I am using the daily Bible reading schedule from “The Bible.net” for my daily Bible reading.

Today, I am reading and commenting on Luke 1

I find it interesting that both Zechariah and Mary question the angel who brings them the message about the impending birth they will be involved in.  I think that many people make too much of the idea that what happened to Zechariah was a punishment for lack of faith.  Yes, to a degree it was a punishment, but it was also an answer to his request.  Zechariah asked how he could be sure that the angel’s words were true.  Gabriel’s answer was to give him the sign that he would be unable to speak until John was born.  On the other hand, when Mary questioned the message, she was given an explanation.  However, Zechariah asked for a sign in a way that suggested disbelief, while Mary was genuinely confused as to how it would happen.

Luke begins his story here for the same reason the other Gospel writers talk about John the Baptist at the beginning of his account of Jesus’ ministry.  We often interpret it as John the Baptist introducing Jesus and fulfilling the prophecy concerning Elijah appearing before the Messiah does.  While that view is not wrong, it is not the whole reason.  As we have learned more about the Essenes, the Jewish sect which was responsible for the Dead Sea Scrolls, we realize that John the Baptist was connected with them in some way.  By writing about the connection between John the Baptists and Jesus the Gospel writers were connecting Jesus to the sect of Judaism which was noted for its faithfulness to what it preached.  I am not quite sure why, despite being aware of the connection between John the Baptist and the Essenes for many years now, this year I find it significant as I read the Gospels.