Luke 1:68 Commentary and Bible Study

Although it is the father of John the Baptist who is speaking, his initial focus, not on his own child, but on the child of Mary, emphasises that it is Christ who has the pre-eminence. John takes his rightful place behind the one who will come after him, but was before him. His whole purpose in being called as a prophet is to point to the far greater one before whom he must give place. During his ministry, John is almost reticent of the close association which his mission gives him with the Messiah. It is Christ who fills the thoughts and imaginations of the believing Israelite, and John is there only to elevate him. ‘Blessed be the Lord God’ – the same words were spoken in hebrew by others in the Old Testament, including Noah, David, and Solomon. It is an expression of praise to God, the Greek word for ‘blessed’ meaning ‘speak well’, literally ‘eulogize’. Let God be praised for what he has done; let the goodness and kindness and faithfulness of the Lord be recognised and acknowledged by his people. Of course, man cannot truly bless God in the sense that he can give anything to him, for God already possess all good, and nothing can add to him or take away from him. God may bless the creature, but the creature cannot bless the Creator. However the enlightened man can recognise the gracious gifts of the Lord, and thank him for them. He can stir up others to praise the Lord as Zacharias does here, for he is asking that others join him in praising such a generous God, and that together God’s people find agreement in coming before the Lord with this common purpose. This is clear from the grounds for praise, spoken of here. It is not for something that Zacharias alone has received that God is to be praised. It is for a benefit which affects all the people of God, and which all of them should recognise, and it is not for a small benefit. Without this benefit, they would remain forever lost, alienated from God, and due to face his eternal condemnation.‘For he hath visited and redeemed his people.’ Zacharias is not speaking of his own child when he says this. He is speaking of the hope of Israel, the coming Messiah, the one through whom every blessing that man receives would come. God has visited his people. This phrase can mean nothing less than the incarnation. Christ has not yet been born when Zacharias utters these words, but he is certainly coming soon. This is implied by the birth of John the Baptist, the forerunner. If the one who goes before him is now in the world – and Zacharias has had this revealed to him (verse 17) – then the one who comes after must follow on soon. God has visited man not by sending another, but he has come himself. He has not come in a vision only, or in some temporary appearance. He has visited in the most profound way possible, by taking human nature permanently and joining himself to mankind, by being born into our world. How does Zacharias know this? Not just through what Gabriel has said to him; he receives fresh revelation here. He understands that Christ is coming as a redeemer, to buy back his people from death and hell and condemnation of the law. The past tense is used because, although the events are future, they are as good as accomplished. John the Batist had been born, and God never starts anything that he does not finish.