Zechariah

Zechariah (Zacharias in the King James Version of the Bible) was the Father of John the Baptist, the primary forerunner of Jesus as the Messiah. Zechariah was a priest of the line of Abijah, during the reign of King Herod the Great around the turn of the common era. He was husband of Elizabeth, whose lineage was connected the priestly family of Aaron. According the Luke's gospel, Zechariah received a revelation from the angel Gabriel while ministering in the Temple of Jerusalem, telling him that Elizabeth, though well beyond the age of child-bearing, would bear him a son. He was struck dumb for not initially believing this prophecy. Elizabeth did conceive, and during her pregnancy, she and Zechariah offered hospitality to Elizabeth's cousin Mary. After three months, it became clear that Mary, too, was pregnant, and she left Zechariah's house for Nazareth. After the birth of John the Baptist, Zechariah prophesied that he would be possessed of the "spirit of Elijah."

Zechariah's death is not recorded, although some believe erroneously that he was reported to have been murdered in the Temple. Aprocryhal traditions, especially the Protoevengelism of John, give additional details about Zechariah. In Unification tradition, Zechariah is believed to have been the physical father of Jesus. Although his relationship with Mary was inspired by the Holy Spirit, he failed to fulfill his responsibility to protect her child and was thus partly responsible for Jesus' rejection by the priestly classes.

Zechariah's story

Zechariah is identified in Luke's gospel as belonging to the priestly division of Abijah, one of priestly families assigned Temple ministry in 1 Chronicles 23-24. The evangelist states that both Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous before God, strictly observing all of the traditional commandments and ordinances. Like many couples in the Hebrew Bible, however, their marriage was still childless. Elizabeth was barren and, like her husband, was advanced in years (Luke 1:5-7).

Encounter with Gabriel

Luke relates the Zechariah during his clan's turn to serve in Jerusalem, Zechariah was chosen by lot to "to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense." (1:9) Priestly duties at the Temple in Jerusalem alternated between each of the families that had descended from those appointed by King David (1 Chronicles 23:1-19). While priests were routinely allowed in the inner courtyard of the temple, to enter the building was a rare privilege. The offering of incense was one of the most solemn parts of the daily worship. Some experts believe that, owing to the large number of eligible priests, no priest could hope to perform the task more than once during his lifetime.

While Zechariah ministered at the golden altar of incense, an angel of God announced to him that his wife would give birth to a son, whom he was to name John, a strict Nazirite from birth who would fulfill the mission of the prophet Elijah as the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah.

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. (Luke 1:14-17).

Citing their advanced age, Zechariah asked for a sign whereby he would know the truth of this prophecy. The angel identified itself as the Archangel Gabriel, sent specially by God to make this announcement. He declared that because of Zechariah's doubt, he would be struck dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things happen. Consequently, when Zechariah went out to the waiting worshipers, he was unable to pronounce the customary blessing (Luke|1:18-22).

With Elizabeth and Mary

Zechariah returned home to the hill country of Judea, and Elizabeth indeed conceived a son.

Eight days after she gave birth when their son was to be circumcised according to Jewish tradition, their family members and neighbours assumed that he was to be named after his father, as was the custom. Elizabeth, however, insisted that his name was to be John, and so the family then questioned her husband. As soon as Zechariah had written on a writing tablet: His name is John, he regained the power of speech, and so praised God (Luke 1:60-79). The child grew up and became strong in spirit, but remained in the desert of Judaea (Luke 3:2-3, cf. Matthew 3:1) until he assumed his ministry (Luke 1:80) that was to earn him the name John the Baptist (sometimes translated Baptizer).

He is commemorated as a prophet in the Calendar of Saints of the Lutheran Church on September 5, as in the Eastern Orthodox church, the same day as his wife Elizabeth, who is considered as a matriarch. Islam also believes in the historic existence of Zechariah as the father of John the Baptist, though in Islam he is known as Zakariya, and Muslims regard him as one of the Prophets of Islam.

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