Luke in chapter 1 presents the first part of infancy narrative of Jesus:
The subjects (Zechariah & Mary) are informed that two sons will be born.
Zechariah in the temple and Mary in Nazareth. They will all be pregnant. The same angel will visit Zechariah and the same angle will visit a woman, Mary in two different places. The way the events are juxtaposed by Luke is beginning to show how an Elijah like personality is just coming at the right time, within that connection of the wider family tradition that will be leading to the birth of the Messiah who is going to shape the rest of the story from Luke 3.
God is doing something in the world and that is going to shape the narrative of the Kingdom of God that Theophilus should know about and the rest of the world should know about.
Be engaged to encounter this mighty God as we madidate on this scripture today.
Luke 1:5-7 5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
Zechariah Was A Priest.
The Priesthood of Israel was divided into 24 courses, each provided temple service for one week, twice a year (1 Chronicle 24:1-19). Abijah is identified as the eight division of the priesthood in 1 Chronicles 24:10. Mark Staruss, ZIBBC 326
As a priest he was expected to marry a wife who in most cases will also come from a priestly lineage.
Elizabeth Is From A Priestly Line. Luke says Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron.
They Were Righteous. They were faithful followers of YAHWEH in the second temple Judaism. They were both righteous before God. They were blameless, following all the commandments and statutes.
They Were Childless. Elizabeth was barren not because they were in sin. Elizabeth was barren not because she was suffering punishment from YAHWEH. But she was barren.
If you remember the stories of Sarah, Rebecca, and Hannah in the OT, they suffered reproach from the society. Though they are tall figures in their time, they did not have a child. Zechariah was a priest, blameless, righteous, but they did not have a child.
Luke 1:8-9 8Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
Here Luke is telling us about the Messianic Mission. Luke is going to locate the origin in the temple. Something is going to begin in the temple, in the heart of Judaism.
Significance Of The Temple In Luke 1-2
40% of the narrative in the first two chapters of Luke are situation in the temple. The temple is the scene in which a lot of these events are going to take place.
The Temple In Chapters 1-2 Is A Place Of God’s Abode. It is where God dwells and God would encounter people, and the Spirit of working. Some will be waiting in the temple expecting the Messiah to show up. So narratives are centred around the temple in chapters 1-2, the heart of Judaism.
People Met God And God Would Meet People In The Temple. Characters like Anna is going to encounter the baby Jesus. Simeon is going to encounter the baby Jesus.
The Temple Is Also A Place Of Instruction. Torah was instructed in the temple.
The Temple Is A Place Of Prayer And Purity.
Zechariah himself would be leading prayer and will be told that the people will be praying while Zechariah goes in there to perform his duty.
The Temple Is The Place Where There End-Time Prophesies Are Unfolding.
The whole coming of Jesus into our world and how this story is going to play out in our world is part and parcel of what God is doing with his covenant people, the Jews. Now the Gentiles will become part of what God is doing as well.
Zechariah’s Encounter With God. Luke 1:8-25
Luke 1:10-13 10And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside. 11Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John.
Zechariah Was Preforming His Priestly Duty.
We are told by Luke that Zechariah was there to perform his duty in the temple. Two weeks a year his division has to serve in the temple. Something spectacular happened in that moment. While doing his duty he will have some divine encounters.
This would have been the high point of his priestly life, to go into the holy place and to have the privilege of putting the incense on the altar of incense because, you see, that was as close to the presence of God as he would ever get since the altar of incense was just outside the veil that separated the holy place from the Holy of Holies. This was the high point of all his priestly service. He was chosen by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. Only special priests chosen by lot would ever do that. No common person would ever go in there, and only the high priest could go further into the Holy of Holies and that only once a year. So this was the pinnacle of his service. So in he went.
He wasn’t going to stay long. He had a little bowl full of the burning coals from off the brazen altar, the altar of burnt offering. He took it in, he dumped the coals into the…into the altar of incense, spread them around and then put the incense on and a great cloud of incense would arise, symbolizing the prayers of the people. He was in there doing that, verse 11 says.
The Angel Of The Lord Appeared To Him With A Message.
The whole idea is that when people encounter God, they begin to realize that they are nobody. There is fear and awe. We saw that with Isaiah, we saw that with Moses, other characters of the OT. Here we see in the temple. As soon as Zechariah encounters the angel, fear came upon him. You will see that again and again. Mary experience that when she encounters the angel. When others encounter the angel they experience fear.
Friends, Zechariah experienced something that was unexpected. Imagine, he had been in that temple many times before to perform his duty. It has never happened before, there is no precedence.
The First Words Were ‘Do Not Be Afraid.’
The angel tells him something that is remarkable: Luke 1:13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
“Fear not – Do not be afraid.” Be Courageous.
Your prayer has been heard.
God Will Give Zechariah Joy And Delight Because Of John.
The child will be born and his name will be called John.
The angel gave specific information to Zechariah.
Gabriel’s Message To Zechariah
Elizabeth, The Woman Who Is Barren At Old Age Will Bear A Son. Luke 1:13
The Son Shall Be Called John. Luke 1:13
Nazarite Tradition. No Wine Or Grape Alcohol. 1:15, Num. 6:3, Judges 13:2-5.
He Will Be Filled By The Holy Spirit. Luke 1:15
He Will Be In The Spirit And Power Of Elijah. Luke 1:16-17, Mal. 4-5
Luke 1:18-22
18Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.” 19The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.” 21Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
Crowd – Praying, Waiting Outside, Wondered And Realized He Could Not Speak.
When Zechariah came out, they realized he could not speak.
Imagine the talks of the people praying as they realize Zechariah is not able to speak the priestly blessing. The priest has come back alive. He does not have any particular physical defect but he cannot speak. What is going on?
Luke 1:23-25 23When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25“The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
The angel appears to a man here. But the angel appears to a woman too. Gabriel appears to Zechariah, later Gabriel appears to Mary.
Mary’s Encounter With God
Mary will be about teenage. You may think that teenage is too young.
Illustration: You must understand that until 1929, child marriage was practiced in India. That means before 1929 young girls were married in our country. In 1891 the age of consent for marriage for a girl was 10 which was then revised to 12 by the British. The census of 2001 states that 1.4 million girls married in India between the age of 10-14, and 11.3 million girls married between the age of 15-19. Later, the British made the minimum age for girls to marry at 14 and 18 for boys.
Mary was old for the 1st Century girl to be engaged. She had an encounter with an angel.
The Message Of The Angel To Mary
Luke 1:28-38 26In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”
34“How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called the Son of God. 36Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37For no word from God will ever fail.” 38“I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her.
Imagine Mary hear this and she was terrified. The angel said, “Do not be afraid.”
Annunciation Of The Birth Of Jesus To Mary
She Will Have A Son And Name Him Jesus – 1:31
The Child Will Be Son Of God (Ps. 2:7) And Assume The Throne Of David – 1:32-33 (2 Sam. 7:13-16)
He will be great.
Son of the Most High.
God will give him the throne of his father David.
He will reign over Jacob’s descendants (Israel) forever.
His Kingdom will never end.
Pregnancy Will Be Of The Holy Spirit – 1:35 (Ex. 40:35, 1 Kings 8:10, Hag. 2:6-9).
A Sign – She Will Hear Of Miraculous Conception Of Elizabeth – 1:36-37
Mary Will Be Called Full Of Grace, Highly Favoured.
She is already 6 months into her pregnancy.
Mary is portrayed by Luke in 5 significant ways.
Portrait Of Mary By Luke
Favoured By God, 1:30
Thoughtful, 1:29, 2:19, 31
Obedient, 1:38
Blessed For Believing, 1:45
Torah Observer, 2:22-51
Comparison Of Mary And Zechariah
By Timothy Johnson From Gospel Of Luke
Zachariah Mary
Zachariah was a priest, doing duty in the temple and teaching the Thorah. Mary holds no official position among people.
Righteous in terms of observing the Torah. Not described as righteous in terms of observing the Torah.
Zechariah is in a powerful position. Mary is powerless.
Zechariah is old, respected. Mary is young in a world that values age.
Zechariah is a man. Mary is a female in a world ruled by men.
She is poor in a stratified economy.
She has no husband nor child to validate her existence.
If Mary was highly favoured shows Luke’s understanding of God’s activity as surprising and often paradoxical, almost always reversing human expectations. Timothy Johnson, Gospel of Luke; 39
The Timing And Balance Of Power
Jesus comes in a very, very humble way. When he comes the kingdom of God is inaugurated.
Compare to the then powers when Jesus came.
King Herod: Luke 1:5 In the time of Herod king of Judea…
Rome: Luke 2:1 In those days Caesar Augustus (Octavian) issued a decree that a census should be taken of the entire Roman world.
King Herod: He was half Idumean, and felt very, very insecure. He bribed the people by building the temple, building a very massive port in Caesarea, to show that he is great. Now he hears that the expected Messiah of the Jews is born. Think about it in terms of balance of power.
Caesar Augustus in Rome.
It is in this power context that Mary receive the message from the angel. Mary has this specific prophetic language in the message delivered. He shall be called Jesus and he will reign.
Two Key Figures Surrounding The Birth Of Jesus: Two Women: Elizabeth & Mary
Two women are going to be the remarkable vessels of two key figures that will fulfil the Messianic prophesies. Both miraculous birth. One says a prophet in the spirit of Elijah will come, the other says, the Messiah will come from the Davidic lineage.
The idea that the Sprit will help the woman to be pregnant.
Mary’ Visit to Elizabeth, 1:39-56
Luke 1:39-45 39At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”
Elizabeth Takes Unworthy Posture In Questioning. 1:43
Referred To Jesus As Lord. 1:43
Elizabeth Knew Mary Would Be The Mother Of The Messiah.
God’s Act Will Be In Fulfilment Of The Messanic Prophesy, OT (Isaiah 41:8, 42:1, 44:21).
Mary Remains With Elizabeth For About 3 Months.
Jesus Christ is not only told by the angel.
Jesus is not only experienced by the teenage girl, Mary by her pregnancy.
Even a relative in a distant hill country, in Judea, is now giving a prophetic tradition.
John will be born as the prophet who would announce the Messiah and Jesus will be born as the Messiah
Conclusion:
Here in the first part of infancy narrative we find:
The subjects are informed that the children will be born.
Here in the first part of the infancy narrative, Luke is showing the agency of spiritual begins and human responsibility and obedience. In Luke’s world, angels will speak, the Spirit will work with people, people are enabled and empowered to speak prophetically. Gender did not matter it,. God is doing something in the world and that is going to shape the narrative of the Kingdom of God that Theophilus should know about and the rest of the world should know.
Be engaged to encounter this mighty God about whom the Jesus said, “With him all things are possible.” He is able to make the impossible happen because he is God and we are not. As we learn about Jesus, it is our prayer that we can make this world a better place and be the people that God wants us to be.
Life Principles From Luke 1
God Speaks, God Works But There Is Human Responsibility And Obedience.
Jesus Is The Messiah, The Lord.
The Holy Spirit Will Work With People.
Gender/Age Does Not Matter With God.
God Hears Our Prayers.
Fear Not – Be Courageous.
God Will Give Us Joy.
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