Luke 1:13-25 Commentaries
DEFFENBAUGH: The Appearance of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5-38)
The events of the early chapters of Luke's gospel shatter a silence which has lasted for 400 years. He commences his gospel with the angelic announcement of Gabriel to Zacharias, an elderly priest, that he and his wife will have a son, a son who will come in the spirit of Elijah the prophet, and who will turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and will prepare the way of the Lord. as we begin our actual study of Luke's gospel, note the inter-twining of the lives of John and Jesus, even in the actual account of Luke. This can best be seen by a comparison of parallels of the two, when placed side-by-side, as provided by the chart at the end of this lesson. Luke, as we have already noted, begins at precisely the place where the prophet Malachi left off. The final words of our Old Testament speak of the coming of one who would prepare the way of the Lord. Luke starts his account of the gospel with the report of Gabriel's announcement of the birth of John to Zacharias.
An Introduction of Zacharias and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5-7)
Zacharias and Elizabeth,8 the parents of John the Baptist, are introduced in verses 5-7. There are two different emphases to be found here, as I understand Luke's account. On the one hand, the description of this couple reveals those characteristics which would have made them unacceptable to their contemporaries in Judaism. On the other hand, we are given those positive qualities for which they found favor with God, and which were the basis for God's selection of them as the parents of John. We will look at the "negative" qualities first.
(1) So far as Judaism was concerned, Zacharias and Elizabeth were obscure and insignificant people, who were not of sufficient social or economic standing to have been granted the privilege of being the parents of John. Edersheim takes note of this when he writes, In many respects he seemed different from those around. His home was not in either of the great priest-centers-the Ophel-quarter in Jerusalem, nor in Jericho-but in some small town in those uplands, south of Jerusalem: the historic 'hill-country of Judaea.'9
Zacharias was a priest, but not one of great renown. Neither by his training nor by his place of residence was Zacharias set apart as a cut above his peers. In our terminology, this couple was from the "Ozarks," a hillbilly priest and his wife. And where one came from did matter to the Jews. You will recall Nathaniel's response upon learning that Jesus was from Nazareth: "Can any good thing come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46).
(2) Zacharias and Elizabeth were elderly and without children. There was a tremendous stigma attached to being without children, one which the woman probably felt most keenly. It may well have been thought that their predicament was the "judgment of God," for some sin they had committed (cf. John 9:2). This fact would also have weighed very heavily against Zacharias and Elizabeth, if the choice of John's parents were the decision of their peers, and not the sovereign choice of God. In contrast to the negative factors which would have disinclined a Jew of standing to have expected the parents of John to be this elderly couple, there were two characteristics which Luke records which weighed heavily in their favor:
(1) Zacharias was a priest, and both he and his wife were of the tribe of Aaron (Luke 1:5). It seems to have been important to God that John be of the priestly line, even though his function was largely prophetic.
(2) More important than their physical lineage was their spiritual devotion. Both Zacharias and Elizabeth were described by Luke as "righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord" (1:6). Not only was this a priestly couple, but they were a pious couple as well. Their lives were lived in obedience to the Law of Moses. This would not have been perfect obedience, but an obedience which met the requirements of Judaism. It did not save them any more than Paul's religious piety was sufficient to save him (cf. Philippines 3:4-9). It did, however, set them apart from their peers. From a New Testament view (and O. T., too) their good works did not save them, but from the perspective of the Mosaic Covenant, their devotion to God expressed by their obedience to the Law, did make it possible for God to bless them through the birth of John.
An Angelic Appearance and Announcement (Luke 1: 8-17)
There were many priests in those days and thus the priestly duties were allocated according to divisions of priests (cf. 1 Chronicles 24). When it came time for the order of Abijah's division (cf. vv. 5, 8) to perform the temple duties, Zacharias went to Jerusalem.10 There, he was chosen for the very high privilege of burning the incense, which he would have done either in the morning or the evening. This was such a high privilege it could be done by a priest only once in a lifetime. It was a very coveted task.11
One can only imagine the feelings which Zacharias must have experienced the evening before his duty was performed. On the one hand, he must have rejoiced in the high privilege which was his, which he had hoped for all his life. On the other hand, he must have reflected on Leviticus chapter 10, which records the death of Nadab and Abihu, Aaron's sons, for carrying out this ritual in a wrong manner. Thus, there were the mixed feelings of rejoicing and fear. He probably carefully rehearsed in his mind exactly how he would perform his duty, so that he would emerge from the holy place alive.
On the day of his duty, Zacharias went into the holy place, where he was to burn the incense. Meanwhile, outside a crowd assembled for prayer. I would take it that the prayers of the people were both for the fulfillment of God's promises to His people, that is for the coming of the King and the establishment of Messiah's kingdom. Included as well, perhaps, were prayers for the safety of Zacharias, as the dangers of his duty were well known.
Can you imagine the sense of awe and wonder Zacharias must have felt as he entered into the semi-darkness of the holy place, illuminated only by the light of the lampstand? Think how you would have felt in that awesome place, where you alone were allowed, when you suddenly realized that there was another person present with you. If the angel Gabriel appeared in a burst of light and splendor (cf. Luke 2:9), then the experience would have been all the more frightening.
The angel's first words were of comfort. He assured Zacharias that he need not be afraid, for his prayer had been heard (v. 13). That prayer (singular) I understand to be his official prayer as a priest, representing the people of Israel. It would be a prayer that God's kingdom would come. A prayer with which the people outside would be in agreement as they prayed. While I used to think that the prayer referred to was Zachariah's prayer for a son, I no longer think this to be so. First of all, it would not be in keeping with Zachariah's priestly duty. Second, I think that Zacharias may have prayed such a prayer earlier, but now that its fulfillment seemed impossible, I believe that he had given up all hope, and that he no longer made this request. He request for a sign seems to confirm this. Thus, the angel's words are to the effect that Zachariah's prayer for Messiah's coming have been answered, and in such a way that his own son, born miraculously to this elderly couple, will have a part in announcing the Messiah's arrival.
The name of this son, who would be filled with the Holy Spirit while in his mother's womb, and who will cause many Israelites to repent, in preparation for Messiah's arrival, was to be John. John, as the angel's words make clear, was to be the fulfillment of Malachi's final prophecy (Malachi 3:5-6). John would be great in the sight of the Lord, and was not to drink wine or liquor (v. 15). I believe that this was to assure those who beheld his ministry that his "inspiration" was from the Spirit of God and not from the "spirits" of strong drink, a not unfamiliar charge in those days (cf. Acts 2:13; Eph. 5:18).
A Request and a Rebuke (Luke 1:18-23)
In spite of Zacharias' godliness, his obedience to the Law, and his lifetime of ministry, his faith was weak when it came to believing such a marvelous promise. There in the shadow of this angel's splendor, Zacharias made a request of the angel, that he provide some sign, which would assure him that this promise would be fulfilled. He was given a sign, or should I say he himself became a sign, and in fact the sign was indicated by his speaking in "sign" language (1:22).
A friend of mine has suggested that Zacharias was struck dumb by Gabriel because his fear was of saying something stupid-a pretty good possibility in my opinion. You see, when the priest emerged from the temple, he was to pronounce a blessing on the people. Zacharias must have known that he would have to explain what had happened inside the holy place, and was afraid that no one would believe what he was promised; thus he asked for a sign. His speechlessness was an appropriate discipline for Zacharias, and it served to "announce" that something wonderful was about to happen. What Zacharias could have announced with his tongue, God announced through his dumbness.
The sad thing about the unbelief of Zacharias is that there were a number of examples of supernatural births in the Old Testament. God was not promising to do something for Zacharias and Elizabeth which he had not done for others before them. Abraham and Sarah had a son in their old age, as did Hannah and the parents of Samson. The virgin birth, on the other hand, was something entirely new, but Zacharias was not asked to believe this, only that he and his wife would have a son in their old age.
The angel Gabriel only now gives Zacharias his name, and he seems somewhat perturbed to have to do so. In effect, Gabriel is saying, "Good grief, man, do you not know who is telling you that you and your wife will have a son? I am Gabriel, the angel who stands in God's presence. When I speak, I speak for God. To disbelieve my words is to doubt God Himself." With this rebuke, Zacharias was struck dumb.
The task which Zacharias was to perform was one which should have been accomplished in a relatively brief period. The longer the delay in his return, the greater the concern of the crowd assembled outside. They may have wondered if Zacharias had been struck dead by God, just as Nadab and Abihu had been. I can imagine that members of the crowd began to whisper to one another. When Zacharias did emerge, the people waited for him to pronounce a blessing, as he would have customarily done.12 It must have taken a while for the people to grasp that the priests contortions and hand motions were an attempt to communicate and that he had been rendered unable to speak. When this realization struck home, the crowds knew they he had seen a vision in the temple and that God was about to do something marvelous in their midst (v. 22).
Elizabeth's Seclusion (Luke 1:24-25)
Zacharias went home, and in the course of time his wife Elizabeth became pregnant. After becoming pregnant, Elizabeth remained in seclusion for a five month period. While there have been some very pious sounding explanations for her actions, I think that there may have been two primary reasons for her seclusion. First, Elizabeth did not want to announce her pregnancy until she was so obviously pregnant that no one could deny it. Those of us who have become parents know how quickly and easily we announce our blessed upcoming event. Elizabeth knew that she would not have been taken seriously, and she would probably not have wanted to face any more cruel scorn, so seclusion was a simple answer. Second, Elizabeth would have had to serve as a spokesperson for her husband, who could not speak, and seclusion kept her from having to perform this task.
EW COMMENTARY
3. (Luke 1:11-17) The angel's announcement to Zacharias.
11 And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zacharias was troubled when he saw the angel, and fear gripped him. 13 But the angel said to him, "Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your petition has been heard, and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John. 14 You will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth. 15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb. 16 And he will turn many of the sons of Israel back to the Lord their God. 17 It is he who will go as a forerunner before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, TO TURN THE HEARTS OF THE FATHERS BACK TO THE CHILDREN, and the disobedient to the attitude of the righteous, so as to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."
a. Then an angel of the Lord appeared: The angel simply stood on the right side of the altar of incense. Zacharias probably had his eyes tightly shut in passionate prayer, and when he opened them he saw this angel.
b. When Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him: The angel who appeared to Zacharias was not a romantic figure, or a naked baby with wings. This angel was a glorious, fearful, and an awesome creature. Like most angels in the Bible, the first thing this angel has to say to his human contact is "Do not be afraid."
i. Zacharias must have thought, "Does this happen to everyone who does this? The other guys didn't tell me anything about this!"
c. Your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear a son: It is doubtful that Zacharias prayed for a son when he was at the golden altar of incense. First, it might have seemed like such a selfish need. Second, since he and Elizabeth were both well advanced in years (Luke 1:7), they had probably given up on this prayer a long time ago.
i. Sometimes we pray for something for a long, long time. We pray for the salvation of a spouse or a child. We pray for a calling or a ministry. We pray that God would bring that special person to us. But after years of heartfelt prayer, we give up out of discouragement. Zacharias and Elizabeth probably prayed years of passionate prayer for a son, but gave up a long time ago, and stopped believing God for so much anymore.
ii. When we are in that place, we sometimes begin - in the smallest of ways - to doubt the love and care of God for us. But God always loves, and His care never stops.
iii. Zacharias' reaction to the angel's promise was probably thinking, "I don't know what you are talking about. I didn't pray for a son. We're old, you know. I gave up on that prayer a long time ago. I'm praying for the salvation of Israel. I'm praying that God will send the promised Messiah." Zacharias didn't know that God would answer both prayers at once, and use his miracle baby to be a part of sending the Messiah!
iv. Zacharias had no idea that God would answer the two greatest desires of his heart at once. He had probably completely given up on the idea of being a dad; it was a hope that was crushed over the years of disappointment. But God hadn't given up on it, even though Zacharias and Elizabeth had.
d. You shall call his name John: The boy was given a name before he was even conceived. This was a command from the Lord to name the boy John.
e. He will be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink: This is probably a reference to the vow of a Nazirite found in Numbers 6. Their son John would be specially consecrated to God all the days of his life, as Samson should have been.
i. Though John would be great in the sight of the Lord, by the grace of God, he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he (Matthew 11:11).
f. He will also be filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mother's womb: Their son John would have a unique filling of the Holy Spirit, being filled with the Holy Spirit even while in the womb.
i. Calvin, on John being filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb: "Let us learn by this example that, from the earliest infancy to the latest old age, the operation of the Spirit in men is free."
g. He will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God: John's great work would be to prepare the way of the Messiah by turning hearts to God before the Messiah came. The pattern for his ministry would be the great prophet Elijah - in the spirit and power of Elijah. Jesus later said this was fulfilled in John (Matthew 11:14 and 17:12).
h. To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children: This quotation from Malachi 4:5-6 is meaningful for more than its reference to Elijah. These were essentially the last words in the Old Testament, and now God's revelation is resuming where it had left off.
i. Elijah was a man who called Israel to a radical repentance (1 Kings 18:20-40).
4. (Luke 1:18-20) Zacharias' doubt and muteness.
18 Zacharias said to the angel, "How will I know this for certain? For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years." 19 The angel answered and said to him, "I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. 20 And behold, you shall be silent and unable to speak until the day when these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time."
a. How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years: Zacharias' attitude was, "Thanks for the promise, angel. But knowing the condition of my wife and I, this is a big one. Can you give us a sign to prove it?"
i. It isn't that Zacharias doesn't want to believe this; he does. It is simply that he feels it must be too good to be true, and he has probably protected himself from disappointment by not setting his expectations too high. We rob ourselves of many a miracle by the same attitude.
ii. Zacharias looked at the circumstances first, and what God can do last; we are tempted to think this is logical; but if God is real, there is nothing logical about putting circumstances before God.
b. I am Gabriel who stands in the presence of God: Gabriel reminds Zacharias of who he is and where he has come from. There is a big contrast between I am an old man and I am Gabriel - which held more weight? Gabriel also "preaches the gospel" to Zacharias (brings you glad tidings).
i. It was nothing but good news to Zacharias that he would not only have a son, but that the son would have a significant role in God's plan of redemption. This is the good news that Gabriel brought to Zacharias.
ii. This gives a better idea of what it really means to preach the gospel - it is to bring good news to people who need it.
c. My words which will be fulfilled in their own time: If there is no Zacharias, there is no John the Baptist. If there is no John the Baptist, there is no herald announcing the coming of the Messiah. If there is no herald announcing the coming of the Messiah, the prophecies in the Old Testament regarding the Messiah are unfulfilled. If any of the prophecies of the Old Testament regarding the first coming of the Messiah are unfulfilled, then Jesus did not fulfill all things. If Jesus did not fulfill all things, then He did not complete God's plan of redemption for you and I and we must perish in our sins! This was good news!
d. But behold, you will be mute and not able to speak: Zacharias paid a price for his unbelief. His unbelief did not make God take his promise back; it just kept Zacharias from enjoying it.
i. When we do not believe God's promise for our lives, we do not necessarily destroy the promise; but we do destroy our ability to enjoy the promise. What made this such a severe punishment was that Zacharias had such great news to tell.
ii. Strangely, many Christians would not consider this a punishment - they don't mind keeping quiet about the good news of Jesus.
5. (Luke1: 21-23) Zacharias appears to the multitude.
21 The people were waiting for Zacharias, and were wondering at his delay in the temple. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them; and they realized that he had seen a vision in the temple; and he kept ]making signs to them, and remained mute. 23 When the days of his priestly service were ended, he went back home.
a. And the people waited for Zacharias, and marveled that he lingered so long: The custom was for the priest to come from the temple as soon as he was finished praying, to assure the people that he had not been struck dead by God. Zacharias' delay had started to make the crowd nervous.
i. After the incense priest finished, he came out of the holy place through the great doors of the temple and met the other two priests right outside the doors. Then the incense priest raised his hands and blessed the people with the blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. The hundreds of gathered worshippers knew what to do; they responded by saying, "Blessed be the Lord God, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting."
ii. After all this, the Levites got the worship singers and musicians started. They began with a blast from special silver trumpets; then a priest struck the cymbals, and the choir of Levites began to sing the Psalm of the day. The choir was made up of not less than twelve voices, which mingled young and old for a full range of sound and probably some great harmonies.
b. But when he came out, he could not speak to them: When Zacharias came out, he was supposed to stand on the temple steps, overlooking the crowd, and pronounce the priestly blessing on the people (Numbers 6:24-26), and the other priests would repeat it after him. But Zacharias couldn't speak!
i. Doing the best he could through hand motions, he told the story of what happened to him in the temple. It's hard to know if everyone believed him!
6. (Luke 1:24-25) Elizabeth's conception and joy.
24 After these days Elizabeth his wife became pregnant, and she kept herself in seclusion for five months, saying, 25 "This is the way the Lord has dealt with me in the days when He looked with favor upon me, to take away my disgrace among men."
a. His wife Elizabeth conceived: Zacharias had normal relations with his wife; he partnered with God to fulfill the promise. He did not count on this child coming from a miraculous conception.
b. She hid herself five months: Elizabeth did not go away to hide her pregnancy; she was gone for the first five months, the time when she would be least noticed as pregnant. She went away to spend time with the Lord, and to meditate on the destiny of the child within her.
JW MINISTRIES:
Announcement of the Birth of John the Baptist (1:11-17)
It was at that point that an angel of the Lord did indeed enter the Holy Place.
"Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 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 give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for 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 from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous -- to make ready a people prepared for the Lord." (1:11-17)
What an incredible vision to Zechariah and what an amazing promise. Let's look briefly at each point of the angel's message:
1. Don't be afraid (1:13a). Zechariah needs some reassuring just now.
2. Your prayer has been heard (1:13b). Sometimes we pray and pray, and because we don't get an answer, we think God hasn't heard. Zechariah has been praying for a child for many years. Now, when the answer comes, he doesn't really believe it.
3. Elizabeth will bear you a son (1:13c). But Elizabeth is past childbearing age -- like Sarah and Abraham.
4. You are to call him John (1:13d), which means, "Yahweh is gracious" -- which, when you think about it, was John the Baptist's chief message: baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
5. He will be a joy and delight to you (1:14a). A son, after all these years? Yes, a joy and delight!
6. Many will rejoice because of his birth (1:14b). Can you imagine the rejoicing at the birth of a child born to elderly, barren woman? Plus the rejoicing at Zechariah's healing and prophecy (1:65)!
7. He will be great in the sight of the Lord (1:15a). Jesus says of him, "Among those born of women there is no one greater than John..." (7:28).
8. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink (1:15b). That is, he is to be a Nazirite (Number 6:2-4; Judges 13:4-6), taking a special kind of vow before God.
9. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth (15c). Under the Old Covenant, to be filled with the Holy Spirit was rare -- the privilege of a few prophets and kings only.
10. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God (1:16). Many had strayed from true allegiance to the Lord and John brings them back in a genuine revival that immediately precedes Jesus' own ministry. John's message, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matthew 3:1), is later picked up by Jesus (Matthew 4:17). The result of this message is "to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous" (1:17b), a quote from Malachi....
11. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah (1:17a). John the Baptist fulfills Malachi's prophecy, "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the Lord comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse" (Malachi 4:5-6). Jesus confirms to his disciples that, indeed, John does fulfill this prophecy (Matthew 17:13).
12. To make ready a people prepared for the Lord (1:17c). John sees himself fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy, "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord...' " (3:4-5, quoting Isaiah 40:3-5).
Mute Because of Unbelief (1:18-22)
If I were Zechariah, my head would be swimming and I would feel shell-shocked by now. What amazing words, what amazing promises about a son who is not yet born! But instead of rising to faith, Zechariah sinks to doubt.
"Zechariah asked the angel, 'How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.'
"The angel answered, '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. And 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 proper time.' " (1:18-20)
What a contrast with Mary, who when the birth of Jesus is announced, doesn't respond with "How can this happen?" like Zechariah, but "How will this happen?" and, "I am the handmaiden of the Lord. May it be to me as you have said" (1:34, 38).
I find it amazing, but true to life, that upright, moral, church-going people -- even ministers -- can be so filled with unbelief, so immersed in a secular, scientific world-view, that they are unable bring themselves to believe that God can work a contemporary miracle. Some even construct elaborate theologies to explain why God can't, won't, or shouldn't perform a miracle today!
At Zechariah's statement, filled with unbelief, you can almost see the angel, who considers himself questioned by this mere mortal, draw himself up to his full height and say:
During this time, outside the Temple....
"Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 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." (1:21-22).
Elizabeth's Pregnancy (1:23-25)
The week is over, and Zechariah returns from his awesome experience in the Holy Place to the small highland village he calls home.
"When his time of service was completed, he returned home. After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. "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." (1:23-25)
Sure enough, he gets old Elizabeth pregnant. But he can't speak to her about it. For now, she does the speaking. "The Lord has done this for me," she says, with joy written in her face. No more does she feel disgraced and shamed among the women of the village because of her inability to bear a child. Now she is wonderfully pregnant and attributes it to God's favor. Zechariah who is shamed and Elizabeth is honored.
Prayer
Father, forgive me -- us -- for our incidents of unbelief. Sometimes I have mistaken my religious bent for genuine faith. Through this study of Jesus' life and message, build faith in my heart and in my brothers' and sisters' hearts. Replace our unbelief and hesitancy to step out on your promises with a boldness and assurance in God. Changes us, we ask you. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
COLE: Every thinking person has struggled with the problem of doubt. C. S. Lewis, who was an atheist before he was converted to Christianity, acknowledged that just as the Christian has his moments of doubt, so does the atheist. He wrote, "Believe in God, and you will have to face hours when it seems obvious that this material world is the only reality; disbelieve in Him, and you must face hours when this material world seems to shout at you that it is not all. No conviction religious or irreligious will, of itself, end once and for all this fifth-columnist in the soul. Only the practice of faith resulting in the habit of faith will gradually do that." (Cited in "Focal Point," July-September, 1989.)
Doubt comes in varying degrees. There is the doubt of the proud skeptic, who delights in his own intellect. He pits himself against God as if he is a match for the Almighty. He delights in upsetting the faith of weak believers. He sets forth his arguments against God's existence or the Christian faith as if he is the first brilliant thinker in history to come up with such insights. Such doubters often find jobs teaching at American universities! The Bible dismisses such scoffers with the word, "The fool has said in his heart, 'There is no God'" (Psalm 14:1).
Another level of doubt is that of the person who wants to believe, but he's struggling with difficult questions and he has not yet come to see the glory and excellency of the Lord Jesus Christ as the all-sufficient Savior of sinners. While this person's questions are often sincere, invariably they are mixed up with sin, especially the sin of wanting to run his own life apart from the lordship of Christ.
In dealing with this type of person, I often use John 7:17, where Jesus said, "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or whether I speak from Myself." I'll point out that while there are some tough questions, the core issue is one of the heart, of being willing to obey God. I encourage such people to read the gospel accounts with an open heart and ask the question, "Who is Jesus Christ?" If He is God in human flesh, who offered Himself as the sacrifice for sinners, then we must trust Him and submit ourselves to Him. Once our hearts are subject to Him, He will give us satisfactory answers to most of the tough questions.
Another type of doubt is that of the believer who has gotten his eyes off the Lord in the midst of a difficult situation. The disciples were there when they were being swamped by the storm at sea and they shouted, "Save us, Lord; we are perishing!" He first rebuked the disciples, "Why are you timid, you men of little faith?" Then He rebuked the wind and the sea (Matthew 8:25-26). The distraught father was there when the disciples could not cast the demon out of his son. He entreated Jesus, "But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!" Jesus responded, "If You can! All things are possible to him who believes." The father cried out, "I do believe; help my unbelief" (Mark 9:22-24).
All of us who believe in Jesus Christ as Savior have been there, too. We believe, but we get our eyes off the Lord and onto the trial that looms before us. If you put a penny close to your eye, it will block out the brilliance of the sun. If you let a trial consume your vision, it will block the glorious power of the Almighty God.
Zacharias was there that day in the temple when Gabriel, the angel who stands in God's very presence, appeared to him and promised to give Zacharias and his wife, Elizabeth, a son. He should have been ecstatic with joy. Every day for years this devout couple had prayed, "Lord, if it would be Your will, give us a son." But that had been years ago. Now it was too late. They were both long past the time when even couples who had children were able to conceive. Zacharias had reconciled himself to reality-they were not going to have a son. He had come to terms with God over the matter: "God is sovereign. He is free to bestow His blessings on whom He wishes. For some inscrutable reason, He has withheld that blessing from us." And now, Zacharias was not willing to open himself to the roller coaster of hopes and fears that he had long left behind. And so he doubted the word of the angel.
What can Zacharias teach us about the problem of doubt?
1. We all struggle with the problem of doubt.
Doubt is a problem, even for the righteous. Zacharias was "righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and requirements of the Lord" (1:6). Being righteous in the sight of the Lord means that his godliness was not an outward show, like the "righteousness" of the Pharisees, but a matter of the heart. The man walked with God and he had done so for many years. The fact that such a godly man doubted shows us that none are exempt from the problem. Other great men and women of faith in the Bible also had their moments of doubt. Sarah stumbled over a similar situation. When the Lord announced to Abraham that his wife would give birth to a son, Sarah, listening on the other side of the tent wall, laughed in doubt (Genesis 18:10-15).
The son of Zacharias, John the Baptist, had a time of doubt. He was languishing in prison and he began to wonder, "If Jesus is truly the Messiah, why am I, His messenger, here in prison?" So he sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Are You the Expected One, or do we look for someone else?" Jesus replied, "Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them." Then He gently rebuked John's doubt by adding, "And blessed is he who keeps from stumbling over Me" (Luke 7:22, 23). Jesus went on to tell the crowd that among those born of women, there is no one greater than John. He was a godly man, but he had his time of doubt.
So doubt is a problem, even for those who are righteous in God's sight. If godly men like Zacharias and John fell into doubt, we should be on guard, so that we do not fall. Since even the godly have fallen, we may wonder, "What is the source of doubt?"
Doubt does not stem from a lack of evidence, but from our sinful hearts. Have you ever talked to someone who said, "If I just saw a miracle or had a direct word from God, I would believe"? It doesn't work that way. Here, Zacharias had an angel suddenly appear and speak a direct revelation from God, but he did not believe. Later in Luke, the rich man in Hades pleaded with Abraham to send someone to warn his brothers, so that they would not also come to that awful place of torment. Abraham replied that his brothers had Moses and the prophets. But the rich man said, "No, Father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!" But Abraham replied, "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead" (Luke 16:27-31). Doubt is not a problem of evidence, but of the sinfulness of the human heart. Even those who are righteous struggle with the sinful nature.
You may wonder, "How does Zacharias' question differ from Mary's question (1:34)?" When the angel told her that she would become pregnant with Jesus, she asked, "How can this be, since I am a virgin?" The angel did not confront her for doubting. Abraham laughed and brought up the matter of his and Sarah's old age when he was promised a son, but he was not corrected for doubting, while Sarah was (Genesis 17:17). Gideon twice asked God for a sign, and he was not rebuked. But Zacharias asked the angel for a sign, and was rebuked for his doubting. Why these differences?
I think John Calvin (Calvin's Commentaries [Baker], 1:23) is correct when he brings up these varying cases and points out that the difference was not in the words spoken, but in the hearts of each person. He acknowledges that while God is free to punish one person and pardon another, as He sees fit, that is not the explanation here. Rather, God, who sees the hidden secrets of each person's heart, knew that Zacharias was different than Abraham, Gideon, or Mary. Zacharias was limiting God by the normal course of human nature. He and Elizabeth were too old to have children. Case closed! But he should have acknowledged, as Gabriel says to Mary, "Nothing will be impossible with God" (1:37).
Our sinful hearts make us all prone to limit God by human potential. The disciples fell into this error when they were faced with the crowd of 5,000 hungry men, plus women and children. Jesus asked Philip, "Where are we to buy bread, that these may eat?" John explains that Jesus asked this to test Philip, since He knew what He was about to do. Philip did a quick calculation and concluded, "Two hundred denarii worth of bread is not sufficient for them, for everyone to receive a little" (John 6:5-7). Philip may have thought that he was giving a faith-stretching answer, because the disciples clearly did not have 200 denarii to buy bread. But he was limiting God to work through normal human means. But God had a completely different solution, namely, miraculously multiplying the few loaves and fishes they had on hand. So even if we've walked with God for years, when we are faced with a seemingly impossible situation, we need to look to our hearts, which are prone to limit the Almighty by human possibilities. God has given us abundant evidence in Scripture that He is the God of the impossible. Nothing is too difficult for Him. The source of our doubts is not a lack of evidence. It is rather our, sinful hearts.
Doubt is often connected with disappointments or long-term trials. We don't know how long Zacharias and Elizabeth had been married, but it easily could have been 30 or 40 years. In that society, being childless was a matter of reproach (1:25). For many of those years, they had entreated God to give them a child and take away their reproach, but God did not answer. Now that they were physically too old to have children, they had come to terms with their disappointment. They had concluded that it must not be God's will. So when the angel suddenly announced that they would have a child, Zacharias doubted.
You've been there, haven't you? You prayed for something so long and your request was denied for so long that you concluded, "It isn't going to happen." Then, maybe even after you stopped praying, suddenly there was a glimmer of hope that your prayers were about to be answered. But you didn't want to get your hopes up, only to have them dashed again. So you protected yourself by saying, "Let's wait and see." But in your heart, you were doubting God.
Thankfully, God in His grace often pours out His blessings in spite of our doubts! That was the case with Zacharias. God lovingly disciplined His servant, but Zacharias' doubts could not thwart the sovereign plan of God. Part of the solution to our doubts is to understand the source of them, as I have been explaining. We're all prone to doubts because of our sinful hearts, often coupled with disappointments and trials. But Luke also wants us to see that ...
Conclusion. In the matter of faith and doubt, the crucial thing is not our feelings and not even our faith. The crucial thing is the object of our faith. You can have great faith in a faulty airplane, but it will crash in spite of your great faith because it's not a trustworthy plane. You can have little faith in a sound airplane, just enough to get you on board, and that's all it takes to get you where you're going. It's not your faith, but the object of it, that matters most.
Luke wants us to see that God is faithful to His promises, especially in the matter of sending the Lord Jesus Christ to be the promised Savior. We can trust such a God and such a Savior. He has a proven track record of keeping His word.
The doubts that we all have show us that we need a Savior because we are sinners. Only sinners would doubt the all-powerful, faithful, gracious, sovereign God who has given so many evidences of His trustworthy nature. And the good news of Luke is that it is precisely for sinners that Jesus came to this earth: "The Son of Man is come to seek and to save that which was lost" (Luke 19:10). In your confusion and doubt, call out to Him to save you from your sin. He is mighty to save all who cry out, "God, be merciful to me, the sinner" (Luke 18:13).
