Being childless can be quite a depressing thing. Concerns about the future, inheritance, legacy, and the possibility of dying without seeing your family line carry on weigh heavy on those who have no children. Yet despite this, we are called to still serve the Lord, according to the example of righteouse Zecharias who still served God in the order of his division. This practice had been established in the time of Nehemiah, with the rebuilding of the second temple.
He was not the only one serving. The order of the priests still rotated their duties to tend to the business of the temple, the burning of the incense, and the offering of sacrifices. Note that all the Old Testament rituals of cleansing and santification still apply to the priest who is to enter into the holy of holies. Thus, the standard of holiness, the act of offering and worship do not get neglected even if we might have unsettled business in our own lives.
From these three verses, Luke paints a picture of the drudgery of repetition, the emptiness and weariness of waiting for change, for hope, while still obeying the commands of the Lord. How we need to remind ourselves not to be sidetracked or lose hope when there are extended times of silence from the Lord. Most importantly, we live in the age where we are waiting on the return of Jesus Christ. Waiting, and continually living out our lives.
Monday, August 21, 2006
Luke 1:5-7
Here, we begin with a focus on a specific person, Zacharias, who lived in the days of Herod, king of Judea. Luke provides such useful historical detail, allowing us to appreciate the context and find confidence again that the events that are described truly did happen.
Zacharias was of the order of Abijah, the priest from the post-exilic return (Neh 10, 12). It was established at that time that the priests and Levites would take turns ministering at the temple. This practice has apparently been maintained even till the days described here in Luke. Note that Luke described both Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth as "righteous before God". What an honor to be named as such in the Bible! With the setting, Luke begins with the very first predicate of his gospel of Christ: Elizabeth had no child and was barren, and they were old.
This situation is parallel to Abraham's experience with Sarah and Isaac. This is the idea of heritage and lineage. For without a son, Abraham's line would simply die out. This ultimately led to a futility and meaninglessness of Abraham's life, his struggles, and his labor. Likewise, without continuity, all our personal endaevors are meaningless. It will pass away with death and we will remain barren.
Zacharias was of the order of Abijah, the priest from the post-exilic return (Neh 10, 12). It was established at that time that the priests and Levites would take turns ministering at the temple. This practice has apparently been maintained even till the days described here in Luke. Note that Luke described both Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth as "righteous before God". What an honor to be named as such in the Bible! With the setting, Luke begins with the very first predicate of his gospel of Christ: Elizabeth had no child and was barren, and they were old.
This situation is parallel to Abraham's experience with Sarah and Isaac. This is the idea of heritage and lineage. For without a son, Abraham's line would simply die out. This ultimately led to a futility and meaninglessness of Abraham's life, his struggles, and his labor. Likewise, without continuity, all our personal endaevors are meaningless. It will pass away with death and we will remain barren.
Luke 1:1-4
This gospel is clearly written by Luke, who was referred to as a doctor in Col 4:14 by Paul. He was also deemed as one of the more faithful companions of Paul, and accomanied him on a few of his missionary journeys. Luke gives an account here of Jesus' life and later continues to write the Acts of the Apostles with the same methodical and clear style, perhaps because of his training as a physician for documenting medical information. (Note, one should look up medical practices during the time of Luke: 0-100 AD. Also note that Hippocrates was alive around 450 BC, ample time for modern medical approaches to have been developed by the time of Jesus and Luke).
Here in 1:1-4, Luke begins with a clear statement of his purpose for writing this gospel account. He was primarily writing to Theophilus, of whom the only description we are given in the entire Bible is that he was most excellent (Lk 1:3). The goal of his writing to Theophilus was to show him the "certainty the things in which (he) was instructed" (1:4b). From here, we know that Theophilus had undergone a fair amount of exposure and learning in the early Christian faith. This consisted, briefly, of believing that Christ was the Son of God who died on the Cross, in fulfillment of Scripture, for the sin of the world, and the salvation of man. Yet, despite having learned all these (and so far we have good reason to assume that Theophilus was a diligent disciple of Christ), Luke felt it necessary to buttress his current knowledge with more certainty. Thus, perhaps in our own faith, we must be careful to recognize the need to be clear of the facts, so that we will have the same amount of certainty, and not just take matters of faith at just face value. Faith does not mean we become ignorant of truth, rather, we endeavor to uncover it.
What better way to be certain of the facts about Christ, than to have a well-organized record, from the many eye-witness accounts and Luke's "perfect understanding". Just as a well written, and objectively researched work is much more valuable than anecdotal accounts, so Luke here seeks to seal the many accounts of Jesus, that must have been going around at that time, into one easy to read narrative of the Savior.
Here in 1:1-4, Luke begins with a clear statement of his purpose for writing this gospel account. He was primarily writing to Theophilus, of whom the only description we are given in the entire Bible is that he was most excellent (Lk 1:3). The goal of his writing to Theophilus was to show him the "certainty the things in which (he) was instructed" (1:4b). From here, we know that Theophilus had undergone a fair amount of exposure and learning in the early Christian faith. This consisted, briefly, of believing that Christ was the Son of God who died on the Cross, in fulfillment of Scripture, for the sin of the world, and the salvation of man. Yet, despite having learned all these (and so far we have good reason to assume that Theophilus was a diligent disciple of Christ), Luke felt it necessary to buttress his current knowledge with more certainty. Thus, perhaps in our own faith, we must be careful to recognize the need to be clear of the facts, so that we will have the same amount of certainty, and not just take matters of faith at just face value. Faith does not mean we become ignorant of truth, rather, we endeavor to uncover it.
What better way to be certain of the facts about Christ, than to have a well-organized record, from the many eye-witness accounts and Luke's "perfect understanding". Just as a well written, and objectively researched work is much more valuable than anecdotal accounts, so Luke here seeks to seal the many accounts of Jesus, that must have been going around at that time, into one easy to read narrative of the Savior.
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