When was the last time someone called you “excellent”? I’m guessing it’s been a long time, and maybe never. It’s certainly not a compliment we get every day! Luke’s gospel starts off with a dedication by the author, “I too decided, after investigating everything carefully from the very first, to write and orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, so that you may know the truth concerning the things about which you have been instructed.”
The
question is, who is Theophilus? Who is
this “most excellent” person?
Most
biblical scholars that I know of say that Theophilus was the author’s
patron. He was Luke’s financial
benefactor. It’s no surprise that if
someone is financing your life you’re going to be flattering toward them. Theophilus is otherwise unknown though. And importantly, not all biblical scholars
take that approach.
I
think it is contrary to the theology of Luke’s gospel to butter up a wealthy person. Luke has a contemptuous view of wealth. Also, “theophilus” as a word means “friend of
God,” or “lover of God”. So, some
biblical scholars say that Theophilus is the reader, whoever that reader is –
including you. I think that
fits. Luke is a clever and playful
writer. At the very least it’s the sort
of thing he would do.
So,
quite possibly Luke is calling you, you who he’s never met, “most excellent
lover of God.” Part of the Bible is
dedicated to you! And the Bible
is calling you “most excellent”.
Now
if that gives you an inflated ego you’ve missed the point. It is intended to be a compliment and also an
affirmation. We need to take a moment to
remember the world that Luke is writing into.
It seems most likely that this gospel was written around the year 80. You’ll remember that there were Jewish
revolts in the 60’s and the Romans clamped down in the year 70. They destroyed Jerusalem completely, which of
course included the temple. The Roman
destruction was so complete that archaeologists can only find fragments of the
foundations of buildings.
As
a religion Judaism was in shambles. The
temple was gone. The central leadership
appears to have either fled or been killed.
Several of the sects within Judaism disappeared – either the Romans
killed them or they were too scared to continue. Romans also didn’t consider Christianity to
be its own religion. They saw it as
another sect of Judaism. In some places
Christians were persecuted. In other
places not. Regardless, it wasn’t safe
to go around proclaiming that one was a follower of Jesus of Nazareth. All in all, Luke’s original audience did not
feel like they were most excellent lovers of God. Their faith and the world around them were a
mess. They needed reassurance. And they needed to know that God was in
control. They needed to know that God
would bring order to the chaos.
And
so the first person we meet is Zechariah.
We are told that he is a priest. Being
a priest was not, for the most part, an occupation. Being a priest was a role you were born
into. It just meant you were of the
tribe of Levi. It appears as if there
was a rotation among the priestly tribe and they would come to serve in the
temple for a time, probably twice a year.
Once there what they did was determined by lot, which is basically like
rolling dice.
Luke
tells us that not only was Zechariah a priest his wife Elizabeth was also of
priestly descent. And both Zechariah and
Elizabeth were righteous people.
Luke
wants his readers to see the orderliness of God’s actions. He wants his readers to see that God
remembers and honors the religious laws and those who live righteously. The whole world may appear to be going off
kilter, but God’s firmly in control.
We
learn that despite their righteousness they have been unable to have
children. That would have been seen as a
contradiction in those days. With a lack
of medical knowledge most people viewed a couple’s inability to have children
as proof that God did not like them.
They must be somehow in wrong with God.
Typically the woman would bear the brunt of the blame. The eventual birth of John the Baptist brought
honor and dignity to Elizabeth.
The
barrenness of the Zechariah and Elizabeth as an old couple also carries a
symbolic meaning. We just spent the
whole summer in a worship series on the prophets. You’ll recall that by the time we got to the
prophet Daniel the people had been waiting in expectation for God to act for
hundreds of years. Israel’s hope is
paralleled by an aging couple hoping for the birth of a child. In both cases the waiting had been so long
that they were despairing of it ever happening.
The announcement of the birth of John is a call for renewed hope.
The
hope is not going to be exactly what the people had in mind, however. The angel’s message says nothing about a
restored kingdom of Israel. It also says
nothing of the expulsion of the non-Jews, which was another Jewish
expectation. The message is one of
renewed hope, begun by repentance and ongoing faithful living.
We know the story of Jesus well, so
it will carry no surprises for us. But as
Luke tells it, it is a story of surprises.
Zechariah is certainly surprised.
Elizabeth will be surprised. Many
characters will be surprised. King Herod
is mentioned as a reference point. There
are some surprises there too. What is
King Herod most known for? Or perhaps I
should say it this way: Herod is one of the most famous people in history. But why is he famous? He undertook great building projects. He often acted to solidify his power. He was interested in proving his legitimacy
as a ruler. He saw himself as a power
player in the Roman world. But is he
actually known for any of that stuff?
No. Herod’s known not because of
what he intended to do. He is known for
how his life intersected with the lives of John the Baptist and Jesus.
So much for the grand plans of human
beings! We need to remember that our
greatest efforts are nothing if they aren’t connected to God’s designs. And there’s no point trying to convince God
that your agenda is going to be of benefit to God. You just can’t make that case. It is far better to let God’s desires and
designs be what makes the plans for your life.
Things
don’t go according to Zechariah’s ideas either.
I know that the Bible always describes angels as terrifying beings. Every time an angel appears its first words
are, “Do not be afraid.” I know if my
life were ever interrupted by the sudden appearance of a divine messenger I’d
be terrified out of my wits! But
remember, Zechariah was ministering in the sanctuary of the temple
complex. Only the Holy of Holies was a
more sacred place, and that was just a few feet away from where he receives the
visit of the angel. Zechariah was not
just out in the street somewhere.
Perhaps he would be startled, but he should not be shocked that
something divine happens when he is in a holy place. Nevertheless he is terrified. He also appears unprepared to accept the
amazing news the angel brings. He says a
very logical but very foolish thing. He
asks for proof. Here’s a hint. If you’re ever met by and angel, and the
angel promises something beyond belief, just accept it. Don’t ask for proof! You might just get it! Zechariah got his proof. He was unable to speak until the promise is
fulfilled! Who knows, those quiet days
may have been the best days of his wife’s life!
We
can sense some of the themes that are going to be laid out in Luke’s gospel
right here at the beginning. While yes,
God will honor and fulfill promises made long ago, they will not be fulfilled
as humans thought. Also while God
respects the promises made to the Jews and God honors their ideas of
righteousness, God will also not be overly bound by such things.
There are many parallels between the
announcement of the conception of John the Baptist and the announcement of the
conception of Jesus. We’ll look at them
more next week. For now realize that the
Bible has called us excellent lovers of God.
Whether we feel it or not God is working in and through us. Maybe we will see the results of what God is
doing through us. Maybe we won’t. But we do not loose heart. We, like Zechariah and Elizabeth, and Mary who
we will meet next week, and many others we have yet to meet in the gospel,
embark on the adventure of being a lover of God.
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