Trouble understanding a passage in Gospel of Luke?

Question

In Luke 1, Zechariah becomes mute because he questioned Gabriel. Yet, when Mary questions Gabriel, she recieves no punishment. Is there a reason for this?

Heres my thought but Im not sure if it is correct: she is to hold the Holy Spirit and an angel cant curse the bearer of the Holy Spirit?

Answer 1

If we look carefully at both questions to Gabriel you'll see a difference.

18 Zechariah asked the angel, "How can I be sure of this? I am an old man and my wife is well along in years."

Zechariah did not believe. His question tells us that he does not believe.

34 "How will this be," Mary asked the angel, "since I am a virgin?"

Mary is asking a question, since she does not understand, but she does believe.

The first one to answer this gave a flimsy answer claiming that the Bible told Zechariah it was possible for a couple to have a child while up in years.

Well the Bible also told Mary, had she studied it, that a Virgin would have a baby.

The bottom line is that Mary believed and Zechariah did not believe.

The angel did not curse Zechariah, the angel just took away his ability to speak until the baby was born.

That occured because of Zechariah's lack of faith. Mary did not have a lack of faith.

The angel even told Zechariah that he did not believe.

20 And now you will be silent and not able to speak until the day this happens, because you did not believe my words, which will come true at their proper time."

Pastor Art

Answer 2

Zechariah had doubts that such a thing could take place because both he and Elizabeth were old. But the angel, identifying himself as Gabriel, reassured Zechariah that this good news was from the Lord. When Gabriel appeared twice to Daniel (Dan. 8:16; 9:21), both times he gave Daniel instruction and understanding. He did the same here with Zechariah, as can be inferred from the song of praise and trust which Zechariah uttered later (Luke 1:67-79).

Zechariah’s inability to speak till the fulfillment of Gabriel’s message was, to some degree, a punishment for his unbelief. But it was also a sign. A sign in the Old Testament was often associated with a confirming observable phenomenon which accompanied a word of prophecy. For the next nine months Zechariah’s attempts to speak would prove the reality of Gabriel’s message.

When Zechariah finally came out of the temple, he was able to make the waiting people realize that he had seen a vision. He then returned home in Judah’s hill country after completing his temple duty.



Mary did not seem surprised that the Messiah was to come. Rather, she was surprised that she would be His mother since she was a virgin (lit., “since I do not know a man”).

But the angel did not rebuke Mary, as he had rebuked Zechariah (v. 20). This indicates that Mary did not doubt the angel’s words but merely wanted to know how such an event would be accomplished.

Answer 3

You do mean the elderly priest Zacharias & his elderly wife Elisabeth in Luke 1, right?

Zacharias a High priest & a man who had believed in God Almighty and followed His laws all of His life is afraid when Gabriel appears behind the Holy of Holies curtain.

You see, ONLY High Priests were allowed behind the Holy Of Holies curtain (where the Ark of the Covenant, The Tabernacle, holding the 10 Commandments stone tablets were housed) and only ONE priest was allowed behind the curtain at one time. So seeing another man, a warrior at that & a stranger standing near him frightened him.

God was not irritated that Zacharis was afraid because Gabriel simply appeared out of thin air. Anyone would be at first.

BUT...Zacharias, being a High Priest had read all the scriptures, & had heard of and knew Gabriel was the true messenger of God, yet he doubted him, that is why he was struck mute, until his son, John The Baptist was born.

What is so neat is that Mary, the mother of Jesus, was related by marriage to Elisabeth and Mary and Elisabeth loved each other very much.

Okay, the reason Gabriel did not punish Mary for her fear and doubt is that as it says, "Mary cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be." Mary was TRYING to believe and understand, but she did not know or did not remember Gabriel was God's messenger, and when Gabriel explained who he was, how she could become pregnant when she was not yet married. Then when Gabriel told her about Elisabeth's pregnancy that no one in the family knew of, because she was so old.

Mary then said, "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word."

She may not have understood everything, but she no longer doubt that God had sent Gabriel and that he had told her the truth, so she accepted God's message.

This is just one more proof that God Almighty does not chastise unjustly. He spanked the wise Zacharias, but He was patient in the face of Mary's innocence and ignorance.

Answer 4

Zechariah's question to Gabriel was an expression of doubt (How can I believe you, we're both so very old); while Mary's question was an inquiry about logistics (How can I get pregnant, I'm a virgin betrothed to be married). Girls her age and at her time in life didn't get much privacy she would have been killed if she had been caught with a man.

Answer 5

Zechariah was about to disagree with the message of God, because the tradition was that the son should be named after the father to continue the family name. As we see today we have Sr, Jr, Ist, 2nd and what have you; this means John would have had a name that Zechariah gave him but since it was God's plan, He had control over the naming of the son, it is the same in the account of the birth of Isaac and even Jesus, because Mary said let you will be done to thine handmaid. Since God knows our intentions he would not deal with Zechariah stubbornness. I hope this will help you understand why God silenced him.

Answer 6

I think it was a matter of attitude.

In modern English, Zechariah's response would be something like, "What, are you crazy! My wife's 90 years old! Get outta here!"

Mary's was something like, "Well, okay. Sure, I'll do it," (silently hoping she doesn't get stoned to death for adultury but not saying so out loud). "But, do you mind if I ask you a couple of questions about how this is gonna work? I mean, the way my mom explained it to me, you had to have sex to get pregnant."

Answer 7

Because he wasn't to prophesy until the next prophet that God would send to Israel after four hundred years of silence was born.

Matthew 11:12 And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force.
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
14 And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which was for to come.
15 He that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Answer 8

Zechariah was made mute because he wasn't going to give John the name God had chosen. It was only when he agreed to call his son John that he was able to talk.

Mary's questioning of Gabriel was not a refusal of what God wanted, just an explanation of how it could happen.

Answer 9

actually it wasnt a punishment it was just a sign that a special child would be born that would be John the first words he spoke after being mute was this child will be called John

Answer 10

Frankly, I don't know what an angel can and cannot do. Zechariah must have been skeptical and it's possible that the mother's life could have been in danger if Zechariah spilled the beans.