The Word Made Fresh
1Many have undertaken the task of writing a careful account of the events that have taken place among us, 2as we have been informed by those who were eyewitnesses. 3Having investigated all the evidence thoroughly from the beginning I have also decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4so that you might be better informed about the things you have been told.
5When Herod was king of Judea, a priest named Zechariah, of the priestly division of Abijah, married a woman who was a descendant of Aaron. Her name was Elizabeth. 6Both of them were faithful and obedient to the LORD’s commandments and laws. 7Elizabeth was barren, however. They had no children, and they were both quite elderly.
8During Zechariah’s term of office as the temple priest for his division, 9his duty was to enter the temple of the LORD and burn the incense. 10While he did this, a large crowd stood praying outside.
11Then an angel of the LORD came and stood on the right side of the incense altar, 12and Zechariah was startled and afraid. 13But the angel said, “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah. You will receive what you have prayed for. Your wife Elizabeth will give birth to a son. You are to name him John. 14You will be delighted and joyful, and a lot of people will rejoice when he is born, 15because he will be important in the LORD’s eyes. He will not drink strong wine nor any alcohol. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born, 16and he will persuade many of the children of Israel to turn to the LORD their God. 17He will walk before the LORD with the spirit and power of Elijah, and he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and teach those who are disobedient the wisdom of the righteous, and prepare the people for the LORD.”
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How will I know this? I’m an old man and my wife is old, too.”
19The angel said, “I am Gabriel. I stand in God’s presence. I was sent to tell you this good news. 20Since you’re not sure of what I’ve told you, you will be unable to speak until after the birth takes place because you didn’t believe me. But what I’ve said will take place in its proper time.”
21The people waited outside for Zechariah to perform his duties, and were surprised that it was taking him so long. 22When he finally came out he couldn’t speak to them. They realized he had seen something in the temple, and he kept trying to use gestures to tell them what he had seen, but he was mute.
23When his days of duty ended he returned home. 24Elizabeth his wife became pregnant and stayed in seclusion for five months. She said, 25“The LORD has done this for me. He saw my distress and has taken away my shame before the people.”
26Six months later God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin who was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. Her name was Mary. 28Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Hello, favored one! The LORD is with you!”
29His greeting confused her, and she wondered what it meant. 30The angel told her, “Don’t be afraid, Mary. You have found favor with God. 31You will give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32He will be a great man, and will come to be known as the Son of the LORD Most High. The LORD will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 32He will rule the people of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34Mary said, “How can this be true? I have not been with a man.”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come to you, and you will be in the shadow of the power of the Most High. So, the child that will be born to you will be holy, and will be called God’s Son. 36Your cousin Elizabeth is also pregnant and will bear a son, even at her age. She is in the sixth month of her pregnancy even though people said she was barren. 37But nothing will be impossible for God.”
38Mary said, “I am the LORD’s servant. Let what you have said about me come to pass.” Then the angel departed.
39Not long after, Mary traveled hurriedly to a Judean town in the hill country, 40and entered Zechariah’s house and greeted his wife, Elizabeth. 41As soon as Mary greeted her, Elizabeth felt her child leap in her womb. She was filled with the Holy Spirit, 42and cried out, “You are blessed among women, and the child in your womb is blessed! 43And why has the mother of my LORD come to me? 44The moment I heard your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy! 45And blessed is the woman who has believed that the LORD’s word will come to pass!”
46Mary said,
“My soul glorifies the LORD,
47and my spirit rejoices in God, my Savior,
48who has granted this favor to me, God’s lowly servant!
From now on every generation will say I am blessed;
49for the LORD, the Holy One, has done great things for me.
50God shows mercy to those who have respect for the Most High
throughout the generations.
51God has lifted a strong arm,
and those who are proud of themselves have been scattered.
52God has brought the powerful down from their high thrones,
and has lifted up the common people,
53given good things to the hungry,
and sent the wealthy away empty.
54The LORD has remembered the mercy planned for Israel,
55the promise made to our ancestors,
Abraham and his descendants, for all time.”
56Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, and then returned home.
57The time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58Her neighbors and relatives had heard about the great blessing God had given her, and came to celebrate with her.
59When the child was eight days old they took him to be circumcised, planning to name him Zechariah, after his father. 60But his mother said, “No; his name will be John.”
61 “But you don’t have any relatives with that name,” they protested.
62They tried to communicate with his father to find out what he wanted to name the child. 63He motioned for a writing tablet, and to everyone’s amazement he wrote, “His name is John.”
64Immediately Zechariah’s tongue was freed, and he began to praise God. 65All the neighbors were stricken with fear, and the event was told all through the whole hill country of Judea. 66Everyone who heard about it wondered, “What will this child be?” It was clear that God’s hand was on him.
67Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to prophesy, saying,
68“The LORD God of Israel be praised!
God has looked with favor on the people and has reclaimed them!
69A strong savior has been given to us
in the house of God’s servant, David.
70This is just what God declared through the prophets of old;
71that we would be rescued from our enemies
and taken from the grip of those who hate us.
72This is how God has shown us the mercy promised our ancestors.
The sacred covenant has been remembered –
73the oath sworn to Abraham our father to enable us,
74rescued from our enemies, to serve the LORD fearlessly,
75in holiness and righteousness all our days.
76And you, child, will be known as the prophet of the Most High.
You will prepare the way of the LORD,
77and teach God’s salvation to all the people,
and our sins will be forgiven.
78God’s tender mercy has fallen upon us from on high,
79and light is given to those who are in darkness,
and in death’s shadow,
so that our feet will be guided into the way of peace.”
80The child grew, and became spiritually strong. He lived in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel.
Commentary
1-4: The author does not reveal his name, but this gospel has been ascribed to Luke the physician (see Colossians 4:14, 2 Timothy 4:11, Philemon 1:24) since the early days of the church. In recent centuries more attention has been given to the identity of Theophilus. The name occurs only here and at Acts 1:1. A Greek name, it can be translated “friend of God,” and many scholars believe it is a general appellation which indicates that both Luke and Acts were intended for Greek audiences. “Friend of God” was a term often used by Jews for those Gentiles who were sympathetic to their faith. Luke assures the reader that he has made careful research into his subject, and that the purpose of his efforts is to lend credence to the religious instruction Theophilus has received.
5-7: He begins his history with the parents of John the baptizer: Zechariah and Elizabeth. Herod is on the throne. Zechariah is a priest. The “barren wife” motif occurs throughout the Bible and often heralds a miraculous birth.
8-20: We are not told the name of the town where Zechariah and Elizabeth lived, other than that it was in the Judean hill country (verses 39-40). The custom was for priests to serve at the temple in Jerusalem for a week twice a year. Zechariah is chosen by lot to burn incense in the sanctuary, a special honor that might come only once in a lifetime. While he is in the sanctuary an angel appears beside the incense altar. “Do not be afraid” are the first words quoted in the gospel of Luke. The instructions given by the angel remind us of the birth of Samson (Judges 13:4-5), and prepare us for the birth of a special child. Elijah is mentioned in verse 17, and although it is never said in Luke, we know there was an early tradition that John the baptizer was the expected re-appearance of Elijah to herald the Messiah (see Matthew 11:14). Zechariah and Elizabeth are too old to have children. The angel then identifies himself as Gabriel, known in Jewish lore as one of the archangels at the pinnacle of the hierarchy of angels. Gabriel is a bit irked at Zechariah’s insistence on a sign, so the sign will be Zechariah’s inability to tell anybody about his encounter with an angel!
21-23: The people outside know that something has happened to him, and somehow gather that he has seen a vision, but he cannot speak to them, and goes home to remain dumb for nine months or so.
24-25: Dumb but not impotent. Elizabeth gets pregnant. The five months of seclusion was likely due to the dangers of pregnancy for one her age and also because folks might not believe she was pregnant until the condition became obvious.
26-38: Now we go to Nazareth where Elizabeth’s cousin Mary also has an encounter with that same Gabriel, who tells her she will become pregnant through an action of the Holy Spirit. The circumstances surrounding the birth of her child are therefore even more special than those surrounding the birth of Elizabeth’s child.
39-45: Mary visits Elizabeth, who also acknowledges the special nature of the child Mary is bearing — although she doesn’t question the fact that her unmarried cousin is pregnant. All of this is to establish the divine genesis of both John and Jesus.
46-56: The Magnificat is revered by Christians everywhere as an example of meek submission to the will of God and the blessings that are made manifest as a result. You might want to compare this with Hannah’s prayer in 1 Samuel 2.
57-66: Elizabeth’s child is born. Relatives were going to name him after his father, but Elizabeth tells them the name John has been chosen (see verse 13 — Zechariah apparently found some way to communicate his angel experience to his wife). Zechariah confirms it, and his power of speech returns. All of this builds the supernatural atmosphere surrounding the births of these two children.
67-79: Zechariah’s prophecy, known in the church as the Benedictus, heralds John as God’s prophet who will prepare the way for “the Lord,” surely a reference to Jesus.
80: John’s formative years are shrouded in mystery, and we know nothing about him until he appears at the Jordan River baptizing people, calling the nation to repentance, and announcing the coming of the Messiah.
Takeaway
As we read the gospels, we should remember that our task as believers is to “prepare the way of the Lord.” But first, we must be familiar with the story. We must be modern day Lukes, careful to study what has been written and told about Jesus so that we will be able to present him to others whenever we find the opportunity.