In the days of Herod, King of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah of the priestly division of Abijah; his wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth. 6 Both were righteous in the eyes of God, observing all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly. 7 But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. 8 Once when he was serving as priest in his division’s turn before God, 9 according to the practice of the priestly service, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord to burn incense. 10 Then, when the whole assembly of the people was praying outside at the hour of the incense offering, 11 the angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right of the altar of incense. 12 Zechariah was troubled by what he saw, and fear came upon him. 13 But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall name him John. 14 And 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. He will drink neither wine nor strong drink. He will be filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, 16 and he will turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah to turn the hearts of fathers toward children and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous, to prepare a people fit for the Lord.” 18 Then Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” 19 And the angel said to him in reply, “I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile the people were waiting for Zechariah and were amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute. 23 Then, when his days of ministry were completed, he went home. 24 After this time his wife Elizabeth conceived, and she went into seclusion for five months, saying, 25 “So has the Lord done for me at a time when he has seen fit to take away my disgrace before others.”
In verse 5, Luke tells us that God’s people are living under King Herod of Judea, who is tied to foreign power, and faithful Israelites are still waiting for the fulfillment of God’s promises.
Zechariah and Elizabeth are “righteous in the eyes of God,” living faithfully within the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. Luke is not describing a perfect couple with an easy life. Elizabeth is barren, and both are advanced in years. In ancient Palestine, childlessness could bring deep sorrow because it meant no heir to carry on the family. It often carried a social stigma, as if God had withheld His favor—hence Elizabeth later speaks of her “disgrace before others” (Lk. 1:25). Their righteousness does not remove their suffering, but it shows that God’s saving work often begins in faithful lives that still carry heavy burdens.
The scene shifts to the Temple, where Zechariah is serving with his priestly division, and by lot, he is chosen to enter the sanctuary to burn incense. Because there were many priests serving in rotating divisions, the daily incense offering was assigned by lot to ensure fairness; for most priests, being chosen to enter the sanctuary and offer incense was a rare honor, often only once in a lifetime. Outside, “the whole assembly of the people” is praying during the incense offering. Luke wants you to see that this moment is not private spirituality. It is Israel at prayer, gathered around worship, waiting for God’s blessing and action. Incense, then as now, rises as a sign of prayer offered to God, and the priest’s service stands within a pattern Israel has lived for generations.
Suddenly, an angel appears “standing at the right of the altar of incense.” Zechariah reacts as Scripture often shows people reacting to heavenly messengers: he is troubled, and fear comes upon him. The angel immediately addresses his fear: “Do not be afraid.” The angel then delivers a key part of his message: “Your prayer has been heard.” Luke does not tell us exactly what Zechariah has been praying in that moment, but the message addresses a deep sorrow in their life: “Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son.” God not only notices their fidelity but acts to include them in His plan of salvation. The child’s name is given in advance: John. In Scripture, when God assigns a name, it signals that this life belongs to a mission.
The angel describes John with language that ties him to Israel’s story. John will be “great in the sight of the Lord,” he will drink “neither wine nor strong drink,” and he will be “filled with the holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb.” The point is not oddity. It is consecration. John’s life will be set apart for God’s purpose from the beginning. His mission is stated with clarity: he will “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God.” Luke is showing that the coming of salvation begins with repentance, with hearts turned back toward God.
The angel then connects John to Israel’s long expectation using the language of Elijah: “He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah.” Luke is echoing the promise that God would send a prophetic messenger before the day of the Lord, a figure who would turn hearts and prepare God’s people. This is why John cannot be reduced to a religious personality or a moral reformer. He is a divinely appointed forerunner. He stands at the hinge of salvation history, preparing a people to recognize the Lord when He comes.
Zechariah gives a natural human response: “How shall I know this?” He points to his age and Elizabeth’s age. In one sense, it is a reasonable question. In another, it shows that fear and limitation are still controlling what he thinks is possible. The angel answers with solemn authority: “I am Gabriel, who stand before God.” The message is not guesswork. It is “good news” sent from God.
Zechariah’s question echoes Abraham and Sarah, who also struggled to see how God’s promise could be fulfilled given their old age (Gen. 17:17; 18:11-14). But the responses differ because the question is not the whole story—God sees the heart behind it. Abraham’s struggle moves toward trust, while Zechariah’s question comes at the very moment he is receiving a direct message from God in the temple, and it asks for proof rather than yielding in faith, so Gabriel gives him a corrective sign that will last until the promise is fulfilled (Lk. 1:20).
Zechariah is given a sign that is also a discipline: he will be speechless and unable to talk until the promise is fulfilled, “because you did not believe my words.” Luke is not saying Zechariah is wicked. He has already told us Zechariah is righteous. But Luke is showing something important for readers: God’s saving work does not depend on our ability to control it with certainty. It comes “at [its] proper time.” When God acts, the right response is humble trust.
Outside, the people are waiting. They know something is unusual because Zechariah has been inside too long. When he emerges unable to speak, they realize he has seen a vision. Luke keeps the focus on the public character of this moment. The story does not belong only to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Israel is present. The community is watching. God is beginning something that will unfold for the whole people.
After Zechariah completes his days of ministry, he goes home, and Elizabeth conceives. Luke then gives us a quiet, reverent line: she “went into seclusion for five months.” He does not tell us why in detail, but the effect is clear. This is a holy hiddenness. God’s work begins in silence and obscurity before it becomes visible.
Elizabeth’s final words give the passage its emotional truth: “So has the Lord done for me…to take away my disgrace before others.” In that culture, childlessness often carried a public shame that felt like a social burden as much as a private grief. Elizabeth does not speak as if she has earned God’s gift. She speaks as someone who has received mercy.
Lord God, you hear the prayers of your people and you act at the proper time. Turn our hearts back to you, remove what keeps us from trusting your word, and prepare us to recognize your saving work with humble faith. This we pray through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011), Lk 1:5-25, including NABRE notes.
- Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke (San Francisco: Ignatius Press), 103-104.
- Faculty of the University of Navarre, The Navarre Bible: Luke (Dublin: Four Courts Press / Scepter Publishers), 242-243.
- Raymond E. Brown et al., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1990), 679-680 (pars. 15-18).
- José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al., eds., The Paulist Biblical Commentary (New York/Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press, 2018), 1037-1038.
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