Thus the Evangelist says: "For this reason I have written the Gospel to you, so that you may contain with greater confidence that in which you were instructed without Scripture, having more confidence in me now, when I am so sure of what was handed down without Scripture that I have set it forth also in the Scriptures." He did not say, "That thou shouldest know," but that thou mayest "know," that is, that thou mayest receive twice as much knowledge, and at the same time a bold assurance that I am not lying.

In the days of Herod, king of Judah, there was a priest of the Abian family, whose name was Zechariah, and his wife of the family of Aaron, whose name was Elizabeth.

I mentioned the reign of Herod, on the one hand, out of a desire to narrate after the example of the prophets, for they begin thus: in the days of Ahaz and Hezekiah, and so-and-so, the following things happened (Isaiah 1:1; Hos. 1:1; Amos 1:1), and on the other hand, since I intend to speak of Christ, I mentioned Herod in order to show that in the time of Herod Christ truly came. Since this Herod was at a time when, according to the prophecy of Jacob (Gen. 49:10), there were no princes from among the Jews, it is proved from this that Christ came. It also achieves some other goal: by speaking of time, it shows the truth of the Gospel, for it gives those who wish the opportunity to rejoice and from time to know the truth of the Gospel. - It is proper to begin with Zechariah and the birth of John. Since he intends to speak about the Nativity of Christ, and John is the Forerunner of Christ, it is therefore proper before the Nativity of Christ to tell about the birth of John, which itself is not without a miracle. Since the Virgin had to give birth, grace arranged for the old woman to give birth not according to the law of nature, although with a husband. What is the meaning of the words, "from the fold of Abiah"? Some understand that there were two priests who performed the service in succession, one named Abijah, and the other Zechariah, and since Abija conducted the service, Zechariah served after his service. But it doesn't seem like that. For Solomon, having finished the temple, also established the daily cycles, that is, weeks: in one, for example, he appointed the sons of Korah, in another - Asaph, in the next - Abijah, in another - another (2 Chron. 8:14; 1 Chron. 24). Therefore, when he says that Zechariah was "from the tribe of Abiah," it should be understood that he was in the week of Abijah, and not that he accepted the ministry after the week of Abiah; for then he would have said, "After the bed of Abi; and now, when he said, "From the brook of Abiah," he imagines that he was of the womb and week of Abijah. - And, wishing to show that John on both sides (on his father and mother) was legitimately of the priestly family, he says: "And his wife was of the family of Aaron," for it was not lawful to take a wife from another tribe, but from the same (Num. 36:6, 9). Elizabeth, according to the interpretation, means "the rest of God", and Zachariah means "the memory of the Lord".

     Both of them were righteous before God, acting according to all the commandments and statutes of the Lord blamelessly.

 Often some are righteous, but not in the sight of God, but in appearance and in the sight of men. And Zacharias and Elizabeth were righteous before God. The commandments are, for example: "Thou shalt not commit adultery", "Thou shalt not steal" (Exodus 20:14-15), and the statutes (in Church Slavonic - justifications) are, for example: "Whoever curses his father or his mother shall be put to death" (Exodus 21:17): for this is righteous. But know that the commandment can also be called justification, since it makes a person righteous and is even more God's justification. For on that day God will judge us, having the commandments as if by some kind of written justification, "If I had not come and spoken unto them, they would have had no sin" (John 15:22), and again: "The word which I have spoken, it shall judge him at the last day" (John 12:48). Why is "blameless" added to the words "walking in all the commandments"? Listen. Often some act according to the Law of God, but they do everything in order to show themselves to people (Matt. 23:5). Such are not blameless. But Zachariah also kept the commandments, and kept them blamelessly, and not in order to please people through their fulfillment.

     They had no children, for Elizabeth was barren, and both were already in old age. 

The wives of the righteous and the righteous themselves were often childless, so that you would know that the Law requires many children, not carnal, but spiritual. "Both were already advanced in years" both in body and in spirit, for in soul they were old, that is, they made great progress, putting ascents in the heart (Psalm 83:6) and having life as day and not night, doing decently as in the light (Romans 13:12, 13).