SEV Biblia, Chapter 1:5
¶ Hubo en los días de Herodes, rey de Judea, un sacerdote llamado Zacarías, de la clase de Abías; y su mujer, de las hijas de Aarn, llamada Elisabet.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Luke 1:5
Verse 5. In the days of Herod, the king] This was Herod, surnamed the Great, the son of Antipater, an Idumean by birth, who had professed himself a proselyte to the Jewish religion, but regarded no religion, farther than it promoted his secular interests and ambition. Thus, for the first time, the throne of Judah was filled by a person not of Jewish extraction, who had been forced upon the people by the Roman government. Hence it appears plain that the prophecy of Jacob, Gen. xlix. 10, was now fulfilled; for the scepter had departed from Judah: and now was the time, according to another prophecy, to look for the governor from Bethlehem, who should rule and feed the people of Israel: Micah v. 1, 2. See a large account of the family of the Herods, in the note on Matt. ii. 1. This was before Christ six years. The course of Abiah] When the sacerdotal families grew very numerous, so that all could not officiate together at the tabernacle, David divided them into twenty-four classes, that they might minister by turns, 1 Chron. xxiv. 1, &c., each family serving a whole week, 2 Kings xi. 7; 2 Chron. xxiii. 8. Abiah was the eighth in the order in which they had been originally established: 1 Chron. xxiv. 10. These dates and persons are particularly mentioned as a full confirmation of the truth of the facts themselves; because any person, at the time this Gospel was written, might have satisfied himself by applying to the family of John the Baptist, the family of our Lord, or the surrounding neighbours. What a full proof of the Gospel history! It was published immediately after the time in which these facts took place; and among the very people, thousands of whom had been eye-witnesses of them; and among those, too, whose essential interest it was to have discredited them if they could; and yet, in all that age, in which only they could have been contradicted with advantage, no man ever arose to call them in question! What an absolute proof was this that the thing was impossible; and that the truth of the Gospel history was acknowledged by all who paid any attention to the evidences it produced! Of the daughters of Aaron] That is, she was of one of the sacerdotal families. This shows that John was most nobly descended: his father was a priest and his mother the daughter of a priest; and thus, both by father and mother, he descended from the family of Amram, of whom came Moses, Aaron, and Miriam, the most illustrious characters in the whole Jewish history.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea , etc.] This was Herod, the son of Antipater, sometimes called Herod the Great, and is rightly here said to be the king of Judea; for, by deputation from the Roman emperor, he had the government of all Judea, which upon his death was divided among his sons. The phrase, in the days of, is an eastern way, of speaking; (see Genesis 14:1 Ruth 1:1 1 Samuel 17:12); and intends the time of his reign; in which there was a certain priest named Zacharias : a name famous among the Jews, for an high priest, who was slain by them the court of the temple, ( Chronicles 24:20,21), and for one of the later prophets, ( Zechariah 1:1), who were of this name. This man, the father of John the Baptist, was not an high priest, as this character of him, and the work afterwards ascribed to him, show; though he has been thought to be so by some; and John himself is so called by the Jews f13 : he was of the course of Abia . The Ethiopic version reads, in the days of Abia: and it has been the opinion of some, that Zacharias and Abia were two priests, who performed their ministry in succession, one after another; one ministered one time, and another at another time; but such betray their ignorance both of Scripture, and of Jewish affairs. In David's time, there was a division of the sons of Aaron into twenty four orders, or courses; and this of Abia was one, and the eighth of them; (see 1 Chronicles 24:1,4,10). The account the Jews give of this matter, and in which they are not agreed, is this; says Rab Chama bar Guria, says Rab, Moses ordered for the Israelites eight courses, four from Eleazar, and four from Ithamar; Samuel came and made them sixteen; David came and made them twenty four. It is a tradition, that Moses ordered for the Israelites sixteen courses, eight from Eleazar, and eight from Ithamar; and when the children of Eleazar increased above the children of Ithamar, they divided them, and appointed them twenty four.
The account, as given by Maimonides f15 , is as follows: Moses, our master, divided the priests into eight courses, four from Eleazar, and four from Ithamar, and so they were until Samuel the prophet; and in the days of Samuel, he and David, the king, divided them into twenty four courses; and over every course one head was appointed, and they went up to Jerusalem to the service of the course every week; and from sabbath to sabbath they changed; one course went out, and another came in, till they finished, and returned again.
Now of these there were but four courses returned from the Babylonish captivity, as appears from ( Ezra 2:36-39) and with this the Jewish accounts agree f16 . The Rabbins teach, that four courses came up from the captivity, Jedaiah, Harim, Pashur, and Immer; the prophets that were among them stood up, and divided them, and appointed four and twenty lots, and put them into a box: Jedaiah came and took his lot, and the lot of his companions, six; Harim came and took his lot, and the lot of his companions, six; and so Pashur and Immer: and so the prophets that were among them taught, that if Jehoiarib, the first course, came up from captivity, he should not drive away Jedaiah out of his place; but Jedaiah should be the principal, and Jehoiarib an appendix to him.
Now, though the course of Abia did not return from captivity, yet its order and name were retained as the rest of the courses, being divided between these four by whom they were supplied; and therefore Zacharias is not said to be of the posterity of Abia, but of his course. To these courses there were added as many stations; and what they were, and their use, may be learnt from what follows f17 . The former prophets offered four and twenty courses; and to every course there was a station at Jerusalem; consisting of priests, Levites, and Israelites: and when the time came for the course to go up, the priests and Levites went up to Jerusalem, but the Israelites, which were in that course, gathered themselves to their cities, and read in the history of the creation; and the men of the station fasted four days in the week, from the second day, to the fifth.
The sense of which, according to their commentators f18 , is, that these stations were substituted in the room of, and represented all Israel; and their business was to give themselves up to divine worship, prayer, and sacrifices; and such of them as were near Jerusalem, when the time of their course came, assisted at the sacrifices; and such as were afar off, betook themselves to the synagogues in their cities, and there fasted, prayed, and read. And so another of their authors says, there were twenty and four courses of the priests, and so twenty and four courses of the Levites; and every week the course of the priests and Levites goes to Jerusalem; and the twenty and four stationary men, half of them go thither, and half are left in their houses, and pray over the offerings: for they had their stationary cities, where these men dwelt f20 . Jericho was one: they say f21 , Jericho was able to produce a complete station itself; but because of dividing the glory to Jerusalem, it furnished out but half an one: hence you need not wonder to hear of a priest and Levite on the road to Jericho from Jerusalem, as in ( Luke 10:31,32) for they say, in the same place, that twenty four thousand, a station consisted of at Jerusalem, and there was half a station at Jericho: as for the heads of the courses of the houses of their fathers, there were in a course five, six, seven, eight, nine of them; a course which had five (heads) in it, three offered three days, and two offered four days; a course in which were six, five offered five days, and one offered two days: a course in which were seven, every one offered on his day; a course in which were eight, six offered six days, and two offered one day; a course in which were nine, live offered five days, and four offered two days: and there were some that fixed themselves for ever; and a course that was (or began) on a sabbath day, was always on a sabbath; and that which was at the going out of the sabbath, was always at the going out of the sabbath: and there were some of them that offered at every course: and there were some that cast lots at every course f22 .
But to say no more of these courses and stations, I conclude with what Maimonides says of them: it is not possible, that a man's offering should be offered up, and he not stand by it; but the offerings of the congregation are the offerings of all Israel; and it is not possible that all Israel should stand, in the court at the time of sacrifice: wherefore the former prophets ordered, that they should chose out of Israel men that were fit, and feared to sin, that they may be the messengers of all Israel to stand by the offerings, and these are called the men of the station; and they divided them into twenty and four stations, according to the number of the courses of the priests and Levites; and at every station one of them was appointed over them all, and he called the head of the station; and every week the men of the station of that week gather together; and such of them as are in Jerusalem, or near to it, go into the temple, with the course of the priests and Levites of that week; and they who are in that station, that are at a distance, when their station comes, they gather together to the synagogue, which is in their place.
Then he goes on to give an account, as before, how often they fast in that week, how many prayers they say, and what they read. And his wife was of the daughters of Aaron . It is a saying of R. Jochanan f24 ; he that would be rich, let him join himself to the seed of Aaron; so it is, that the law and the priesthood make rich. R. Idi bar Abin married a priestess, and from him proceeded that were made doctors, R. Shesheth, the son of R. Idi, and R. Joshua, the son of R. Idi.
This is not so much said in commendation of Zacharias, that he took a wife of the same tribe, and of the priestly line: for it was lawful for the tribe of Levi to take a wife of any other, because it did not make any alteration in the inheritances of tribes; and it a rule with the Jews f25 , that priests, Levites, and Israelites, might marry with one another; as Mary, who was of the tribe of Judah, was akin to Elizabeth: but to point the original of John, and show of what extraction he was, his father and mother being both of the family of Aaron. And her name was Elizabeth ; the same name with [byla . Elisheba, the wife of Aaron, ( Exodus 6:23), and whom the Septuagint interpreters there call, as here, Elisabeth: and this being the name of Aaron's wife, it is very probable it might be a common name among the daughters of Aaron, in succeeding generations.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 5-25 - The father and mother of John the Baptist were sinners as all are, an were justified and saved in the same way as others; but they wer eminent for piety and integrity. They had no children, and it could no be expected that Elisabeth should have any in her old age. Whil Zacharias was burning incense in the temple, the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers we offer up to God, ar acceptable and successful only by Christ's intercession in the templ of God above. We cannot expect an interest therein if we do not pray and pray with our spirits, and are not earnest in prayer. Nor can we expect that the best of our prayers should gain acceptance, and brin an answer of peace, but through the mediation of Christ, who eve lives, making intercession. The prayers Zacharias often made, receive an answer of peace. Prayers of faith are filed in heaven, and are no forgotten. Prayers made when we were young and entering into the world may be answered when we are old and going out of the world. Mercies ar doubly sweet that are given in answer to prayer. Zacharias shall have son in his old age, who shall be instrumental in the conversion of man souls to God, and preparing them to receive the gospel of Christ. He shall go before Him with courage, zeal, holiness, and a mind dead to earthly interests and pleasures. The disobedient and rebellious woul be brought back to the wisdom of their righteous forefathers, or rather, brought to attend to the wisdom of that Just One who was comin among them. Zacharias heard all that the angel said; but his unbelie spake. In striking him dumb, God dealt justly with him, because he ha objected against God's word. We may admire the patience of God toward us. God dealt kindly with him, for thus he prevented his speaking an more distrustful, unbelieving words. Thus also God confirmed his faith If by the rebukes we are under for our sin, we are brought to give the more credit to the word of God, we have no reason to complain. Eve real believers are apt to dishonour God by unbelief; and their mouth are stopped in silence and confusion, when otherwise they would have been praising God with joy and gratitude. In God's gracious dealing with us we ought to observe his gracious regards to us. He has looke on us with compassion and favour, and therefore has thus dealt with us.
Greek Textus Receptus
εγενετο 1096 5633 V-2ADI-3S εν 1722 PREP ταις 3588 T-DPF ημεραις 2250 N-DPF ηρωδου 2264 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM βασιλεως 935 N-GSM της 3588 T-GSF ιουδαιας 2449 N-GSF ιερευς 2409 N-NSM τις 5100 X-NSM ονοματι 3686 N-DSN ζαχαριας 2197 N-NSM εξ 1537 PREP εφημεριας 2183 N-GSF αβια 7 N-PRI και 2532 CONJ η 3588 T-NSF γυνη 1135 N-NSF αυτου 846 P-GSM εκ 1537 PREP των 3588 T-GPF θυγατερων 2364 N-GPF ααρων 2 N-PRI και 2532 CONJ το 3588 T-NSN ονομα 3686 N-NSN αυτης 846 P-GSF ελισαβετ 1665 N-PRI
Vincent's NT Word Studies
5. King. A title decreed to Herod by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Antony and Octavius. The Greek style now gives place to the Hebraized style. See Introduction.Course (efhmeriav). Lit., daily service. The college of priests was divided into twenty four courses. Each of these did duty for eight days, from one Sabbath to another, once every six months. The service of the week was subdivided among the various families which constituted a course. On Sabbaths the whole couse was on duty. On feast days any priest might come up and join in the ministrations of the sanctuary; and at the Feast of Tabernacles all the twenty four courses were bound to be present and officiate. The course of Abijah was the eith of the twenty four. See 1 Chron. xxiv. 10.
Robertson's NT Word Studies
1:5 {There was} (egeneto). Not the usual en for "was," but there arose or came into notice. With this verse the literary _Koin_ of verses 1 to 4 disappears. To the end of chapter 2 we have the most Hebraistic (Aramaic) passage in Luke's writings, due evidently to the use of documents or notes of oral tradition. Plummer notes a series of such documents ending with #1:80, 2:40, 2:52. If the mother of Jesus was still alive, Luke could have seen her. She may have written in Aramaic an account of these great events. Natural reserve would keep her from telling too much and from too early publicity. Luke, as a physician, would take special interest in her birth report. The supernatural aspects disturb only those who do not admit the real Incarnation of Jesus Christ and who are unable to believe that God is superior to nature and that the coming of the Son of God to earth justifies such miraculous manifestations of divine power. Luke tells his story from the standpoint of Mary as Matthew gives his from the standpoint of Joseph. The two supplement each other. We have here the earliest documentary evidence of the origins of Christianity that has come down to us (Plummer). {Herod, King of Judea} (herwidou basilews tes ioudaias). this note of time locates the events before the death of Herod the Great (as he was called later), appointed King of Judea by the Roman Senate B.C. 40 at the suggestion of Octavius and Antony. He died B.C. 4. {Of the course of Abijah} (ex efemerias abia). Not in old Greek, but in LXX and modern Greek. Papyri have a verb derived from it, efemerew. Daily service (#Ne 13:30; 1Ch 25:8) and qen a course of priests who were on duty for a week (#1Ch 23:6; 28:13). There were 24 such courses and that of Abijah was the eighth (#1Ch 24:10; 2Ch 8:14). Only four of these courses (Jedaiah, Immer, Pashur, Harim) returned from Babylon, but these four were divided into twenty-four with the old names. Each of these courses did duty for eight days, sabbath to sabbath, twice a year. On sabbaths the whole course did duty. At the feast of tabernacles all twenty-four courses were present. {Of the daughters of Aaron} (ek twn qugaterwn aarwn). "To be a priest and married to a priest's daughter was a double distinction" (Plummer). Like a preacher married to a preacher's daughter.
