Luke chapter 1

vs 61

They weren't going to take her word at it - fancy a priest's family going against tradition!

vs 62

Funny how they made signs to him, even though he was struck dumb. Was he struck deaf too?

vs 63

Now, when it says everyone's astonishment, does that include Elizabeth? Or does it just mean the general crowd that was there getting involved? In any case, he affirmed that the child would be called John.

vs 64

Im sure he did! Imagine not being able to speak for 9 months.

vs 65

I mean, it's not everyday that someone is struck dumb by God, and suddenly healed at the birth of their child.

vs 66

So people knew more of the story than just Zechariah's muteness. They probably knew all about Zechariah being spoken to in the Temple, and how he received a special name for his son (ok, so John isn't super special a name, but not everybody gets told by God what to name their son).

Just a note on the last sentence of the verse. I actually think it's a little sparse. I don't think we need to read "for" as a strict 'because'. I think it could just as easily read "and" (like the KJV) or perhaps have another word that softens it (like "certainly" in NASB).

vs 67

So he wasn't just happy - like his wife, Zechariah was also filled with the spirit because of this child.

vs 68

Woah! Past tense seems a bit odd here, doesn't it? And yet strictly speaking, it's true - redemption and its fulfilment is one of the major themes of the Old Testament. Interesting that he picked this to start with. Of course, he wasn't blind - he probably knew that Mary had come and why. So now that he can speak, he's making full use of the ability.

vs 69

Now, when he says "house of David", does he imply that Mary is of the line of David? Or Joseph? Or simply that the one to be born is the one that is promised in the kingly line of David? Good question.

vs 70

I wonder if, when prophecying, Zechariah used these brackets. They seem redundant. However, the mention of prophecy concerning the coming of this salvation is completely relevant. It shows the necessary grounding of the gospel in the OT, which is worth remembering always.