Luke 1:5-25

Butler's Comments

SECTION 3

Preparing for the Redeemer (Luke 1:5-25)

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. 6And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years.

8 Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, 9according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the hour of incense. 11And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12And Zechariah was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him.

13But 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.

14And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth;

15for 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.

16And he will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God,

17and 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.

18And Zechariah said to the angel, How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. 19And 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. 20And 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. 21And the people were waiting for Zechariah, and they wondered at his delay in the temple. 22And 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. 23And 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, 25Thus the Lord has done to me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men.

Luke 1:5-12 Persons: God chose the days of Herod (the Great) to send the Redeemer of mankind to the world. Herod was made king of the Jews by the Roman emperor. He was not a Jew but an Idumean (Edomite) a descendant of Esau. Ethnically he was what we would think of today as an Arabian. The Roman conquest of Palestine was repugnant to most Jews to begin with. But their bitterness was even more agitated when the Romans appointed an Arab to rule over them. Herod was an able administrator, promoter of extravagant public building projects (which required exorbitant taxation), and a crafty politician. He was also cruel, sadistic and suspicious. He had ten wives and many children. He nearly succeeded in obliterating the Jewish royal family (Hasmoneans) through assassinations and executions. He ordered the execution of the wife he loved most, Mariamne (a Hasmonean princess). Then he had her two sons slain along with five sons of his by various other wives. He heard rumors they were trying to wrest his throne from him. The Roman emperor Augustus (Octavian) said, It is better to be Herod's pig than his son. He was joking that Herod would have more scruples against violating Jewish tradition than murdering his relatives! When Herod was about to die, he ordered that all the most important men of the kingdom be executed to insure that there would be mourning during his funeral. He was the Herod who ordered the slaughter of the babies of Bethlehem (Matthew 2:16-23). He reigned from 37 B.C. to 4 B.C.

Herod was the personification of the condition of the world when God began to make preparations for His Redeemer to be sent. Herod's world was cruel, materialistic, hateful, exploitative, cynical and filled with despair. The Jewish people suffered much at the hands of their rulers. When Herod and the Romans were not oppressing them, their own religious leaders were. The religious life of the Jews (an integral part of their social and political life) had lost its vitality and helpfulness. The Pharisees had made their traditions a burden almost impossible to bear; the Sadducees were using religion to amass personal fortunes.
The prophets of the Old Testament had spoken concerning an age of glorious righteousness and abundant spirituality for the Jewish people. But the last prophet had spoken 400years earlier and Jehovah had not said anything to His people since then. The days of Herod were most unlikely days for God to begin preparations for the Redeemer! Modern man with his Madison Avenue techniques would not have planned it so. But God's ways are higher than men'S. It is all the more significant that in such a condition and time God chose to act in history for the accomplishment of His eternal redemptive purpose. God was ready to demonstrate His sovereignty. The time (Galatians 4:4) had come! And despite a people and a religion saturated with materialism, cynicism and despair, there was still a faithful remnant, a few godly, obedient, believing people Jehovah could use to be the instruments of His will.

An aged priest and his wife were chosen by Jehovah to become parents of a son who would later be called the greatest of all those born of woman (Matthew 11:11), and he would be the Way-Preparer for the Messiah. Zechariah means, Jehovah remembers, and Elizabeth means, the oath of God. God had solemnly promised to send the Redeemer, and He remembered His oath. Zechariah was a priest and his wife, Elizabeth, was a daughter of a priest.

There were twenty-four courses (shifts) of priests, that of Abijah was the eighth shift. There were some twenty thousand priests altogether taking turns at officiating at the temple in Jerusalem. This would mean there were about 900 priests in each shift. Each shift served for a week twice a year burning incense, sacrificing, caring for the showbread and scores of other duties. Not all the priests lived in Jerusalem. Some lived in villages and cities scattered throughout Judea and came to Jerusalem only when they were on duty. The various duties were rotated among the shifts and on Sabbaths the whole shift served. During the three great feasts, Passover, Pentecost and Tabernacles, all 24 shifts served.
Zechariah and Elizabeth had taken the law of the Lord seriously all their lives. They loved it and obeyed it. Undoubtedly they had been reared in godly homes. The Greek word for blameless is amemptoi and literally means, unblamed ones. It is the same word the apostle Paul used of himself in Philippians 3:6. There is another word translated unblemished and that is amomos, used in Ephesians 5:27. Of course, these two were not sinless. Any man who says he is without sin (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:10) contradicts the Word of God. But this good man and his wife believed the sweet singer of Israel (Psalms 119:1-176) and delighted to walk in the law of the Lord. Yet in spite of their superlative spiritual qualifications, how will God be able to use them as His instruments for the birth of the Way-Preparer? Elizabeth was barren and they were both beyond the normal age for child-bearing. The Greek word for barren is steira from which the English word sterile comes. Elizabeth's sterility cannot thwart the Lord God Almighty. God has two willing, obedient people and He can carry out His will through them. He is sovereign Lord of all that is. The Bible is a historical record of Jehovah's countless supernatural interventions in His creation to carry on redemption's work. The whole Jewish nation came into being when God gave Abraham and the barren Sarah a child.

It was Zechariah's turn to burn incense. The inside of the Temple-building was exactly like the inside of the Tabernacle. The Holy Place contained the Table of Showbread, the Menora (candelabra), and the Altar of Incense. Outside the Temple-building was the Altar of Burnt Offering and the Laver. Inside the Holy of Holies was where the Ark of the Covenant was supposed to be. Only the High Priest could enter there and only once a year on the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). Incense was burned on this altar (which stood just in front of the veil which separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies) every morning and every evening so that it was literally, perpetual (cf. Exodus 30:8). It was customary for the Jews to stop whatever they were doing each day at these times of burning the incense in the temple and pray. Many made a special trip to the Temple courts to pray at those hours. It was one of the greatest experiences in the life of an ordinary priest of the Jews to be chosen to burn the incense. But this day was going to be much greater than Zechariah expected.

Suddenly there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing at the right side of the altar. Zechariah's reaction was trouble and fear (phobos, in Greek). What would you do if an angel appeared to you? Daniel fainted (Daniel 10:8-9). God used angels many times in ages past to assist Him in His redemptive work, Sometimes they appeared as men (Genesis 18:1-33). God is able to make His angels wind and fire (Hebrews 1:7), and sends them forth as ministering spirits to serve for the sake of those who are to obtain salvation (Hebrews 1:14). Angels do not necessarily have to take human form to do God's service. Some, entertaining strangers, have entertained angels unawares (cf. Hebrews 13:2). Perhaps God still sends angels occasionally to protect or serve His saints. The book of Revelation seems to indicate angels were active in the service of God to bring about the downfall of the Roman empire (the great harlot, Babylon). Luke, cautious, discriminating and diligent scientist-historian was convinced of the reality of angels. There is no valid reason for us to dispute Luke's research. Thus the scene is set for God's first announcement concerning the Redeemer since the days of Malachi the prophet, 400 years ago.

Luke 1:13-17 Pronouncement: Zechariah may have feared the angel was to signal some judgment from God. But the angel had news that would bring great joy to Zechariah and his wifetheir prayers for a child were to be answered with a Yes! Their child would be no ordinary child. His whole life was to be totally dedicated to God's service. First, they were to give the child a name already selected in heaven. John means gift of God, or God's grace. This child was the gift of God's grace to more people than Zechariah and Elizabeth. He would cause many to rejoice at his birth. The ministry of John the Baptist was cause for great excitement in the Jewish nation (cf. Matthew 3:5; Mark 1:5; Luke 3:15; John 1:19-28). He was fearless in his attacks upon ungodliness in places both high and low. He preached with authority and eloquence. He lived a life of righteous austerity quite unlike the indulgent, self-serving living common among the religious leaders of that day. But more important, he heralded the coming of the Messiah! He was filled with the Holy Spirit, from the day of his birth. It is interesting that John the Baptist, so far as the inspired record goes, worked no miracles. He healed no one's illnesses, he spoke in no foreign language (tongues), he raised no one from the dead, and worked no miracles upon nature, yet he was filled with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit filled John to give him divine guidance in identifying and testifying to the work of the Messiah (cf. John 1:6; John 1:29-42). God distributed His miraculous gifts of the Holy Spirit according to His will (cf. Hebrews 2:1-18; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6). And John the Baptist proves conclusively that being filled with the Spirit does not necessitate speaking in tongues!

This child to be born of these aged, godly people would begin the fulfillment of Malachi's prophecies (cf. Malachi 3:1-5; Malachi 4:5). Malachi predicted both the Messiah (Messenger of the Covenant) and the Way-Preparer (Elijah). The prophecies of Malachi (and Isaiah 40:1-8) should be read in connection with this lesson. John's mission was much broader than merely reuniting families. He would aim at reuniting the whole nation of Israel with the doctrines and practices of its godly forefathers (Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets). The prophecy of Luke 1:17 must be understood in this sense. Godet says, It will be John's mission. to reconstitute the moral unity of the people by restoring the broken relation between the patriarchs and their degenerate descendants. G. Campbell Morgan states it, In other words, he will come to restore primal ideals. to turn these renegade people back to the patriarchs. and to the things for which they stood. The heart of Abraham, friend of God (Romans 4:1-25; James 2:21-26), the heart of Moses, in fact, the heart of all the faithful (Hebrews 11:1-40) is what John would try to put within the children of Israel. The Greek word epistrepsai is translated turn and is sometimes translated converted. It means literally, to turn toward, to turn oneself around, to return. Another interesting word in the Greek text is kateskeuasmenon, translated prepared. It is a perfect tense verb meaning, already having been prepared. In other words, John is to prepare a people who have already been prepared to some extent. Their entire history was that of preparation for one great eventthe producing of the world's Savior. The birth of one in the spirit and power of Elijah signals that event is imminent! An aged priest and his barren wife from a little village of the hills of Judea are announced as the instruments of Jehovah to give birth to Elijah!

Luke 1:18-25 Phenomenon: Zechariah cannot believe all this. A son, perhaps, but the Elijah predicted by Malachithat is too much! Hobbs notes, And it has ever been thus when men look at God through their problems rather than to view their problems through the power of God. If we have seed-like faith (living, germinating faith) no obstacle is too overpowering to keep us from doing the will of God. It is not quantity but quality of faith that Jesus seeks (Matthew 17:20; Matthew 21:20-22). After all, the power is not in us or even in our faith, but in the object of our faith, Almighty God.

G. Campbell Morgan does not believe the angel intended to punish Zechariah in making him deaf and dumb for a season, but merely gave him the sign he asked for. Gabriel is one of two angels named in the Bible (cf. Luke 1:26; Daniel 8:16; Daniel 9:21), the other is Michael (Jude 1:9; Revelation 12:7; Daniel 10:13; Daniel 10:21; Daniel 12:1). There appears to be some rebuke in the words, ... because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time, so we believe Zechariah was being chastened, at least, while also being given proof that this messenger is declaring the word of God and what he says will indeed come to pass! The affliction of Zechariah was also a sign to the worshipping crowd that he had seen a vision. Zechariah had been in the temple longer than usual. The Talmud says that even the high priest did not tarry long in the Holy of Holies on the Day of Atonement. The people customarily waited in the outer court for the priest burning incense to come out and dismiss them with a blessing. Zechariah apparently signaled the blessing with his hands only or indicated that the blessing would not be said that day. Zechariah continued ministering in the temple until his shift was over unable to hear or speak, then he and Elizabeth returned to their village in the hills of Judea.

Shortly after their trip home, Elizabeth conceived. Zechariah probably found some way to communicate to Elizabeth what had happened to him in the temple. While the conception took place by natural means and was quite different than Mary's conception by the Holy Spirit, Elizabeth's was still supernatural in the contravening of her sterility. Elizabeth hid herself from the public (known to Mary, of course) until time for the birth of her son. Some think her reticence was due to embarrassment over pregnancy at her advanced age. Others think she wanted solitude due to the sanctity of the entire experience. Still others think she was afraid to let it be known until she was sure she could prove it. We don-'t really know why she hid herself.
Morgan summarizes, Human failure everywhere, but the Divine victory is clearly seen.. in the midst of human failure, God needed, and He found, loyal souls as His vantage ground. all members of an elect remnant, living in the remembrance and truth of the past. There God found vantage ground, set down His foot, and marched on toward the great event; the coming into human life in the Person of His Son, and all that followed thereupon.

STUDY STIMULATORS:

1.

Is it important to know the historical background of cultural, political and social events and persons surrounding the birth of John the Baptist and Jesus? What were they?

2.

Do you think it was coincidence or providence that Zechariah was chosen to burn incense during his course at the temple?

3.

Why didn-'t God choose a younger priest whose wife was not sterile to give birth to the Way-Preparer for the Messiah?

4.

Did Zechariah really see an angel? How can we be sure?

5.

What is so unique about John the Baptist's being filled with the Holy Spirit?

6.

How is John to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children? Did he do it? How many and what kind of people gave attention to John's preaching?

7.

Did Zechariah believe the angel? How did the angel help him believe? How much faith does one need to overcome and be powerful?

8.

What do you think Luke's purpose was in tracing the gospel all the way back to this experience of Zechariah and Elizabeth?

Applebury's Comments

CHAPTER ONE

The Promise of the Birth of John

Scripture

Luke 1:5-25 There was in the days of Herod, king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah: and he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years.

8 Now it came to pass, while he executed the priest's office before God in the order of his course, 9 according to the custom of the priest's office, his lot was to enter into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the hour of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And Zacharias was troubled when he saw him, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: because thy supplication is heard, and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John 14:1-31 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and he shall drink no wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn unto the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before his face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just; to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and I was sent to speak unto thee, and to bring thee these good tidings. 20 And behold, thou shalt be silent and not able to speake, until the day that these things shall come to pass, because thou believedst not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people were waiting for Zacharias, and they marvelled while he tarried in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: and he continued making signs unto them, and remained dumb. 23 And it came to pass, when the days of his ministration were fulfilled, he daparted unto his house.

24 And after these days Elisabeth his wife conceived; and she hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord done unto me in the days wherein he looked upon me, to take away my reproach among men.

Comments

in the days of Herod.This is Herod the Great, king of Judea. He died shortly after the birth of Jesus. He was an Idumean, that is, a descendant of Esau. Luke also mentions Herod the king in Acts 12:1 without saying that he was the grandson of this one mentioned in Luke 1:5. Theophilus must have been aware of these details and did not need to have them pointed out to him. His full title was Herod Agrippa I. He was the father of King Agrippa before whom Paul made his defense. Another son of Herod the Great was Archelaus who ruled in Judea after the death of his father (Matthew 2:22). Herod the tetrarch, another son of Herod the Great, ruled in Galilee and figured in the trial of Jesus (Luke 23:7-12). This whole family from the grandfather who slew the babes at the birth of Jesus to the king before whom Paul made his defense seems to be arrayed against Christ and His church.

Herodias was the daughter of Aristobulus, another son of Herod the Great. She married her uncle, Philip I, but left him to marry another uncle, Herod the tetrarch. John the Baptist was beheaded by this Herod at the request of Salome the daughter of Herodias, because he condemned the marriage.

the course of Abijah.In the days of David the priests were organized into twenty-four groups, the eighth of which was that of Abijah. Each group in turn performed the functions of the priesthood. The arrangement was still in force in the days of Zacharias.

Zacharias. Elizabeth.This childless old couple were descendants of Aaron. They were righteous before God. Luke says that in God's sight they lived a blameless life in accord with all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. He doesn-'t say that they had never committed a sin, but they were not habitually sinning for they were blameless in the sight of the Lord.

John the Baptist had the good fortune to have parents who set the proper example for him. Every child has the right to have such a background, but, unfortunately, very few do. Timothy, devoted servant of the Lord that he was, had two generations of faithful ones back of him (2 Timothy 1:5). How we should thank the Lord for our godly parents! The return to God's standard for the home is one of the crying needs of this day.

It has been said repeatedly that no one could live up to the requirements of the law, but Luke affirmsand he had researched these reports so that he was sure of his groundthat the parents of John did. God has not required us to do the impossible, and all of us at all times should try to do all things He has told us in His Word to do. See James 1:18-25.

his lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.the altar of incense stood before the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. While the priest was burning the incense, the people were outside praying. Some believe that a priest got to perform this task only once in a lifetime.

there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord.Zacharias was greatly disturbed when he saw the angel standing at the right side of the altar. But the angel spoke reassuringly to him and told him that his prayer had been heard and that Elizabeth would bear a son and that he should name him John.

In the days of the fathers, God spoke on many occasions in many ways as He revealed His will to them. For example, the angel of the Lord spoke to Gideon in the days of the Judges (Judges 6:11-12). He does not speak to us in this manner, for at the end of these days of revelation He spoke with finality and completeness and authority in the One who bears the name Son (Hebrews 1:1-2). We have that messagea message that is just as up-to-date now as it was when first spokenin the Bible.

he shall be filled with the Holy Spirit.What is said about John who was to be great in the sight of the Lord and drink no wine or strong drink reminds us of the Nazarite vow. The law of the Nazarite is given in Numbers 6:1-8. Samson was a Nazarite; he was to be dedicated to the Lord all the days of his life (Judges 13:7). Hannah promised the Lord that she would give her son, Samuel, to the Lord all the days of his life and that no razor should touch his head (1 Samuel 1:11). Apparently, John also conformed to this law, for he dedicated himself to the Lord all the days of his life.

This background sheds light on the meaning of the words about John's being filled with the Holy Spirit from the time of his birth. Note the difference between this and what is said about Elizabeth's being filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:41). She was given power by the Holy Spirit to speak words of praise. The same is true of Zacharias (Luke 1:67) and of the apostles and prophets (Acts 2:1-4; 2 Peter 1:21). But it cannot be said that John was inspired by the Holy Spirit to speak from the time of his birth. His inspiration as a prophet is accounted for in John 3:34. But John was filled with a spirit of dedication and consecration to the Lord from the time of his birth.

Luke says that Barnabas was a good man, and full of the Holy Spirit and of faith (Acts 11:24), but this does not indicate that he was inspired like Elizabeth or Zacharias. This may be the reason he went to Tarsus and found Saulan inspired apostleand brought him to Antioch where for a whole year they taught the people. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit in the believer, in all probability, implies not miraculous power but consecration to the Lord, for every baptized believer in the Lord is to live a life of dedication from the time of his new birth.

in the spirit and power of Elijah.The prophecy of Elijah's coming is found in Malachi 4:5. When the Jews asked John, Art thou Elijah? he said, I am not for he was not literally Elijah. See John 1:21. But Jesus indicates that the prophecy of Malachi was fulfilled in Johnthat is, figuratively, he was Elijah. See Matthew 11:14; Matthew 17:10-13. Luke says that John came in the spirit and power of Elijah and this explains why Jesus said he was Elijah. John was like Elijah in life and mission.

turn the hearts of the fathers to the children.John's mission in preparing a people for the Lord involved turning the interest of the fathers to their children (Deuteronomy 6:6-9) and the children to obey their parents (Exodus 20:12; Ephesians 6:1-4; Malachi 4:4-6). Many people were turned to the Lord by John's preaching.

Whereby shall I know this?Zacharias is not the only one to ask for evidence on which to base his belief: Gideon did; Thomas did. See Judges 6:36-40 and John 20:24-29. But since Zacharias didn-'t believe the word of the angel Gabriel, he was given a sign that would not only establish it in his mind but also cause the people to see that something unusual had happened while he was in the temple. John was a man sent from God (John 1:6).