zacharias Summary and Overview

(1.) A priest of the course of Abia, the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which the priests had been originally divided by David (1 Chr. 23:1-19). Only four of these courses or "families" of the priests returned from the Exile (Ezra 2:36-39); but they were then re-distributed under the old designations. The priests served at the temple twice each year, and only for a week each time. Zacharias's time had come for this service. During this period his home would be one of the chambers set apart for the priests on the sides of the temple ground. The offering of incense was one of the most solemn parts of the daily worship of the temple, and lots were drawn each day to determine who should have this great honour, an honour which no priest could enjoy more than once during his lifetime. While Zacharias ministered at the golden altar of incense in the holy place, it was announced to him by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elisabeth, who was also of a priestly family, now stricken in years, would give birth to a son who was to be called John, and that he would be the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah (Luke 1:12-17). As a punishment for his refusing to believe this message, he was struck dumb and "not able to speak until the day that these things should be performed" (20). Nine months passed away, and Elisabeth's child was born, and when in answer to their inquiry Zacharias wrote on a "writing tablet," "His name is John," his mouth was opened, and he praised God (60-79). The child (John the Baptist), thus "born out of due time," "waxed strong in spirit" (1:80). (2.) The "son of Barachias," mentioned as having been slain between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51). "Barachias" here may be another name for Jehoiada, as some think. (See ZECHARIAH T0003892.)

(Greek form of Zechariah). 1. Father of John the Baptist. #Lu 1:5| etc. He was a priest of the course of Abia. the eighth of the twenty-four courses who ministered at the temple in turn. He probably lived at Hebron. His wife's name was Elisabeth. John was born to them in their old age, and the promise of this son was communicated to Zacharias by an angel while he was offering incense and praying in the temple. 2. Son of Barachias, who, our Lord says, was slain by the Jews between the altar and the temple. #Mt 23:35; Lu 11:61| There has been much dispute who this Zacharias was. Many of the Greek fathers have maintained that the father of John the Baptist is the person to whom our Lord alludes but there can be little or no doubt that the allusion is to Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada, #2Ch 24:20,21| and he may have been called "the son" of Barachias from his grandfather. (B.C. 838.) He is mentioned as being the martyr last recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures (as Abel was the first) -d Chronicles being the last book in their canon.

ZACHARI'AS , properly ZACHARI'AH (remembered by Jehovah). 1. Our Lord mentions a Zacharias, son of Barachias, as having been slain between the "sanctuary " (not "altar," but the inner shrine) and the temple, Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51; probably the person of that name whose death under such circumstances is mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-22. It is true that not this Zachariah, but Urijah, was the last O.T. martyr, Jer 26:23; but inasmuch as Second Chronicles was the last book of the canon according to the Jewish arrangement, our Lord took an instance from it, as he took Abel from Genesis, the first. The principal objection to this identification is that this Zacharias is stated to have been the son of Jehoiada, and not of Barachiah; but the word "son" may be used in its usual lax sense, and Barachiah may have been his grandfather. 2. The father of John the Baptist, and husband of Elisabeth, which it is interesting to remark is the same name as "Elisheba," the name of the wife of Aaron. Ex 6:23. He was a priest of the course of Abia, which was the eighth of the twenty-four classes into which the descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, were divided. 1 Chr 24. Each of these ministered in the temple one week. But this fact does not enable us in any wise to determine the date of the occurrence mentioned in Luke 1. Of Zacharias and Elisabeth we read: "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they were both now well stricken in years." It was while Zacharias served one day in the temple that an angel appeared to him and prophesied the birth of a son. But, although for this he had long been praying, he did not believe that God would thus signally answer his prayer. He required a sign, and he received one - dumbness up to the time of the circumcision of the child. To the wonder of the attendant people he silently dismissed, but conveyed by action enough to let them know he had seen a vision, he was a deaf-mute until, in obedience to the angelic direction, he had named the infant born to him John. Then he not only spoke, but was filled with the Holy Ghost, and in a strain of the most devout gratitude and praise he poured out his soul. And, thus singing, he passes out of history.

1. Father of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:5). frontJOHN THE BAPTIST.) Of the course of Abia or Abijah, eighth of the 24 (1 Chronicles 24:10); walking with Elizabeth his wife "in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." His lot was to burn incense, the embodiment of prayer (from whence also during the burning of incense the whole people prayed: Revelation 8:3-4; Psalm 141:2), and esteemed so honourable an office that the same person (say the rabbis) was not allowed to discharge it twice. His unbelief ("whereby shall I know this, seeing I am old?" etc.) at the angel' s announcement of John's birth was retributively punished by dumbness (contrast Psalm 116:10; 2 Corinthians 4:13), a warning to Israel whose representative he was of the consequences of unbelief if the nation should reject the gospel just coming; just as Mary on the contrary was an example of the blessedness which would flow if they believed (Luke 1:45; Luke 1:38). Faith (dictating the name for his son given by the angel: Luke 1:13; Luke 1:63-64) opened his mouth, as faith shall cause Israel in the last days to confess her Lord, and the veil on her heart shall be taken away (2 Corinthians 3:15-16). Then followed his song of thanksgiving under the Holy Spirit, as Israel shall sing when turned to the Lord according to "the oath which He sware to our father Abraham," etc. (Luke 1:68-80; Isaiah 12:1-3; Zechariah 12:10,) "The horn of salvation in the house of David" contrasts beautifully with "the little horn" or antichrist destroying Israel before Messiah shall appear for Israel's help (Daniel 7:8; Daniel 8:9-14; Daniel 8:11; Daniel 12:1-3). 2. Son of Barachias (Matthew 23:35). The same as the sire of Jehoiada; Joash ungratefully forgetting that he owed his throne to Jehoiada slew Zacharias for his faithful reproof: "Why transgress ye the commandments of Jehovah, that ye cannot prosper? because ye have forsaken Jehovah, He hath also forsaken you." By Joash's command they stoned Zacharias "in the court of the house of Jehovah!" And to it the tradition may be due which assigns the tomb in the valley of Jehoshaphat to Zacharias. Contrast Jehoiada's reverent care not to slay Athaliah in the temple precincts (2 Chronicles 23:14; 2 Chronicles 24:20-22; 2 Chronicles 24:25). Joash slew other "sons" of Jehoiada besides Zacharias. "The Lord look upon it and requite it" was the martyr's dying sentence, which Jesus refers to as about to be executed on Israel; "that upon you may come all the righteous blood shed upon the earth from the blood of Zacharias, son of Barachias, whom ye slew between the temple and the altar," i.e. in the interior court of the priests, in which was the altar of burnt offerings. As Zacharias' prayer for vengeance is the judicial side of God's word by His prophets (Revelation 6:9-11; Luke 18:7), so Stephen's prayer is the gospel loving side of it (Acts 7:60). Though Urijah was slain subsequently to Zacharias (Jeremiah 26:23), yet Zacharias is the last as the canon was arranged, Chronicles standing in it last; Christ names Zacharias as the last and Abel as the first martyr in the Scripture canon. Barachias may have been a second name of Jehoiada, meaning "the blessed," because he preserved David's house in the person of Joash from the murderous Athaliah, slew her, and restored the rightful king. However, as "son of Barachias" does not occur in Luke 11:51, perhaps the words in Matthew were a marginal gloss, confusing this Zacharias with Zechariah the prophet, son of Berechiah.