{"id":7285,"date":"2023-08-01T08:00:10","date_gmt":"2023-08-01T00:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=7285"},"modified":"2023-07-29T05:19:57","modified_gmt":"2023-07-28T21:19:57","slug":"316-the-faith-factor-in-angel-gabriels-treatment-of-zechariah-and-mary","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.jeffangiegoh.com\/?p=7285","title":{"rendered":"316. The Faith-Factor in Angel Gabriel\u2019s Treatment of Zechariah and Mary"},"content":{"rendered":"

5<\/sup>\u00a0In the days of King Herod of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly order of Abijah. His wife was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.\u00a06<\/sup>\u00a0Both of them were righteous before God, living blamelessly according to all the commandments and regulations of the Lord.\u00a07<\/sup>\u00a0But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were getting on in years. [Luke 1:5-7<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

26<\/sup> In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, 27<\/sup> to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28<\/sup> And he came to her and said, \u201cGreetings, favoured one! The Lord is with you.\u201d<\/strong><\/span> [Luke 1:26-28<\/span>, NRSV<\/em>]<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n

\"\" <\/a>\"\"<\/a><\/h5>\n
[L] Zechariah is promised a son; [R] Dante Gabriel Rossetti, Ecce Ancilla Domini!<\/em> 1850.<\/span><\/h5>\n

Angel Gabriel appeared separately to Zechariah and to Mary, to make similar announcements about the birth of a son to each of them. But their needs were wildly different. Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, both in old age, had for years been desperately praying for the gift of a son, for they were childless. The gift of a son to them would be brilliant news for which they would be elated. Mary, on the other hand, was only a young maiden. She had no husband, though engaged to be married. So the last thing she could possibly want at this time was to bear a child, for that would mean death \u2013 death to her reputation, and physical death by stoning.<\/span><\/p>\n

The fact that Zechariah should be struck dumb for disbelief and Mary could believe and say yes is, on first reading, pretty surprising to say the least. Furthermore, their respective backgrounds and the contexts of the angel\u2019s appearance to them only add to the surprise.<\/span><\/p>\n

Zechariah was a priest. Elizabeth too, belonged to the tribe of Aaron. They were among the elite section of the population. But Luke also included these details: \u201cAnd they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless\u201d [Luke 1:6]. These are details which, to conscientious Christians no matter what station in life they are in, would pose a challenge for reflection on one\u2019s own righteous living or lack of it.<\/span><\/p>\n