Luke 1:23

Ministration. Gr. leitourgia, a common Greek word denoting “public service.” In the LXX, leitourgia is used of the ministry of the priest in behalf of the congregation. The term is used in Heb. 8:6 and 9:21 of the “ministry” of Christ in the heavenly sanctuary.

Each “course” of priests remained on duty at the Temple from one Sabbath to the next. According to Jewish tradition, it was customary for the retiring set of priests to offer the morning incense on the Sabbath day, and for the incoming group to offer the evening incense. Accordingly, the “course of Abia,” to which Zacharias belonged (see on v. 5), remained on duty till the next Sabbath. Zacharias might have considered his experience with the angel sufficient to warrant his retiring early and returning home. But he chose to remain at his appointed post until released from service. The wording of v. 23 strongly implies that several days of his term of duty remained, and that therefore the appearance of the angel did not occur on the Sabbath day.

His own house. In “the hill country” of Judea (v. 39). Of the eight Judean towns assigned by Joshua to the priests (see on Joshua 21:9; cf. 1 Chron. 6:57-59), Hebron and Hilen (Holon) seem to qualify best for location in “the hill country.” Whether Hilen was rebuilt after the Captivity, and whether the cities originally assigned the priests by Joshua were theirs in the time of Christ, is not known. See on Luke 1:39.