Luke 1:11

And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. AND THERE APPEARED UNTO HIM AN ANGEL OF THE LORD - not while at home, but in the act of discharging his sacerdotal duties; yet not when engaged outside at the altar of burnt offering, but during his week of inside-service, and so while alone with God. It is impossible not to observe here a minuteness of providential arrangement, proclaiming in every detail the hand of Him who as "wonderful in counsel and excellent in working." STANDING [THE ATTITUDE OF SERVICE], ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ALTAR OF INCENSE - i:e., the south side, between the golden altar and the candlestick or lampstand; Zacharias being on the north side, and fronting the altar as he offered the incense. Why did the angel appear on the right side? Because, say some, the right was regarded as the favourable side [Schottg...

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 a...

Verse Luke 1:11. _THERE APPEARED - AN ANGEL OF THE LORD_] There had been neither prophecy nor angelic ministry vouchsafed to this people for about 400 years. But now, as the Sun of righteousness is about to arise upon them, the day-spring from on high visits them, that they may be prepared for that kingdom of God which was at hand. Every circumstance here is worthy of remark: 1. That an angel should _now_ appear, as such a favour had not been granted for 400 years. 2. The _person_ to whom this angel was sent-one of the _priests_. The sacerdotal office itself pointed out the Son of God till he came: by him it was to be completed, and in him it was to be eternally established: - _Thou art a priest for ever_, Psalms 110:4. 3. The _place_ in which the angel appear

AN ANGEL - An “angel” is a messenger sent from God. See the notes at Matthew 1:20. It had now been about 400 years since the time of “Malachi,” and since there had been any divine revelation. During that time the nation was looking for the Messiah, but still with nothing more than the ancient prophecies to direct them. Now that he was about to appear, God sent his messenger to announce his coming, to encourage the hearts of his people, and to prepare them to receive him. ON THE RIGHT SIDE ... - The altar of incense stood close by the veil which divided the holy place from the most holy. On the north stood the table of showbread; on the south the golden candlestick. As Zechariah entered, therefore, with his face to the west, the angel would stand on the north, or near the table of showbread. That table was 18 inches squa

EXPOSITION THE origin of the Gospels—the four histories which relate in detail the circumstances of the foundation of Christianity—will ever be an interesting study. Here we shall never know the exact truth of the compilation of these writings, the foundation-stones of all our hopes and fears; a reverent, scholarly speculation is all that can be offered to the student of the Divine memoirs. The speculation, however, probably in this case comes very near the truth. After the Ascension and the events of the first Pentecost, which quickly followed their Master's return to heaven, the twelve and a few others who had walked in the company which followed Jesus during the years of his public ministry no doubt often met together and talked over the teaching and the acts of their risen and now glorified Master. As time passed on, a certain number of these acts, a certain number of the public and...

AND THERE APPEARED UNTO HIM AN ANGEL OF THE LORD,.... Gabriel, as seem's manifest from Luke 1:19 the same angel that had appeared to Daniel, about the time of the evening oblation, near five hundred years before, and gave him an account of the time of the Messiah's coming, Daniel 9:21. The Jews sometimes speak of divine and wonderful appearances to their priests, at such times, and in such places: "it is a tradition that R. Ishmael ben Elishah should say, one time I went in, להקטיר קטרת, "to burn incense": and I saw Actariel (one of the names of God with them) the Lord, the Lord of hosts, who was sitting on a throne, high and lifted up. m'' And so they say of Simeon the just, that there was always an appearance when he went into the holy of holies; it is related thus n: "Simeon

Luke 1:5. _There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth. And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless._ You have here a very interesting couple, Zacharias and Elisabeth, a priest with a wife. I have often marveled why the Church of Rome should think it wrong that priests should be married, when it is evident that the priests under the law were so. The priests had grown so numerous that there was not room for them all to work at the Temple at one time; they were divided into twenty-four courses, and Zacharias would, therefore, come up to Jerusalem for a fortnight to take his share of the service. Zacharias and Elisabeth were notable for excellence of character: «They were both righteous befo...

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE Analysis and Annotations I. The Birth and Childhood -- Chapter 1-2:52 CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Introduction. (Luke 1:1)_ 2. Zacharias and Elizabeth; the Vision. (Luke 1:5) 3. John the Baptist, his birth and ministry announced. (Luke 1:13) 4. Zacharias' Unbelief and Punishment. (Luke 1:18) 5. The Angel's Announcement to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:27) 6. Mary's Question and the Answer. (Luke 1:34) 7. Mary Visits Elizabeth ...

PREDICTION OF THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. Lk. alone gives the story, which perhaps existed independently. and had been preserved in Baptist circles like that of Acts 19:1. Its Jewish character and form are evident: there are many reminiscences of OT incidents and language. In the days of Herod the Great (_i.e._ before Luke 1:4 B.C.) there lived in Judæ a (Luke 1:39 *) a priest named Zacharias and his wife Elisabeth. She was of Aaronic descent (_cf._ Exodus 6:23, Elisheba), and both were folk of exemplary piety. They were now, like Abraham and Sarah, advanced in life but childless. Zacharias belonged to that one of the divisions of the priesthood which

AN HISTORIAN'S INTRODUCTION (Luke 1:1-4)...