Zacharias had left his home in the hill-country
ZACHARIAS
ZEAL
845
of Judah to fultil in tlie Temple at Jerusalem his week of service ; and it fell to his lot to perform the verjy' special duty of burning incense in the Holy Place, separated only by the veil from the Holy of Holies. It was a very notable occasion in a priest's life, which did not come at all to many a priest (it is said there were 20,000 of them alto- gether about this period), and it was not likely the lot would ever fall on him again to otter it. The ottering of incense was symbolical of prayer (Rev 5*) ; the people worshipping in the courts outside were praying Avhile the smoke was rising from his censer within (v.^**) ; it was impossible that he should not be praying too, and if only by the force of long habit, the old petition rose once more to his lips. Suddenly there stood in front of him, on the right side of the altar of incense (v.''), where no mortal man should be, an angel of the Lord. In the presence of the supernatural, Zacharias feared and trembled ; but the angel reassured him, told him that his prayer was heard, that his wife Elisa- beth should bear him a son, whom he should live to see, and name John ( = ' the grace of Jehovah '), which would be no barren title, but describe his character and mission : ' he shall be great in the sight of the Lord' (cf. Mt II", Lk V«). This son must be brought up as a Nazirite in the highest form of Levitical devotion (Nu 6^, Jg 13^, La 4^, Am 2^2) ; he should, like another Elijah (1 K 18"), turn many of the children of Israel unto the Lord, and be the forerunner, as foretold by Malachi, to Messiah Himself (vv.^^-").
Zacharias had not the faith of Abraham, who staggered not through unbelief (Ro 4'") at a pro- mise of God exactly similar, ' involving human generation, but prophetically announced and super- natural' (Alford). He asked for a sign {Kara tL ;), and pointed out the difficulties in the way. Some (e.g. Bruce) have expressed surpi-ise that ' so natural a hesitation ' should be treated, and punished, as a sin ' ; but to whom much is given, of him much shall be required. Others have asked why Zacharias should be censured here, and not the Virgin Mary (yy 34. 35)^ jjQ^ observing that hers was not a question of doubt, ' Whereby shall I know ? ' but a request for direction (TrtDs ^a-rat tovto ;), ' How is it to be brought about ? ' — a question implying faith as to the event itself. She got a sign too, though she had not asked one ; but hers was joyful, Zacharias' puni- tive, yet merciful. ' Thou shalt be dumb,' not only as one stupefied with wonder, but also 'unable to speak ' ; yet for a season merely, till, at the proper time, the promise has its fulfilment. Thus, on the threshold of the Gospel, at the very outset of its great series of miracles, is unbelief chastised. The soul that will not believe shall not be allowed to speak (cf. 2 Co 4'3).
It was not, the Talmudists inform us, the custom of the priests, when officiating inside the Holy Place, to make their own devotions long, lest the people outside should be anxious ; but Zacharias' interview with Gabriel, and perhaps the feelings it awakened, caused him to delay. The worshippers in the Temple courts marvelled why he tarried so long ; the thought likely to occur to them was that God had slain the priest as unwortliy (Bruce) ; and wlien at last he did make his appearance, he could neither explain the reason for his delay, nor give them the Aaronic benediction (Nu 6--'-^), which was pronounced after every morning and evening sacri- fice by the priest with uplifted hands, the people responding to it with a loud Amen (Keil, Bibl. Archmol.). Like the dying St. Columba before the altar at lona, though for a ditterent reason, Zacharias signed with his hand the blessing which he could not speak (v.--). As soon as the days of his ministration were accomplished, he returned to his home ; the tokens of his wife's pregnancy soon
added a sign of joy to the sign of punishment which he bore about with him. The i^romised child was born, but the chastisement was not taken ott till the hour arrived when he had his predicted function to fulfil, by calling the infant by his appointed name.
Godet remarks on the pleasant picture of family life presented by the scene of the Baptist's circumcision. It had been a custom since the birth of Isaac (who received his name at his circumcision) to give a child his name on the same day in which he was signed as one of God's people : for a similar reason. Christian children are named on the occasion of their entrance by baptism into the Church. A difficulty which some have felt, that Zacharias was dumb only and not deaf, yet is treated by the company as if unable to hear, is met by Olshausen with the remark that these two afflictions go so frequently together, that men easily accustom themselves to treat dumb persons as deaf.