Hi, everyone. Welcome back to the Daily
gospel, exegesis podcast, produced biological Bible study.
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notes. Now, on today's episode, we are
looking at the reading for the daytime Mass on December 24th.
So if you go to tonight's Mass, so if you go to the vigil mass
tonight, so that will be the Christmas Eve vigil mass, you
will actually hear a different reading.
So, we're looking at the daytime Mass on, December 24th.
If you want to hear the Christmas Eve, vigil mass
reading, you want to hear an exegesis of that you can get
access to that through the patreon page as a bonus episode.
So today's reading for December 24th, it's Luke chapter 1 verses
67 to 79. John's, father Zechariah was
filled with the Holy Spirit and he spoke this prophecy blessed,
be the Lord, the god of Israel for.
He has visited his people. He has come to their rescue, and
he has raised up for us, a power for salvation in the house of
his servant David. Even as he proclaimed by the
mouth of his holy prophets. From ancient times that he would
save us from our enemies. And from the hand of all who
hate us, thus he shows Mercy to our ancestors, thus he remembers
His Holy Covenant, the oath, he swore to Our Father Abraham and
he would grant us free from Fear to be delivered from the hands
of our enemies to serve him in Holiness and virtue in his
presence, all our days, And you little child, you shall be
called the prophet of the most high for you will go before the
Lord, to prepare the way for him to give his people knowledge of
Salvation, through the Forgiveness of their sins.
This by the tender, mercy of our God, who from on high will bring
the Rising Sun to visit us to give light to those who live in
darkness and the shadow of death and to guide our feet into the
way of Peace. So This is What a beautiful
reading we have today. It's basically a song that
Zechariah sings and it's one that's well worth meditating on
rather than just studying from an academic perspective, which
is our focus in on this podcast, helping you understand the
literal sense. It's also one of those passages
like many others really in Luke's gospel, which will bear a
lot of fruit in your life, if you just sit with it and reflect
on it. So what we have today, it has
actually been given a name in Catholic tradition.
This great prayer, this great song of Zechariah is called the
Victus, which is Latin for blessed.
So this whole song that we're going to study today is called
the Benedictus and it's involved a lot in the Liturgy of the
Hours. So you're probably familiar with
this. If you do the Liturgy of the
Hours quite often. So what's the context of today's
passage just prior to this John the Baptist has been born.
He's been named by Zechariah and Zechariah has been healed from
being unable to speak. So, all of that has come just
before this. So as soon as, Zechariah is
healed. He goes on to Proclaim this song
that we hear today. Verse 67, John's father
Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit.
Notice this he's filled with the Holy Spirit, the holy spirit is
very active in these early days. Even before Jesus is born, the
holy spirit is active in zechariah's life in John.
The Baptist's life. In fact earlier in the chapter,
if you've been listening in the last few days you will know that
both Elizabeth and John have already been filled with the
Holy Spirit. Earlier in the chapter.
And now we have is Zechariah as the father of the family.
Being filled with the Holy Spirit and he speaks this
prophecy. Now, it's called a prophecy.
This song here really, the first half, is not exactly a prophecy.
It's just praising God for sending the Messiah, but then
the second half as will see, it is a prophecy.
It's a prediction about what's going to happen to, John the
Baptist. So the song, The Benedictus
divides into two half the two halves the first half is about
thanking. God and praising him.
And the second half is predicting, what's going to
happen to John the Baptist. So let's start with the first
half verse 68. Zechariah says, blessed, be the
Lord, the god of Israel. Now, even here we can see, this
is a very Jewish prayer blessed, be the Lord, the god of Israel,
The Book of Psalms in the Old Testament.
It's divided up into five separate books, if you study it
carefully, and several of those big books in The Book of Psalms
end with this phrase, blessed, be the Lord, the god of Israel.
So, if you look at Psalm 41, which is the end of one section
of the Psalms, and also some 72, which is the end of another
section of the Psalms they both end with blessed, be the Lord,
the god of Israel. So by using these words
Zechariah, clearly sees what's happening to him and the birth
of John the Baptist as the Fulfillment of many of the Old
Testament prophecies, that's why he says blessed be the Lord, the
god of Israel. Now Zechariah is going to begin,
praising God for sending Jesus as the Messiah, which is
interesting. Because up until now in Luke's
gospel Zechariah, hasn't been told anything about the Messiah,
he doesn't actually know that the Messiah is coming, he knows
that John, the Baptist is going to have a role in Preparing
People for the coming of God. But Zechariah himself hasn't
been told any information about the Messiah so it's possible
that he got this information that the Messiah is coming from.
Mary maybe he's Spoken to Mary and Mary has relayed.
What the angel Gabriel has told her about the coming of the
Messiah, or maybe Zechariah has been given extra information by
the holy spirit that has not been narrated by Luke, but by
this time, Zechariah knows that John.
The Baptist role is to prepare people for the Messiah.
He says blessed be the Lord, the god of Israel for.
He has visited his people. He has come to their rescue, or
you can translate this. He has visited and redeemed.
Deemed his people. Now usually, when you hear this
phrase in the Old Testament, he has come to their rescue.
It basically means giving assistance to his people,
helping the Jews, and typically it's in the context of rescuing
them from physical captivity. Like, in The Exodus, God came to
the rescue of the Israelites. And so, when Zechariah he is
says, blessed be God for. He has visited his people, he
has come to their rescue. It probably tells us that
Zechariah is thinking of the coming of the Messiah, Which he
knows is about to happen. He's thinking of that in Earthly
terms. He thinks that when the Messiah
comes, he's going to physically politically deliver the Jewish
people and that was a commonly held Jewish view at the time.
But certainly there's a deeper sense here.
Jesus the Messiah is going to come to the people's rescue in a
much deeper. More spiritual sense is going to
save people from their sins. And literally it's going to be
God, visiting his people. So maybe even Zechariah here,
doesn't know. No, the true significance of
what he's saying when he says, God has visited, his people
verse 69, Zechariah says, he has raised up for us, a power for
salvation in the house of his servant David or you can
translate that he's raised a horn of Salvation, which is a
very old testament term, which basically, means strength Horn
of Salvation, is a strong person who will bring Salvation on
behalf of the Jews. There's many Old Testament
prophecies, which say that the View over the Jews, the Messiah,
one day he will come from the House of David specifically.
If you look at second Samuel chapter 7, it talks about how
the Messiah will be from the House of David and that's what's
primarily in view here. So when Zechariah says, he has
raised up for us, a power of Salvation, or a horn of
Salvation, which is a symbol of strength Zechariah perceives
that this is about to be fulfilled.
In Jesus, God is going to raise up a power of salvation.
In the Messiah, he's not thinking of John, the Baptist
here. When Zechariah says he has
raised up for us, a power of Salvation in the house of his
servant. David, he's not thinking of John
the Baptist at this point because John the Baptist is not
from the House of David Zechariah is thinking of the
Messiah who he knows will be from the House of David.
Zechariah continues. He says, even as he proclaimed
by the mouth of his holy prophets from ancient times.
So the Old Testament has lots of prophecies than the Messiah will
come and that's what Zechariah is referring to when he says,
God has proclaimed by the mouth of his holy prophets from
ancient times. So many of the prophets, both
Major Prophets and Minor Prophets have predicted the
coming of the Messiah Zechariah inspired by the Holy Spirit
perceives that all of that is about to be fulfilled.
The Messiah is coming. Verse 71, he would save us from
our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us.
So here we have very good evidence.
That Zechariah is thinking that when the Messiah comes, he will
be a political savior. Even the Disciples of Jesus
thought this it was a very common view at the time, he says
the Messiah will save us from our enemies and from the hand of
all who hate us Zechariah is tapping into this common view
that the Messiah when he comes will be a political leader.
But who is going to save the Jews from the Romans, the Jews
in Jesus time. Basically thought that when the
Messiah comes to save people, it will be to save them in a
political sense. So, when Zechariah says, he'll
save us from the hands of all who hate us, he really does
think that the Messiah will save them from the Romans.
So, Zechariah, understood, some things that are about to come.
He knows the messiah's coming, but he's doesn't understand
things perfectly. He's still influenced by his own
biases. Verse 72.
Thus, he shows Mercy to his ancestors, or you can translate
that to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, what
Zechariah talking about here. The mercy promised to our
fathers. He's about to explain it in
verse 73 and 74. He says, he remembers His Holy
Covenant, his oath, which he swore to Our Father, Abraham
that he would grant us free from Fear, to be delivered from the
hands of our enemies. So is that guy right here is
talking about that abrahamic Covenant, he mentions Abraham
specifically in the abrahamic. Covenant, basically God promises
that he will raise up descendants of Abraham which we
know of the Jews and he also promises that these Jews.
The people of Abraham will be blessed and they will serve God
as long as they keep his commandments.
So that the covenant theology of the Old Testament basically says
that God will bless the Jews as long as they.
And serve him. Well and if they do that, he'll
continue to provide a place for them to serve and worship him.
The Jews in Jesus time. Continued to believe that this
abrahamic Covenant was still in effect.
They believed in Jesus time that if they continue to follow God's
Commandments, he would save them.
So, Zechariah ties this into the coming of the Messiah, he says
the Messiah is coming, he's going to get rid of the Romans.
He's going to once again, restore Israel to a place where
it can worship God freely. And that's what Says in verse 75
to serve him in Holiness and virtue in his presence or our
days, another translation of this would be that we might
serve him without fear in Holiness and righteousness
before him, all the days of our life Zechariah is a righteous
Jew. He is looking forward to these
days when the Jews can once again, worship God in truth and
in righteousness it was clear in both the Old Testament and in
the New Testament as well the god protected the Jews.
And he has a special place for them for the purpose that they
would serve and honor him. He calls out a people for
himself that they would serve and honor him and glorify him to
the rest of the world. So, is Zechariah under the
influence of the Holy Spirit, he knows the Messiah is coming, and
he believes the Messiah has come to free the Jews from political
oppression so that they might serve God in freedom without
fear. That was something the Jews had
not had for a long time. They'd been in captivity for a
long time. And Zechariah now says, the time
is coming when we can worship Him freely.
Interestingly the name is Zechariah means, God has
remembered. And also the name, Elizabeth
means oath. And that's a very relevant here,
isn't it? That's a very appropriate.
Given what Zechariah has just been talking about?
He says, God will remember his oath that he made to Abraham, so
their names have significance. So that's the end of the first
half of the Benedictus and now Zechariah changed his focus in
verse 17. T6 he says and you little child,
so now he's talking about his newborn son, John.
That's the change of focus. He says you shall be called the
prophet of the most high notice. It's not a prophet of the most
high, you'll be called the prophet of the most high.
That's quite an amazing title for John.
The Baptist John was the final Prophet to prepare people for
the arrival of God. He's the prophet of the most
high, on the other hand, Jesus, the Messiah is called the son of
the most high. So John the Baptist is the
prophet of the most high. Jesus is the son of the most
high. They both have a role to play
but their different roles. So here's Zechariah, says to
John, you will go before the Lord to prepare the way before
him. So this imagery of preparing the
way before God, it Taps into the imagery of a literally
preparing, a highway for the king.
So in the time of the Old Testament, when a king was
coming into town, they would literally prepare the roads.
They would almost bring out a red carpet for the Kings, so
Isaiah has this Percy in chapter 40, verse 3.
He says, prepare the way for the Lord, make straight his paths
and in context that's about the arrival of God, his Isaiah is
saying to the Jewish people, you need to prepare your lives in,
need to prepare your cities because God is coming.
You need to reform your lives. Then John the Baptist comes
along and he quotes the exact same thing.
You need to prepare the way for God, because he's coming in the
person of the Messiah. So this is predicted in Isaiah
chapter 40 and Malachi chapter 3.
John, the Baptist knows that He is the Fulfillment, he himself.
John the Baptist will fulfill. These prophecies about preparing
the way for God here. Even before John, the Baptist is
an adult Zechariah perceives, that one of the key roles of
John, the Baptist will be to prepare the way for God.
This is what Gabriel had said to Zechariah earlier in the temple.
He says that one of the roles of John, the Baptist will be to
prepare the people for the Messiah in facts that that's his
key role to get people ready for the arrival of God in the person
of the Messiah. Notice that Zacharias belief
here is, the God himself is coming soon.
You'll be the prophet of the most high.
You will go before the Lord to prepare the way before him.
Zechariah believes that John the Baptist is going before the
Lord. This is a subtle hint that Jesus
is God. Zechariah believes that John,
the Baptist is preparing people for God specifically.
Verse 77 to give his people knowledge of Salvation.
So the key aim of John, the Baptist's Ministry was to get
people to repent and to help them realize what's required in
order to be saved. Zechariah says John the Baptist
will give his people knowledge of Salvation.
He's going to help people understand what's required for
salvation, namely repentance and then he adds this bit of
information he says in the Forgiveness of their sins.
From this verse, some people have taken it to mean that John
the Baptist will literally forgive people sins.
That seems to be what Zechariah says he will give his people
knowledge of Salvation in the Forgiveness of their sins.
Other Scholars would say that's not the best interpretation.
It's probably not likely that John, the Baptist himself was
able to forgive sins. Probably what it means here and
this is consistent with other things.
That happened later in John's Ministry, the passage is
teaching that John's message. Will help people realize that
they need to have their sins forgiven in order to be saved.
John the Baptist prepares people to realize that they need their
sins forgiven and when they come to the River, Jordan to be
baptized. They confess their sins in
preparation for having their sins.
Actually, forgiven by God, verse 7th, through the tender, mercy
of our God. So Zechariah is saying that
John's ministry will be given as a result of God's mercy.
God is showing people how they can be saved through John, the
Baptist minister Re even though they don't necessarily deserve
it through the tender mercy of our God, it's quite a beautiful
phrase who from on high will bring the Rising Sun to visit
us. Now this is a phrase that can be
translated different ways. It's one of those parts of the
New Testament. That's a bit unclear, different
manuscripts have this written different ways.
So our dictionary translation. Here sir has Zachariah saying
who from on high will bring the Rising Sun to visit us other
translations put it this way when the day she'll Dawn upon us
Or whereby the Dayspring will visit or since the Dayspring has
visited, so it has this, I'd the Greek.
He has this idea of a day spring or the Sun or something like
that in any case, it seems to convey this idea of the new day
of blessing and Revelation is coming.
That seems to be what Zechariah is saying, who from on high will
bring a new day of blessing and Revelation.
It is coming. Some Scholars think that
Zechariah he might also be tapping into Messianic
prophecies in the Old Testament, which describe the rising of the
sun of justice. And so if you look at Isaiah
9:2, Malachi 4:2, uses this language of the Rising Sun, Also
numbers 24:17 points in that direction as well.
And other Scholars, think that he's referring to a different
set of Old Testament passages like Jeremiah 23:5, and
Zechariah Chapter 3 Verse. Date, which described the
Messiah as the branch. Remember how in the Old
Testament describes the Messiah as a branch, that will Sprout
from the stock of David. And if you read the Greek Old
Testament in these passages, which talked about the Messiah,
being a branch or a shoot, the word rise is used the Messiah
will rise. So maybe Zechariah here is
combining all of these Old Testament prophecies to describe
the the day rising or the Dayspring arising as the time of
the full. Moment when the Messiah will
arise, something like that verse 79 to give light to those who
sit in darkness and in the shadow of death.
Who are the people who sit in darkness and the shadow of
death. It's probably a reference to
people who work in sin who were not in God's favor than not
living, according to God's Commandments.
Clearly he is a Karai is quoting from Isaiah chapter 9 verse 1
which says this. Oh you people who walk in
darkness and in the shadow of death light will shine on you.
In the context of Isaiah he's prophesying that there will be a
messiah. That will save the people
Zechariah now quotes from Isaiah.
He believes, it's fulfilled. He thinks that John's men.
Mystery John, the Baptist will bring Salvation to many people
by making them aware of their sin and causing them to repent
and follow God. And he knows that Jesus, the
Messiah will continue this ministry.
In fact, that Isaiah passage 9:5 goes on to describe the birth of
the child as someone who's going to bring, who will be the Prince
of Peace, who will shine his light on people.
So all through here, Zechariah is quoting from Isaiah, chapter
9, particularly he continues, he says to guide our feet into the
way of Peace. So This is a common Jewish
metaphor. It's a Jewish way of describing
being in communion with God, by following his It's God, will
guide their feet in the way of peace.
John the Baptist and Jesus will help the Jews.
Do that. He'll guide the people in the
way of Peace who bring their bring people to God.
Some Scholars, think the fact that Zacharias final words here
that has just spoken include the word, shine and peace.
Both of those words showed up there.
Maybe that's significant some Scholars noticed a connection
here with Aaron's Priestly blessing.
If you go to Numbers Chapter 6 this is the blessing that Aaron
gives to the people. The Lord bless you and keep you
the Lord, let his face shine upon you and be gracious to you.
The Lord, look upon you kindly and give you peace.
That blessing is probably familiar to many of you That's
Aaron's blessing in Numbers Chapter 6 that he gives the
people. It's also the blessing that
Zechariah was supposed to give when he came out of the temple
when he was on duty, as a priest.
Remember how he struck dumb when he's in the Holy the holy place.
And when he comes out, he's supposed to bless the people
with that prayer, but he struck dumb.
So some Scholars think that the fact that he ends the Benedictus
here with the words shine and peace.
Both of those words in the aaronic blessing.
So maybe his finishing the blessing that he was unable to.
You earlier, which is really interesting.
So that's all he has to say here.
We're also going to look at verse 80 because verse 8 e is
the final verse in chapter 1. It's a good way of finishing off
the chapter. So verse 8, he says, meanwhile
the child grew up and his Spirit matured and he lived out in the
wilderness until the day he appeared to Israel.
So let's start at the, with the first phrase here.
Meanwhile, the child grew up and his Spirit matured, a similar
comment is made about Samson in the Old Testament.
If you look at Judges chapter 13, it says the same about
Samson. In fact, The same thing is said
about Jesus later on, it says the Jesus matured more literally
what it says here is that the child became strong in spirit,
which probably means it's talking about John, the Baptist
here, it means that John the Baptist became quite a spiritual
person, this is Luke narrating here.
He says that John, the Baptist grew up and his Spirit matured.
He became quite a spiritual person.
Luke then says he lived out in the wilderness.
So, John, the Baptist spent most of your time, if his time in the
wilderness of perea, which is to the east of Judea.
If you look at a map, he doesn't spend most of his time in
Jerusalem, where his parents live, his parents live in a
village just outside of Jerusalem, but John the Baptist
doesn't grow up there. He lives in the wilderness of
perea. Why does John the Baptist go out
into the Wilderness? Why not?
Just stay in the vicinity of Jerusalem.
There's two main theories about why John the Baptist grows up
and spends. The most of his time in the
wilderness, one theory, is that the Holy Spirit, led him to the
Wilderness? As a young man, he was inspired
to go out into the Wilderness himself and that would certainly
make sense. There's another theory which is
more interesting, which could be right.
We're not sure. But this Theory says, that his
parents Zechariah and Elizabeth were too old to look after him
and we know that they're quite advanced in age.
So maybe what happens is as they got too old to look after him,
they sent him out to the scn community at qumran, A group of
monks out there called The Essence and maybe they sent
Zachariah out there because they know this is a Korea, has a
particular role in being holy and bringing people to God.
Maybe they figure that a good place to send him to grow up is
the scn community at qumran. This is the group that writes,
the Dead Sea Scrolls. There's a lot of interesting
evidence that suggests that John the Baptist might have actually
been in a scene. He might have spent time in this
community. The gospels don't say this but
there's a few things. Things that point in this
direction. For example, the Wilderness of
Korea where he ministers is very close to qumran.
Also John the Baptist focuses on a baptism of repentance the
essence focused on the same thing.
Also, his diet is very similar to what the essence 8.
And also, later on John, the Baptist will call the Pharisees,
a brood of vipers. Turns out.
The essence, had a very similar phrase for the Pharisees Also,
John the Baptist himself interprets, this phrase, a voice
cries in the wilderness, which is from Isaiah John.
The Baptist interprets this to be about a call to spiritual
preparation. The essence also interpreted the
text in the same way. So some Scholars think that John
the Baptist was very much influenced by the essence and he
grew up with them before he left the community to do his own
Ministry out of the River. Jordan.
It's a very interesting Theory and if you want to look into
this a bit more the best book on this would be too.
Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls by John bergsma, which brings
together all of these different bits of evidence.
That might suggest that John. The Baptist wasn't essien.
It's quite interesting. Then Luke says until the day, he
appeared to Israel. So John the Baptist spent time
in the wilderness before he appeared to Israel, which is
interesting. So, apparently when John was
about 30 years old, which was the age when you could start
public Ministry, that's the point at which he began.
Preaching out in the wilderness near the river, Jordan, and We
know that many people flocked to him to hear him preach and to be
baptized. So that's the end of Luke
chapter 1, the next part of Luke, Luke 2:1-20, this recounts
the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem that famous passage.
When they, they take the donkey to Bethlehem and he's born in a
stable, you won't get to hear that passage read at the normal
Christmas Day Mass, but you can hear the first part of Luke
Chapter 2 at the Christmas midnight mass, that's when
that's red. And then the second part of Luke
Chapter, 20 verses 15 to 20. That's a red at the dawn Mass, a
So, if you want to hear an exegesis on that first part of
Luke, Chapter 2, you won't hear it through the regular podcast,
but you can hear them as bonus episodes of the podcast.
Through the patreon page, will go through those famous
Bethlehem scenes and the birth of Jesus will go through that,
through that verse, by verse as bonus episodes of the podcast.
Let's now, turn to the catechism to see what it has to say about
this passage here. Zechariah's famous Benedictus,
there's a few brief references here.
So paragraph, 4, 2, 2 s, which is in the section.
About the good news, God has visited his people, he has
fulfilled the promise he made to Abraham and his descendants.
He acted far beyond all expectation.
He sent his own beloved Son. So there, the catechism Echo is
this similar themes of God. Visiting his people, which is
what exactly what Zechariah said paragraph seven.
One seven is about John, the Baptist says Mary's visitation
to Elizabeth thus became a visit from God to his people.
So Zechariah he mentioned Out the arrival of the Messiah is
God, visiting his people and hear the catechism says that
when Mary visits Elizabeth which was earlier in.
Luke chapter 1, it's in a very real sense.
It's God, visiting his people as Jesus in the womb visits
Elizabeth and John the Baptist paragraph 5 to 3 says Saint
John. The Baptist is the Lord's
immediate precursor or Forerunner sent to repair his
way prophet of the most high John surpasses, all the profits
of whom he is the last. So there we have.
A very clear Catholic teaching that John, the Baptist is the
greatest prophet, he is the last and greatest.
Lastly paragraph. 706 says against all human, hope God
promises descendants to Abraham as the fruit of faith and the
power of the holy spirit in Abraham's progeny, all the
nations of the earth will be blessed.
This progeny will be Christ himself.
So, the link there, of course, is to Abraham zechariah's.
Benedict is talked about Abraham and the catechism picks up on
that theme of The blessing which is fulfilled, which was
originally given to Abraham, but it's fulfilled in Christ.
So thanks for listening to today's episode.
Just a quick note about tomorrow's episode for Christmas
day. What you'll hear is an exegesis
of the reading which is read at the normal Christmas Day Mass.
So that's what we'll go through. In tomorrow's episode, it's the
standard reading for the daytime Christmas Day Mass.
So if you go to a different Christmas Mass, so if you go to
the midnight mass, perhaps or even the massive Dawn, You won't
get to hear an exegesis of those tomorrow, but you can hear them
as bonus episodes of the podcast through the patreon page.
Thank you so much again for your support of this ministry.
Particularly around Christmas time, I would ask you to
prayerfully consider giving a financial gift to the ministry
or becoming a financial partner of the ministry to help it, keep
doing what it's doing and to make even more projects and
helping Catholics understand their Bible better, that's what
we're all about. So if you want more information
about how you can become a supporter of the ministry, And
the exclusive bonus things you can get access to have a look at
the patreon page and the link for that is in the show notes
from me. I hope you have a really blessed
Christmas day tomorrow and that you're able to spend some time
in God's word. Getting to know God better and
the amazing gift that he's given us in his son Jesus.