The Dayspring From on High

Passages: Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18; Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 1:57-80

John reaches back before Luke's own account begins, tracing Jesus back to the eternal Word who was with God, and was God, before Luke picks up his careful, orderly narrative with the temple priest Zechariah, told by an angel that his barren wife Elisabeth will bear a son. Six months later the same angel, Gabriel, appears to a young woman in Nazareth named Mary with news harder still to believe. Mary hurries to visit Elisabeth, and the two women's unborn sons — one who will prepare the way, one who is the way — seem to recognize each other before either is born. Elisabeth's child arrives first, and Zechariah, silent since he doubted the angel, finds his voice again the moment he names the boy John.

We are in a Luke-John Harmony. Today's episode covers: Luke 1:1-4; John 1:1-18; Luke 1:5-25; Luke 1:26-56; Luke 1:57-80 (Luke's Preface; The Word Was God; The Angel Gabriel Appears to Zechariah; The Angel Gabriel Appears to Mary; Mary Visits Elisabeth; The Birth of John the Baptist).