The Lucan Journey, pt 2: The Angel
When his period of service in the Temple was over, Zechariah went back home. Some time later his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and did not leave the house for five months. <> she said. <>
(Luke 1:5-23)
Having gotten past the Greek opening, suddenly we’re hip-deep in Judaism again. This story is unique in the Gospels, and it has echoes of two events in the Old Testament: Abraham and Sarah (old, infertile people having babies) and the birth of Samuel (infertile women blessed with babies on the requirement they be dedicated to the Lord). Lucan does not actually clue the presumptive Greek reader into these parallels.
Gabriel’s first words to Zechariah are “Don’t be afraid!” Angels are not pudgy babies or androgynous longhairs or John Travolta; they are scary, scary things. We might have fewer books on angelology in the bookstores if they were required to have pictures of six-winged, thousand-eyed beings on the covers. But the scariest thing about them is they bring news from God. The angel says it’s good news, but God’s definition of good news is not our definition. “You’re going to have a son!” the angel says. “He’s going to be a complete freak, live like an animal in the desert, endure the hatred of the authorities and the hypocrisy of his followers, then be murdered like the other prophets before him!” The way of the truthteller is not a pleasant one, and the pain of the child is felt by the parents. I’m happy that John the Baptist was born, but I don’t know if Zechariah and Elizabeth always felt that way.
(Luke 1:5-23)
Having gotten past the Greek opening, suddenly we’re hip-deep in Judaism again. This story is unique in the Gospels, and it has echoes of two events in the Old Testament: Abraham and Sarah (old, infertile people having babies) and the birth of Samuel (infertile women blessed with babies on the requirement they be dedicated to the Lord). Lucan does not actually clue the presumptive Greek reader into these parallels.
Gabriel’s first words to Zechariah are “Don’t be afraid!” Angels are not pudgy babies or androgynous longhairs or John Travolta; they are scary, scary things. We might have fewer books on angelology in the bookstores if they were required to have pictures of six-winged, thousand-eyed beings on the covers. But the scariest thing about them is they bring news from God. The angel says it’s good news, but God’s definition of good news is not our definition. “You’re going to have a son!” the angel says. “He’s going to be a complete freak, live like an animal in the desert, endure the hatred of the authorities and the hypocrisy of his followers, then be murdered like the other prophets before him!” The way of the truthteller is not a pleasant one, and the pain of the child is felt by the parents. I’m happy that John the Baptist was born, but I don’t know if Zechariah and Elizabeth always felt that way.