Luke 1:20Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

Hence the angel was indignant and did not grant forgiveness to Zechariah despite his priestly status; in fact, he was punished even more severely because he was honored and was expected to excel in faith. What form did this punishment take? “And behold, thou shalt be silent, and shalt not be able to speak.” Your tongue, he states, has expressed doubt, and it will bear the consequences of that disbelief: “and behold, thou shalt be silent, and shalt not be able to speak till the day that it shall come to pass.” Consider the mercy of the Lord: you have disbelieved me, He says; accept this correction, and when the fulfillment of my promise is evident, my wrath shall recede; when you recognize that your punishment is just, I will release you from your chastisement. Let those who oppose hear how serious God's wrath is when scrutinized. Yet if Zechariah faced punishment for doubting the earthly birth, let me ask, how will you evade punishment for questioning the unfathomable and the supreme? Zechariah merely sought understanding, and he received no pardon; what justification will you offer, claiming to grasp the unseen and the incomprehensible, that you should not face consequences?

I wish to accomplish something, and you inquire how? I assert my ability to bring forth a child, and you scrutinize the method? In truth, your inquiries regarding the origin of My works are futile. Is any action impossible for God? Tell me, from where did Isaac come? Did not Abraham, though advanced in years, father him, and did he not call Sarah the barren one his mother? You, who find yourselves in similar anticipation, why did you not accept my words as truth? Therefore, “thou shalt be silent, and shalt not be able to speak because thou hast not believed my words.” I will restrain your tongue, which has moved to give an impious reply; by the very means of your sin, you will endure punishment. “Whosoever sins by what he sins, by what he is punished” (Prem. 11:17). Thus, “thou shalt be silent, and shalt not be able to speak... because you have not believed my words”; you who have spoken words yet lacked belief—wait for my statements, “which shall come to pass in due time,” for what is impossible for humanity is achievable for God. To Him be glory forever and ever. Amen.

This prophecy bound and released Zechariah's tongue: it bound him due to his disbelief concerning birth; but it was loosed once the birth occurred. The angel declared, since you are eager for a sign of the birth and have accepted my words, receive this firm assurance. The judgment against the wrongdoer is unyielding, and the corresponding punishment is swift. Truly, he should not have doubted the angel nor should the altar have been treated with disdain; he should not have perceived the time of incense as deceptive, for it was then that the angel appeared. He forgot the story of Abraham, who fathered a child in his old age, and received a profound confirmation of that miracle. Thus, the angel proclaimed, “Thou shalt be silent, and shalt not be able to speak until the day that it shall come true, because thou hast not believed my words.” O kind correction of a loving God, that serves to bring about restoration!

In disregarding the Word, he was chastised in his speech, so that through his silent suffering, he would honor the very Word he overlooked. When he questioned, “How shall these things be?” it was fitting for him to become mute in order to learn that the impossible was indeed attainable. His unrestrained tongue was silenced so that he could understand that the One who constrains speech also has the power to unbind a womb. Let his trial serve as a lesson for one reluctant to embrace faith. For in his attempts to communicate, when he realized he could not, he understood that the One who sealed his mouth could also open a barren womb. In his muteness, he became aware of the wrongness of his prior speech. The law stipulates “An eye for an eye” (Lev. 24:20) to ensure that one who suffers loss through harm recognizes the value of what they’ve injured. In the same vein, Zechariah, who sinned through his speech, received a just penalty to experience the consequences of righteous restitution. Deprived of voice due to his belief that the prophecy would not come to pass, he learned that he himself had hindered the fulfillment of that proclamation. The word of Zechariah put the angel's announcement to scrutiny, yet it was his own words that brought about the rebuke. All parts of him faced punishment through one aspect, for he was to be corrected in the manner of his transgression. Although the punishment affected him entirely, he distinctly recognized it in his speech. Such was Zechariah's transgression that it swiftly brought about retribution, ensuring that no one would follow the same path. Therefore, his doubt concerning the One who can alter nature resulted in his inability to articulate, teaching him about the authority of the One who governs all. Those lacking belief require signs to encourage their faith. Consequently, due to the uncertainty that plagued his heart, an angel placed a sign upon Zechariah's mouth, revealing that the One who can silence speech can also awaken a lifeless womb. In his silence, he could not articulate words but came to believe that his advanced age could indeed yield a child.

If he had the ability to hear, they would have communicated with him verbally rather than through signs. The original text indicates: you will be numbed, using the term εση σιωπων. The idea of 'you shall be numbed' conveys more depth than merely 'you shall be silent.' Gathered in this expression are both chastisement and mercy. Thus, Zechariah experienced correction intended to enhance his eventual joy; he would later rejoice at the birth of his son and the restoration of his speech. Such is the nature of divine correction, serving a beneficial purpose. "Because you have not believed my words." Zechariah is first acknowledged as a righteous man; how then could he struggle with belief? Yet, even those regarded as righteous can occasionally falter in faith. One Church saying reflects, "The silence of the Elder in sacred scripture conceals a mystery; for the grace that came through Moses was silent." Did Zechariah's punishment not mirror the earlier fate of the fig tree, where the Savior did not remove its capacity to bear fruit but merely confirmed what had already occurred? Overwhelmed by fear, Zechariah's spirit and body were unsettled, leading to misdirected faculties. Had he regained his faith, his soul could have regained dominion over his body, ushering in joy. Yet in Zechariah’s instance, faith succumbed to doubt. This inner turmoil must have left an imprint upon his physical condition, resulting in the loss of his speech. In essence, Zechariah silenced himself through confusion and disbelief. Thus, the inability to speak arose from unbelief, though not in a straightforward manner. It does not seem unusual for an angel to impose such consequences. Likewise, divine punishments can be contemplated in a broader context, where the repercussions we deem as natural outcomes of sin often go unnoticed in their relationship to wrongdoing. This perspective can be beneficial for moral reflection. The understanding that sin inherently brings its own punishment profoundly impacts our aversion to wrongdoing. If God were to refrain from actively punishing us, the natural course of evil would still manifest. This can be seen in the Gospel narratives detailing the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ, including the conception of John the Baptist.

And behold, you will be mute and unable to speak until the fulfillment of these events, because you did not believe my words, which will indeed come to pass in their appointed time.” Upon this, the angel vanished, leaving only the fragrant smoke of the censer to fill the sanctuary with its sweet aroma.