Mary's Faith and Zechariah's Unbelief

As part of my daily Bible reading, I began Luke's gospel today. Chapter One includes the angel Gabriel's well-known visits to Zechariah and to Mary, to announce the miraculous births of their sons. As no doubt with countless students of Scripture, I have wondered why Zechariah is judged to have refused to believe God's Word, when he reacts in virtually the same way as Mary. Zechariah asks, "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." Mary asks, "How will this be, since I am a virgin?" (ESV)

Of course God is the ultimate Discerner of heart attitudes, and it may be that Zechariah's doubting heart is laid bare and censured without any help from Luke's narrative, perhaps in the same way that the angel pronounces judgment on Sarah in Genesis 18. This time through the chapter, however, I noticed a couple of things about the way the story is told.

I noticed first that both Zechariah and Mary are given thorough explanations of who their sons will be and what purposes they will fulfill. John will have a prophetic ministry that hearkens back to the roles and messages of Samson, Elijah, and Malachi, going before the Lord to turn many Israelites to Him. Jesus will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High God. Given the throne of his father David, he will have never-ending rule over the house of Jacob.

So it cannot be said that Zechariah is not given enough information; he has plenty. And yet, no less than Mary, who responds in faith.

There are, I believe, a couple of differences, however. While both conceptions will be miraculous, only one is unprecedented. Gabriel explains in verse 13 that Zechariah's perseverence in prayer for his wife has been rewarded; the implication of "Elizabeth will bear" -- Elizabeth was known by all to be barren -- is that what is wrong with her body shall be set right, and her barrenness removed. She will join a long line of formerly-barren women -- Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, Hannah, and so forth -- healed according to God's redemptive purposes. Any Jew could recognize the pattern. Mary, on the other hand, is placed in a situation that is completely new, with no precedents to guide her. And then add in the fact that Zechariah is a middle-aged priest -- a resident of Jerusalem who has no doubt attended all the best schools -- while Mary is a teenaged peasant girl from the boondocks.

And so we're actually provided quite a bit of information about both people. Neither is shorted on explanation of what's about to happen and why, but one is, or ought to be, better prepared for such news by virtue of age, education, experience, and precedent. Mary's, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord" becomes all the more poignant and praiseworthy given this background. Ditto for her observation that the Lord "has scattered the proud in the thoughts of their hearts," while "fill[ing] the hungry with good things."

My thoughts here are as poorly constructed as my written English is cumbersome. Just trying to get somewhere by attempting to write it out, you know. I'm no New Testament scholar, and make no claims. I would like to hear from anyone who stumbles across this and has something worthwhile to add, though.

[I would also love to hear from any visitor who can help me understand why my paragraphs appear without spacing between them. I gave 'em two -- two! -- carriage returns between paragraphs, and I still get this unreadable mess...]