Zacharias

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This article is about the individual that the Gospel of Luke names as the father of John the Baptist. For others bearing the name Zacharias, also spelled Zechariah, see Zechariah. For the author and Christian apologist, see Ravi Zacharias.

For other uses, see Pope Zachary.

According to the Gospel of Luke, Zacharias (also Zechariah, which is the common spelling in modern English), was a priest of the line of Abijah, during the reign of King Herod the Great, and was the father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth, a woman from the priestly family of Aaron. The parentage of John the Baptist is not recorded in the Gospel of John or anywhere in the Synoptic Gospels, except for Luke. The evangelist states that both the parents were righteous before God, since they were blameless in observing the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. When the events related in Luke commenced, their marriage was still childless, because Elizabeth was barren and, like her husband, was advanced in years (Luke 1:5-7).

The duties at the temple in Jerusalem alternated between each of the families that had descended from those appointed by King David 1 Chronicles 23:1-19. The offering of incense was one of the most solemn parts of the daily worship; and owing to the large number of eligible priests, no priest could hope to perform the task more than once during his lifetime. Luke states that during the week when it was the duty of his family to serve at the temple in Jerusalem, the lot for performing the incense offering had fallen to Zacharias.

The evangelist states that while Zacharias ministered at the golden altar of incense, an angel of God announced to him that his wife would give birth to a son, whom he was to name John, and that this son would be the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah (Luke 1:12-17). Citing their advanced age, Zacharias asked for a sign whereby he would know the truth of this prophecy, and so the angel identified itself as the Archangel Gabriel, sent specially by God to make this announcement, and added that because of Zacharias' doubt he would be struck dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things happen. Consequently, when Zacharias went out to the waiting worshippers, he was unable to pronounce the customary blessing (Luke 1:18-22).

On his return home Elizabeth duly conceived, gave birth (presumably) nine months later and eight days after that, when their son was to be circumcised according to Jewish tradition, their family members and neighbours assumed that he was to be named after his father, as was the custom. Elizabeth, however, insisted that his name was to be John, and so the family then questioned her husband. As soon as Zacharias had written on a writing tablet: His name is John, he regained the power of speech, and so praised God (Luke 1:60-79). The child grew up and became strong in spirit, but remained in the desert of Judaea (Luke 3:2-3, cf. Matthew 3:1) until he assumed his ministry (Luke 1:80) that was to earn him the name John the Baptist (other gospels title him John the Baptizer).

Islam also believes in the historic existence of Zacharias as the father of John the Baptist, though in Islam he is known as Zakariya, and Muslims regard him as one of the Prophets of Islam.

This entry incorporates text from the public domain Easton's Bible Dictionary, originally published in 1897. Jake Zacharias is a famous NFL football player