Zacharias

(1.) A priest of the course of Abia, the eighth of the twenty-four courses into which the priests had been originally divided by David (1 Chr. 23:1-19). Only four of these courses or “families” of the priests returned from the Exile (Ezra 2:36-39); but they were then re-distributed under the old designations. The priests served at the temple twice each year, and only for a week each time. Zacharias’s time had come for this service. During this period his home would be one of the chambers set apart for the priests on the sides of the temple ground. The offering of incense was one of the most solemn parts of the daily worship of the temple, and lots were drawn each day to determine who should have this great honour, an honour which no priest could enjoy more than once during his lifetime. While Zacharias ministered at the golden altar of incense in the holy place, it was announced to him by the angel Gabriel that his wife Elisabeth, who was also of a priestly family, now stricken in years, would give birth to a son who was to be called John, and that he would be the forerunner of the long-expected Messiah (Luke 1:12-17). As a punishment for his refusing to believe this message, he was struck dumb and “not able to speak until the day that these things should be performed” (20). Nine months passed away, and Elisabeth’s child was born, and when in answer to their inquiry Zacharias wrote on a “writing tablet,” “His name is John,” his mouth was opened, and he praised God (60-79). The child (John the Baptist), thus “born out of due time,” “waxed strong in spirit” (1:80). (2.) The “son of Barachias,” mentioned as having been slain between the temple and the altar (Matt. 23:35; Luke 11:51). “Barachias” here may be another name for Jehoiada, as some think. (See ZECHARIAH.)

(Greek form of Zechariah).

ZACHARI'AS, properly ZACHARI'AH (remembered by Jehovah). Our Lord mentions a Zacharias, son of Barachias, as having been slain between the "sanctuary " (not "altar," but the inner shrine) and the temple, Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51; probably the person of that name whose death under such circumstances is mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-22. It is true that not this Zachariah, but Urijah, was the last O.T. martyr, Jer 26:23; but inasmuch as Second Chronicles was the last book of the canon according to the Jewish arrangement, our Lord took an instance from it, as he took Abel from Genesis, the first. The principal objection to this identification is that this Zacharias is stated to have been the son of Jehoiada, and not of Barachiah; but the word "son" may be used in its usual lax sense, and Barachiah may have been his grandfather. The father of John the Baptist, and husband of Elisabeth, which it is interesting to remark is the same name as "Elisheba," the name of the wife of Aaron. Ex 6:23. He was a priest of the course of Abia, which was the eighth of the twenty-four classes into which the descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, were divided. 1 Chr 24. Each of these ministered in the temple one week. But this fact does not enable us in any wise to determine the date of the occurrence mentioned in Luke 1. Of Zacharias and Elisabeth we read: "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they were both now well stricken in years." It was while Zacharias served one day in the temple that an angel appeared to him and prophesied the birth of a son. But, although for this he had long been praying, he did not believe that God would thus signally answer his prayer. He required a sign, and he received one - dumbness up to the time of the circumcision of the child. To the wonder of the attendant people he silently dismissed, but conveyed by action enough to let them know he had seen a vision, he was a deaf-mute until, in obedience to the angelic direction, he had named the infant born to him John. Then he not only spoke, but was filled with the Holy Ghost, and in a strain of the most devout gratitude and praise he poured out his soul. And, thus singing, he passes out of history.

ZACHARI'AS, properly ZACHARI'AH (remembered by Jehovah). Our Lord mentions a Zacharias, son of Barachias, as having been slain between the "sanctuary " (not "altar," but the inner shrine) and the temple, Matt 23:35; Luke 11:51; probably the person of that name whose death under such circumstances is mentioned in 2 Chr 24:20-22. It is true that not this Zachariah, but Urijah, was the last O.T. martyr, Jer 26:23; but inasmuch as Second Chronicles was the last book of the canon according to the Jewish arrangement, our Lord took an instance from it, as he took Abel from Genesis, the first. The principal objection to this identification is that this Zacharias is stated to have been the son of Jehoiada, and not of Barachiah; but the word "son" may be used in its usual lax sense, and Barachiah may have been his grandfather. The father of John the Baptist, and husband of Elisabeth, which it is interesting to remark is the same name as "Elisheba," the name of the wife of Aaron. Ex 6:23. He was a priest of the course of Abia, which was the eighth of the twenty-four classes into which the descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar, the sons of Aaron, were divided. 1 Chr 24. Each of these ministered in the temple one week. But this fact does not enable us in any wise to determine the date of the occurrence mentioned in Luke 1. Of Zacharias and Elisabeth we read: "They were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless. And they had no child, because that Elisabeth was barren, and they were both now well stricken in years." It was while Zacharias served one day in the temple that an angel appeared to him and prophesied the birth of a son. But, although for this he had long been praying, he did not believe that God would thus signally answer his prayer. He required a sign, and he received one - dumbness up to the time of the circumcision of the child. To the wonder of the attendant people he silently dismissed, but conveyed by action enough to let them know he had seen a vision, he was a deaf-mute until, in obedience to the angelic direction, he had named the infant born to him John. Then he not only spoke, but was filled with the Holy Ghost, and in a strain of the most devout gratitude and praise he poured out his soul. And, thus singing, he passes out of history.