Verse 67
And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit, and prophesied, saying.
Prophesied ... This word, as used in the New Testament, is not limited in meaning to the mere prediction of future events. Paul, a close friend of Luke, said, "He that prophesieth speaketh unto men edification, exhortation, and consolation" (1 Corinthians 14:3). Of course, the foretelling of the future is also part of the meaning.
Filled with the Holy Spirit ... The inspiration and infallible accuracy of what Zacharias said in this circumstance is affirmed by such a declaration as this.
THE BENEDICTUS
The twelve verses recording Zacharias' words could be briefly summarized as a thanksgiving for the arrival of the times of the Messiah. It was God's blessing and mercy manifested by his fulfilling at last the ancient prophecies of the Old Testament, his breaking the centuries of silence after Malachi, and his establishing the promised reality of the covenant with Abraham that dominated the major part of Zacharias' prophecy. Not until the last four verses did he speak of his precious son and the share he would have in such a glorious fulfillment of God's word.
Like the Magnificat, this portion of Luke has been used extensively in the liturgies of the historical church; like the Virgin's Hymn, this too was first adopted for liturgical use by St. Caesarius of Arles in the sixth century.
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