The holy spirit filled zechariah

THE HOLY SPIRIT FILLED ZECHARIAH
EDITED BY GLENN PEASE
NOTE: Here is the father of John the baptist filled
with the Spirit and in Luke 1:41 his mother Elizebeth
is also so filled. So we have John and both of his
parents filledwith the Holy Spirit, and as far as I can
see, this is the only entire family in the Bible that is
filledwith the Spirit.
Luke 1:67 67His father Zechariah was filled with the
Holy Spiritand prophesied:
BIBLEHUB RESOURCES
Pulpit Commentary Homiletics
Joy And Awe At A Human Birth
Luke 1:58, 66, 67
W. Clarkson
When John was born his mother's heart was filled with greatjoy, and her
neighbors rejoicedwith her. And when the little child, a week old, was

introduced into the Jewishcommonwealth, a feeling of awe filled the hearts of
those present, and there was much wonderment concerning him. "Fearcame
on them all," and every one was asking, "Whatmanner of child shall this
be?" No doubt the exceptionalcharacterof the circumstances attending his
birth and his circumcision accountedfor the joy and also for the fear; but
apart from all that was unusual, there was reasonenoughibr both sentiments
to be felt and shown. At any ordinary human birth there is -
I. OCCASION FOR HOPEFULNESSAND GLADNESS OF HEART. "The
mother remembereth no more her anguish, for joy that a man is born into the
world," said our Lord (John 16:21). And why rejoice on this occasion?
Becauseof:
1. The love which the little child will cherish. Not, indeed, to be manifested in
its very earliestdays, but to be felt and shown before long - the beautiful,
clinging, whole-heartedlove of childhood; a love which it is fair to see and
most precious to receive.
2. The love which the little child will call forth - the love which is parental,
fraternal; the love of those who serve as wellas that of kindred and friends, -
this, too, is one of the most goodly sights on which the eye of purity and
wisdom rests;it is one of the sweetestand most wholesome ingredients in the
cup of earthly good.
3. The discipline which the coming of the child will involve. All parents have
an invaluable privilege, from which they ought to derive the greatestbenefit.
They may be so slow to learn, so unimpressionable, so obdurate, that they are
none the wiseror better for their parentage;and in that case theywill be
something or even much the worse. But if the "little child" does not "lead" us,
it is our own fault and folly. The child's dependency on his parent, trustfulness
in his parent, obedience to his parent, - do these not speak eloquently of our
dependence upon, our trustfulness in, our obedience to our heavenly Father?
The love we feel for our little child, the care we take of him, the profound
regretwe should feel if he went astray, the sacrifice we are ready to make for
his recovery, - does not all this summon us, with touching and even thrilling
voice, to realize the love God has for us his human children, the care he has

takenof us day and night through all our years, the profound Divine regret
with which he has seenus go astrayfrom himself, the wonderful sacrifice he
made for us when he sparednot his own Son but delivered him up for us all,
in order to restore us to himself and reinstate us in our heritage? And the
labor we are necessitatedto bestow, the patience to exercise, andthe self-
denial and sacrifice to show, - these are essentialfactors in the forming of our
character. We should not choose them, but we may well be most thankful for
them.
4. The excellencyto which he may attain; it may be that
(1) of physical beauty, or
(2) of intellectual ability, or
(3) of spiritual worth, or
(4) of valuable service.
Who can tell what lies latent in that helpless infant? what sources ofpower
and blessing are in that little cradle?
II. OCCASION FOR REVERENTAWE. It may well be that "fear" comes on
all those who hold their own children in their arms. For they who are
entrusted with a little child receive therewith a most grave responsibility. It is
true that nothing canremove the accountablenessofeachsoul to its Creator
for what it has become;but it is also true that parents are very seriously
responsible for the characterand careerof their children. Our children will
believe what we teachthem, will form the habits in which we train them, will
follow the example we set them, will imbibe the spirit which we are breathing
in their presence. Whatshall this child be? That depends on ourselves. If we
are only true and wise and kind, our children will almost certainly become
what we ourselves are - what we long and pray that they may be. Joy and awe
are therefore the two appropriate sentiments at every human birth. When a
child is born into the home, there enters that which may be the source of the
greatestgladnessto the heart; there also enters that which should make life a
far more serious and solemn thing. - C.

Biblical Illustrator
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost.
Luke 1:67-79
The song of Zacharias
Bishop Willliam Alexander.
I. Preliminary questions. In the opening portion of St. Luke's Gospel, there is
a definiteness of time, place, and circumstance, which makes us feel that we
are not breathing in the air or looking through the deceptive light of legend.
We are not travelling in dreamland, for we can measure distances. The
objections which have been made in modern times to this statementare
derived from two elements in the narrative —(1) from the accountof various
angelic appearances;(2)from the recordedbursts of ecstatic orprophetic
song.
1. As to the angelic appearance in these opening chapters. Unquestionably
here, as elsewhere,throughout, and to its very close, St. Luke's is the Gospel
of the holy angels. The existence o!angels rests upon the same witness as the
whole supernatural life. There must be something of fitness in the times of
their manifestation, and in the persons to whom they make themselves known.
In a material age they ceaseto appear. There must be a certainsaintly second-
sight — a something angelic in the angelseen. All depends upon the initial
point of view. From ours it is not incredible, but rather probable, that Gabriel
should have come to Zacharias and Mary; that songs ofacclamationshould
have rung out over Bethlehem. We are come to an innumerable company of
angels. Well, too, may we be impressedby the gravity and reserve of the
scriptural accountof angelic appearances. Manreceives no random invitation
to a heedless intimacy on the one hand; to a Socinianheresyof angelcultus on
the other. Of all the countless hosts ofheaven, Scripture condescends to make
but two known to us by name — Gabrieland Michael.

2. But, in reference to these opening scenes ofSt. Luke's Gospel, it has further
been objectedthat these sacredsongs, these bursts of Hebraic poetry, are
unmistakably like art, or legend; that the critic is irresistibly impelled to see
them in a piece of fancy work, like the songs in Tennyson's "QueenMary."
There are a few considerations whichremove this obstinate prejudice of
modern criticism. If labour and genius are the only possible creators ofany
form of literature, these songs, of course, canscarcelybe genuine. But if, as a
matter of fact, prophecy exists;if Jesus Christ be its chief and central subject,
it is only natural that, after an interval of 400 years, it should awakenagain,
just as he was about to visit the earth; that the father of God's chosenservant,
who was to go as a messengerbefore Messiah'sface, shouldbe filled with the
Holy Ghost, and prophesy.(1) The Benedictus was, no doubt, formed in the
heart of Zacharias during the long months of enforcedmuteness, when he was
dumb, and not able to speak. After nine months of silence it came streaming
out like the molten metal when issue is given to it.(2) The pious Hebrew would
have no such material difficulties as those which have been suggestedabove.
For Hebrew poetry was not fetteredby the laws of an inexorable prosody. It
did not exactthe exquisite and severe modulation of classicalscansion. Psalm.
like strains rushed spontaneouslyto the lips of those who lived in the circle of
the Old Testamentwritings, and spake its language. Moreover — and this is
most important of all — the whole substance and tenor of the Benedictus
shows that it was not moulded by art; that it does not bearthe same relation
to the gospelhistory as the speechesofPericles orHannibal to the narratives
of Thucydides and Livy. From what point of view must Zaeharias have
spoken? The sight of Christ which he enjoyed was far beyond that of any of
the psalmists in clearness.Yet the picture which he drew must have been
painted in Hebrew colours, and set in a Jewishframework. A later writer, in
an age pre-eminently without criticaltact and subtlety, would never have
contentedhimself with putting these oracularutterances into the lips of
Zacharias. No doubt the Christian Church has, almost from the beginning,
used these songs in daily worship. By doing so she interprets them of Jesus.
But the question is not, in the slightestdegree, how the Christian Church
understands this and the other songs, whenthey have been permanently
committed to writing. The question is whether, after the cross and
resurrection, after all things were fulfilled, she could, by any conceivable self-

restraint, have managedto write them in such a strain? These songs would
rather have been like the Apocalyptic strains, "Worthy is the Lamb that was
slain." The mind which wrote the Benedietus, under the condition of a full
historicalknowledge ofthe gospel, must either have been an earnestor a
deceptive mind. For an earnestmind, such reserve upon the subjects which
were in the front rank of its affections, wouldhave been unnatural; for a
deceptive mind it would have been, ex hypothesi, impossible. Thus, the
Benedictus is impossible at a date either earlier or later than that to which it is
assignedby the third evangelist. Such visions of the light just dawning, such a
conceptionof the generalcharacterofthe approaching redemption, with such
reserve — rather such silence — as to the mode in which it was to be carried
out in detail; such silver brightness on the edge of the mist, such dimness in its
heart; such strange eloquence and reserve — could only have come from one
who stoodon the thin border-line betweenthe two dispensations — on the
infinitesimal space betweenthe two vast ranges before and behind. A little
more, and the song would have been purely Christian; a little less, and it
would have been purely Jewish.
II. We proceedto draw some lessons from the song itself.
1. It is well to remember who and what Zacharias was. Zacharias was a holy
and religious priest. The employment of Zacharias was that of a minister of a
Divinely. ordained ritual. Now true revelationdoes not deal with the spirit of
man mechanically. The thought and utterance take the mould and colourof
the mind, which the spirit freely uses. The form of the revelation is adapted to
the natural tendencies and whole condition of him who is the Holy Ghost's
voice or pen. The prophet priest Ezekielviews the Church under the image
which would naturally occurto one who had been trained in such an element
— the image of a temple. The priest prophet Zacharias views the life of all the
emancipatedchildren of God as one continuous worship, one endless priestly
service — "Thatwe, fearlessly, having been once for all delivered from hand
of enemies, should continually do Him worship. In holiness and righteousness
before Him all the days that we have." This is the essenceand use of all the
true ritualism of God. One word summed up the whole meaning and purpose
of the priestly life of Zacharias — to do God service, to be worshipping Him.
This word, this Ich Dien of the faithful priesthood, he makes the Ich Dien of

every child of God. The one true priest, whose coming is so near, shall enable
all the redeemedpeople to perform the true service ofpriests, to celebrate
God's worship in the long festivity of a perpetual freedom. The motto of
Christ's kingdom of priests comes fitly from the lips of an inspired priest. The
meaning of the Old Testamentritual is given, as best became the fitness of
things, by one who was "ofthe order of Abia." These words are sung in
hundreds of churches. It is well that singers should be taught to sing
"gracefully," as wellas heartily, to the Lord. But both choirs and
congregations shouldkeepthe words of Zacharias everbefore them, "Without
fear to do Him the worship and service of a life."
2. The place which is occupiedby the Benedictus in the reformed Prayer Book
is significant and interesting. It is placed immediately after the secondlesson
at morning service, which is always from one of the Gospels, Epistles, orthe
Apocalypse. Zacharias was the first New Testamentprophet; and this is
almost the first gospelhymn. The voice and song of such a one may fitly be
heard immediately after our first reading from the New Testament. It does
not, perhaps, seema mere fancy to see in the contents of the Benedictus a
reference to the work of the Christian ministry. Zacharias was a father as well
as a priest. He turns, with a burst of joy, which was not merely natural, to his
babe, and places him among the goodly company of the prophets — " And
thou too, child, shalt be called prophet of the Highest. For onward thou shalt
go, on, in front of the Lord, to prepare His ways;To give knowledge of
salvationto His people." But what was to be done by the child of Zacharias is
to be done by Christ's ministers, who "prepare and make ready a people for
His secondcoming." And the simple reading of the simple gospelin the second
lessonis a specimen, as it were, and epitome of all this work.
III. This utterance of Zacharias is something more than a song or poem. It is a
treatise on salvation.
1. Its Author — "Blessedbe the Lord God of Israel, ForHe hath raisedup a
strong salvationfor us."
2. Its cause — "On accountof the tender mercy of our God."
3. Its essence— " Salvation, consisting in remisssionof sins."

4. Its blessednessand privileges — "Being delivered out of the hand of our
enemies, to serve Him without fear."
5. Its consequence — "In holiness and righteousness before Him all our days."
All who have ever understood the Psalmist's deeply pathetic cry, "Make the
reproachwhich I am afraid of to pass over," will also understand the
preciousness ofthe privilege. We conclude by citing the image with which the
song concludes. It is derived from a caravanwhich has lost its way, when the
wayfarers "sitdown" in the darkness, whichis like the shadow of death, to
perish in their helplessness. Then, in the high heavens, a glorious star makes
its Epiphany. So often as we sing this hymn with true spiritual worship, with
hearts full of the sense ofthat salvationwhich consists in remissionof sins, the
old song may be as full of life and joy as any new hymn. The Hymn of
Zacharias is the strain of the "Pilgrims of the Night."
(Bishop Willliam Alexander.)
Zachariah's canticle
W. Burkitt, M. A.
1. Observe that no soonerwas Zacharyrecoveredand restoredto his speech,
but he sings the praises of his Redeemer, and offers up a thanksgiving to God.
The best return we canmake to God for the use of our tongue, for the giving
or restoring of our speech, is to publish our Creator's praise, to plead His
cause, and vindicate His honour.
2. The subject matter of Zachary's song. What is the particular and special
mercy which He praises and blesses Godfor? It is not for his own particular
and private mercy, namely, the recoveryof his speech, though undoubtedly he
was very thankful to God for that mercy; but he blesses andpraises God for
catholic and universal mercies bestowedupon His Church and people.
3. In this evangelicalhymn there is a prophetic prediction, both concerning
Christ and concerning John.(1) Concerning Christ, he declares that God the
Father had sent Him of His free mercy and rich grace, yetin performance of

His truth and faithfulness, and according to His promise and oath which He
had made to Abraham and the fathers of the Old Testament. Where note —
(a) He blesses Godfor the comprehensive blessing of the Messiah — "visited,"
i.e., in the incarnation of Jesus.(b)The specialfruit and benefit of this
gracious and merciful visitation — the redemption of a lost world.(c) The
charactergiven of this Saviourand Redeemer — "horn of salvation," i.e., a
royal and glorious, strong and powerful, Saviour to His Church and people.
The horn in Scripture signifies glory and dignity, strength and power;as the
beauty, so the strength of the beastlies in his horn; now Christ being styled a
horn of salvation intimates that He Himself is a royal and princely Saviour,
and that the salvationwhich He brings is greatand plentiful, glorious and
powerful.(d) The nature and quality of that salvationand deliverance which
the Sonof Godcame to accomplishfor us. Not a temporal deliverance, as the
Jews expected, from the powerof the Romans;but spiritual, from the hands
of sin and Satan, death and hell; His design was to purchase a spiritual
freedom and liberty for us, that we might be enabled to serve Him without
fear, i.e., without the servile and offending fear of a slave, but with the dutiful
and ingenuous fear of a child. Learn hence, that believers, who were slaves of
Satan, are by Christ made God's freemen; and, as such, they owe Goda
willing, cheerful, and delightful service without fear, and a constant,
persevering service all the days of their life.(e) The source and fountain from
which this glorious Saviour and gracious salvationarose andsprang, viz.,
from the mercy and faithfulness of God.(2)Concerning John, he prophesies —
(a) The nature of His office.(b)The quality of his work. He was to be a herald
and harbinger to the MostHigh; as the morning star, foretelling the glorious
arising of the Sun of Righteousness.
4. Zachary, having spokena few words concerning his son, returns instantly
to celebrate the praises of the Saviour, comparing Him to the rising sun,
which shone forth in the brightness of the gospelto enlighten the dark corners
of the world.
(W. Burkitt, M. A.)

Deliverance athand
Sunday SchoolTimes.
When an English garrison, during the Indian Mutiny, was besiegedat
Lucknow, and was almostmomentarily expecting the fall of the city, a sick
woman startedup from her slumber, crying, "We're saved! Don't you hear
the music? They're coming! They're coming!" No one else could hear that
music; yet, in a few hours, a relieving force arrived, and the garrisonwas
saved. This prophecy of Zacharias is like the far-off music of the coming
salvation. Compare in Motley's "DutchRepublic" the accountof the relief of
Leyden. The state of the world before the coming of Christ may be compared
to that of shipwreckedmen clinging to a rock in the midst of the sea. There is
no safety for them where they are, and no safetyin themselves. With what
joyous eyes is it that they behold a boat coming to their rescue from the
distant land! So in the case oflost humanity, salvationhad to be brought. A
man crossing a heath one dark night fell into a pit. He tried in vain to getout,
calling loudly for assistanceall the while. Soonpeople gatheredto his
assistance, anda rope was loweredto him. He graspedit, and was drawn up
into the light. So mankind cannotbe uplifted from the pit of sin, except by
salvationbrought from above.
(Sunday SchoolTimes.)
God's faithfulness
Sunday SchoolTimes.
Like the song of Mary, this prophecy of Zacharias tells of God's faithfulness
in His promises. In ancient times there was a beautiful rite of hospitality.
Friends residing in different countries gave eachother emblems, on the
presentationof which eachcould claim the hospitality of the other. And when
they both were dead, the son of one could call upon the son of the other for the
same hospitality by presenting his emblem. The promises made to the father
were fulfilled to the son. So down through the ages the Jews waitedfor the
fulfilment of the promises made to Abraham. But to us it is given to see in

clearerlight their complete fulfilment, and how that came neither too late nor
too soon.
James Foote, M. A.
I. Let us join Zacharias in his song of praise for that greatdeliverance of
which John was the harbinger. The blessings here celebratedwere not
confined to Jews, but are common to all God's " people. Salvationis ever the
same in substance, and much the same in its form and means.
II. It becomes us to be thankful that the light of the gospelhas visited our own
land in particular. Through God's mercy we have been lifted out of idolatry,
impurity, and misery, into the knowledge ofthe truth. Let us see that the
"light" is shining into our hearts, and that we are walking in it.
III. Deliverance from enemies through the gospel. Savedfrom sin; takenout
of the powerof our spiritual foes.
IV. Serving God without fear.
1. External peace and security.
2. Internal state of mind produced by religion. At peace with God; delighting
in Him as a Father and Friend.
(James Foote, M. A.)
The parental relationship
H. C. Trumbull.
There are men and womenknown in history chiefly by their relation to their
children. They were godly men and women; men and women of ability and
usefulness in their day; but their pre-eminent place in the world is as parents.

This fact should be a stimulus and a source ofhope to every parent. Whatever
a father or a mother may have done or have failed to do up to the present
hour, there is that child to be lookedafter, to be loved and cared for, to be
trained and prayed over, to have faith in behalf of. In that child there may lie
the hope and the joy of multitudes, and the hope and the joy of the parents as
well. How this ought to nerve us and give us cheer as we toil and pray for the
child of our hearts. That child may rise up to callus blessed, and, for his sake,
all generations may call us blessed. It is for us to do our duty by our children.
It may be for us to have a reward in them beyond all other rewards we have in
and for our earthly course. You are the father, or the mother, of that child.
How much of gooddoes that portend to him? How much of goodit may
portend to you!
(H. C. Trumbull.)
The source of true power
H. C. Trumbull.
"Filled with the Holy Ghost" — that was fitness for praising God acceptably,
and for proclaiming His truth acceptably, in the days of Zacharias. It was not
that Zacharias was filled with enthusiasm, filled with earnestness, filled with
knowledge, filled with poetic fervour; but that he was filled with the Holy
Ghost. That gave his words power, and, because ofthat fact, his words are in
our ears and on our lips to-day. There is no other source of true powerin
God's service in this age, or in any age. To be a goodparent, a goodteacher, a
goodpreacher, a goodBible student, a goodman, or a goodwoman, one needs
to be filled with the Holy Ghost; there is no substitute for this.
(H. C. Trumbull.)
Songs composedunder stress of deep feeling
On the night before her execution, Mary Queenof Scots composeda short
prayer, and sang it over by herself because she could not sleep. The words are

very musical in the Latin which she used, expressing the passionate wishof a
captive to escape:
"O Lord God Almighty! my hope is in Thee!
O Jesus beloved, now liberate me!
In durance the drearest, in bonds the severest —
My desire is to Thee!
In sighing and crying, on bended knees lying,
I adore — I implore Thou would'st liberate me!"
When Madame Guyon and her faithful maid were imprisoned, she composed
songs for her comfort. "And then," says she, "we sang them together, praises
unto Thee, O our God! It sometimes seemedto me as if I were a little bird,
whom the Lord had placedin a cage, andthat I had nothing to do now but
sing!"
Religious value of song
Bishop Jewel, writing to PeterMartyr, March, 1560, says:"Religionis now
somewhatmore establishedthan it was. The people are everywhere
exceedinglyinclined to the better part. Ecclesiasticaland popular music has
much conduced to this result. Foras soonas they had once commencedto sing
publicly in only one little church in London, immediately not only the other
neighbouring churches, but even the towns far distant, beganto vie with each
other in the same practice. At times you may see at Paul's Cross, aftersermon,
six thousand persons, old and young, of both sexes, singing togetherand
praising God. This sadly annoys the priests and the devil, for they see that by
these means the sacreddiscourses sink more deeply into men's minds, and
that their kingdom is shakenand shatteredat almost every note."

F. D. Maurice, M. A.
It is emphatically the song of a man whose tongue is unloosed;who for the
first time has entered into the meaning of the books whichhe has been
reading since his childhood, of the services in which he has been engagedever
since he became a priest. A speechmay be invented with tolerable success for
a generalon the eve of a battle, though such as have really come down to us
stir the blood far more; but the mimicry of this kind of feeling must have been
odious and contemptible. I know not where you could find the stamp of fraud
more clearand ineffaceable than on a document which attempted it. If the
words of Zacharias have lasted to our day, and have been acceptedby men of
different races as vital and true words — as words which speak to and speak
forth the human heart within them — I cannotpersuade myself that they bear
that stamp of insincerity.
(F. D. Maurice, M. A.)
Spontaneous spiritual song
A. B. Grosart, D. D., ProfessorLuthardt.
One can't help thinking that the mind and heart of Zacharias during all those
nine months had been filling with this song. And now it bursts forth at once —
as a flower suddenly bursts out where there was but a green-sheathedbull
yesterday. This song is as spontaneous as that of a lark, and as lyrical. As
David found a prayer in his heart (2 Samuel7:27), so Zacharias found a song
in his.
(A. B. Grosart, D. D.)It is a wonderful scene in the house of the old priest
Zacharias that we are permitted to witness. The priest's lips had long been
sealed. In silence he had awaitedthe fulfilment of the Divine promise. His
tongue was not to be loosedtill the word of the Lord had been fulfilled, that
his first utterance might be praise to God for His wonderful works. It was
manifest that a new era was beginning — the era of the long-expected
redemption of Israel. This is the strain of Zacharias'hymn of praise. Just as a
mountain stream, which, after being long hemmed in, finds at last an outlet,

leaps along in tumultuous gladness, so does the long pent-up emotion of
Zacharias'heart flow forth in a rapture of praise, "Blessedbe the Lord," &c.
We feelthat this is not the expressionsimply of his own personal, fatherly
gladness. It is the rejoicing song of all who lookedfor redemption in Israel,
thus finding utterance through him. We observe that it was —
I. A Tree OF FULFILMENT (vers. 67-70), and —
II. A TIME OF SALVATION (vers. 71-79).
(ProfessorLuthardt.)
Emotion breaking out into speech
T. L. Cuyler.
— A vivid emotion of love and gratitude is very apt to break out into speech,
either in the form of a public testimony for Christ, or in the voice of song. I
have known a prayer meeting, at a time of awakening, to become like an
aviary, for God had put a new song into scoresofmouths.
(T. L. Cuyler.)
Changedby the Spirit
C. H. Spurgeon.
No man or woman amongstyou knows what he might be if he were filled with
the Spirit. What is that rough Luther? He is only fit to have been a killer of
bullocks, or a feller of oaks in the forest; but fill Luther with the Holy Spirit
and what is he? He takes the bull of Rome by the horns, slays wild beasts of
error in the greatarena of the gospel, and is more than a conqueror through
the might which dwelleth in him! Take JohnCalvin — fit naturally to be a
cunning lawyer, cutting and dividing nice points, judging this precedent and
that, frittering awayhis time over immaterial niceties;but fill him with the
Holy Ghostand John Calvin becomes the mighty master of grace, the

reflectionof the wisdom of all past ages,and a greatlight to shed a brilliant
ray even till the Millennium shall dawn I Chief, and prince, and king of all
uninspired teachers, the mighty seerof Geneva, filled with the Spirit of Godis
no more John Calvin, but a God-sentangelof the Churches!
(C. H. Spurgeon.)
Birth and Naming of the Baptist
G. Venables, S. C. L.
Luke 1:56-80
And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her own
house.…
Three-fourths of a year before portentous events had intimated the return of
prophecy and miracles to Israel — Zacharias in the temple. One-fourth of a
year since, another manifestationfrom heaven — Mary and Gabriel.
Expectationhigh! Gleam of sunshine in darkness, Music in storm. Hills of
Zion shining with early rays of twilight. And now "the morning star" shining
bright in the cold, chilly dawn, heralds the speedy rising of the Sun of
Righteousnesswith health and healing in His wings!For it was now to be seen
that what God promised should be performed.
I. THE BIRTH OF JOHN.
1. Remembercircumstances ofhis being promised, and the astonishing
testimony to the divinity of future Jesus, whenthe two mothers met.

2. Now the promises begin to be accomplished. John born. Neighbours and
kinsfolk rejoice with her. A subject of attention, for it was
(1) miraculous;
(2) promised.
II. NAMING OF CIRCUMCISION.
1. Circumcision, eighth day. A duty. Analogy in baptism (Colossians2:11, 12).
Baptism also should be in infancy.
2. Naming took place then. So Christian name is given at baptism, not by
registration.
III. THE MIRACLE (ver. 64). Rewardto faith.
IV. ZACHARIAS' SONG OF PRAISE. Christ came, not to make men sullen,
low, morose, desponding; but to pour out blessings in rich abundance, and to
turn the captivity of His people " as the rivers in the south." Has this song
been realized in you? Is God visiting you? Has darkness vanished, and the
true light shone in you? Make sure! Don't grasp the shadows oftime, and lose
the substance ofeternity.

(G. Venables, S. C. L.)
The Birth and Training of John the Baptist
G. D. Boardman.
Luke 1:56-80
And Mary stayed with her about three months, and returned to her own
house.…
Such is the story of the birth and training of the Harbinger. The story suggests
many lessons. I will mention but two.
I. It is a fine illustration of the proverb, "COMING EVENTS CAST THEIR
SHADOWS BEFORE."It was meet that the King of kings, in making advent,
should have His avant-courier. Yes, it was meet that the Sun of Righteousness
should have His morning star.
II. THE PLACE OF ASCETICISM IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. Forit
cannot be denied that Christ's religion demands as one of its essential
conditions self-denial. Presupposing a fallen, inverted nature, where the
outward has usurped the inward — the flesh, the spirit — Christianity
undertakes a restorationof the primal order, proposing victory in the very
sphere of defeat. Thus, St. Paul himself buffeted his own body, and brought it
into bondage. It was true of Moses, ofDavid, of Daniel. Our blessedLord
Himself went into the wilderness, and fasted forty days and forty nights. So,
also, many of the noblestcharacters in Christian history have been ascetics:
witness a Basil, GregoryNazianzen, , , , . Their powerlay, in part at least, in

their asceticism. It certainly was so in the case of John of the Desert. His
hermit-life gave him simplicity of manners, freedom from the entanglements
of societyand the elaborate artifices of a complicatedcivilization. It also gave
him self-reliance, fortitude, courage. An asceticlife is ever apt to make what
in some respects is a grand character. Yet an ascetic life is fraught with perils.
It tempts to self-righteousness, morbid gloom, and fanaticism. We only need
recallthe abominable vices of the mediaevalmonks — their indolence,
avarice, hypocrisy, and sensuality — to be certified that monasticismhas no
just place in the Christian economy. Happy the day for those European
countries when the monasteries were suppressed!No, man was made for man.
He may escape society, but in escaping society, he disowns duty. The leaven of
the kingdom must be put into the meal of the world. The asceticismwhich
Jesus Christ, alike by word and by example, demands is self-denial, not for
self-denial's own sake, but for the sake of others.
(G. D. Boardman.)
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Adam Clarke Commentary
Zacharias - prophesied - The word prophesy is to be taken here in its proper
acceptation, forthe predicting or foretelling future events.

Zacharias speaks, notonly of what God had already done, but also of what he
was about to do, in order to save a lost world.
Copyright Statement
These files are public domain.
Bibliography
Clarke, Adam. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "The Adam Clarke
Commentary". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/acc/luke-
1.html. 1832.
return to 'Jump List'
Albert Barnes'Notes onthe Whole Bible
Filled with the Holy Ghost - See Luke 1:15.
And prophesied - The word “prophesy” means:
1.To foretellfuture events.
2.To celebrate the praises of God (see 1 Samuel 10:5-6;1 Kings 18:29);then
to,
3.Teachor preachthe gospel, etc. See the notes at Romans 12:6.
This song of Zechariah partakes ofall. It is principally employed in the
praises of God, but it also predicts the future characterand preaching of
John.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography

Barnes, Albert. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". "Barnes'Notes onthe New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bnb/luke-1.html.
1870.
Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied,
saying.
Prophesied... This word, as used in the New Testament, is not limited in
meaning to the mere prediction of future events. Paul, a close friend of Luke,
said, "He that prophesieth speakethunto men edification, exhortation, and
consolation" (1 Corinthians 14:3). Of course, the foretelling of the future is
also part of the meaning.
Filled with the Holy Spirit ... The inspiration and infallible accuracyofwhat
Zacharias saidin this circumstance is affirmed by such a declarationas this.
THE BENEDICTUS
The twelve verses recording Zacharias'words could be briefly summarized as
a thanksgiving for the arrival of the times of the Messiah. It was God's
blessing and mercy manifested by his fulfilling at last the ancientprophecies
of the Old Testament, his breaking the centuries of silence afterMalachi, and
his establishing the promised reality of the covenantwith Abraham that
dominated the major part of Zacharias'prophecy. Notuntil the last four
verses did he speak of his precious sonand the share he would have in such a
glorious fulfillment of God's word.
Like the Magnificat, this portion of Luke has been used extensivelyin the
liturgies of the historicalchurch; like the Virgin's Hymn, this too was first
adopted for liturgical use by St. Caesarius of Arles in the sixth century.
Copyright Statement

James Burton Coffman Commentaries reproduced by permission of Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. All other rights reserved.
Bibliography
Coffman, James Burton. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "Coffman
Commentaries on the Old and New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/bcc/luke-1.html. Abilene
Christian University Press, Abilene, Texas, USA. 1983-1999.
John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost,.... With a spirit of
prophecy, as his wife Elisabethhad been before, Luke 1:41.
and prophesied saying;the following things, relating to the Messiah, his
incarnation and redemption by him; to the accomplishing of the covenant,
oath, promise and mercy of God to his people;and to his son, the forerunner
of Christ; and to his work and office, in the various parts and branches of it,
which he should perform. Whence it appears, that the following song is of
divine inspiration; and that Zacharias spake it as he was moved by the Holy
Ghost, as the prophets of old did.
Copyright Statement
The New John Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible Modernisedand adapted
for the computer by Larry Pierce of Online Bible. All Rightes Reserved,
Larry Pierce, Winterbourne, Ontario.
A printed copy of this work can be ordered from: The Baptist Standard
Bearer, 1 Iron Oaks Dr, Paris, AR, 72855
Bibliography

Gill, John. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "The New John Gill Expositionof
the Entire Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/luke-
1.html. 1999.
Geneva Study Bible
7 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied,
saying,
(7) John, having just been born, by the authority of the Holy Spirit is
appointed to his office.
Copyright Statement
Text Courtesyof BibleSupport.com. Used by Permission.
Bibliography
Beza, Theodore. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". "The 1599 Geneva Study
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/gsb/luke-1.html. 1599-
1645.
People's New Testament
Zacharias... prophesied. As soonas his tongue was loosedit was employed to
praise the Lord. All inspired utterances are calledprophesying, but in the
present case there was clearlyinspired prediction. In the Old Testamentspirit
the kingdom of Christ in the future is describedin generalterms.

Copyright Statement
These files are public domain and are a derivative of an electronic edition that
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Original work done by Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 atThe
RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
Johnson, BartonW. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "People's New
Testament". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/pnt/luke-1.html.
1891.
Robertson's WordPictures in the New Testament
Prophesied(επροπητευσεν — eprophēteusen). Under the guidance of the Holy
Spirit. This Benedictus (Ευλογητος — Eulogētos Blessed)of Zacharias (Luke
1:68) may be what is referred to in Luke 1:64 “he beganto speak blessing
God” (ευλογων — eulogōn). Nearly every phrase here is found in the O.T.
(Psalms and Prophets). He, like Mary, was full of the Holy Spirit and had
caught the Messianic messagein its highest meaning.
Copyright Statement
The Robertson's WordPictures of the New Testament. Copyright �
Broadman Press 1932,33,Renewal1960. All rights reserved. Used by
permission of Broadman Press (Southern BaptistSunday SchoolBoard)
Bibliography
Robertson, A.T. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "Robertson'sWord Pictures
of the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rwp/luke-1.html. Broadman
Press 1932,33. Renewal1960.

Wesley's ExplanatoryNotes
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied,
saying,
And Zacharias prophesied— Of things immediately to follow. But it is
observable, he speaks ofChrist chiefly; of John only, as it were, incidentally.
Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website.
Bibliography
Wesley, John. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "JohnWesley's Explanatory
Notes on the Whole Bible".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wen/luke-1.html. 1765.
The Fourfold Gospel
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied1,
saying,
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied. This
his prophecy is the lastof the old dispensation, and the first of the new, or
Christian, era. It also is poetry, and is a hymn of thanksgiving for the time of
Messiah's advent.

Copyright Statement
is available on the Christian ClassicsEtherealLibrary Website. These files
were made available by Mr. Ernie Stefanik. First published online in 1996 at
The RestorationMovementPages.
Bibliography
J. W. McGarveyand Philip Y. Pendleton. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". "The
Fourfold Gospel". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tfg/luke-
1.html. Standard Publishing Company, Cincinnati, Ohio. 1914.
Calvin's Commentary on the Bible
67.Zachariaswas filled with the Holy Ghost We have lately explained this
phrase to mean, that the servants of God receivedmore abundantly the grace
of the Spirit, of which, at other times, they were not destitute. Thus we read,
that the Spirit was given to the prophets: not that on other occasions they
wanted it, but that the powerof the Spirit was more fully exerted in them,
when the hand of God, as it were, brought them into public view, for the
discharge of their office. We must observe, therefore, the manner in which
Luke connects the two clauses:he was filled with the Holy Ghost, and
prophesied This implies that divine inspiration, at that time, restedupon him
in an extraordinary measure, in consequence ofwhich he did not speak like a
man or private person, but all that he uttered was heavenly instruction. Thus
also Paul connects prophecywith the Spirit.
“Quenchnot the Spirit: despise not prophesyings,”
(1 Thessalonians5:19.)
which teaches us that to despise instruction is to “quench” the light of “the
Spirit.” This was a remarkable instance of the goodness ofGod, that not only

did Zacharias recoverthe powerof speech, which he had not enjoyed for nine
months, but his tongue became the organof the Holy Spirit.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Calvin, John. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "Calvin's Commentary on the
Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/cal/luke-1.html. 1840-
57.
John Trapp Complete Commentary
67 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied,
saying,
Ver. 67. Was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied] This was a plentiful
amends for the late loss of his speech. See here the goodnessofGod to all his.
Quibus non solum ablata restituit, sed insperata concedit(saith Ambrose). Ille
dudum mutus prophetat. God is better to his than their hopes.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Trapp, John. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". John Trapp Complete
Commentary. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jtc/luke-1.html.
1865-1868.
Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible
Luke 1:67. Zacharias—prophesied,— Some imagine that by Zacharias's
prophesying, St. Luke means only that he celebratedthe praises of God with
greatelevationand affectionof soul. And it must be acknowledged, that the
word has this sense in other passages ofScripture, particularly 1 Chronicles
25:1 where Asaph and Jeduthun are said to prophesy with the harp and
cymbal, which is explained Luke 1:3 by their giving praise and thanks to God.
However, as Zacharias is said on this occasionto have been filled with the
Holy Ghost, and to have uttered a prophesy concerning his son, the ordinary
sense ofthe word may very well be admitted here.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Coke, Thomas. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". Thomas Coke Commentary on
the Holy Bible. https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/tcc/luke-
1.html. 1801-1803.
Expository Notes with PracticalObservations onthe New Testament
Here observe, 1. That no soonerwas Zacharias recoveredand restoredto his
speech, but he sings the praises of his Redeemer, and offers up a thanksgiving
to God; the best return we canmake to God for the use of our tongues, for the

giving or restoring of our speech, is to publish our Creator's praise, to plead
his cause, andvindicate his honour.
Observe, 2. What it is that Zacharias makes the subject-matter of his song:
what is the particular and specialmercy which he praises and and blesses God
for. It is not for his own particular and private mercy; namely, the recoveryof
his speech, thoughundoubtedly he was very thankful to God for that mercy;
but he blesses andpraises God for catholic and universal mercies bestowed
upon his church and people: he doth not say, Blessedbe the Lord God of
Israel, that hath visited me in mercy, that hath once more loosedmy tongue,
and restoredmy speech:but, "Blessedbe the Lord that hath visited and
redeemedhis people."
Whence learn, that it is both the duty and disposition of a gracious soul, to
abound in praise and thankfulness to God, more for catholic and universal
mercies towards the church of God, than for any particular and private
mercies how greatsoevertowards himself; "Blessedbe God for visiting and
redeeming his people."
Observe, 3. In this evangelicalhymn there is a prophetical prediction, both
concerning Christ, and concerning John. Concerning Christ, he declares, that
God the Father had sent him of his free mercy and rich grace, yetin
performance of his truth and faithfulness; and according to his promise and
oath which he had made to Abraham, and the fathers of the Old Testament.
Where note, 1. He blesses Godfor the comprehensive blessing of the Messiah;
"Blessedbe the Lord God of Israel, who hath visited his people:" namely, in
his Son's incarnation. The Lord Jesus Christ, in the fulness of time, made such
a visit to this sinful world, as men and angels admired at, and will admire to
all eternity.
Note, 2. The specialfruit and benefit of this gracious and merciful visitation,
and that was the redemption of a lost world, he hath visited and redeemedhis
people. This implies that miserable thraldom and bondage, which we were
under to sin and Satan, and expressesthe stupendous love of Christ, in buying
our lives with his dearestblood; and both by price and power rescuing us out
of the hands of our spiritual enemies.

Note, 3. The charactergiven of this Saviour and Redeemer;he is a horn of
salvation;that is, a royal and glorious, a strong and powerful Saviour to his
church and people. The horn, in scripture, signifies glory and dignity, strength
and power;as the beauty, so the strength of the beastlies in its horn: now
Christ being styled a horn of salvation, intimates, that he himself is a royal
and princely Saviour, and that the salvationwhich he brings, is greatand
plentiful, glorious and powerful; "Godhath raised up a horn of salvationfor
us in the house of his servant David."
Note, 4. The nature and quality of that salvation and deliverance, which the
Son of God came to accomplishfor us; not a temporal deliverance, as the Jews
expected, from the power of the Romans;but spiritual, from the hands of sin
and Satan, death and hell: his design was to purchase a spiritual freedom and
liberty for us, "that we might be enabled to serve him without fear;" that is,
without the servile and offending fear of a slave, but with the dutiful and
ingenuous fearof a child: and this in "holiness and righteousness;" that is, in
the duties of the first and secondtable, "all the days of our life."
Learn hence, that believers, who were slaves of Satan, are by Christ made
God's free men.
Secondly, that as such, they owe Goda service, a willing, cheerful, and
delightful service, without fear; and a constant, persevering service all the
days of their life, that "we being delivered out of the hands, &c."
Note, 5. The source and fountain from whence this glorious Saviour and
gracious salvationdid arise and spring; namely, from the mercy and
faithfulness of God; "To perform the mercy promised to our forefathers, and
to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he sware to our father
Abraham."
Learn hence, that the Lord Jesus Christ, the mercy of mercies, was graciously
promised, and faithfully performed, by God to his church and people. Christ
was a free and full mercy; a suitable, unsearchable, and everlasting mercy;
which God graciouslypromised in the beginning of time, and faithfully
performed in the fulness of time. Thus far this hymn of Zacharias respects the
Messiah.

Observe, 4. How he next turns himself to his child, and prophesies concerning
him: "And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, &c."
Where note, 1. The nature of his office, "thou shalt be a prophet;" not a
common and ordinary one, but a prophet of the highest rank; the messenger
of the Lord of Hosts. A prophet thou shalt be, annd more than a prophet.
Note, 2. As the nature of his office, so the quality of his work:"Thou shalt go
before the face of the Lord, to prepare his way:" thou shalt be an herald and
harbinger to the MostHigh; thou shalt go before the face of the Messias, and
by thy severe reproofs, and powerful exhortations, shalt prepare his way
before him, and make men fit and ready to receive this mighty Saviour. Thou,
child, shalt be as the morning star, to foretell the glorious arising of this Sun
of Righteousness.
Learn hence, 1. That it is the highest honour and dignity to serve Christ in the
quality and relation of a prophet.
2. That it is the office and duty of the prophets of Christ, to prepare and make
fit the hearts of men, to receive and embrace him.
Observe, 5. That Zacharias having spokena few words concerning his son, he
returns instantly to celebrate the praises of our Saviour, comparing him to the
rising sun, which shined forth in the brightness of his gospel, to enlighten the
dark corners of the world: "Through the tender mercies of our God, whereby
the day-spring from on high hath visited us, to give light to them that sit in
darkness."
Learn hence, 1. That Jesus Christ is that true Sun of Righteousness, whichin
the fulness of time did spring from on high to visit a lost and undone world.
2. That the greaterrand of Christ's coming into the world, and the particular
end of his appearing in the flesh, was "to give light to them that sit in
darkness."
3. That it was nothing less than infinite mercy, and bowels of compassionin
God and Christ, which inclined him to come from on high, to visit them that
sit in darkness:"Through the tender bowels of mercy in our God, whereby his

own and only sonsprung from on high to visit us here below, who satin
darkness and the shadow of death; and to guide our feet unto the way that
leads to everlasting peace."
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Burkitt, William. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". Expository Notes with
PracticalObservations onthe New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/wbc/luke-1.html. 1700-1703.
Heinrich Meyer's Critical and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament
Luke 1:67. After the historical episode of Luke 1:65 there now follows, in
reference to εὐλογῶντ. θεόν, Luke 1:64, the hymn itself (the so-called
Benedictus)into which Zacharias broke forth, and that on the spot(Kuinoel
erroneouslysuggeststhat it was only composedsubsequently by Zacharias).
At the same time the remark ἐπλήσθη πνεύμ. ἁγ. is repeated, and the hymn is
in respectof its nature more preciselydesignatedas prophecy. It is, like that
of Mary, Luke 1:46 ff. constructedin strophes, containing five strophes, each
of three verses. See Ewald.
προεφήτευσε]denotes not merely prediction, but the utterance of revelation
generallystimulated and sustainedby the Spirit, which includes in it
prediction proper. See on 1 Corinthians 12:10.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Meyer, Heinrich. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". Heinrich Meyer's Critical
and ExegeticalCommentaryon the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/hmc/luke-1.html. 1832.
Johann Albrecht Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament
Luke 1:67. προεφήτευσε, prophesied)concerning the events which were
immediately about to be. These prophesyings were spokenby Zacharias,
either on the very day of John’s circumcision, or after that the fact had
become widely circulated.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Bengel, JohannAlbrecht. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". Johann Albrecht
Bengel's Gnomonof the New Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jab/luke-1.html. 1897.
Matthew Poole's EnglishAnnotations on the Holy Bible
We must not think that Zacharias was before this time destitute of the Holy
Ghost, we heard the contrary before, Luke 1:6, but the Holy Ghost at this
time came upon him by a particular and more especialimpulse; as it did upon
the prophets, whom the Spirit moved but at some specialtimes to prophesy,
though it at all times dwelt and wrought in them, as a holy, sanctifying Spirit.
This is made goodby the next words, which tell us he

prophesied; which word signifieth any speaking for or instead of another, and
is not only applicable to such speakingsas are foretellings of things which
shall afterward come to pass, but unto any speaking for or instead of God, in
the revelationof his will made knownunto us. In this prophecy there is both
predictions of what should come to pass concerning John and concerning
Christ, and also applications of what was before spokenofthem by the
prophets; and it is observed by some, that it is an epitome of all those ancient
prophecies, and that there is in it a compendium of the whole doctrine of the
gospel.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Poole, Matthew, "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". Matthew Poole's English
Annotations on the Holy Bible.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/mpc/luke-1.html. 1685.
Whedon's Commentary on the Bible
67. Prophesied—Allinspired utterances are calledprophesying, but in the
present case there was clearlyinspired prediction. In the Old Testamentspirit
the kingdom of Christ in the future is described in generalterms, but vaguely
understood by the prophet himself. It is prophetic description rather than
prophetic history. The traits of the descriptionare to be found in the
Christian dispensation as a future whole, not to be fully verified until the
world is gathered into the Church, and the Church shall rise to the predicted
ideal. The prophetic hymn consists oftwo parts. Part first (68-75)predicts,
under Jewishimages, the powerand safetyof Messiah’s kingdom. Part
second, (76-79,)in an address to the infant John, predicts his preparatory

office as herald of the Messiah’s manifestationand his glorious kingdom of
human salvationon earth and in heaven.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Whedon, Daniel. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "Whedon's Commentary on
the Bible". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/whe/luke-1.html.
1874-1909.
Expository Notes ofDr. Thomas Constable
The Holy Spirit now filled (i.e, controlled) Zechariah, as He had Elizabeth (
Luke 1:41) and John ( Luke 1:15). He enabledthe priest to prophesy.
Zechariah proceededto utter a psalm of praise in which he gave God"s
explanation of the significance ofthe events that had begun to happen in
fulfillment of Old Testamentprophecy.
"Observe that Zechariah"s previous doubt and his discipline through loss of
speechdid not mean the end of his spiritual ministry. So when a believer
today has submitted to God"s discipline, he may go on in Christ"s service."
[Note:Liefeld, p839.]
Zechariah"s failure had been relatively minor, so major discipline was
unnecessary.

Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Constable, Thomas. DD. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". "ExpositoryNotes of
Dr. Thomas Constable".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/dcc/luke-1.html. 2012.
Schaff's Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Luke 1:67. Was filled with the Holy Ghost. The song which follows is thus
declaredto have been inspired. The time seems to have been the circumcision
of the child, and these were the words in which Zacharias was ‘blessing God’
(Luke 1:64).
Prophesied. It was in the fullest sense a prophetic song, as well as a song of
praise.
The BENEDICTUS presents, therefore, notonly the faith of a pious Jewish
priest, not only the result of the long months of silent reflection to which
Zacharias had been subjected, but also these as guided, moved, and uttered
under the immediate influence of the Holy Spirit. Without inspiration the
pious priest would doubtless have adopted the same tone, the same Old
Testamentphraseology, but his words could not have been prophetic of the
coming of the Messiahnorof the part to be takenby his own son. Such an
entire absence oferroneous Messianic expectations was scarcelypossible in
the case ofeven a pious Jew at that time, without the influence of the Holy
Spirit guarding from error. Alford: ‘That such a song should be inconsistent
with dogmatic truth, is impossible; that it should unfold it minutely, is in the
highest degree improbable.’ But it must not be limited in its meaning to

temporal prosperity, or even to the temporal greatness ofthe Messiah’s
kingdom. Taking it as an expressionof religious feeling, we discoverthe hopes
of the human educatorof John the Baptist, and thus obtain a hint of the real
views of John himself and of the characterof his ministry. The hymn may be
divided into five stanzas (of three lines each, though some make more). As is
natural, the song of Zacharias is more national in its character, the song of
Mary more individual. The Benedictus is more priestly, the Magnificatmore
royal.
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Schaff, Philip. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". "Schaff's PopularCommentary
on the New Testament".
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/scn/luke-1.html. 1879-90.
The Expositor's Greek Testament
Luke 1:67. ἐπροφήτευσεν, prophesied, when? At the circumcision, one
naturally assumes. Hahn, however, connects the prophesying with the
immediately preceding words concerning the hand of the Lord being with the
boy. That is, Zechariah prophesied when it beganto appearthat his sonwas
to have a remarkable career.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Nicol, W. Robertson, M.A., L.L.D. "Commentary on Luke 1:67". The
Expositor's Greek Testament.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/egt/luke-1.html. 1897-1910.
JosephBenson's Commentaryof the Old and New Testaments
Luke 1:67. And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost — Was endued with
a more than ordinary measure of the Spirit of God, supernaturally
enlightening his mind in the knowledge ofdivine things: and even of future
events. God not only forgave him his unbelief and distrust, which was
signified by discharging him from the punishment of it, but, as a specimenof
his abounding grace and mercy towardbelievers, he filled him with the Spirit
of wisdom and revelation, that he might speak to his praise, and the
instruction and edificationof mankind of that and every future age and
nation. And he prophesied — Of things immediately to follow, which proved
the accomplishmentof God’s promises made to Abraham, and the other
patriarchs and prophets, concerning the redemption and salvationof God’s
people by the Messiah. By prophesying, no more is sometimes meant in the
Scriptures than celebrating the praises of God with greatelevationand
affectionof soul, as 1 Chronicles 25:1, Where Asaph and Jeduthun are said to
prophesy with the harp and cymbal, which, Luke 1:3, is explained by their
giving praise and thanks to God. But as Zacharias is said, on this occasion, to
have uttered predictions concerning the kingdom and salvationof the
Messiah, andthe office and ministry of his own son, the ordinary sense ofthe
word prophesy may be here very properly admitted.
Copyright Statement

Bibliography
Benson, Joseph. "Commentaryon Luke 1:67". JosephBenson's Commentary.
https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/rbc/luke-1.html. 1857.
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Unabridged
saying,
And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied - or, spoke by
inspiration, according to the Scripture sense of that term. It did not
necessarilyinclude the prediction of future events, though here it certainly
did.
Saying, Saying,
Copyright Statement
Bibliography
Jamieson, Robert, D.D.;Fausset,A. R.; Brown, David. "Commentary on
Luke 1:67". "Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible -
Unabridged". https:https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/jfu/luke-1.html.
1871-8.
Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(67) Was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied.—The latter word
appears to be used in its wider sense of an inspired utterance of praise (as,
e.g., in 1 Samuel19:20; 1 Corinthians 14:24-25). The hymn that follows
appears as the report, written, probably, by Zachariahhimself, of the praises
that had been uttered in the first moments of his recoveredgift of speech. As
such, we may think of it as expressing the pent-up thoughts of the months of
silence. The fire had long been kindling, and at last he spake with his tongue.
PRECEPTAUSTIN RESOURCES
ZACHARIAS' SONG
THE BENEDICTUS
Luke 1:67-80
NET Luke 1:67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and
prophesied" - Note - Here kai (and) has been translatedas "then" to indicate
the implied sequence of events within the narrative.
The word "Benedictus" is from the Latin word for Blessedin Luke 1:68. As
you read Zacharias'song notice the frequent allusions to the Old Testament
prophecies. Here's the point -- this man was walking blamelesslybefore the
Lord and one reasonundoubtedly is because he was a Word Saturated man,
which would also relatedto his being a Spirit Saturatedman because filling
with the Word is clearly linked with filling with the Spirit. This begs the
question - Are you in the Word of God daily? Better yet is the Word sinking
down into your heart? If not, this might be part of the reasonyou are not
Filled with the Spirit.
See relateddiscussions:
AssociationofFilled with Spirit and Filled with Word

See another chart AssociationofFilled with Spirit and Filled with Word
See more detailed chart AssociationofFilled with Spirit and Filled with Word
Filled with the Spirit ("controlledby the Holy Spirit" - Amplified) - And he
spoke or more specificallyhe prophesied. One of the first "marks" ofa man
or woman who is filled with or controlled by the Holy Spirit is "holy speech"
often delivered with boldness and without fear of possible reprisals! As noted
earlier, this entire family was Spirit filled - John in Lk 1:15 and Elizabeth in
Lk 1:41.
John MacArthur adds that here in Luke 1 regarding filled with the Spirit "In
every case where someone was Spirit-filled in Luke’s nativity account, the
result was Spirit-directed worship. Cf. Eph 5:18–20.
Prophesied- This word can mean simply to speak forth or to speak before, in
the sense ofdeclaring something would happen before it happened. While
much of Zacharias'"song"is a speaking forth, it is interspersed with
eschatologicalovertones. The important point of this verb is that the prophet
serves as a conduit so that the words he speaks are God's words!
Prophesied(4395)(prophetueo from próphemi = tell beforehand <> pró =
before or forth + phemí = tell) means to speak under inspiration of God's
Spirit (Lu 1:67; Acts 2:17, 18;19:6; 21:9), foretell things to come, tell forth
God’s message.
NET Note on Prophesied - The reference to prophecy reflects that Zechariah
is enabled by the Spirit to speak God's will. He does so in this case through a
praise psalm, which calls for praise and then gives the reasonwhy God should
be praised.
John Phillips - Suddenly filled with the Spirit, this obscure priest took his
place among the prophets. His long enforcedsilence had thrown Zacharias in
upon himself, to meditate no doubt on some of the greatpassages ofScripture
that he had known since boyhood but that now came home to him with new
depths of meaning. Forthree months, he had been Mary's host. No doubt his
writing tablet had been busy with questions. Elizabeth was soonto give birth

to the Messenger;Mary would soongive birth to the Messiah. Now, his tongue
untied, he recordedhis musings.
Changedby the Spirit
C. H. Spurgeon.
Luke 1:67-79
saying,…
No man or woman amongstyou knows what he might be if he were filled with
the Spirit. What is that rough Luther? He is only fit to have been a killer of
bullocks, or a feller of oaks in the forest; but fill Luther with the Holy Spirit
and what is he? He takes the bull of Rome by the horns, slays wild beasts of
error in the greatarena of the gospel, and is more than a conqueror through
the might which dwelleth in him! Take JohnCalvin — fit naturally to be a
cunning lawyer, cutting and dividing nice points, judging this precedent and
that, frittering awayhis time over immaterial niceties;but fill him with the
Holy Ghostand John Calvin becomes the mighty master of grace, the
reflectionof the wisdom of all past ages,and a greatlight to shed a brilliant
ray even till the Millennium shall dawn I Chief, and prince, and king of all
uninspired teachers, the mighty seerof Geneva, filled with the Spirit of Godis
no more John Calvin, but a God-sentangelof the Churches!
(C. H. Spurgeon.)

Deliverance At Hand
Sunday SchoolTimes
Luke 1:67-79
saying,…
When an English garrison, during the Indian Mutiny, was besiegedat
Lucknow, and was almostmomentarily expecting the fall of the city, a sick
woman startedup from her slumber, crying, "We're saved! Don't you hear
the music? They're coming! They're coming!" No one else could hear that
music; yet, in a few hours, a relieving force arrived, and the garrisonwas
saved. This prophecy of Zacharias is like the far-off music of the coming
salvation. Compare in Motley's "DutchRepublic" the accountof the relief of
Leyden. The state of the world before the coming of Christ may be compared
to that of shipwreckedmen clinging to a rock in the midst of the sea. There is
no safety for them where they are, and no safetyin themselves. With what
joyous eyes is it that they behold a boat coming to their rescue from the
distant land! So in the case oflost humanity, salvationhad to be brought. A
man crossing a heath one dark night fell into a pit. He tried in vain to getout,
calling loudly for assistanceall the while. Soonpeople gatheredto his
assistance, anda rope was loweredto him. He graspedit, and was drawn up
into the light. So mankind cannotbe uplifted from the pit of sin, except by
salvationbrought from above.
END OF PRECEPT AUSTIN RESOURCES

Facts about Zechariah(John the Baptist’s Father)
by Jeffrey Kranz | Dec 2, 2016 | Bible characters |5 comments
He’s the father of John the Baptist, and although he never shows up in your
Nativity scenes,Zechariahis an important figure in the story of Christ’s birth.
So important, in fact, that when Luke writes down the accountof Christ’s life
on earth, he begins with Zechariah.
Let’s get a closerlook atthis often-overlookedcharacter.
1. Zechariahis a priest
A priest is someone whoseresponsibilities included offering sacrifices and
taking care of the Temple of the Lord, and blessing the Lord’s name (1 Chr
23:13). One of their duties was to make sure that incense was burning before
the Lord at all times. Zechariah is offering incense when we meet him in the
book of Luke (Lk 1:9).
The priests were descendants of Aaron, the first high priest of Israel. Aaron
was the brother of Moses—the same Moseswho led Israel out of Egypt.
2. Zechariahis from the tribe of Levi
In Bible times, the Jews tracedtheir ancestry back to one of Jacob’s twelve
sons. Zechariahis from the tribe of Levi, the same tribes that Moses, Aaron,
Ezra, and Asaph hail from.
3. Zechariahfollowedthe law of Moses
Luke tells us that both Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth were “blameless”
when it came to the Torah: they observedall the Lord’s decrees and
commands (Lk 1:6).
Now, this doesn’t mean they were sinless—we’llsee in just a minute that
Zechariah is not perfect. It means that they followedthe commands

thoroughly: especiallythe commands that involved cleansing themselves ofsin
(making sacrifices).
4. Zechariahis the first personin the NT to speak with an angel
(chronologically)
Mostof our stories of Jesus’birth start with an angelspeaking to either Mary
or Joseph, right? Well, when Luke kicks off his story of Jesus, he begins with
an angel speaking to Jesus’relative, Zechariah.
Zechariah is ministering in the temple when an angelappears. The angel tells
Zechariah that his wife will bear a son:one who will go before the Lord
(Jesus).
This conversationwould have takenplace before Mary’s or Joseph’s visit
from angels announcing the coming birth of Christ.
5. Zechariahis old and (at first) childless
Luke fills his first chapter with callbacks andallusions to the miraculous of
significant figures in Israel’s history. Zechariahand Elizabeth are old and
have no children: similar to how Abraham and Sarahwere before the birth of
Isaac.
It was a sad thing in those days to have no children. In their culture, having
no children meant that your family line ended—Old Testamentcharacters
(like Job and Jacob)were blessedwith many children. But being childless was
a shameful thing.
6. Zechariahprayed for a child
Luke doesn’t record Zechariah’s prayer. But the angelwho visits him does
mention that he had prayed to have a son (Lk 1:13).
7. Zechariahdoesn’t believe the angel’s message(atfirst)
When God told Abraham that his wife Sarahwould bear a son, Sarahlaughed
at the idea (Gn 18:11–15). In similar fashion, when the angeltells Zechariah
that his wife will bear a son in her old age, Zechariahdoes not believe it.

Zechariah asks how he canbe sure that such an outlandish promise will come
to pass.
The angelreplies, “I am Gabriel” (a name Zechariahmay have recognized
from the book of Daniel), and then tells Zechariah that he will be mute until
the messagecomesto pass.
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5 Comments
Amiyn Al-Ansare on September23, 2017 at 9:33 am
What was zacharius’ reactionto Mary’s conceptionwas he her advocate.God
did communicate to him as he was a prophet . Did he rebuke the slanderers
and uphold her chastity and vitrtuosity?
Reply
Benz Bennie on June 15, 2019 at2:52 am

Which slanderers? Josephwas a kind man who did not intend to denounce
Mary in public but was considering divorcing her in private until the angel
appearedto him in a dream and informed him that Mary was still chaste but
was pregnant of the Holy Ghostwith the son of God!
Reply
Dcn. Andy Weiss on April 13, 2018 at1:11 pm
Jeffery, nice insights into Zechariahand ancestryand life. Thanks.
Reply
Theresa onJune 17, 2018 at 3:31 pm
Hi, thanks for the bible study. I am reading Luke 1 this morning and was
wondering about the relationship betweenZecharias’wife, Elizabeth and
Mary, the mother of Jesus.
“In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zacharias, of
the division of Abijah; and he had a wife from the daughters of Aaron, and
her name was Elizabeth.” Luke 1:5 NASB
My question:
If Elizabeth is from the priestly line, the tribe of Levi, how can she be related
to Mary, the mother of Jesus, who is from the line of David, the tribe of
Judah?
”And behold, even your relative Elizabeth has also conceiveda sonin her old
age;and she who was calledbarren is now in her sixth month.” Luke 1:36
NASB and the king James says cousin. ”And, behold, thy cousin Elisabeth, she
hath also conceiveda son in her old age:and this is the sixth month with her,
who was calledbarren.” Luke 1:36 KJV
Thank you.

Blessing,
Theresa
Reply
Jeffrey Kranz on July 11, 2018 at 11:37 am
Theresa, I dig into this question on my list of facts about Mary. I think you’ll
find it interesting.
Long story short: Mary’s probably a Levite, but the fact that Mary was
marrying Joseph(from Judah) implies that the tribes were already
intermarrying. The gospelwriters didn’t gethung up on genetics—it’s bestif
we don’t either. https://overviewbible.com/
MeetZechariah: John the Baptist's Father
Zechariah the priest was an instrument in God's plan of salvation
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Zechariah, priest of the Temple, writes, "His name is John.". Mondadori
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Zechariah, a priest in the temple in Jerusalem, played a key role in God's plan
of salvationbecause of his righteousness and obedience. Godworkeda
miracle in his life to provide a herald to announce the coming of the Messiah,
another indication that the life of Jesus was divinely planned.

Priestof God's Temple
A member of the clan of Abijah (a descendantof Aaron), Zechariahwent to
the temple to carry out his priestly duties. At the time of Jesus Christ, there
were about 7,000 priests in Israel, divided into 24 clans. Eachclan servedat
the temple twice a year, for a week eachtime.
John the Baptist's Father
Luke tells us Zechariah was chosenby lot that morning to offer incense in the
Holy Place, the temple's inner chamber where only priests were allowed. As
Zechariah was praying, the angelGabriel appearedat the right side of the
altar. Gabriel told the old man that his prayer for a son would be answered.
Zechariah's wife Elizabeth would give birth and they were to name the baby
John. Further, Gabriel said John would be a greatman who would lead many
to the Lord and would be a prophet announcing the Messiah. Zechariahwas
doubtful because ofhis and his wife's old age. The angelstruck him deaf and
mute because ofhis lack of faith until the child would be born.
After Zechariah returned home, Elizabeth did conceive. In her sixth month,
she was visited by her kinswomanMary. Mary had been told by the angel
Gabriel that she would give birth to the Savior, Jesus. WhenMary greeted
Elizabeth, the baby in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy. Filled with the Holy
Spirit, Elizabeth proclaimed Mary's blessednessand favor with God.
When her time came, Elizabeth gave birth to a boy. Elizabeth insisted his
name be John. When neighbors and relatives made signs to Zechariahabout
the baby's name, the old priest took a wax writing tablet and wrote, "His
name is John."

Immediately Zechariah regainedhis speechand hearing. Filled with the Holy
Spirit, he praised God and prophesied about his son's life.
Their son grew up in the wilderness and became John the Baptist, the prophet
who proclaimed Jesus Christ.
Accomplishments of Zechariah
Zechariah servedGod devoutly in the temple. He obeyedGod as the angelhad
instructed him. As John the Baptist's father, he raisedhis sonas a Nazarite, a
holy man pledged to the Lord. Zechariah contributed, in his way, to God's
plan to save the world from sin.
Strengths
Zechariah was a holy and upright man. He kept God's commandments.
Weaknesses
When Zechariah's prayer for a sonwas finally answered, announcedin a
personalvisit by an angel, Zechariahstill doubted God's word.
Life Lessons
God can work in our lives in spite of any circumstance. Things may look
hopeless, but God is always in control. "All things are possible with God."
(Mark 10:27, NIV)

Faith is a quality God values highly. If we want our prayers to be answered,
faith makes the difference. God does reward those who depend on him.
Hometown
An unnamed town in the hill country of Judea, in Israel.
Reference to Zechariahin the Bible
Luke 1:5-79
Occupation
Priestin the Jerusalemtemple.
Family Tree
Ancestor- Abijah
Wife - Elizabeth
Son - John the Baptist
Key Bible Verses
Luke 1:13
But the angel saidto him: "Do not be afraid, Zechariah;your prayer has been
heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the
name John." (NIV)
Luke 1:76-77

And you, my child, will be calleda prophet of the MostHigh; for you will go
on before the Lord to prepare the way for him, to give his people the
knowledge ofsalvationthrough the forgiveness oftheir sins ... (NIV)
Key Insights
John the Baptist's story echoes thatof Samuel, the Old Testamentjudge and
prophet. Like Samuel's mother Hannah, John's mother Elizabeth was barren.
Both women prayed to God for a son, and their prayers were granted. Both
women unselfishly dedicatedtheir sons to God.
John was about six months older than his kinsman Jesus. Because ofhis old
age when John was born, Zechariah likely did not live to see his sonprepare
the wayfor Jesus, whichhappened when John was about 30 years old. God
graciouslyrevealedto Zechariah and Elizabeth what their miracle sonwould
do, even though they never lived to see it come to pass.
Zechariah's story tells much about persevering in prayer. He was an old man
when his prayer for a son was granted. God waitedso long because he wanted
everyone to know that the impossible birth was a miracle. Sometimes God
delays for years before answering our own prayers.
https://www.learnreligions.com/
The Mother and Father of John the Baptist – Elizabeth and Zechariah
by Penny | 2 Jan, 2013 | Books,Frescopainting, News, Religious History,
Renaissance Art, Rome - Eternal City, Saints, SocialHistory | 0 comments
The heroic mother & father of John the Baptist
Elizabeth and Zechariah

I love this painting, by Florentine Artist Domenico Ghirlandiao, in 1491 of
the Visitation – in which Mary goes to see her cousin Elizabeth, and Elizabeth
realises that Mary is going to be the mother of Christ and falls to her knees –
and her own babe , the future John the Baptist ,“leapedin her womb for joy”
in recognitionof the promised Saviour.
As with so many Renaissancepaintings a certainlevel of religious knowledge
is assumedand a number of symbols are used by the artist and his assistants
make sure that there is no room for doubt as to the subject matter.
The frieze of scallopshells represent not only Mary’s virginity but are also a
symbol of fecundity – relative – albeit belatedly in the case ofElizabeth – to
both ladies.
The City seenthrough the arch appears, from the depiction of the Pantheon,
to be Rome
The Virgin Mary from the Byzantine period, and throughout the Renaissance,
is almost always shownin blue and red to denote her own Royalancestryto
the line of King David.

Mary’s spouse Joseph, not shown in this painting of the Visitation, is nearly
always shownin yellowy gold just like the cloak of Elizabeth in Ghirlandaio’s
painting. This was because both Elizabeth and Josephwere given direct
messages fromGod:- in Elizabeth’s case she was privately advised that
Mary’s Child was the Son of God , and Josephwas famously warned that he
had to get the baby Jesus out of Israel and fly into Egypt out of the reach of
Herod and his assassinaters offirst born male children.
We know who the two women at the sides are because their names are
inscribed on the arch above them.
They are the two women friends who are later seencomforting Mary at the
Crucifixion of Jesus, Maryof Cleopas, and Salome, ( not to be confusedwith
the daughter of Herodious!) who was also one of the first to see Jesus afterhis
resurrection.
Therefore their presence atthe annunciation gives hints of the future sadness
of Mary due to the crucifixion and resurrectionof Jesus.
According to the experts Salome’s dress is basedon one of of Fra Filippo
Lippi‘s images in the backgroundof the Bartolini Tondo, shownbelow. It
later became the inspiration for numerous similarly silky figures in other
works by Botticelliand Filippo’s son Filippino Lippi.
Tobias and the Angel by Filippino Lippi
In this painting below also by Fra Filippo Lippi the dress design is also
similar, confusingly, to the other Salome’s dancing dress, whilst she was

persuading her step-fatherHerod to decapitate Elizabeth’s only son – John
the Baptist!
To return to Elizabeth – her story was more important than only giving birth
to her child. In fact, Elizabeth is mentioned in severalbooks ofthe
Apocrypha, most prominently in the ProtevangelionofJames, in which the
birth of her son and the subsequent murder of her husband are chronicled.
According to the Gospelof Luke, Elisabeth was a daughter of Aaron the high
priest. She and her husband Zechariah, also a Priest, were “righteous before
God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord,
“blameless but childless”.
Like Mary’s mother St Anne, Elizabeth had trouble conceiving, and this gave
both husbands serious trouble at the Temple, because their barrenness was
seenas a punishment from God.
One day whilst performing his official duties at the Temple, 92 year old
Zechariah, is reported to have disbelieved the Angel Gabriel, when he
announced that Elizabeth, although also advancedin years, was about to give
birth to a son. Gabriel furthermore pronounced that this sonshould be called
John,(Hebrew-Yohanan) not named after his father, as was the custom.
Zechariah’s punishment for protesting againstthe Angel’s pronouncement
was to be struck dumb, and thus unable to recite his verses at the altar of
incenses in the Temple. His powerof speechwas only restoredafter the birth
of John, when he wrote the name “John” on a tablet
According to the Apocrypha, Zechariahbecame a Christian Martyr when he
lied to Herod’s soldiers to protect his own first born child, John the Baptist
,during the Massacre ofthe Innocents.

In the Koran it is held that Zechariah hid his wife, Elizabeth and baby John
in the hills, but he himself was captured, and was sawnin half as his
punishment for defending the life of his child.
It makes me wonder if this is the backgroundto John’s sojournin the desert?
Did they have a home to go back to after Zechariah’s death when presumably
the priest’s house was passedto Zechariah’s successor? How long were they in
hiding for? Did Elizabeth really die forty days after her husband? In which
case how did the now orphaned child survive alone in the desert, or was there
a colony of parents with innocents who had escapedslaughtersubsisting on
locusts and honey in the desert?
According to the Gospels of Luke 1:80, Luke 3:2–3, Matthew 3:1 John
remained in the deserts of Judæa, where he developed his belief in the coming
of the Son of God, Baptising believers in the coming of a Saviour and
recognising his cousin Jesus whenhe came to be baptised.
Elizabeth is also revered by Muslims as a wise, pious and believing person
who, like her cousinMary, was exalted by God to a high station.
In the Greek Orthodox calendar, Zechariahand Elizabeth are also
commemoratedon June 24 – the same Feastday as their son, the PatronSaint
of Florence, Johnthe Baptist..
John the Baptist’s FeastDayis a fine time to be in Florence – all the shops
and bars are open all night, people – not just tourists – throng the streets and
the evening ends in a wonderful firework display – but also leading up to
party-time there is a Music and Arts Festivalof San Giovanni everything you
need to know about John the Baptistfrom Ancient to Modern in Art, Plays,
Poetry and Music
For more information watchthis website
http://www.festacultura.org/SGB/San_Giovanni_Battista.html

Recommendedviewing
Ghirlandiao’s painting of the Visitation was commissionedin Florence by
Lorenzo Tornabuoni for the church later known as Santa Maria Maddalena
de’ Pazzi. Dated 1491 it is one of the last officially dated paintings by the artist
before his death in 1494 – it is now to be found in the Louvre in Paris
https://www.beyondtheyalladog.com/
Zechariah (New Testamentfigure)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
(Redirectedfrom Zechariah (priest))
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For other people with the same name, see Zechariah(disambiguation).
Zechariah
Annunciation of the Angel to Zechariah by Domenico Ghirlandaio (1490,
fresco in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Florence)
Priest, Prophet, Guardian of Mary, Devotee
Born
1stcentury BC
Hebron (Joshua 21:11), the Levant
Died

1stcentury BC (or early AD)
Jerusalem(Matthew 23:35), the Levant
Venerated in
Catholic Church
Orthodox Church
Oriental Orthodox Church
Anglicanism
Lutheranism
Islam
Canonized
Pre-Congregation
Feast
September 5 – EasternOrthodox
September 5 – Lutheran
September 23 – Roman Catholic
Zechariah (Hebrew: ‫הירכז‬ Zəḵaryāh, "remember Yah"; Greek:Ζαχαρίας;
Zacharias in KJV; Zachary in the Douay-Rheims Bible; Zakariyyāʾ (Arabic:
‫ز‬َ ‫ك‬َ‫رـ‬ِ ‫ر‬َّ‫)ــ‬ in Islamic tradition) is a figure in the New TestamentBible and the
Quran,[1] hence venerated in Christianity and Islam.[2] In the Bible, he is the
father of John the Baptist, a priest of the sons of Aaron in the Gospelof Luke
(1:67-79), and the husband of Elizabeth who is a relative of the Virgin Mary
(Luke, 1:36).[3]
Contents
1

Biblical account
2
Other Christian traditions
3
In Islam
4
See also
5
References
6
External links
Biblical account[edit]
Zechariah and St. John the Baptist. A medieval Georgianfresco from
Jerusalem.
According to the Gospelof Luke, during the reign of king Herod, there was a
priest named Zechariah, of the course of Abia, whose wife Elizabeth was also
of the priestly family of Aaron. The evangeliststates that both the parents
were righteous before God, since they were "blameless" in observing the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord. When the events related in Luke
began, their marriage was still childless, because Elizabethwas "barren", and
they were both "welladvanced in years" (Luke 1:5–7).
The duties at the temple in Jerusalemalternatedbetweeneachof the family
lines that had descendedfrom those appointed by king David (1st Chronicles
24:1–19).[4]Luke states that during the week whenit was the duty of

Zechariah's family line to serve at "the temple of the Lord", the lot for
performing the incense offering had fallen to Zechariah(Luke 1:8–11).
The Gospelof Luke states that while Zechariah ministered at the altar of
incense, an angelof the Lord appearedand announced to him that his wife
would give birth to a son, whom he was to name John, and that this son would
be the forerunner of the Lord (Luke 1:12–17). Citing their advanced age,
Zechariah askedwith disbelief for a signwhereby he would know the truth of
this prophecy. In reply, the angel identified himself as Gabriel, sent especially
by God to make this announcement, and added that because ofZechariah's
doubt he would be struck dumb and "not able to speak, until the day that
these things shall be performed". Consequently, when he went out to the
waiting worshippers in the temple's outer courts, he was unable to speak the
customary blessing (Luke 1:18–22).
After returning to his house in "Hebron, in the hill country of Judah",[5] his
wife Elizabeth conceived. After Elizabeth completed her fifth month of
pregnancy, her relative Mary was visited by the same angel, Gabriel,
overshadowedby the Holy Ghostand – though still a virgin – became
pregnant with Jesus. Marythen travelled to visit her relative Elizabeth,
having been told by the angel that Elizabeth was in her sixth month of
pregnancy. Mary remained about three months before she returned to her
own house (Luke 1:23–45, 56).
Elizabeth gave birth, and on the eighth day, when their son was to be
circumcisedaccording to the commandment, her neighbours and relatives
assumedthat he was to be named after his father. Elizabeth, however, insisted
that his name was to be John; so the family then questionedher husband. As
soonas Zechariah had written on a writing table: "His name is John", he
regainedthe powerof speech, and blessed"the Lord God of Israel" with a
prophecy known as the Benedictus or "Song of Zechariah" (Luke 1:57–79).
The child grew up and "waxedstrong in spirit", but remained in the deserts
of Judæa until he assumedthe ministry that was to earn him the name "John
the Baptist" (Luke 1:80, Luke 3:2–3, Matthew 3:1).
Other Christian traditions[edit]

The so-called"Tombof Absalom" or "Absalom's Pillar" in the Kidron
Valley, built in the 1st century CE; an inscription added three centuries later
claims that it is Zechariah's tomb
Domenico Ghirlandaio's fresco ZechariahWrites Downthe Name of His Son
(1490, fresco in the Tornabuoni Chapel, Florence)
Origen suggestedthat the Zechariahmentioned in Matthew 23:35 as having
been killed betweenthe temple and the altar may be the father of John the
Baptist.[6]Orthodox Christian tradition recounts that, at the time of the
massacre ofthe Innocents, when King Herod ordered the slaughterof all
males under the age of two in an attempt to prevent the prophesied Messiah
from coming to Israel, Zechariah refusedto divulge the whereabouts of his
son (who was in hiding), and he was therefore murdered by Herod's soldiers.
This is also recordedin the Infancy Gospelof James, anapocryphal work
from the 2nd century.
The Roman Catholic Church commemorates him as a saint, along with
Elizabeth, on September 23.[7]He is also veneratedas a prophet in the
Calendarof Saints of the Lutheran Church on September5. The Eastern
Orthodox Church also celebrates the feastday of Zechariah on September 5,
togetherwith Elizabeth, who is considereda matriarch. Zechariah and
Elizabeth are invoked in severalprayers during the Orthodox Mystery of
Crowning (Sacramentof Marriage), as the priest blesses the newly married
couple, saying "Thouwho didst... acceptZechariahand Elizabeth, and didst
make their offspring the Forerunner..." and "...bless them, O Lord our God,
as Thou didst Zechariahand Elizabeth...". In the Greek Orthodox calendar,
Zechariah and Elizabeth are also commemoratedon June 24.

Armenians believe that the GandzasarMonasteryin Nagorno Karabakh,
Azerbaijan contains relics of Zechariah. However, his relics were also kept in
the GreatChurch of Constantinople, where they were brought by the
praefectus urbi Ursus on September 4, 415.[8]
In 2003, a 4th-century inscription on the so-calledTombof Absalom, a 1st-
century monument in Jerusalem, was decipheredas, "This is the tomb of
Zachariah, the martyr, the holy priest, the father of John." This suggeststo
some scholars that it is the burial place of Zechariahthe father of John the
Baptist. ProfessorGideonFoersteratthe Hebrew University states that the
inscription tallies with a 6th-century Christian text stating that Zechariahwas
buried with Simon the Elder and James the brother of Jesus, andbelieves that
both are authentic.[9]What makes the theory less plausible is the fact that the
tomb is three centuries older than the Byzantine inscriptions, that a tomb with
just two burial benches is unlikely to be used for three burials, as well as the
fact that the identification of the tomb has repeatedly changedduring its
history.[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/

The holy spirit filled zechariah

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