Luke 1:5

There was in the days of Herod [Heroic], the king of Judea [Praise], a certain priest named Zacharias [Remembered by Yah], of the priestly division of Abiyah [My father Yah]. + 1:5 Context: Priestly division of Abiyah. In (1 Chr 24:7-18) there is a list of priestly division to serve in the Temple, scholars date this record around 400 B.C.E. In Oral Tradition, the list of a weekly rotation schedule is detailed. The priests themselves lived not only in Jerusalem but also in other settlements in the land of Israel. When it was “time for the division to go up (to Jerusalem)” (Mishnah, Ta’anit 4:2), the priests left their homes, went up to Jerusalem for a week, and afterwards returned to their homes in Judea or Galilee. According to modern Rabbi Shmuel Safrai, there are 12 divisions with 24 total rotations, each unit serving one week, twice a year, rotating on the Sabbath day. Abiyah’s division is #8. The rotations started in first month of Nissan (mid-March to mid-April), before Passover. The eighth unit (1 Chr 24:10) in the second month of Iyyar (mid-April to mid-May) and again at the end of the eighth month of Cheshvan (mid-October to mid-November), after Tabernacles. His job included offering incense in the Holy Place (Luke 1:11) which is a daily duty located next to the Most Holy Place (Ex 30:7-8, 40:5). Beyond this, a percise determation dates and times is limited. He had a wife of the daughters of Aaron [Light-bringer], and her name was Elizabeth [My God oath].

One Unity Resource Bible

In The King James Version

There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

In Context

4that you might know the certainty concerning the things in which you were instructed.

6They were both upright before God, observing all the mitzvot ·instructions· and ordinances of Yahweh blamelessly.

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Matthew Henry on Luke 1:2-5

Luke We are now entering into the labours of another evangelist; his name Luke, which some take to be a contraction of Lucilius; born at Antioch, so St. Jerome. Some think that he was the only one of all the penmen of the scripture that was not of the seed of Israel. He was a Jewish proselyte, and, as some conjecture, converted to Christianity by the ministry of St. Paul at Antioch; and after his coming into Macedonia ( Acts xvi. 10 ) he was his constant companion. He had employed himself in the study and practice… Read the whole commentary →

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