Luke 1:20

1:20 now . . . you will be silent and unable to speak: This discipline for Zechariah’s lack of faith was also a sign that confirmed the prophecy. The Greek word translated silent in 1:22 can also mean “deaf” (7:22; cp. 1:62). • Zechariah is contrasted with Mary, who responded with faith (1:38).

Tyndale Open Study Notes — © Tyndale Open Resources, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Luk 1:20. Ἰδοὺ, behold) as much as to say, by this thou shalt be made know. An appropriate sign is given to him who asked for a sign, though the sign given was not such as he would have desired.—σιωπῶν, silent) in the matter of fact [actually].—μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι, not able to speak) in the want of the ability to speak [physically]. Comp. [accordingly in his recovery both are specified] Luk 1:64, the mouth and the tongue. For the most part, those to whom a great revelation is vouchsafed, are wont to lose something of their natural power, without however real hurt to them. So Jacob was made lame; but his lameness proved, not a blemish, but a mark of honour to him: so Zacharias here was made dumb: Saul (Paul) was for a time deprived of sight. This dumbness of Zacharias at the same time acted as a spiritual medicine, lest he should too much pride himself on account of the prophecy as to the greatness of his son.—ἄχρι ἧς) Comp. Luk 1:64 [His mouth opened] with Luk 1:13 [Thou shalt call his name John], 63 [When the ‘things’ foretold were ‘performed,’ and Zacharias, ceasing from unbelief, wrote, “His name is John”]. [The day alluded to was the day of John’s circumcision, on which he received his name.—V. g.]—ἀνθ ̓ ὧν, because) Therefore it was, strictly speaking, a punishment.—οὐκ ἐπιστεύσας, thou hast not believed) He did not believe: on this account he was not able to speak.[6]—πληρωθήσονται, shall be fulfilled) It is the event which chiefly produces faith.—εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν, at their own season) their proper season. Comp. at this time [will I come], Rom 9:9. 2Ki 4:16.

[6] See 2Co 4:13.—ED. and TRANSL

Bengel's Gnomon of the New Testament — English translation (T&T Clark, Edinburgh, 1860) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Luk 1:20 . σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δ . λ ., silent and not able to speak; a temporary dumbness the sign asked, a slight penalty; not arbitrary, however, rather the almost natural effect of his state of mind a kind of prolonged stupefaction resulting from a promise too great to be believed, yet pointing to a boon passionately desired. ἀνθʼ ὧν : a phrase of Lk. = תַּחַת אֲשֶׁר , because . (Also in 2Th 2:10 .)

The Expositor's Greek Testament, edited by W. Robertson Nicoll (1897–1910) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. καὶ ἰδοὺ ἔσῃ σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι. The ἰδού is Hebraistic, but is not rare in class. Grk. It introduces something new with emphasis. Signum poscenti datur congruum, quamvis non optatum (Beng.). The analytical form of the fut. marks the duration of the silence (comp. 5:10, 6:40 ?, 17:35 ?, 21:17); and μὴ δυνάμενος, κ.τ.λ., is added to show that the silence is not a voluntary act, but the sign which was asked for (comp. Dan 10:15). Thus his wrong request is granted in a way which is at once a judgment and a blessing; for the unbelief is cured by the punishment. For σιωπάω of dumbness comp. 4 Mac. 10:18.

We have here one of many parallels in expression between Gospel and Acts. Comp. this with Act 13:11 ; 1:39 with Act 1:15; 1:66 with Act 11:21 ; Act 2:9 with Act 12:7 ; Act 15:20 with Act 20:37 ; Act 21:18 with Act 27:34; Act 24:19 with Act 7:22.

In N.T. μή with the participle is the common constr., and in mod. Grk. it is the invariable use. In Lk. there is only one instance of οὐ with a participle (6:42). See Win. 4:5. β, pp. 607-610; Lft. Epp. of St. Paul, p. 39, 1895. The combination of the negative with the positive statement of the same thing, although found in class. Grk., is more common in Heb. literature. In Act 13:11 we have ἔσῃ τυφλὸς μὴ βλέπων; comp. Joh 1:3, Joh 1:20, Joh 1:3:16, Joh 1:10:5, Joh 1:18, Joh 1:18:20, Joh 1:20:27; Rev 2:13, Rev 2:3:9; Psa 89:30, Psa 89:31, Psa 89:48; 2Sa 14:5; Isa 38:1, etc.

ἄχρι ἦς ἡμέρας Gal 3:19 is the only certain exception to the rule that ἄχρι, not ἄχρις, usually precedes vowels in N.T. Comp. 17:27, 21:24, and see on 16:16. For the attraction, comp. Act 1:2 ; Mat 24:38. Attractions are specially freq. in Lk. See on 3:10; also Blass, Gr. pp. 169, 214.

ἀνθʼ ὧν. Only in this phrase does ἀντί suffer elision in N.T. It is equivalent to ἀντί τούτων ὅτι, “for that, because” (19:44; Act 12:23 ; 2Th 2:10; Lev 26:43; 2Ki 22:17; Eze 5:11). It is found in class. Grk. (Soph. Ant. 1068 ; Aristoph. Plut. 434).

οἵτινες. Stronger than the simple relative: “which are of such a character that.” Comp. 2:10, 7:37, 39, 8:3, 15. Almost always in nom.

εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν. That which takes place in a time may be regarded as entering into that time: the words go on to their fulfilment. Comp. εἰς τὸ μέλλον (13:9) and εἰς τὸ μεταξὺ σάββατον (Act 13:42).

International Critical Commentary — older volumes (1896–1929), various authors — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

dumb--speechless.

not able--deprived of the power of speech (Luk 1:64). He asked a sign, and now he got it.

until the day that these things shall be performed--See on Luk 1:64.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 20. Thou shalt be dumb] σιωπων silent; this translation is literal; the angel immediately explains it, thou shalt not be able to speak. Dumbness ordinarily proceeds from a natural imperfection or debility of the organs of speech; in this case there was no natural weakness or unfitness in those organs; but, for his rash and unbelieving speech, silence is imposed upon him by the Lord, and he shall not be able to break it, till the power that has silenced him gives him again the permission to speak! Let those who are intemperate in the use of their tongues behold here the severity and mercy of the Lord; nine months' silence for one intemperate speech! Many, by giving way to the language of unbelief, have lost the language of praise and thanksgiving for months, if not years!

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(20) Behold, thou shalt be dumb.—The question was answered, the demand for a sign granted, but the demand had implied a want of faith, and therefore the sign took the form of a penalty. The vision and the words of the angel, harmonising as they did with all Zechariah’s previous convictions, ought to have been enough for him.

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20. thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak] He receives the sign for which he had unfaithfully asked (Mat_12:38), but it comes in the form of a punishment. This positive and negative way of expressing the same thing is common, especially in Hebrew literature, 2Sa_14:5; Exo_21:11; Isa_38:1; Lam_3:2, &c.

in their season] “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life,” Gen_18:10, i. e. after the usual nine months.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

And behold, thou shalt be dumb, &c. Or "silent; and not able to speak", if he would. Silence is sometimes voluntary; but this was what he could not help;

until the day that these thing shall be performed; which he had said concerning the conception and birth of a son, and the imposition of a name on him; for this dumbness remained upon Zachariah, not only until his wife had conceived, and the child was born, but until the eighth day after, when he was circumcised, and his name was given him the angel directed to: "because thou believest not my words": he was struck both deaf and dumb, as appears from his friends making signs to him, Luk 1:62 which they had no need to have done, could he have heard: he was struck with deafness, because he hearkened not to the angel's words; and with dumbness, because from the unbelief of his heart he objected to them. We learn from hence, what an evil unbelief is, and how much resented by God, and how much it becomes us to take heed, that it prevails not in us: and especially since it easily besets us: "which shall be fulfilled in their season"; first the conception, then the birth; after that the calling him by his name, and in process of time, the doing of his work and office; so that the unbelief Zacharias did not make the faith of God of none effect; for though sometimes the people of God are very unbelieving, yet he abides faithful to his word and promises. Mahomet, in his Alkoran (k), very wrongly makes the angel to say these words to Zacharias,

"thy sign shall be, that thou shalt speak unto no man for three days, otherwise than by gesture.

And elsewhere (l) it is said three nights,

(k) C. 3. p. 40. Ed. Sale. (l) C. 10. p. 249.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

20 And, behold, thou shalt be dumb, and not able to speak, until the day that these things shall be performed, because thou believest not my words, which shall be fulfilled in their season.

Ver. 20. And behold thou shall be dumb] His tongue that so lately moved through unbelief is now tied up. God will not pass by the wellmeant weaknesses of his own, without a sensible check. He was also deaf as well as dumb: hence they made signs to him, Luk 1:62.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Because thou believest not ... - This was both a sign and a judgment - a sign that he had come from God, and that the thing would be fulfilled: and a judgment for not giving credit to what he had said. There is no sin in the sight of God more aggravated than unbelief. When God speaks; man should believe; nor can he that “will not” believe escape punishment. God speaks only truth, and we should believe Him. God speaks only what is for our good, and it is right that we should suffer if we do not credit what He says.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

On account of the many signs the angel had given, that what he said was true, the unbelief of Zacharias seemed inexcusable; for the angel appeared in a holy place, in the temple, and during divine service: he, moreover, foretold what related to the redemption of all the people, and to the glory of God; from all which circumstances, Zacharias ought to have concluded, that it was a good angel, and that what he said would eventually come to pass. (Nicholas of Lyra) --- Shalt be dumb, &c. He seems to have been both dumb and deaf by the Greek text, and by what we may learn from ver. 62; where we find, that those who were present did not speak, but rather made signs to him. (Witham)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

Thou shalt be dumb - The Greek word signifies deaf, as well as dumb: and it seems plain, that he was as unable to hear, as he was to speak; for his friends were obliged to make signs to him, that he might understand them, ver. 62.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

20. Thou shalt be dumb. His power of speech taken away shall be a sign.

B. W. Johnson's The People's New Testament with Notes (1889–1891) — public domain. Electronic text from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library (CCEL) ThML edition.

20. πληρωθήσονται. D πλησθήσονται, comp. Luk 5:15.

20. ἰδού. The word is used to call attention to something notable or surprising, and is specially frequent in St Matthew and St Luke (הִנֵּה, Isa 7:14). It is often a mere lively form of transition.

σιωπῶν καὶ μὴ δυνάμενος λαλῆσαι. ‘Thou shall be silent’ (not ‘dumb,’ which would be κωφός). The μὴ is used to indicate the thought of his friends that he was unable to speak. St Luke similarly puts a participle with μὴ after an adjective in Act 13:14, ἔσῃ τυφλὸς μὴ βλέπων. See a somewhat different explanation in Winer, p. 610, and the note on Luk 4:42. This positive and negative way of expressing the same thing is common, especially in Hebrew literature, 2Sa 14:5; Exo 21:11; Isa 38:1; Lam 3:2, &c.; but it is also found in classic writers. Zacharias receives the sign for which he had unfaithfully asked (Mat 12:38), but it comes in the form of a punishment. Comp. Dan 10:15.

οἵτινες. The pronoun is qualitative, and gives the reason for the punishment. ‘Thou didst not believe my words, which are of such a kind that,’ &c.

εἰς τὸν καιρὸν αὐτῶν. “I will certainly return unto thee according to the time of life,” Gen 18:10, i.e. after the usual nine months. Εἰς τὸν καιρὸν is a classical idiom by constructio praegnans for. ἐν τῷ καιρῷ. It means that the angel’s words shall await the due time for their accomplishment. Comp. εἰς τὸ μέλλον in Luk 13:9.

Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges (Cambridge University Press, 1896; 21 vols, various authors incl. Carr, Maclear, Plummer, Farrar, Lumby, Moule, M. R. James, Simcox) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

20.] We must not consider this dumbness solely as a punishment; it was also a sign, as Zacharias had required. It is impossible for us to say what the degree of unbelief in Zacharias was, and therefore we can be no judges as to his being deserving of the punishment (against Strauss and the rationalists).

κ. μ. δυν. λαλ.] This is not a repetition, but an explanation of the ground and reason, of σιωπῶν.

ἄχρι ἧς ἡμέρας γέν. ταῦτα] ποῖα; ἡ γέννησις δηλαδή, καὶ ἡ κλῆσις τοῦ ὀνόματος. Euthym.

ἀνθʼ ὧν is not a Hebraism, but good Greek: see Passow, and Matthiæ, § 480.

οἵτινες not merely identifies, but classifies: “being, as they are, of that kind which …”

Henry Alford, The Greek Testament (1849–1861) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Thou shalt be silent [εση σιωπων] . Lit., thou shalt be being silent. The finite verb and participle denote continuance.

Not able to speak. Showing that the silence would not be voluntary. My words which [οιτινες] . The pronoun is qualitative, denoting a class.

" My words, which, incredible as they seem to you, are of a kind which shall be fulfilled.

In their season [εις τον καιρον] . The preposition implies exactness : at the completion of the appointed time. The process of fulfilment, beginning now, will go on, eijv, up to, the appointed time, and at the time will be consummated. Kairon, season, is more specific than cronov, time. It is an appointed, fitting time : the right point of time when circumstances shall concur.

Marvin R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887–1900) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.