display those features of national character which would have redeemed it in God’s eyes; or the time of spiritual opportunity, afforded by the presence of ‘God manifest in the flesh,’ in which it might have known and sought ‘the things which belonged unto its peace.’ In the latter sense, the ‘time of visitation’ would be equivalent to ‘this thy day’ in [Luk 19:42].
S. J. Ramsay Sibbald.
