Luke 1:7

1:7 But they did not have a child, because Elizabeth was barren, ¹  and they were both very old. ² 

Luke 1:17

1:17 And he will go as forerunner before the Lord ³  in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, ⁴  to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him.”

Luke 23:28

23:28 But Jesus turned to them and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, ⁵  do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves ⁶  and for your children.

[1:7]  ¹ sn Elizabeth was barren. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth are regarded by Luke as righteous in the sight of God, following all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blamelessly (v. 6). With this language, reminiscent of various passages in the OT, Luke is probably drawing implicit comparisons to the age and barrenness of such famous OT personalities as Abraham and Sarah (see, e.g., Gen 18:9-15), the mother of Samson (Judg 13:2-5), and Hannah, the mother of Samuel (1 Sam 1:1-20). And, as it was in the case of these OT saints, so it is with Elizabeth: After much anguish and seeking the Lord, she too is going to have a son in her barrenness. In that day it was a great reproach to be childless, for children were a sign of God’s blessing (cf. Gen 1:28; Lev 20:20-21; Pss 127 and 128; Jer 22:30). As the dawn of salvation draws near, however, God will change this elderly couple’s grief into great joy and grant them the one desire time had rendered impossible.

[1:7]  ² tn Grk “were both advanced in days” (an idiom for old age).

[1:17]  ³ tn Grk “before him”; the referent (the Lord) has been specified in the translation for clarity.

[1:17]  ⁴ sn These two lines cover all relationships: Turn the hearts of the fathers back to their children points to horizontal relationships, while (turn) the disobedient to the wisdom of the just shows what God gives from above in a vertical manner.

[23:28]  ⁵ sn The title Daughters of Jerusalem portrays these women mourning as representatives of the nation.

[23:28]  ⁶ sn Do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves. Judgment now comes on the nation (see Luke 19:41-44) for this judgment of Jesus. Ironically, they mourn the wrong person – they should be mourning for themselves.