Cornerstone Biblical Commentary: Luke and Acts - Tyndale House ...

37 LUKE 1:11-17
more on the place of prayer in Lukan thought, see Trites 1978. For prayer in Jesus’ life, see
Spencer 1990. For nontechnical, general studies of prayer in the NT, see Coggan 1970 and
Fisher 1964.
1:14 You will have great joy. Luke’s vocabulary of joy is quite rich. “Joy” (chara [TG5479,
ZG5915]) is often mentioned (1:14; 2:10; 8:13; 10:17; 15:7, 10; 24:41, 52; Acts 8:8; 12:14;
13:52; 15:3), and “rejoicing” (agalliasis [TG20, ZG21]) is noted in 1:14, 44. The verb agalliao
[TG2 1 21A, ZG22] is used (1:47; 10:21; Acts 2:26; 16:34), as is the verb chairo [TG5463/5463A,
ZG5897] (1:14; 6:23; 10:20; 13:17; 15:5, 32; 19:6, 37; Acts 5:41; 8:39; 11:23; 13:48; 15:31).
People also “rejoice together” (sungchairo [TG4796/4796A, ZG5176], 1:58; 15:6, 9). See also
NIDNTT 2:352-354; Morrice 1985.
COMMENTARY
As noted in the Introduction, Luke was deeply interested in the role of angels. This is
the first of many appearances of angels in Luke–Acts, and it is a notable one. The
angel’s name is Gabriel (1:19), one of only two angels specifically identified in the
Bible (see Dan 8:16; 9:21; Michael is the other angel mentioned in Scripture; see
Dan 10:13, 21; Jude 1:9; Rev 12:7). While some noncanonical Jewish books have
extensive treatments of angels (e.g., 1 Enoch 37–71), the biblical writings are
remarkably restrained in their teaching on the place of angels. One of the angels’
main functions is to communicate messages from God and offer reassurance of
divine favor, as is the case with Zechariah. In the process of communication, however,
the angel had to allay the fear that overwhelmed Zechariah and reassure him
of God’s favor: “Don’t be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife,
Elizabeth, will give you a son” (1:13).
A number of features shared with other biblical appearances of angels may be
noted here. First, fear is a common human reaction to an angelic message in the
Bible (cf. 1:30; Judg 6:22-23; 13:22; Matt 1:20). Second, the angel’s message was an
answer to prayer (cf. Dan 10:12). The repeated petitions of this godly man and his
wife were at last to be answered. This theme of a prayer-hearing and prayer-answering
God will be repeated in Luke: “I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive
what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the
door will be opened to you” (11:9). Remarkable answers to prayer are also found in
Acts; to take but one instance, the earnest, united prayer of believers for courage was
answered by God’s filling them with the Holy Spirit and enabling them to speak for
Christ with great boldness (Acts 4:24-31). Additionally, the angel, who was located
significantly on the right side of the altar (1:11), in the place of power, was charged
with the task of reassuring a mortal, a feature also found in the Old Testament (Gen
21:17; cf. 1:30; 2:10). The angel revealed the name of the child, a feature that is
repeated later in the annunciation to Mary (1:31).
It is noteworthy that John’s name means “the Lord is gracious,” so the name here
as elsewhere in the Bible is a pointer to the significance of the person in holy history
(cf. Hos 1:6, 9; Matt 1:21). John’s place in salvation history is wonderfully described—the
angel declares that he “will be great in the eyes of the Lord” (1:15). In
the angel’s message, the note of joy that is so characteristic of Luke’s writings is
sounded. The reproach of childlessness would be taken away, and the old priest was