Luke 1 seems to present some difficulties to those who insist that YHWH does not act or intervene in events and with people. Likewise for those who dismiss anything supernatural.
"1 Many have undertaken to draw up an account of the things that have been fulfilled[a] among us, 2 just as they were handed down to us by those who from the first were eyewitnesses and servants of the word. 3 With this in mind, since I myself have carefully investigated everything from the beginning, I too decided to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 so that you may know the certainty of the things you have been taught."
We start the Gospel of Luke with the author assuring the recipient that he is compiling an account based on eyewitness testimony, which the author investigated, with the intent of giving the reader certainty about the recorded events. To me this seems to exclude the author repeating things that were not testified to be eyewitnesses or things about what the author doesn't have certainty.
"5 In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah; his wife Elizabeth was also a descendant of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, observing all the Lord’s commands and decrees blamelessly. 7 But they were childless because Elizabeth was not able to conceive, and they were both very old.
8 Once when Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9 he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to go into the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10 And when the time for the burning of incense came, all the assembled worshipers were praying outside."
This section set the stage in the historical context, and starts the story of Jesus with the birth narrative of John the Baptist.
"11 Then an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12 When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and was gripped with fear. 13 But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John. 14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even before he is born. 16 He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”"
Given the introduction, it would follow that the author is certain about what he is reporting. That YHWH sent an angel to speak with Zechariah and to tell him that YHWH Himself had heard the prayers of Zechariah and Elizabeth and that YHWH will intervene to answer those prayers. Also that YHWH's answer takes place outside of the normal, natural, course of events. YHWH is acting through a woman thought to be barren, in order to make a point. Further, the restrictions on John recall the restrictions of Nazarites of the OT at least in some sense. Finally, John's role is that of an OT prophet. To prepare the way for "The Lord" (referring to Jesus in terms that are usually applied to YHWH), and to turn people to righteous obedience and wisdom. Strangely enough, not one mention of any economic issues.
"18 Zechariah asked the angel, “How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years.”
19 The angel said to him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you and to tell you this good news. 20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their appointed time.”"
Zechariah's response to Gabriel was quite the contrast to Mary's later in the chapter. His response is doubt and he demands proof. Given the circumstances, it doesn't seem unreasonable to ask but doubting an angel sent from YHWH does seem foolish. Gabriel then provided his resume, so to speak. He is clear that he stands in the presence of YHWH and the he speaks on behalf of YHWH. That there is an "appointed time" for this to happen has always interested me. It seem to indicate that these events were a part of a larger plan of YHWH and had been "appointed" long ago.
21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah and wondering why he stayed so long in the temple. 22 When he came out, he could not speak to them. They realized he had seen a vision in the temple, for he kept making signs to them but remained unable to speak.
23 When his time of service was completed, he returned home. 24 After this his wife Elizabeth became pregnant and for five months remained in seclusion. 25 “The Lord has done this for me,” she said. “In these days he has shown his favor and taken away my disgrace among the people.”
Elizabeth, however, managed to respond in a much more appropriate way.
"26 In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a town in Galilee, 27 to a virgin pledged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. 28 The angel went to her and said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.”
29 Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30 But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. 32 He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33 and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”"
Once again we see the claim that YHWH sent Gabriel to someone to tell them that YHWH was going to intervene in time and space, and that He was going to use Mary as a part of His plan. It seems germane to note that Gabriel specifies what the child's name is to be (YHWH Saves) and that Gabriel is giving Mary a glimpse of who/what Jesus really is. This seems to be a reasonably clear statement of the deity of Jesus, and of His Kingship.
"34 “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?”
35 The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called[b] the Son of God. 36 Even Elizabeth your relative is going to have a child in her old age, and she who was said to be unable to conceive is in her sixth month. 37 For no word from God will ever fail.”
38 “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” Then the angel left her."
Note Mary's response compared to Zechariah. She seems much more willing to accept what she is being told, and her questions seem to suggest sincere curiosity rather than disbelief. The final statement about the "word of YHWH" never failing is interesting.
"39 At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, 40 where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. 41 When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. 42 In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! 43 But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? 44 As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. 45 Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”"
Given that the author of Luke is clear that he is repeating eyewitness testimony, for the purpose of giving the reader certainty, it seems difficult to dismiss this episode as anything but accurate. That Elizabeth knew, through the Holy Spirit, who and what Jesus was to be and do, seems impossible to attribute to anything except the intervention of YHWH. Eliazbeth reiterates an unshakable confidence in the promises of YHWH.
As I read the first part of Luke 1, I am left to draw the conclusion that the author either spoke with eyewitnesses to these events and is recounting them accurately, or that the author undercuts his own claims by including events that didn't/couldn't happen because YHWH "doesn't work that way in time and space". Personally, I can't reconcile a God who doesn't intervene in the world He created with the events recorded in Scripture. Either YHWH is a trustworthy God who keeps His promises and is actively intervening in the lives of His people, or He's not. If He's not, then how can we trust anything we read in Scripture, especially the Gospels?
