Who
A priest of the division of Abijah, husband of Elizabeth (Luke 1:5). While he served at the altar of incense the angel Gabriel told him that his prayer was heard and his wife would bear a son to be named John (Luke 1:13); doubting, he was struck dumb until the child was named. Then, Luke writes, “His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God” (Luke 1:64), in the canticle that begins “Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people” (Luke 1:68). The Church prays his Benedictus every morning at Lauds.
Key verses
- Luke 1:5
There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the priestly division of Abijah. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.
- Luke 1:6
They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord.
- Luke 1:13
But the angel said to him, “Don’t be afraid, Zacharias, because your request has been heard. Your wife, Elizabeth, will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John.
- Luke 1:64
His mouth was opened immediately and his tongue freed, and he spoke, blessing God.
- Luke 1:68
“Blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people;
Where the Bible names him
Family
- Children
Discussed by
Comments on the verses that name him (8 of 64).
- John Chrysostom on Luke 1:5–7Catena Aurea on Luke
St. Luke commences the history of his Gospel with Zacharias and the birth of John; relating one marvellous event before another, the less before the greater. For since a virgin was about to become a mother, it had…
- Bede on Luke 1:5–7Catena Aurea on Luke
Now the time of Herod, i. e. of a foreign king, bears witness to our Lord’s coming, for it had been foretold, The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh come. (Gen.…
- Ambrose of Milan on Luke 1:5–7Catena Aurea on Luke
Divine Scripture teaches us with respect to those whom we commemorate, that not only the characters of the men themselves, but of their parents also, ought to be praised, that they might be distinguished by an…
- Bede on Luke 1:5–7 (2)Catena Aurea on Luke
For John was allotted a Priestly tribe, that he might with the more authority herald forth a change of priesthood.
- Ambrose of Milan on Luke 1:5–7 (2)Catena Aurea on Luke
His birth is implied in the mention made of his ancestors. Of the course of Abia, i. e. of high rank among the noblest families.
- Bede on Luke 1:5–7 (3)Catena Aurea on Luke
There were Princes of the Sanctuary or High Priests, both of the sons of Eleazar and the sons of Thamar, whose courses according to their respective services when they entered into the House of God David divided into…
- Theophylact of Ohrid on Luke 1:5–7Catena Aurea on Luke
Wishing to shew also that John was legally of Priestly descent, Luke adds, And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth, for it was not permitted to the Jews to take a wife from any other…
- Bede on Luke 1:5–7 (4)Catena Aurea on Luke
John was born of just parents, that so he might the more boldly give precepts of justice to the people, which he had not learnt as novelties, but had received by right of inheritance from his ancestors. Hence it…