Luke 1:68Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

That is, “with the working of the Holy Spirit;” for he had obtained the grace of the Holy Spirit, not in any manner, but fully; and the gift of prophecy shone forth in him; as it follows, And he prophesied.

He indeed came to the wandering sheep of the nation of Israel, yet many among them rejected grace, leading Him to recognize the genuine Israelites, namely, those who held faith.

God in His mercy and readiness to pardon our sins, not only restores to us what He has taken away, but grants us favours even beyond our expectations. Let no one then distrust Him, let no one from consciousness of past sins despair of the Divine blessing. God knoweth how to change His sentence, if thou hast known how to correct thy sin, seeing he that was long silent prophesies; as it is said, And Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit.

This foresight pertains to the Incarnation of Christ, through which He came to visit and liberate His people from the oppression of both unseen foes and visible adversaries, as they remained steadfast in their faith. His people include the old covenant community, and when they exhibited disobedience, the new covenant community emerged. He speaks of future events as if they have already occurred, in accordance with the prophetic tradition. Why then is He referred to solely as the God of Israel? Indeed, He encompasses not only Israel but all humanity, being the Creator of all. While He is recognized as God by the will of other nations, for the Israelites, He exists as God through their willing acceptance and conscious decision. Do not let the severity of Zechariah's statements confuse you; these are prophetic utterances. We will strive to elucidate them based on the understanding that has been granted to us.

Now Zacharias being filled with the Holy Spirit utters two prophecies, the first relating to Christ, the second to John. And this is plainly proved by those words in which he speaks of the Saviour as present and already going about in the world, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he hath visited, &c.

But the Lord visited His people who were pining away as it were from long sickness, and by the blood of His only begotten Son, redeemed them who were sold under sin. Which thing Zacharias, knowing that it would soon be accomplished, relates in the prophetic manner as if it were already passed. But he says, His people, not that when He came He found them His own, but that by visiting He made them so.

We should express our gratitude to Him for all the blessings we have received and continue to receive freely from God. However, our deepest thanks should be for sending His Son to rescue us in our lost state and for His willingness to endure suffering on our behalf, thus bringing us salvation. In this astonishing and unfathomable goodness and love for us, His grace is fully revealed. What a glorious salvation we have! The Son of God, the Sovereign and Lord of heaven, endured suffering and death for our redemption. Who has the authority to condemn a true believer? The Son of God suffered and died so that he might be cleansed and sanctified by His blood, and God will declare him righteous. Reflect on this profound and incomprehensible work, and offer heartfelt thanks to God. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited His people and accomplished redemption for them, raising up a mighty Savior for us in the lineage of His servant David (Luke 1:68-69).

In this passage, Zechariah expresses the prophecy concerning Israel's salvation, highlighting their current suffering that necessitates rescue. The term "Visit" is a biblical phrase often associated with divine intervention, commonly used throughout Scripture. It is depicted in terms of both arrival and departure. What type of salvation is Zechariah referring to in this context? It could encompass two aspects: liberation from physical afflictions and from transgressions. When examining the Gospel narratives regarding the life of Jesus Christ, one cannot overlook the significance of the Nativity of John the Baptist and his early years.

When the heavenly light shone forth, Zechariah sang a hymn to grace the Virgin's form with a precious gem. Blessed is the Lord God of Israel for coming to His people and granting them salvation. By the Incarnation of His Son, God has come to His people and freed them from the tyranny of evil spirits.

"Visited His people" serves as a metaphorical phrase (indicating comfort and assistance), representing the divine act of providing solace and aid to humanity through the Messiah, the incarnate Son of God. "Wrought deliverance" captures the fundamental purpose of the Messiah's mission, which is to liberate or redeem humanity and to justify them before the righteous judgment of God. This concept of deliverance or redemption draws upon the tradition of redeeming captives from their foes at a cost. By nature, humanity is ensnared by sin and faces condemnation and eternal death; inherently, individuals are powerless to offer a ransom for themselves, unable to justify their existence before God or extricate themselves from sin. Yet, the truth of God demands such a ransom.