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John Wesley, Notes On the New Testament (1755):
V. 5. The course of Abia-The priests were
divided into twenty-four courses, of which that of Abia was the eighth,
1Ch 24:10. Each course ministered in its turn, for seven days, from
Sabbath to Sabbath. And each priest of the course or set in waiting, had
his part in the temple service assigned him by lot.
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The Fourfold Gospel:
V. ANNUNCIATION TO ZACHARIAS OF THE
BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. (At Jerusalem. Probably B.C. 6.) Lu 1:5-25
Herod, king of Judaea. A Jewish proselyte, an Idumaean or Edomite by
birth, founder of the Herodian family, king of Judaea from B.C. 40 to
A.D. 4, made such by the Roman Senate on the recommendation of Mark
Antony and Octavius Caesar. (See TFG for Mt 2:1.)
Of the course of Abijah. David divided the priests into twenty-four
bodies or courses, each course serving in rotation one week in the
temple (1Ch 24:3-19). Of these courses that of Abijah was the eighth.
And he had a wife of the daughters of Aaron. The Baptist was of the
priestly race by both parents, a family distinction much esteemed among
the Jews. He who was thus doubly a priest proclaimed Him who changed the
priesthood.
And her name was Elisabeth. She was named after her ancestress Elisheba,
the wife of Aaron.
- Treasury of Scripture Knowledge:
* Herod. Mt 2:1
* of the course. 1Ch 24:10,19; Ne 12:4,17
* Abijah.
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Robertson's Word Pictures:
There
was (egeneto). Not the usual en for "was," but there arose or came into
notice. With this verse the literary Koiné 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 Lu
1:80,40,52. 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 (Hêrôidou basileôs
tês 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 ephêmerias Abia). Not in old Greek,
but in LXX and modern Greek. Papyri have a verb derived from it,
ephêmereô. Daily service (Ne 13:30; 1Ch 25:8) and then 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 tôn thugaterôn Aarôn). "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.
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William Burkitt's Notes:
In this and the following verses, the Holy
Ghost gives us a description of John the Baptist, who was the harbinger
and forerunner of our Saviour Christ; he is described, first by his
parentage, being the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth. This Zacharias was
a priest, who had a course in the temple, or a right to officiate there
when it came to his turn; for we read that David appointed the priests,
the sons of Aaron, to minister by turns, and divided them into four and
twenty courses, 1Ch 24:1-31 every one ministering in the temple by their
weeks.
Here note, that Zacharias, a priest, and attending the service of the
temple, was a married person, having one of the daughters of Aaron to
wife, according to the command of God, Le 21:14 where the priest is
required to marry one of his own people.
Learn hence, that neither the priests under the law did, nor the
ministers of Christ under the gospel ought, to abhor the marriage-bed;
nor judge themselves too pure for an institution of their Maker. The
doctrine of the church of Rome, which forbids to marry, St. Paul calls a
doctrine of devils.
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Family Bible Notes:
Course of Abia; the priests were
divided into twenty-four courses or classes. 1Ch 24:7-18. Each
officiated a week, from one Sabbath to the next. The course of Abia, to
which Zacharias belonged, was the eighth in order. 1Ch 24:10. Abia in
Greek is the same as Abijah in Hebrew.
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1599 Geneva Bible Notes:
John, who was another Elias and
appointed to be the herald of Christ, coming from the family of Aaron,
and of two famous and blameless parents, has shown in his conception
(which was against the course of nature) a double miracle, to the end
that men should be more readily prepared for the hearing of his
preaching, according to the forewarning of the prophets. (f) This is a
Hebrew idiom which shows us how short and frail a thing the power of
princes is. (g) Herod the great. (h) For the posterity of Aaron was
divided into courses.
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People's New Testament Commentary:
There was in the days of Herod. For
Herod, see PNTC for Mt 2:1.
A priest. Not a chief priest, but one belonging to the courses.
Course of Abijah. All the priests were divided into twenty-four courses,
or classes. That of Abijah was the eighth course (1Ch 24:10); each
course took charge of the temple worship in succession, for a week at
the time, beginning on a Sabbath. The heads of these twenty-four courses
are "the chief priests" so often spoken of in the New Testament.
Had a wife of the daughters of Aaron. Elisabeth also was of priestly
family.
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Albert Barnes' Commentary:
No comment on this verse.
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Jamieson-Faussett Brown:
course of Abia--or Abijah; the eighth of the
twenty-four orders of courses into which David divided the priests (see
1Ch 24:1,4,10). Of these courses only four returned after the captivity
(Ezr 2:34-39), which were again subdivided into twenty-four--retaining
the ancient name and order of each. They took the whole temple service
for a week each.
his wife was of the daughters of Aaron--The priests might marry into any
tribe, but "it was most commendable of all to marry one of the priests'
line" [LIGHTFOOT].
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Spurgeon Devotional
Commentary:
Four hundred years had passed since the days
of Malachi, and Judea formed a part of the great Roman Empire, with
Herod the Great as its tributary king. Now was the time appointed for
the coming of John, the fore-runner of the promised Messiah.
Ver. 5-9 This was done twice every day, at the time of the morning and
evening sacrifices, and was an emblem of the merits of Jesus, and of the
prayers of saints, which ascend like sweet perfume to the throne of God.
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Adam Clarke's Commentary:
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,
Ge 49:10, was now fulfilled; for the sceptre 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:
Mic 5:1,2. See a large account of the family of the Herods, in Clarke's
note on "Mt 2:1". 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, 1Ch
24:1, &c., each family serving a whole week, 2Ki 11:7; 2Ch 23:8. Abiah
was the eighth in the order in which they had been originally
established: 1Ch 24:10. 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.
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Matthew Henry Concise Commentary:
5-25 The father and mother of John the
Baptist were sinners as all are, and were justified and saved in the
same way as others; but they were eminent for piety and integrity. They
had no children, and it could not be expected that Elisabeth should have
any in her old age. While Zacharias was burning incense in the temple,
the whole multitude of the people were praying without. All the prayers
we offer up to God, are acceptable and successful only by Christ's
intercession in the temple 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 bring an answer of peace, but through the mediation
of Christ, who ever lives, making intercession. The prayers Zacharias
often made, received an answer of peace. Prayers of faith are filed in
heaven, and are not 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 are doubly sweet that are given in answer to
prayer. Zacharias shall have a son in his old age, who shall be
instrumental in the conversion of many 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 would be brought back to the wisdom of their
righteous forefathers, or rather, brought to attend to the wisdom of
that Just One who was coming among them. Zacharias heard all that the
angel said; but his unbelief spake. In striking him dumb, God dealt
justly with him, because he had objected against God's word. We may
admire the patience of God towards us. God dealt kindly with him, for
thus he prevented his speaking any 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. Even real believers are apt to dishonour God
by unbelief; and their mouths are stopped in silence and confusion, when
otherwise they would have been praising God with joy and gratitude. In
God's gracious dealings with us we ought to observe his gracious regards
to us. He has looked on us with compassion and favour, and therefore has
thus dealt with us.
