Following Luke’s introduction to his Gospel, addressing it to the individual known as Theophilus and also informing his audience that he has gathered this information from eyewitnesses to the events that have happened among them, he begins.
5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, of the division of Abijah; and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
As he does elsewhere in his Gospel. Saint Luke anchors events to verifiable historical events outside of the narrative itself. This is the ancient equivalent of timestamping. Luke tells us “In the days of Herod, king of Judea.” This would be Herod the Great who reigned as King of the Jews from 36-1BC. The days of Herod as king would be this time frame.
Zechariah is introduced as a priest in the division of Abijah and the husband of Elizabeth who is also of a priestly lineage. Priests in the old covenant were responsible for ministering to the various rituals in the Temple liturgies. The detail of Zechariah being of the division of Abijah is very interesting because although to many this seems like a needless detail we actually get more information if we cross-reference it.
The priests (Cohanim) were divided into 24 divisions, each of which served in the Temple for one week at a time, twice a year. This division is recorded in 1 Chronicles 24:7-18, where King David organized the priests into 24 courses to ensure that there was continuous service at the Temple. Each division served for a full week, from Shabbat to Shabbat (Saturday to Saturday). The rotations were planned so that there would always be priests on duty for both daily sacrifices and special Temple rituals. Zechariah, being part of the Abijah division (as mentioned in Luke 1:5), would have served in one of these weeks. Zechariah’s division, the Abijah course, was the 8th division, which means it served in late May or early June. Since each division served twice per year, Zechariah’s second service would have been about six months later. So we actually can specify even the part of the year that this event took place.
6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.
Luke tells us they are both righteous before God, the Greek word translated as righteous is dikaios which means they observed all the laws required of them as Jews. Luke is clarifying what this means with the following half of the sentence “walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless.” They did everything required of them to the letter, they are a holy couple.
7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.
The holiness and observance of the couple is contrasted with their woe of barrenness. It was typical in Second Temple Judaism to ascribe sinfulness and disobedience to those who could not bare children so Luke clarifies their holiness before telling the audience of their inability to conceive a child. He also clarifies their age, they are advanced in years, this speaks to the natural impossibility of conceiving now. The image of the elderly barren but holy couple would bring to mind figures of Abraham and Sarah to the audience familiar with these.
8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty,
It was while Zechariah was serving during that week period previous mentioned, when his division was on duty. This would have been either in May or November, as they served twice a year.
9 according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
The actual inner parts of the Temple were reserved for special liturgical rites and the burning of incense was a highly sought after honour amongst the priests. This is why it “fell to him by lot” this left the honour up to chance so priests would not fight over it, every division would get a chance and every priest had an equal chance of drawing the lot to light the incense. Zechariah receives this honour and is there permitted to enter the most intimate part of the Temple.
10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense.
Whilst Zechariah is lighting the incense, the crowds of Jewish men are praying outside. We can assume Jewish men because of the concentric rectangular courts around the Temple of increasing holiness. Anyone could be in the outer courts, Jewish men and women in the next, just Jewish men outsite the Temple itself and only priests were permitted entry into the Temple and only in particular moments of the year as according to the divisions of liturgical practice.
11 And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.
Unlike Joseph, an Angel appears whilst Zechariah is awake, this speaks to the many methods and dispositions that the divine works with. Zechariah sees an angel appear standing on the right side of the altar where Zechariah has just lit the incense as according to custom.
12 And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.
Zechariah has the normal reaction to seeing an angel. He feels troubled and fear comes upon him. Only Mary has a different reaction the appearance of an Angel. Joseph does not feel fear but he also does not encounter an angel whilst awake. Zechariah has a very similar reaction to that of the shepherds who are told of Jesus’ birth.
13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
In typical Angelic fashion, the first thing they have to do is tell the person they are appearing to, to not be afraid. He brings good news, do not freak out. The Angel, whose name has not yet been revealed, informs Zechariah that his prayer has been heard. This would be a the prayer for him and his wife to have children. He continues telling him that Elizabeth will bear him a son and he, as this is the job of the father, name his son “John”. It will be clarified later in the Gospel but also we know from tradition that names were taken from the family line and John is not from Zechariah’s family name list. This is a divine decision that he be called John. A little mystery to ponder.
14 And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;
The Angel continues telling Zechariah that John’s birth is not just going to be the joy of his parents but his birth will cause many to rejoice. This will be clarified in a few more verses as John is to be the forerunner to Christ, the Elijah predicted by the prophets who will arrive before the Messiah.
15 for he will be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother’s womb.
Now the Angel informs Zechariah what his Son, John, is going to be like and how he will live. He will drink no wine or strong drink and be filled with the Holy Spirit, even whilst he is in the womb of his mother.
The first components, the no wine or strong drink, is a part of the Nazirite vows. These vows also include not cutting the hair and remaining ceremonially pure always, this would include celibacy as that made someone impure. These vows are detailed in the Book of Numbers 6 1-21.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit, even in the womb, is a striking statement. John would be receiving something in an extraordinary way that the people of the New Covenant would have to wait a couple of decades to receive. It is not his own actions that acquire this however, he is still only a baby in the womb. This marks out John as a special and pivotal figure in the coming of Jesus and the New Covenant.
16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,
17 and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”
Now Zechariah hears from the Angel how his son will come in the spirit and power of Elijah, he will be operating as the Elijah who was prophesied to come by Malachi in preparation for the Day of the Lord.
18 And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.”
Despite all his petitions to God for him and his wife to conceive and now being told it is going to happen, Zechariah doubts that this is even possible. He protests against the good news he has received by implying that it is impossible for an old man and old woman to conceive. This is funny since he obviously knows the story of Abraham and others, this is not a roadblock for God. Even though Zechariah is devout and obedient he still has difficulty believing what God can do for him.
19 And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak to you, and to bring you this good news.
Now the Angel introduces himself with a name. He states he is Gabriel which means “God is my Strength”. In the immediate tense he declares that he stands in the presence of God. This could speak to the mystery of how Angels work. Despite manifesting in order to communicate with Zechariah and deliver other messages he is also simultaneously standing before God.
He tells Zechariah that he was sent specifically to give him this good news.
20 And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things come to pass, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
Because of his disbelief at God’s power, Gabriel makes Zechariah dumb and unable to speak until the day these things come pass. This would absolutely confirm what has occurred is real and he would have no reason to doubt God again.
21 And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple.
22 And when he came out, he could not speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he made signs to them and remained dumb.
After doing his requirements in the Temple, lighting the incense and then having a surprising conversation with an Angel, Zechariah leaves the Temple after spending more time than was expected in there. Since Zechariah is unable to speak and took so long they infer that he must have seen a vision inside the Temple. He “made signs to them” which basically means he used his hands to illustrate that he could not talk, he remained this way until Johns birth.
23 And when his time of service was ended, he went to his home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived, and for five months she hid herself, saying,
25 “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.”
After his week of service is ended, Zechariah returns home and some time after these days, Elizabeth conceives a child. No time frame is actually specified. She hides herself for five months of her pregnancy.
Elizabeth celebrates what the Lord has done for her by exclaiming “Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me” and follows it by saying “to take away my reproach among men” this goes back to the perception that Second Temple Judaism had on barrenness. It was seen a curse by God on those who sinned or were from a line of sinners. Her conception of John proves that they were not any of these things but what Luke illustrates them to be. Righteous and observant Jews from a holy priestly line.
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