What does Luke’s sequence actually claim, and what belongs to annotation?

Atlas of Saints · Chapter summary

The prologue, two announcements, visit, songs and naming preserve quoted claims, all four explanatory notes and actual responses without invented motives or identities.

Chapter breakdown

# Luke 1

The writer addresses most excellent Theophilus. Many have undertaken ordered accounts of accomplished events as delivered by initial eyewitnesses and ministers of the word; having diligently attained all from the beginning, he also writes in order so Theophilus knows the verity of his instruction. This statement of method is not inflated into a separately verified modern historical audit.

In Herod king of Judea’s days Zachary, priest of Abia’s course, and Elizabeth, Aaron’s daughter, are just and blameless in commandments and justifications. They have no son; she is barren and both old. The separate Abia annotation explains a Greek term usually for one day but here a week, David’s twenty-four Aaronic families with Abia eighth, and Zachary’s current priestly week. His lot is incense in the Lord’s temple while people pray outside. An angel stands right of the incense altar; Zachary fears. The angel says his prayer is heard, Elizabeth will bear John, bringing joy and many rejoicing. John will be great, abstain from wine and strong drink, filled with Holy Ghost from the womb, convert many Israelite children and precede the Lord in Elias’s spirit and power, turning fathers’ hearts to children and incredulous to just wisdom, preparing a perfect people.

Zachary asks how he will know, citing their age. The angel identifies himself as Gabriel before God, sent with good news, and says Zachary will be unable to speak until fulfilment because he disbelieved. People wonder at delay; emerging mute, he signals and they understand a temple vision. After his office he goes home. Elizabeth conceives and hides five months, saying the Lord removed her reproach. No clinical diagnosis or lifelong history is supplied.

In the sixth month Gabriel goes to Nazareth to Mary, a virgin espoused to Joseph of David’s house. He greets her full of grace, Lord with her, blessed among women. Troubled, she considers the salutation. He tells her not to fear, she found grace, will bear Jesus, great and Son of Most High, given David’s throne and endless reign in Jacob’s house. She asks how, knowing not man. He says Holy Ghost comes upon her and Most High’s power overshadows, the Holy born called Son of God. Her cousin Elizabeth conceived in old age and is in sixth month, for no word is impossible with God. Mary calls herself Lord’s handmaid and says be it done according to his word; the angel leaves. Joseph’s justice, consecrated vow, Gabriel’s archangel rank and reversal of ancient disobedience are not stated here.

Mary hastens to a city of Juda’s hill country, enters Zachary’s house and greets Elizabeth. The infant leaps; Elizabeth is filled with Holy Ghost and loudly blesses Mary and womb’s fruit, asks why her Lord’s mother visits, recounts the leap for joy at greeting and blesses belief because the Lord’s words will be accomplished. Mary magnifies the Lord, rejoices in God her Saviour, whose regard for her humility means all generations call her blessed. Separately the annotation predicts honour paid her by the church in all ages and addresses Protestants to examine their relation to the prophecy; this historical editorial address is not presented as scripture. She praises mighty deeds, holy name, mercy to those fearing him, scattering proud hearts, dethroning mighty and exalting humble, feeding hungry and sending rich empty, receiving Israel mindful of mercy promised fathers, Abraham and seed forever. After about three months she returns to her own house; assistance motive and return city are not supplied.

Elizabeth delivers a son; neighbours and kin congratulate divine mercy. At eighth-day circumcision they call him Zachary; Elizabeth says John. They object no kin has that name and signal father’s wish. He requests a writing table and writes John is his name. All wonder; immediately his mouth and tongue open and he blesses God. Fear comes to neighbours and news spreads through Judea’s hills. Hearers treasure the events and ask what the child will be, for Lord’s hand is with him, not the child’s hand guarded.

Filled with Holy Ghost, Zachary prophesies blessing Israel’s God for visiting and redeeming, raising David’s horn of salvation as ancient prophets said. The separate note explains powerful salvation in Dr Witham’s translation, horn usually strength and power. He speaks of salvation from enemies, mercy to fathers, remembered holy testament and Abraham’s oath granting deliverance to serve without fear in holiness and justice all days. The child will be prophet of Highest, preceding Lord to prepare ways, giving knowledge of salvation unto sins’ remission through divine mercy and Orient’s high visitation, enlightening darkness and death’s shadow, guiding feet to peace. The separate Orient note calls it a Messias title, true world light and sun of justice. The child grows, strengthens in spirit and stays in deserts until manifestation to Israel. The song is not turned into a claim of already completed national political deliverance.

The story inside

Zachary’s announcement and five months; sixth-month Mary announcement; three-month visit; John’s birth, naming and prophecy.

Lessons worth keeping

1
Abia’s eighth of twenty-four families is commentary.
2
Mary’s own house is not explicitly located here.
3
The Lord’s hand is with the child.

Test your recall

Theophilus; Abia week; John; full of grace; handmaid; five and six months; all generations; horn; Orient.

Source edition and notes

Douay–Rheims, revised by Richard Challoner (1749–1752). Project Gutenberg no. 1581. Locators refer to lines in the admitted pg1581.txt edition. Source notes may include Challoner commentary.

Lines 116624–116753
1:1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us, 1:2. According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word: 1:3. It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus, 1:4. That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed. 1:5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth. Of the course of Abia.... that is, of the rank of Abia, which word in the Greek is commonly put for the employment of one day: but here for the functions of a whole week. For, by the appointment of David, 1 Par. 24., the descendants from Aaron were divided into twenty-four families, of which the eighth was Abia, from whom descended this Zachary, who at this time was in the week of his priestly functions. 1:6. And they were both just before God, walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame. 1:7. And they had no son, for that Elizabeth was barren: and they both were well advanced in years. 1:8. And it came to pass, when he executed the priestly function in the order of his course before God, 1:9. According to the custom of the priestly office, it was his lot to offer incense, going into the temple of the Lord. 1:10. And all the multitude of the people was praying without, at the hour of incense. 1:11. And there appeared to him an angel of the Lord, standing on the right side of the altar of incense. 1:12. And Zachary seeing him, was troubled: and fear fell upon him. 1:13. But the angel said to him: Fear not, Zachary, for thy prayer is heard: and thy wife Elizabeth shall bear thee a son. And thou shalt call his name John. 1:14. And thou shalt have joy and gladness: and many shall rejoice in his nativity. 1:15. For he shall be great before the Lord and shall drink no wine nor strong drink: and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. 1:16. And he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. 1:17. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias: that he may turn the hearts of the fathers unto the children and the incredulous to the wisdom of the just, to prepare unto the Lord a perfect people. 1:18. And Zachary said to the angel: Whereby shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years. 1:19. And the angel answering, said to him: I am Gabriel, who stand before God and am sent to speak to thee and to bring thee these good tidings. 1:20. And behold, thou shalt be dumb and shalt not be able to speak until the day wherein these things shall come to pass: because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time. 1:21. And the people were waiting for Zachary: and they wondered that he tarried so long in the temple. 1:22. And when he came out, he could not speak to them: and they understood that he had seen a vision in the temple. And he made signs to them and remained dumb. 1:23. And it came to pass, after the days of his office were accomplished, he departed to his own house. 1:24. And after those days, Elizabeth his wife conceived and hid herself five months, saying: 1:25. Thus hath the Lord dealt with me in the days wherein he hath had regard to take away my reproach among men. 1:26. And in the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God into a city of Galilee, called Nazareth, 1:27. To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David: and the virgin’s name was Mary. 1:28. And the angel being come in, said unto her: Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. 1:29. Who having heard, was troubled at his saying and thought with herself what manner of salutation this should be. 1:30. And the angel said to her: Fear not, Mary, for thou hast found grace with God. 1:31. Behold thou shalt conceive in thy womb and shalt bring forth a son: and thou shalt call his name Jesus. 1:32. He shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of David his father: and he shall reign in the house of Jacob for ever. 1:33. And of his kingdom there shall be no end. 1:34. And Mary said to the angel: How shall this be done, because I know not man? 1:35. And the angel answering, said to her: The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee and the power of the Most High shall overshadow thee. And therefore also the Holy which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God. 1:36. And behold thy cousin Elizabeth, she also hath conceived a son in her old age: and this is the sixth month with her that is called barren. 1:37. Because no word shall be impossible with God. 1:38. And Mary said: Behold the handmaid of the Lord: be it done to me according to thy word. And the angel departed from her.
Lines 116755–116885
1:39. And Mary rising up in those days, went into the hill country with haste into a city of Juda. 1:40. And she entered into the house of Zachary and saluted Elizabeth. 1:41. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the infant leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Ghost. 1:42. And she cried out with a loud voice and said: Blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb. 1:43. And whence is this to me that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 1:44. For behold as soon as the voice of thy salutation sounded in my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. 1:45. And blessed art thou that hast believed, because those things shall be accomplished that were spoken to thee by the Lord. 1:46. And Mary said: My soul doth magnify the Lord. 1:47. And my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour. 1:48. Because he hath regarded the humility of his handmaid: for behold from henceforth all generations shall call me blessed. Shall call me blessed.... These words are a prediction of that honour which the church in all ages should pay to the Blessed Virgin. Let Protestants examine whether they are any way concerned in this prophecy. 1:49. Because he that is mighty hath done great things to me: and holy is his name. 1:50. And his mercy is from generation unto generations, to them that fear him. 1:51. He hath shewed might in his arm: he hath scattered the proud in the conceit of their heart. 1:52. He hath put down the mighty from their seat and hath exalted the humble. 1:53. He hath filled the hungry with good things: and the rich he hath sent empty away. 1:54. He hath received Israel his servant, being mindful of his mercy. 1:55. As he spoke to our fathers: to Abraham and to his seed for ever. 1:56. And Mary abode with her about three months. And she returned to her own house. 1:57. Now Elizabeth’s full time of being delivered was come: and she brought forth a son. 1:58. And her neighbors and kinsfolks heard that the Lord had shewed his great mercy towards her: and they congratulated with her. 1:59. And it came to pass that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child: and they called him by his father’s name Zachary. 1:60. And his mother answering, said: Not so. But he shall be called John. 1:61. And they said to her: There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name. 1:62. And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called. 1:63. And demanding a writing table, he wrote, saying: John is his name. And they all wondered. 1:64. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed: and he spoke, blessing God. 1:65. And fear came upon all their neighbours: and all these things were noised abroad over all the hill country of Judea. 1:66. And all they that had heard them laid them up in their heart, saying: What an one, think ye, shall this child be? For the hand of the Lord was with him. 1:67. And Zachary his father was filled with the Holy Ghost. And he prophesied, saying: 1:68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: because he hath visited and wrought the redemption of his people. 1:69. And hath raised up an horn of salvation to us, in the house of David his servant. Horn of salvation.... That is, A powerful salvation, as Dr. Witham translates it. For in the Scripture, by horn is generally understood strength and power. 1:70. As he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, who are from the beginning. 1:71. Salvation from our enemies and from the hand of all that hate us. 1:72. To perform mercy to our fathers and to remember his holy testament. 1:73. The oath, which he swore to Abraham our father, that he would grant to us. 1:74. That being delivered from the hand of our enemies, we may serve him without fear: 1:75. In holiness and justice before him, all our days. 1:76. And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt, go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways: 1:77. To give knowledge of salvation to his people, unto the remission of their sins. 1:78. Through the bowels of the mercy of our God, in which the Orient from on high hath visited us: The Orient.... It is one of the titles of the Messias, the true light of the world, and the sun of justice. 1:79. To enlighten them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death: to direct our feet into the way of peace. 1:80. And the child grew and was strengthened in spirit: and was in the deserts until the day of his manifestation to Israel.