Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Luke 1:64
And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue [loosed,] and he spake, and praised God.
64. he spake ] Rather, he began to speak (imperfect), the previous verb ‘was opened’ being an aorist.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
His mouth was opened … – That is, he was enabled to speak. For nine months he had been mute, and it is probable that they supposed that he had been afflicted with a paralytic affection, and that he would not recover. Hence, their amazement when he spoke. For one act of disbelief all this calamity had come upon him, and it had not come without effect. With true gratitude he offered praise to God for the birth of a son, and for his restoration to the blessings of speech.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 64. The latter clause of the preceding verse should be joined with the beginning of this, as follows: And they marvelled all, for his mouth was opened, c. Every person must see the propriety of putting this clause, And they marvelled all, to the beginning of the 64th verse, instead of leaving it at the end of the 63rd, as in the common version. The people did not wonder because Zacharias said, He shall be called John but because he himself was that instant restored to the use of his speech.
And he spake, and praised God.] In his nine months’ silence, he had learned the proper use of his tongue; and God, whose power was discredited by it, is now magnified. Happy they who, in religious matters, only break silence in order to speak of the loving-kindness of the Lord!
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
The angel, Luk 1:20, inflicted the punishment upon him no longer than until what he had said should be performed; now it was performed, God looseth his tongue, and he praiseth God, by the song which we shall by and by meet with.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
64. mouth opened immediatelyonthus palpably showing his full faith in the vision, for disbelievingwhich he had been struck dumb (Luk 1:13;Luk 1:20).
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And his mouth was opened immediately,…. As soon as ever the child was named, and so all things accomplished which the angel had foretold;
and his tongue loosed; the impediments of speech were removed, and the use of his tongue and lips was restored unto him:
and he spake and praised God; for the safe delivery of his wife; for the birth of his son, the forerunner of Christ; for the conception of the Messiah; for God’s gracious regards to his church and people, in these instances; and for the restoration of speech and hearing to himself, of which he had been some time deprived for his unbelief.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Immediately (). Nineteen times in the N.T., seventeen in Luke.
Opened (). First aorist passive indicative with double augment. The verb suits “mouth,” but not “tongue” (). It is thus a zeugma with tongue. Loosed or some such verb to be supplied.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Immediately [] . Occurring nineteen times in the New Testament, and seventeen of these in Luke. Thirteen of the seventeen are in connection with miracles of healing, or the infliction of disease or death. Used in a similar way by medical writers.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And his mouth was opened immediately,” (aneochthe de to stoma autou parachrema) “And his mouth was opened instantly,” from his dumbness of speech, when the chastening had accomplished fruit in Zacharias, the former doubting priest of the temple, Luk 1:18; Luk 1:20; Heb 12:11.
2) “And his tongue loosed,” (kai he glossa autou) “And his tongue released from his extended speech paralysis,” as he obeyed, by faith, the injunction of the angel Gabriel, Luk 1:13; Luk 1:20.
3) “And he spake, and praised God.” (kai elalei eulogon ton theon) “And he spoke, repeatedly praising God,” for recovery of his speech and for his new-born, now circumcised and Divinely named son, of whom none was greater among prophets, Isa 40:3; Mat 11:11.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
64. And his mouth was instantly opened God puts honor on the birth of his prophet by restoring speech to his father: for there can be no doubt that this benefit was delayed till that day with the express object and design of fixing the eyes of men upon John. Zacharias spake, blessing God He did so, not only for the purpose of testifying his gratitude, but to inform his relatives and neighbors, that this punishment had been inflicted on him, because he had been too slow to believe: for he was not ashamed to unite with his own dishonor the praises of the divine glory. Thus it became universally known, that the birth of the child was not an accidental or ordinary event, but had been promised by an announcement from heaven. (65)
(65) “ Mais selon la promesse expresse de Dieu, qui avoit este apportee et revelee par l’ange.” — “But according to the express promise of God, which had been brought and revealed by the angel.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(64) His tongue loosed.The verb is supplied by the translators because the one previously used applied strictly only to the mouth.
He spake, and praised God.Probably, in substance, if not in words, as in the hymn that follows. The insertion of the two verses that follow seems to imply that some interval of time passed before its actual utterance.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
64. His mouth was opened immediately As the want of faith had produced the dumbness, so the act of faith reproduced the speech. Moreover, the sign was needless now that the reality had come.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
‘And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.’
And as a result of his obedience Zacharias discovered that he was able to speak again. And his first words on doing so were in order to bless God. He was aware of what a wonderful thing had happened to them.
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Further events:
v. 64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God.
v. 65. And fear came on all that dwelt round about them; and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.
v. 66. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be! And the hand of the Lord was with him. Two strange things connected with the story of John have been noted: The fact that the child was the son of parents past the age of bearing children, and the giving of a name which had not been in use in the family of Zacharias. Here is added the recovery of speech on the part of the father. For the greater part of a year the neighbors had known him to be dumb, and now, with the same suddenness as the calamity had overtaken him, the ban is removed from his tongue, for which he at once gives praise to the Lord. The effect upon the assembled company and upon all the inhabitants of the hill country of Judea was a very deep one. Not superstitious fear, but Revelation rent awe took hold upon them. wherever the story of these events was told, the people were similarly impressed. They felt that such singular and peculiar circumstances surrounded the birth of this child that God Himself must be concerned in his welfare, that all things pointed to an uncommon future for the boy. The usual comment was: What, then, will this child come to? And the people made a mental note of the circumstances with a view of watching further developments. If they had only continued their watchful attitude until John began his ministry on the banks of the Jordan! And the comment of the evangelist justifies the questioning of the people in the hill country; For the hand of the Lord was with him. This sentence sums up the whole history of John’s childhood and anticipates some of the later developments.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Luk 1:64-66. And his tongue loosed, &c. And his tongue also spake, praising God. Elsner. Zacharias had no sooner done writing than he recovered his speech, the angel’s prediction being then fully accomplished. Accordingly, with an audible articulate voice, he praised God; probably, by acknowledging the justice of the punishment which had been inflicted upon him, and the greatness of that sin which had procured it. By this open affectionate confession, he impressed all his neighbours and acquaintance with fear; (Luk 1:65.) that is to say, with religious awe and fear of offending God; and all these sayings, or rather things, (see ch. Luk 2:15.) were noised abroad: being very extraordinary events, they were much talked of in that country; and people formed many conjectures concerning the child, with whom was the hand of the Lord, Luk 1:66 that is, (as it is explained Luk 1:80.) he was remarkable, even from his infancy, for the qualities both of his body and mind. He had an eminent degree of the protection, blessing, and assistance of God, visibly bestowed upon him. It should be observed, that the extraordinary circumstances recorded in this chapter, which attended the birth of the Baptist, were all wisely ordered by Providence; that he who was the Messiah’s forerunner, might not seem an obscure and ordinary man. He was introduced into the world in this magnificent manner, that the attention of his countrymen being awakened, and high expectations of him raised, he might execute the duties of his ministry with greater advantage, and effectually prepare the people for receiving the Messiah himself, who was soon to appear in person. But see more on this subject in Jortin’s Discourses, p. 184 and Bell’s Inquiry into the Divine Missions of John, &c.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Luk 1:64 . ] a zeugma ; in the case of the tongue may be mentally supplied; comp., on the other hand, Mar 7:35 . This recovery of speech is to be regarded not as the effect of lively emotion (Gell. v. 9; Val. Max. i. 8. 3), or of the deliverance of his soul from the reproach that had oppressed it (Lange), or of his own will (Paulus), but of divine causation (Luk 1:20 ).
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
64 And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed , and he spake, and praised God.
Ver. 64. And he spake and praised God ] And had he had as many tongues as he had hairs upon his head, he could never have sufficiently praised God for his son, but especially for his Saviour. See 1Ti 1:15-17 . Zacharias believeth and therefore speaks, Psa 116:10 . The tongue of the dumb sings, Isa 35:6 .
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
64. ] For now first had the angel’s words, . . , Luk 1:13 , received their fulfilment.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Luk 1:64 . , : both connected with , though the idea of opening is applicable only to the former a case of zeugma . The return of speech a second marvel or rather a third: (1) a child of old parents; (2) the singular name; (3) the recovery of speech, much marked, and commented on among the denizens of the hill country of Judah ( ). , not terror, but religious awe in presence of the supernatural characteristic of all simple people.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
immediately = at once. Greek parachrema. Occurs nineteen times. All in Luke or Acts, except Mat 21:19, Mat 21:20. A medical word (see Col 4:14), used thirteen times in connection with disease or healing. Rendered “straightway “in Luk 8:55. Act 5:10.
spake = began to speak. Imperf. Tense.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
64.] For now first had the angels words, . . , Luk 1:13, received their fulfilment.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Luk 1:64. , of him) i.e. Zacharias.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
his mouth: Luk 1:20, Exo 4:15, Exo 4:16, Psa 51:15, Jer 1:9, Eze 3:27, Eze 29:21, Eze 33:22, Mat 9:33, Mar 7:32-37
and he: Psa 30:7-12, Psa 118:18, Psa 118:19, Isa 12:1, Dan 4:34-37
Reciprocal: Isa 35:6 – the tongue Dan 10:16 – touched Luk 2:28 – and Luk 2:38 – gave
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
4
Mouth was opened immediately fulfills verse 20. He had two reasons for praising God; the birth of a son and the recovery of his speech.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Luk 1:64. Immediately. According to the prediction (Luk 1:20), the whole prophecy (Luk 1:13), about which Zacharias doubted having now been fulfilled. That this was a miraculous restoration, follows from the character of the entire narrative.The word loosed is properly supplied in the E. V.
Blessing God. His first use of his recovered faculty is not to utter a complaint, but a doxology: a proof that the cure had taken place in his soul also.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Verse 64
The prediction being now completely fulfilled, the dumbness was removed.
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
God rewarded Zechariah’s obedience by removing his temporary disability. His first words were praise of God (cf. Act 2:4; Act 2:11).
"The first evidence of his dumbness had been, that his tongue refused to speak the benediction to the people; and the first evidence of his restored power was, that he spoke the benediction of God in a rapturous burst of praise and thanksgiving." [Note: Edersheim, 1:159.]
Luke stressed the widespread effect this incident had in the whole area. Everyone concluded that John would be an unusual child because God’s hand was with him. It was also Luke’s purpose in emphasizing the naming of John to elicit the same reaction in his readers. When John began his public ministry, there must have been some Jews who submitted to his baptism because they had noted God’s hand on him from this event onward (cf. Luk 2:19; Luk 2:51).