Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists Matthew Mark and Luke John Calvin (continued)
Luke 1:18-20
LUKE 1:18-20
Luke 1:18-20 18. And Zacharias said to the angel, How shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife is at an advanced age. 19. And the angel answering said to him, I am Gabriel, who stand before God, and have been sent to speak to thee, and to convey to thee these glad tidings. 20. And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be able to speak, until the day when these things shall happen; because thou hast not believed my words, which shall be fulfilled in their time,
And Zacharias said to the angel Next follows the doubt of Zacharias, and the punishment which the Lord inflicted on his unbelief. He had prayed that he might obtain offspring, and now that it is promised, he distrusts, as if he had forgotten his own prayers and faith. It might, at first sight, appear harsh that God is so much offended by his reply. He brings forward his old age as an objection. Abraham did the same; and yet his faith is so highly applauded that Paul declares, he
"considered not his own body now dead, neither yet the deadness of Sarah's womb," (Romans 4:19,) but unhesitatingly relied on the truth and power of God. Zacharias inquires how, or by what proof, he might arrive at certainty. But Gideon was not blamed for twice asking a sign, (Judges 6:17, 37, 39.) Nay more, we are shortly after this informed of Mary's objection, How shall this be, since I know not a man? (ver. 34,) which the angel passes over as if it contained nothing wrong. How comes it then that God punishes Zacharias so severely, as if he had been guilty of a very heinous sin? I do acknowledge that, if the words only are considered, either all were equally to blame, or Zacharias did nothing wrong. But as the actions and words of men must be judged from the state of the heart, we ought rather to abide by the judgment of God, to whom the hidden secrets of the heart are naked and opened, (Hebrews 4:13.)
Unquestionably, the Lord beheld in Zacharias something worse than his