The passage
      v5. A priest would get to preside at the morning or evening sacrifice in the temple once in their life, if they were lucky. Zechariah was a member of Abijah, the eighth of twenty-four ancient priestly orders. His wife was also of a priestly family. His opportunity to serve comes while Herod reigns in Palestine (Judea means Palestine here).
      v6-7. Both Zechariah and his wife were, in the Old Testament sense, godly people. They were aged, but childless.
      v8-10. The priestly lottery fell on Zechariah. One of his duties was to keep the incense burning on the altar in front of the Most Holy Place hidden from the worshippers outside.
      v11-12. In the quietness and solitude of the Holy Place, an angel appears and speaks with Zechariah. Fear is a reasonable response, given the circumstances. The term "angel of the Lord" means "the angel who serves the Lord."
      v13-15. The angel tells how Zechariah and Elizabeth's prayer for a child is about to be answered. The child will be a son and they must name him John. He will be a "joy and delight" to them. His birth will cause great rejoicing. He will be "great in the sight of the Lord". He is not to drink alcohol and will be "filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth." He will be stimulated by the Spirit rather than alcohol. The Holy Spirit had come on the Old Testament prophets intermittently, but John is to reflect the dawning of the new age where the Spirit is poured out permanently.
      v16-17. John will gather many of the lost of Israel into the kingdom. He will be the long-awaited Elijah who will turn the hearts of the people in preparation for the coming of the messiah, Mal.4:5.
      v18. Zechariah doubts the vision, a typical response.
      v19-20. The angel gives his name, although it is more rightly a function. Gabriel foretold the messiah's coming and now proclaims it, Dan.9:25. Gabriel's final job is to "sound the trumpet" at the parousia. Doubt has its cost and so Zechariah is rendered speechless until the birth of John.
      v21-22. The sacrificial service was proceeding outside while Zechariah served before the Most Holy Place. As part of the ceremony, the priest would come out and pronounce a blessing. Zechariah was delayed by the vision, and when he did come out, the best he could do was gesture to the gathered worshippers. They reasoned that he had seen a vision.
      v23-25. The service completed, Zechariah and Elizabeth returned home. Elizabeth concealed her pregnancy for as long as possible, most likely to saviour its joy for herself. In Jewish society, to be found childless was regarded as a "disgrace", a "reproach".

An old man's faith
      Zechariah's priestly order was assigned a week's service at the temple and Zechariah was given, by lot, the privilege of offering incense before the Most Holy Place in the temple. In the stillness of the temple he is confronted by the angel Gabriel ("the man of God"). Gabriel tells him his prayers have been answered. His fatherly prayer for a son and his priestly prayer for the coming of the new Elijah (he who heralds the coming kingdom), will be answered in a first-born child to be named John. John will be no ordinary prophet, he will take a special vow (he will not drink alcohol) and he will receive special grace (the Holy Spirit will be poured out on him permanently). Yet, his greatness will be found in proclamation - turning the hearts of Israel toward the coming messiah and his kingdom.
      It was not unreasonable for Zechariah to ask for a sign ("How can I be sure of this"), but by doubting the Lord's word ("I am an old man and my wife is well along in years"), the sign became a chastisement as well as a blessing. Until John's naming, Zechariah couldn't speak.
      For Luke, the vision in the temple serves to authenticate the ministry of Jesus. It proclaims the dawning of the messianic age, an age that finds its fulfillment in Christ. The long-awaited dawning of the messianic age begins with a message from God through Gabriel, the very angel who will also end the age in a trumpet blast. Against the rigors of age, one greater than a prophet will be born to herald the coming messiah.
      Although not central to the passage, the response of Zechariah to Gabriel's message is one we can all identify with. Authenticating a vision, authenticating a word from the Lord, is one thing, doubting that word is another. We possess substantial truths from the Lord, promises of forgiveness, acceptance, eternal possession..... Verifying such promises is nothing but reasonable, doubting them is a disaster.

v6
      dikaioi adj. "upright" - righteous. Used in the sense of a life lived with exemplary Jewish piety rather than in the sense of morally perfect or justified.
      poreuomenoi (poreuomai) part. "observing" - walking about. They were "going" in God's way.
      tou kuriou (oV) "the Lord's" - of the Lord. Usually referring to Jesus with the article, but here obviously "God", LXX = Yahweh.
      amemptoi adj. "blamelessly" - blameless. Emphasizing their piety, not their perfection. "They were good people", CEV.

v7
      kai "but" - and. NIV takes the particle as an adversative, although Luke may well just want to add, "and ....." A more gentle approach to their situation, given the shame of being childless. A state commonly regarded as punishment for sin.
      probebhkoteV (probainw) perf. part. "they were [both] well along [in years]" - having been advanced. Information to further the wonder of the miracle of John's birth. "They were both getting on in years", Phillips.

v8
      egeneto "once" - it came to pass, it happened. Serving to introduce the narrative proper.
      en tw/ + inf. "when" - while, during. Contemporaneous time.
      iJerateuein (iJerateuw) inf. "was serving as priest" - to perform priestly duties. "To take part in the temple service", REB.
      enanti tou qeou "before God" - Probably best in a local sense meaning, "in the temple", ie. where God's presence is presumed to dwell.

v9
      elace (lagcanw) aor. "he was chosen by lot" - According to Josephus, there were some 8,000 priests in Jerusalem. There was a morning and evening offering of incense which was allocated to a priest by means of a lottery. A person would be lucky to receive this honour once or twice in their life.
      ton naon (oV) "the temple" - This is not the word used by Luke for the temple precincts. Here used to refer to the holy place where the sacrifice is offered, which was in front of the great curtain hanging before the holy of holies, so "holy place."

v10
      to plhqoV (oV) "the assembled" - multitude, the whole body. "The crowded congregation", Phillips.
      tou laou (oV) "worshipers" - of the people. "People" here probably takes the more religious sense of "congregation."
      hn ... proseucomenon (proseucomai) part. "were praying" - A periphrastic imperfect, the imperfect of the verb "to be" emphasizing continued activity, "the mass of the people all remained in prayer outside", Moffatt. The people's prayer is an act of participation in the priestly function.

v11
      wfqh (oJraw) aor. pas. "appeared [to him]" - there appeared. An objective appearing is intended. Interestingly, announcements of a divinely instigated birth are usually to the wife.
      autw/ "to him" - Dative of indirect object (recipient).
      ek dexiwn adj. "at the right side" - out of right side. The side of favor. Plummer notes that the angel is therefore between the altar and the candlestick in the Holy Place.

v12
      idwn (eidon) aor. part. "when [Zechariah] saw" - seeing. Temporal participle, although there are other possibilities, "at this sight", REB.
      etaracqh (tarassw) aor. pas. "he was startled" - was terrified, troubled. The position is emphatic, while the word itself is intensifying the "fear", indicating real terror: "alarmed", Barrett, better than "troubled", Moffatt, etc. For Luke, such a response is a long way from faith.

v13
      mh fobou "do not be afraid" - do not fear. "Don't be afraid any longer."
      dioti "-" - because. Introducing a causal clause, "for your petition has been heard", Weymouth.
      eishkousqh (eisakouw) aor. pas. "has been heard" - was heard. What prayer was heard; his prayer for a son or the redemption of Israel? If it's his prayer in the sanctuary, then it is probably his prayer for the redemption of Israel.

v14
      cara (a) "joy" - A word often used by luke to describe a person's reaction to a confrontation with the divine in Jesus. "His birth will make you very happy", CEV.
      polloi adj. "many" - many, much. Some argue it means "all", but "a lot will be exceedingly happy" is better.

v15
      megaV adj. "great" - In the sense that John has an important part to play in God's plans.
      enwpion + gen. "in the sight [of the Lord]" - before, in front of. Possibly "your son will be a servant of the Lord", CEV; "God will give him a great task to do", Barclay; "he will be one of God's great men", Phillips..., all attempting to give some sense to being "before" the Lord.
      sikera "fermented drink" - Possibly "beer", but then any alcoholic drink, so "wine and spirits." There is no argument here that such are evil, but rather that John will take on the role of an ascetic or Nazarite (although there is no mention of not cutting his hair) as an expression of his prophetic office.
      plhsqhsetai (pimplhmi) fut. pas. "he will be filled" - filled, fulfilled. Unlike the prophets of old, the abiding presence of the Spirit will be continuous rather than intermittent. As to when he is "filled", some argue at birth, others argue for "in his mother's womb", cf. 1:41. For Luke, this "filling" is for proclamation. A person is filled and then speaks for God.
      pneumatoV aJgiou "the Holy Spirit" - holy spirit. "Spirit" is usually regarded as a monadic noun, that is, taking an assumed definite article rather than being anarthrous, thus "the [God's] Holy Spirit."

v16
      twn uiJwn Israhl "of the people of Israel" - of the sons/descendents of Israel. John's ministry is limited to Israel.
      epistreyei (epistrefw) fut. "he will bring back" - he will turn back, turn around. The sense is of "repentance", a turning to, or returning to God; an action constantly required of the people of Israel in the Old Testament. Although this turning around involves a return to righteous behavior and compassion toward one's neighbor, it is Israel's inability to love either God or neighbor that will focus John's message on the greater one who comes after him, the one who is the saviour of God's fallen people.

v17
      Note the language precedents for this verse, Mal.2:6, 3:1, 3:24, 4:5.
      proeleusetai (proercomai) fut. "will go on" - will go forward. The sense of leading or going before the Lord means "introducing", "representing", thus "proclaiming" the Lord (God, rather than the messiah, Jesus) to the people. The sense here is probably not that John is Jesus' "forerunner", even though he is.
      en + dat. "in" - The preposition here is probably instrumental of manner, "John proclaims God, with spirit and power / with God's powerful Spirit, as Elijah proclaimed God." Possibly instrumental of means, guided by, "possessed by the spirit and power of Elijah", NEB; "with the same spirit and power that Elijah had", CEV.
      pneumati kai dunamei "in the spirit and power [of Elijah]" - Is the spirit here God's Spirit. If so, possibly better rendered "powerful Spirit."
      Hliou "of Elijah" - John ministers/preaches in the same manner as Elijah, although without miracles.
      epistreyai (epistrefw) inf. "to turn" - See above. i] Mal.3:24, family reconciliation; ii] reconciliation with God. Many commentators argue for symbolic or spiritual interpretations of this dual reconciliation, eg. the fathers represent Israel and the son's represent the Gentiles. Obviously, this is a call for a return to loving God and loving neighbor. Both elements are present in John's preaching.
      en "to [the wisdom of the righteous]" - in. Indicating the change from, "to", "into", into a state of", although a rare use of this preposition.
      etoimasai (etoimazw) inf. "to make ready" - to prepare. The addition of the perf. pas. part. "having been made ready" (NIV "prepared") possibly serves to emphasize the preparedness, "to make a people perfectly ready for the Lord", Goodspeed.

v18
      kata ti gnwsomai touto "how can I be sure of this?" - by what will I know this? Zechariah is actually asking for a sign, which is understandable in the circumstances and for this he has Old Testament precedence. None-the-less, such a request evidences little faith and is treated accordingly. Zechariah got his sign; he was struck dumb. "How shall I know that this is really going to happen", Barclay.
      probebhkuia en taiV hJmeraiV authV "is well along in years" - having advanced in the days of her. "My wife and I are both very old", CEV.

v19
      Gabrihl "Gabriel" - Possible meanings include: "God is my hero", "God has shown himself strong." It was commonly held that he was one of a small number of angels who had direct access to God.
      apestalhn (apostellw) aor. "I have been sent" - I was sent. Aorist indicating completed action. The sense is "I was commissioned"
      euaggelisasqai (euaggelw) aor. inf. "to tell [you this good news] - to announce [to you these things]. The "good news" (lit. "these things") is a common interpretation, but "this important news" is better.

v20
      esh/ siwpwn "you will be silent" - you will be mute. A future periphrastic, the future of the verb "to be" + the pres. part., serving to express continuation, "you shall live in silence", Phillips.
      acri hJV hJmeraV genhtai tauta "until the day this happens" - until which day these things happen. Namely, the birth of John.
      anq (anti) wJn "because" - instead of which. A shift from relative to causal.
      eiV ton kairon autwn "at their proper time" - in the time of them. "In the time appointed by God for the fulfilment of Gabriel's words." Time is taken as not "point of time", "duration of time", "time at which", but most likely "the proper/appropriate time"; "appointed time", JB.

v21
      hn .... prosdokwn (prosdokew) "were waiting" - The imperf. of the verb "to be" with the pres. part. forms an imperfect periphrastic emphasizing duration, "waiting impatiently for something to happen."
      eqaumazon (qaumazw) imperf. "wondering" - they were amazed. They, the people, "were surprised that he was lingering so long", Barclay.

v22
      hn dianeuwn (dianeuw) pres. part. "he kept making signs" - was motioning. Imperfect periphrastic again indicating continued action, "he continued making signs to them." The actual sequence of events is unclear as a number of priests would be present leading different parts of the liturgy. Clearly, Zechariah had been alone at one point in the service, and was now unable to perform his part of the concluding liturgy. The "making signs" may well be the final blessing which he performed with hand gestures.

v23
      aphlqen eiV ton oikon autou "he returned home" - he went to the house of him. "He went home", CEV. Zechariah lived in the hill country South of Jerusalem, cf. 1:39

v24
      periekruben (perikrubw) imperf. "remained in seclusion" - she was hiding. "She entirely concealed the fact that she was pregnant for over five months." Numerous suggestions have been put forward as to why she did this, but all are a matter of speculation.