Parallel Gospels 2a - The Foretelling of the Birth of John the Baptist
Luke 1:5-25
(Greek -- Bible Hub )Gabriel Predicts John’s Birth
5In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest of Abijah’s division named Zechariah. His wife was from the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
6 Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
7 But they had no children because Elizabeth could not conceive, and both of them were well along in years.
8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.
13 But the angel said to him:
18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
8 When his division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 it happened that he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 At the hour of incense the whole assembly of the people was praying outside. 11 An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear.
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 will name him John.
14 There will be joy and delight for you,
and many will rejoice at his birth.
15 For he will be great in the sight of the Lord
and will never drink wine or beer.
He will be filled with the Holy Spirit
while still in his mother’s womb.
16 He will turn many of the sons of Israel
to the Lord their God.
17 And he will go before Him
in the spirit and power of Elijah,
to turn the hearts of fathers
to their children,
and the disobedient
to the understanding of the righteous,
to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.
18 “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel answered him, “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news. 20 Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their proper time.”
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary. 22 When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless. 23 When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
24 After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, 25 “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.”
Where: at the Temple
When: (vs 5)In the days of King Herod of Judea, at the time of Abijah’s division to serve at the temple. Elizabeth then conceived
and stayed in Seclusion 5 months. then Mary came to visit.
- the days of King Herod of Judea
- priest of Abijah’s division
- wife was from the daughters of Aaron
- Both were righteous in God’s sight, living without blame according to all the commands and requirements of the Lord.
- serving as priest before God
- he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood
- to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense
- The hour of incense, when was that
- he whole assembly of the people was praying outside. - why was this? was it according to tradition?
- An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense
- When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and overcome with fear. But the angel said to him: Do not be afraid
- your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son
- you will name him John
- There will be joy and delight for you, and many will rejoice at his birth.
- For he will be great in the sight of the Lord and will never drink wine or beer.
- He will be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in his mother’s womb. - i thought the holy spirit didn't FILL
- people till after the resurrection and then the pentecost
- He will turn many of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God.
- And he will go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah
- to turn the hearts of fathers to their children, and the disobedient to the understanding of the righteous
- to make ready for the Lord a prepared people.
- “How can I know this?” Zechariah asked the angel. “For I am an old man, and my wife is well along in years.”
- “I am Gabriel, who stands in the presence of God,
- and I was sent to speak to you and tell you this good news.
- Now listen! You will become silent and unable to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words
- which will be fulfilled in their proper time.
- the people were waiting for Zechariah, amazed that he stayed so long in the sanctuary
When he did come out, he could not speak to them. Then they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He kept making signs to them and remained speechless.
what did he tell them ? - When the days of his ministry were completed, he went back home.
what happened after this in Jerusalem, and also back at his home. were people spreading information, were they all abuzz with the prophet. what was their reactions to what Zechariah reveealed to them. did he tell them they were to have a son and this son was to lead the way before the Messiah? - After these days his wife Elizabeth conceived and kept herself in seclusion for five months. She said, “The Lord has done this for me. He has looked with favor in these days to take away my disgrace among the people.” didnt moses' mother also sit in seclusion?
King Herod of Judea was king of Judea from 37–4 BCE. So, if this is correct, the years were not reset at the birth of Jesus like was intended. Jesus had to have been born around 6 BCE. Additionally, according to the Magi, Jesus was born at least 2 years prior to Herod's death because Herod calculated the time of Jesus' birth and killed all the children 2 years and younger. See Matthew Chapter 2. When the Magi followed the star all the way to Jesus, they entered a House.. not the stable where he was born. So he had been there for 2 years... perhaps this was still in Bethlehem. Everyone likely knew the Savior was to be born in Bethlehem, so this included Joseph and Mary. Maybe he stayed there because of that. But in Luke 2, it says after the temple "rituals" were observed, they went back to Nazareth. But it is possible that since they knew the savior was to be born in Bethlehem, that they went back to Nazareth and got their things and then got a house in Bethlehem. Also, we know that Herod had all the babies killed in Bethlehem. They did however go to the Festival every year, so perhaps this was a time when the festival was upon them and they were staying with relatives. Joseph being of the line of David... and Mary herself also apparently, though her cousins were levites.
After the wisemen left the house in Matthew 2, Joseph was warned in a dream to leave because Herod was going to try to kill Jesus. He was told to go to Egypt. We have no real idea exactly how long he was gone, but we know he must have been in Bethlehem at that time because that is where Herod sent people to kill all the baby boys that were 2 years and under and were in and around Bethlehem. So if Joseph wasn't near Bethlehem, he would not have had to flee to Egypt.
Bethelem in Galilee?
Through my research, i just realized that there is a Bethlehem in Galilee, which is not the same as the Bethlehem where Jesus was born.
The below comment is in current day, and it is the Bethlehem in Galilee.
Currently it is 11 nautical kilometers, (almost 7 miles) between Bethlehem and Nazareth, but on the road it is 18.6 km, which is about 11.5 miles. It cannot be assumed this same road was there when Joseph took his family to Bethlehem in about 6 BCE.
Of course we are always going to have people contending different things that is said in the bible and prophesy to discount Jesus
The bible explicitly states that that Joseph went to the /city of David to register. So a 9 month pregnant woman made the trip, whether it seemed logical to this newpaper journalist or not.
Bethlehem in Judea
the distance from Bethlehem in Judea to Nazareth appears to be about 70 miles.
This statement seems accurate to me, found in the below link
Some people think that Bethlehem could also have been Joseph's actual home town and he'd traveled to Nazareth to collect Mary once they were betrothed/married to take to his home town to initially live.
Herod: would also like to read what Josephus says about him
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