The Critical Edition

The text:

Image via Wikipedia

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”

Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

The angel answered, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time.”

Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside.

One thing I’ve come to appreciate about non-Protestant worship is the use of incense and the general liturgical continuity with the Old Testament. The “smells and bells” are one of the most calming elements of a Mass.

Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John. [...]” Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”

Another example of angels coming down and talking face to face with humanity. The atheist in me has always responded to this, “Why doesn’t something like this — not to mention all the plainly visible miracles — continue to occur?” Of course, who am I to say miracles don’t occur just because I don’t see them. Still, most individuals today would be accused of lunacy were they to assert that Gabriel appeared and give them a personal message.

And then, in the midst of this, Zechariah says, “Are you sure?” Very human response — doubt everything.

The text

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly. But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron.

If the Jews kept temple records, here is an opportunity for historical confirmation. I don’t know whether such records were kept, but it’s interesting that Luke includes the detail he does. He assumes that his reader, Theophilus, knows the significance of all this: priestly division of Abijah; descendant of Aaron.

Both of them were upright in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commandments and regulations blamelessly.

Confusing: I thought no one kept the commandments and regulations blamelessly, thus necessitating Jesus’s sacrifice.

But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren; and they were both well along in years.

Echoes of Abraham and Sarah.

The text:

Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled among us, just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Many have undertaken to draw up an account

Studying at a Presbyterian college, I learned about “Q source” as a way of explaining the similarities between the synoptic gospels: Mark’s gospel and others’ accounts served as the research material for Matthew and Luke. Luke’s opening indicates multiple gospels, but I’m curious what specifically he might have been referring to. The Gnostic gospels, as I recall, came much later; it doesn’t seem likely that these were what Luke had in mind.

of the things that have been fulfilled among us

It strikes me that Luke says “among us.” He admits later that he isn’t an eyewitness, but he uses first person plural,which would also include the letter’s recipient, Theophilus. Luke’s book tells the story of Jesus’s life and death, and that would seem to be what he’s referring to when he says “things that have been fulfilled among us.” But he’s not an eyewitness, nor is Theophilus.

Additionally, there’s the use of the present perfect: have been fulfilled. Present perfect is used to describe two things:

1. The indefinite past: When the action occurred is not important; what is important is that it indeed happened. “I’ve been to German.” It’s not necessarily important when I went. What’s important is the fact that I did go, at some point.
2. A state or action that begins in the past and continues to the present: “I’ve lived in Boston for two years.” I still live in Boston (not really — just in the example), and that’s the important thing.

To what end is Luke, then, using present perfect? There are two ways to interpret it:

1. It’s not so important when all these things happened, just that they happened.
2. These events are still happening.

Both interpretations seem fundamentally sound and complementary. A gospel is the story of the salvific actions of Jesus. Christians believe that this is obviously an on-going process: Jesus continues to save. That the events are still literally happening is a distinctly Catholic view (in light of the Mass).

just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word

Clearly Luke is relying on eyewitness accounts: he says as much. But there’s still that worrying “us.” Another possibility — due to translation choices — would be that Luke is using the royal “we” to refer to himself, a common practice in more formal writing. But that possibility is untenable with the next passage.

Therefore, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning,

This returns me to the question of Q and other written accounts. Is Luke indicating that he relied on sources other than eyewitnesses? Or are my presumptions reading that into the passage?

I’m curious how he investigated everything. I don’t believe there was the degree of mobility in the first century that we enjoy today. It doesn’t seem likely that Luke simply took a road trip to interview eyewitnesses and check out other accounts. Yet how else would he ave “investigated everything from the beginning.” What would it mean, in a first-century context, to “investigate everything from the beginning”?

it seemed good also to me to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus,

What is the relationship between Luke and Theophilus? Employer and employee? Mentor and student? Friends? Why would he write to Theophilus about this? What interest did Theophilus have in it, and what motivation would Luke have for writing such a long account for a seemingly small audience? Clearly, Luke was not anticipating his work to be widely read. Or was he?

so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught.

Was Theophilus converting to Christianity? Did Theophilus hire Luke to go investigate the claims of the Christians?