5 There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. 6 And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. 7 And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they both were now well stricken in years. 8 And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 9 According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord. 10 And the whole multitude of the people were praying without at the time of incense. 11 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 12 And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him. 13 But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. 14 And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. 15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. 17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. 18 And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years. 19 And the angel answering said unto him, I am Gabriel, that stand in the presence of God; and am sent to speak unto thee, and to shew thee these glad tidings. 20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season. 21 And the people waited for Zacharias, and marvelled that he tarried so long in the temple. 22 And when he came out, he could not speak unto them: and they perceived that he had seen a vision in the temple: for he beckoned unto them, and remained speechless. 23 And it came to pass, that, as soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 24 And after those days his wife Elisabeth conceived, and hid herself five months, saying, 25 Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he looked on me, to take away my reproach among men. (Luke 1:5-25 KJV)
Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
The two preceding evangelists began their gospels with the ministry of John the Baptist, which started about six months before Christ’s public ministry. This evangelist, aiming to give a fuller account of our Savior’s conception and birth, does the same for John, who was his forerunner, the morning-star to the Sun of righteousness. This is not only because people enjoy learning the origins of great men, but because their beginnings were filled with miracles that pointed to what they would become. Here, our inspired historian begins with the conception of John the Baptist.
His parents lived in the days of Herod the king, a foreigner ruling as a Roman deputy. This showed that the scepter had departed from Judah and that the time had come for Shiloh to appear (Genesis 49:10). Though David’s family was now lowly, it was to rise again in the Messiah. Israel was under foreign rule, yet the glory of Israel appeared.
John’s father, Zechariah, was a priest from the line of Aaron, of the course of Abijah (1 Chronicles 24:10), and his wife Elizabeth was also descended from Aaron. The priests were careful to marry within their family to preserve the honor of the priesthood. The gospel restored the honor of both Aaron and David in John the Baptist and Christ, and then the priesthood and royal line ceased.
Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord (Luke 1:6). Their righteousness was shown in their conduct, not merely in profession. Their worship and daily behavior were consistent, they sought complete obedience, and though not sinless, they were above reproach. It is a blessing when married couples are united in godliness, especially ministers, who must be examples to the flock.
They were childless (Luke 1:7), though they had long desired children. Elizabeth was barren, and both were old. Yet many notable figures—Isaac, Samson, Samuel—were born to barren women, making their birth more remarkable and their parents’ joy greater. God often rewards patient waiting with multiplied blessings.
While Zechariah was serving his priestly duty in the temple during his assigned rotation (Luke 1:8), he was burning incense, a task assigned by lot. This was likely a Sabbath, as a large crowd had gathered (Luke 1:10). Dr. Lightfoot estimates it occurred on the seventeenth day of Sivan (May–June), when synagogue readings included Numbers 6 and Judges 13—passages about Nazarites and miraculous births.
As Zechariah offered incense, the people outside prayed (Luke 1:10). At the hour of prayer, the temple was filled with priests, Levites, and others devoted to worship. They prayed silently when the bell announced the priest’s entry.
God’s people have always been a praying people. Rituals, like incense, were never accepted without prayer (Psalm 141:2). It is not enough to attend worship; we must engage our hearts. Our prayers are accepted only through Christ’s intercession (Revelation 8:3-4), and we must pray earnestly to benefit from it.
As Zechariah ministered, an angel of the Lord appeared on the right side of the altar of incense (Luke 1:11). This was unusual, as angels rarely appeared with messages in the temple. In the first temple, God spoke through the Urim or from between the cherubim; the second temple lacked these, so the angel signaled the beginning of gospel revelation. The angel’s position may reflect the good angel standing at the right of the priest, as in Zechariah 3:1.
When Zechariah saw the angel, he was troubled and afraid (Luke 1:12). Even the righteous are shaken by divine appearances, their consciences fearing judgment. God usually speaks through people like ourselves to avoid overwhelming us.
The angel reassured him (Luke 1:13): “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard.” If this referred to his past prayers for a child, God had remembered them, even if Zechariah had stopped asking. If it referred to his current prayers for Israel’s redemption, the answer was also coming—his son would be the Messiah’s forerunner. Like Cornelius (Acts 10:30-31), Zechariah was told his prayers were accepted, and the sign was that Elizabeth would bear a son.
He was to name the child John, meaning “the Lord is gracious” (Isaiah 30:18-19). His birth would bring joy to many (Luke 1:14), for long-awaited mercies are especially welcome. John’s birth signaled the dawn of the gospel day.
He would be great in the sight of the Lord (Luke 1:15), living a strict and holy life—drinking neither wine nor strong drink, like a Nazarite—not out of superstition but to show his complete dedication to God. Ministers under the gospel must be temperate in all things (1 Corinthians 9:25) so they may devote themselves to prayer and the word.
John would be filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother’s womb, called and prepared early for his prophetic mission. This early filling showed God’s ability to work grace in the hearts of even the unborn and demonstrated John’s lifelong dedication to God.
He would turn many Israelites to the Lord their God (Luke 1:16), preparing a people for the Messiah by calling them to repentance and restoring their relationship with God. He would go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17), like Elijah in zeal, courage, and fervent devotion, confronting sin and calling for reformation.
He would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous. This likely refers not just to reconciling families, but to spiritual transformation—softening the hearts of the old and drawing the young back to the piety of their ancestors.
He would be fully equipped for his calling, filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb. Those who are to be filled with the Spirit must be temperate (Ephesians 5:18). Even infants can be influenced by the Spirit; John leapt in the womb at the Savior’s approach (Luke 1:41). God promises to pour out His Spirit on the offspring of His people (Isaiah 44:3), and early dedication to God is the fruit of this (Luke 1:4–5). If infants can receive the Spirit, as John did, why should they be denied baptism (Acts 10:47)?
John would be instrumental in preparing hearts for Christ (Luke 1:16-17), sent not just to his own priestly family but to the whole nation. He would go before the Lord their God, identifying the Messiah as divine, not just a king, but Lord and God. Like Elijah, he would preach repentance, face persecution, and pave the way for the coming Savior.