Page 24 - March 2026 - Truth & Tidings

t had been many months since Zacha- Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed
rias had spoken a word. But the last his people, and hath raised up an horn of
Ithing he communicated silently was salvation for us in the house of his servant
on a writing tablet confirming that the David” (vv68-69). Obviously, Zacharias
name of his son would be John. And then was aware of the lineage of Mary and
his voice suddenly returned. When it did, Joseph; they both came from David’s line,
“he spake, and praised God” (Luk 1:64). so he knew they had royal blood in their
1
But praise was not the only thing flowing veins. And because Mary, in particular,
from his lips. Zacharias was “filled with had royal blood, the son in her womb did
the Holy Spirit and prophesied” (v67 also. Additionally, Zacharias had heard
2
ESV). The priest had become a prophet. what Mary told them about Gabriel’s visit,
Verses 67-79 record what is often re- promising that her virgin-born son would
ferred to as the Benedictus, a Latin trans- be given the throne of His father David
lation of the first word Zacharias spoke: (v32), fulfilling the covenant the Lord
“Blessed.” Like Mary’s song, his too is made with him in 2 Samuel 7. Zacharias
filled with Scripture. Mary quoted mostly believed that message and praised God
from the Psalms while Zacharias cited for it.
the prophets (especially in verses 76-79). In the first movement of his song, Zacha-
One function of the Benedictus is that it rias did what Mary did: he used prophetic
answers the question about John: “What past tenses to describe the coming of the
then will this child be?” (v66 NET). The Messiah and the redemption this Son of
end of Zacharias’ song will tell us. David would accomplish (“He hath vis-
The hymn is made up, then, of both ited … hath redeemed … hath raised up
praise and prophecy – praise to God for …”). What he sang about was as good as
remembering His covenants with David done. Interestingly, the first phrase of the
and Abraham (vv68-75), and prophecies Benedictus gives us another David con-
about John and Jesus (vv76-79). nection. It was David who said “Blessed

The Praise Portion be the LORD God of Israel” (1Ki 1:48) in
relation to his son Solomon sitting upon
First, notice Zacharias’ praise to God his throne. Now that phrase is on the lips
for remembering His covenant with David of Zacharias. Therefore, “the first son of
(vv68-71). “Blessed be the Lord God of David and the ultimate Son of David were
celebrated with identical praise to God.”
3
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV
unless otherwise noted.
2 Zacharias is the last in his family to be filled 3 R. Kent Hughes, Luke Volume One: That You
with the Holy Spirit in Luke 1 (see verses 15,41 May Know the Truth (Wheaton, IL: Crossway
in relation to John and Elisabeth). Books, 1998), 74.

88 TRUTH kTidings March 2026