Kingdom Prayer: The Gospel of Luke With N.T. WrightSýnishorn

Zechariah's song, called the ‘Benedictus', is also regularly prayed in many church traditions. It is the other great pairing of Luke 1, sharing many of its themes with the Magnificat. Like the Magnificat, it is borne out of and reflects a sense of great astonishment. Elizabeth’s pregnancy was announced to Zechariah, but he wasn’t as ready with faith as Mary, resulting in his not being able to speak until John is born. When Zechariah responds in faith that the child should be named John, as the angel said, he regains his speech, at which point he sings his song in response.

Like the Magnificat, his words praise God’s sudden action, specifically to free the oppressed and look after the downtrodden. Specifically, it answers the neighbours’ question, ‘What then will this child become?’ in a prophetic manner, shifting the focus from John to what God will do through John. Also like the Magnificat, the Benedictus is about Israel’s God coming back in person to do what had always been promised. Both songs begin, in most translations, with the idea that God has ‘looked favourably’ on them. This language carries a sense of kingly visitation, which is also the language commonly used by the Israelites as they waited for God to fulfil the covenant with Abraham, return, gather and redeem the people.

While a new thing is happening, neither Zechariah’s song nor Mary’s cuts away from the deep heart of Israel’s hope. These are holy and blameless people using the language of their faith to call on God, believing their hopes would now be accomplished.

Reflection:

Compare the responses Mary & Zechariah have when visited by the angel. Think of something God called you to do in the past. Did you respond more like Zechariah or more like Mary?