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The Infancy Narrative of John & Jesus
Luke 1:5-80
Introduction: Chapters 1-2 of Luke introduce a piece of literature (Luke-Acts) that contains more words than all the writings of the apostle Paul. Therefore, Luke’s introduction is supremely significant, laying the foundation and overview of God’s work of salvation. Luke, more than any of the other accounts details for us the very beginning of the salvation of God and thus reveals for us the defining moment in history of the fulfillment of God’s plan instituted before the foundation of the world. Luke presents his picture in such a way that everyone involved, including everyone who reads, will lift their voices in joy. It is a scene that is filled with emotion; it is intended to permanently touch our hearts.
In order to accomplish his purpose, Luke lays before our eyes two history-defining moments – the announcement and birth of John, the forerunner, and the announcement and birth of Jesus, the Savior. We are invited to compare and contrast the two stories. In the end, above all else, we see God flashing His power into the world of human affairs. It isn’t the first time. It is reminiscent of many similar incidents throughout biblical history. But it is the greatest, the most powerful, and the most significant that has ever been before and will ever be until that great day in which the Lord returns.
- Zacharias, Elizabeth, and John
- “In the days of Herod the king”
- We read those words so easily without considering how much they tell us about the setting of the story. Like all the Herods, Herod was an Edomite and full of wickedness. The Edomites came from Esau, the man forever cursed because of his profane life which also led to a nation cursed to forever become extinct because of their profanity and godlessness. Mal. 1:2 “Jacob have I loved but Esau have I hated.” Now hear the words from a Jewish perspective: Herod (the Edomite), king of Judea!”
- There is something dark and sinister about the words. It signifies dark, dark days in Israel’s history. It reminds us of the words of Isaac when he attempted to bless Esau: “You shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” Every Israelite had dreaded that day; but that day had come.
- Adding to the darkness of these days was the fact that for 400 years God had been silent. Israel had been left on their own for the first time in their history. It is a scene of hopelessness and despair.
- The next picture we see is that of the temple, but more specially, it is a scene within the Holy Place. The Bible gives us very few pictures behind those closed doors where only the priests were allowed to go. Luke reveals to us an old priest (do you see him?) who is offering incense while a gathering of the faithful are outside praying. That picture by itself is instructive. Prayers in conjunction with the offering of incense were always connected in scripture. Rev. 8:3-5 tells us that angels presented incense before the throne of God along with the prayers of the saints. It is mentioned because it was a time when God would respond.
- Note, however, that this angel appeared to a priest. Not the High Priest, mind you; just a priest; one priest out of thousands. It is significant because the priesthood had been desecrated. They were corrupt and wicked, filled with greed and abuses of their office. But as we are introduced to Zacharias and Elizabeth, look at the scene. The priesthood is full of decay, the elders are in spiritual apostasy, an Edomite is ruling, and the people are in despair. But then there is Zacharias and Elizabeth, both righteous and blameless in the midst of the unfaithful. And then we remember that God had His remnant; let us never forget it, God always has His remnant. And even in the darkest days, we also can live righteously.
- But there is something else here that rarely gets our attention and that is their names: Zacharias and Elizabeth. Those old Hebrews followed a pattern long established by the Lord Himself. They did not name a child because they liked the sound of the name. A name had meaning; it had significance. Many years before the father and mother of Zacharias had given their boy that name because of the hope that was within them. The name means, “Jehovah Remembers.” There is in the name a sound of sorrow, but also a song of hope. In the midst of darkness and despair, a boy was born and they called him Jehovah Remembers.
- Now about the same time another priestly family had a child; this time a little girl. They also expressed their hope. They called her Elizabeth, The Oath of God. The parents of Elizabeth trusted the promises of God even during the seemingly hopeless time they lived. But one day “the oath of God” met “Jehovah Remembers” and they married. Even in dark days, the prayers of two sets of parents showed a flicker; there was still hope.
- But there was a tragedy in their household because Elizabeth was barren. Typically, barrenness was considered a curse from God. Through barrenness they were cut off to any hope of a relationship to the Messiah. Their name would die out in Israel. Oh, they had prayed and prayed for years, but now they were both old and “well-stricken” in years and they had long ago given up on that hope.
- But then there was this great day in which Zacharias would offer incense in the temple. It is a great day because there was only one week in the life of a priest in which he would do the service within the Holy Place. For Zacharias, it took a lifetime before that day came. And of all things, if his time of service within that Holy Place was not exciting enough, an angel appeared – the first messenger from God for 400 years!
- Do you hear the angel’s first words?! “Do not be afraid…your prayer is heard…your wife will have a son…you shall call his name John.” What! What prayer? Oh you mean that prayer we were praying repeatedly 30-40 years ago? That prayer? What is that song we sing? “In His time, in His time. Everything is beautiful in His time.” Never think God did not hear your prayer.
- Now notice that the angel gives Zacharias the name for the son: you shall call his name John. “John” means “the grace of God.” Now the picture is complete. The father, Zacharias, Jehovah Remembers; the mother, Elizabeth, the oath of God; the boy, John, the grace of God. God had not spoken for 400 years and now a boy is born named the grace of God, the offspring of the remembrance of God and the oath of God.
- One more thing about Zacharias: he doubts. Like so many before him in similar situations, he doubts, and the angel gives him a sign: he will not speak until the child is born. At a time when everyone around him will be rejoicing and singing praise, Zacharias will be silent. But what a scene it is later in the chapter when the baby is born and the friends try to call the baby Zacharias after his father. But Zacharias took a tablet and wrote. There are no exclamation marks in Hebrew or Greek, but I’m sure when Zacharias wrote they could see the intensity on his face: his name is John! Then and only then was his tongue loosed and then he too sang the praises of the Lord who had visited and redeemed His people.
- “In the days of Herod the king”
- Mary
- In verses 26-27, we have remarkable contrast. The setting is a city in Galilee named Nazareth. With Zacharias and Elizabeth, we were taken to Jerusalem, the city of God, and right into the holy place of the temple. But now we are taken to an obscure village in the hill country of Galilee. The previous story was about an old man and an old barren woman. But now we are introduced to a young virgin girl engaged to be married.
- Mary’s humility and inner beauty is striking. At first she is startled by a greeting by the angel calling her favored of the Lord. When told of the son she will have and His greatness, she simply says, How will this be, since I am a virgin? It is not a statement of doubt, but an inquiry on how it could happen while she is a virgin. And then, when told that her cousin Elizabeth is six months into her pregnancy, Mary replies, Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word. This woman would live her whole life around people who would question and whisper and doubt her character. And how could she explain it? She could tell the story, but who would believe it? What faith and strength she displayed.
- Of course, we again see the angel giving the name that she shall call her son: Jesus, “Yahweh Saves.” There was Jehovah Remembers, the Oath of God, the Grace of God, and now, Jehovah Saves; the Savior will be born. Luke fills his introduction with names signifying the work of God fulfilling a plan that was made before the world began.
- Now if you were Mary, what would you do just as soon as the angel departed? There was only one place to go; to the house of Elizabeth who had been hiding herself. And when she entered the house and greeted Elizabeth, the baby within her leaped for joy. And Elizabeth said, “Blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her from the Lord.” Then Mary responded to Elizabeth with her own song of praise to the Lord.
- As for the rest of this meeting with Elizabeth and Mary, we can only imagine. An old woman carrying the forerunner, the greatest prophet up to that time, and a young virgin girl carrying the Savior. Mind you, these women knew the thousands of years of prophecies that foretold this day. Caesar Augustus, who himself had coinage made proclaiming himself to be the son of god, was emperor in Rome. Little did he know, nor the power of Rome, that there was an old woman and a young virgin girl in a little house in a hated land, each carrying a child, conceived miraculously. One child would grow to prepare the way for the other. The Other, a man named Jesus, would not only turn the Roman world upside down, He would destroy Satan and his power, and give all men and women the hope of eternal life
- We can only imagine what is was like when Theophilus rolled open this scroll and read Luke’s introduction. It is indeed, The Greatest Story Ever Told.
Berry Kercheville