Chapter 1 Luke 1

Introduction (vv.1-4)
Announcing the Birth of John (vv.5-25)
Announcing the Birth of Jesus (vv. 26-38)
Mary Visits Elizabeth (vv. 39-56)
The Birth of John the Baptist (vv. 57-80)

Questions:

  1. To whom was this book dedicated (v. 1)?
Hover Over for Answer:
This book was dedicated to Tehophilus.

2. Who had given Luke all his information (v. 2)?

Hover Over for Answer:
Luke received all his information from those who had been eyewitnesses from the beginning and who had preached the message about Jesus Christ.

3. What did Luke do before he wrote down all his information (v. 3)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He had carefully examined from the beginning all the reports written about the things that had happened among them and his information from the eyewitnesses before writing them down in an orderly manner for Theophilus.

4. What was Luke’s purpose in writing to Theophilus (vv. 3-4)?

Hover Over for Answer:
Luke wanted to write an orderly account of all the things that had happened among them so that Theophilus would know the complete truth about all that he had been taught.

Questions:

  1. Who were Zechariah and Elizabeth (vv. 5-7)?
Hover Over for Answer:
Zechariah and Elizabeth were a very old but God-fearing couple who had no children because Elizabeth was barren. They lived during the reign of Herod, king of Judea. Both of them were from priestly families, Zechariah being from the priestly family of Abijah.

2. What was Zechariah doing when the angel appeared to him (vv. 8-11)?

Hover Over for Answer:
Zechariah was taking his turn as a priest in the daily service at the Temple of the Lord. He had been chosen by lot to burn incense on the altar in the Temple. As he was there burning incense, the angel appeared to him.

3. What good news did the angel Gabriel bring to Zechariah (vv. 13-15)?

Hover Over for Answer:
The angel Gabriel told him not to be afraid. He said that God had heard his prayer and his wife Elizabeth would bear him a son whom they were to name John. His birth would make many people happy and he would grow up to be a man who would be great in God’s eyes. However, he was not to drink wine or strong drink.

4. John would be filled with the Holy Spirit from his birth and he would:

Hover Over for Answer:
a) bring many Israelites back to God b) be strong and mighty like Elijah and go ahead of the Lord c) bring fathers and children together again d) turn disobedient people back to live righteously e) get the Lord’s people ready for Him

5. How did Zechariah react to the news (vv. 18, 20)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He did not believe what the angel told him.

Why do you think he reacted this way?

Hover Over for Answer:
He reacted this way because he thought it would be impossible for him and his wife to have a baby since they were already so old.

6. What judgment did Gabriel pass on Zechariah for his unbelief (v. 20)?

Hover Over for Answer:
The angel said that Zechariah would be struck dumb and would not be able to speak until the day when God’s promise was fulfilled and John was born.

7. How were the words of the angel fulfilled (vv. 22-25)?

Hover Over for Answer:
When Zechariah came out from the Temple, he could not speak as foretold by the angel. Then after he had finished serving in the Temple, he went home and some time later, his wife became pregnant just as the angel said she would.

Questions:

  1. To whom did God send the angel Gabriel during the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy (vv. 26-27)?
Hover Over for Answer:
God sent the angel Gabriel to girl named Mary who lived in the town of Nazareth in Galilee. She had been promised in marriage to a man named Joseph who was a descendant of King David.

2. Where was Mary when the angel Gabriel appeared to her (v. 26)?

Hover Over for Answer:
She was in the town of Nazareth in Galilee.

3. What was the message that Gabriel brought to Mary (vv. 30-32, 35)?

Hover Over for Answer:
The angel told her not to be afraid for God had been gracious to her. He said that she would become pregnant and give birth to a son whom she was to name Jesus. He added that Jesus was no ordinary person but would be great and be called the Son of the Most High God. God would make him king, like his ancestor David, of the descendants of Jacob forever and his kingdom would never end.

Questions:

  1. ­Where did Zechariah and Elizabeth live (vv. 39-40)?
Hover Over for Answer:
Zechariah and Elizabeth lived in a town in the hill country of Judea.

2. Describe what happened when Mary greeted Elizabeth (vv. 41-45).

Hover Over for Answer:
When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby in her womb moved. Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and told Mary in a loud voice that she was the most blessed of women and blessed was the child she would bear. She was humbled by the fact that the mother of her Lord would come and visit her because as soon as she heard Mary’s greeting, the baby within her jumped with gladness. She went on to say that Mary was blessed because she believed that the message that God had given her would come true.

3. Why was Mary rejoicing (vv. 46-49)?

Hover Over for Answer:
Mary was rejoicing because God her Saviour had remembered her and had done great things for her in having her bear the child who would one day be the Saviour of his people. She also rejoiced because many people would call her blessed from now on.

4. Describe the things that were said about the different groups of people mentioned in the Magnificat (vv. 50-55).

Hover Over for Answer:
The following things were said about the various groups of people: a) Those who honour God would be shown mercy by Him b) God has scattered the proud with all their plans c) The mighty kings had been brought down from their thrones and the lowly lifted up d) The hungry had been filled with good things but the rich had been sent away with empty hands e) God had kept His promise to their ancestors and had come to the help of His servant Israel f. God had remembered to show mercy to Abraham and to all his descendants forever

5. How long did Mary stay with Elizabeth (v. 56)?

Hover Over for Answer:
Mary stayed about three months with Elizabeth.

Questions:

  1. Describe what happened when John was born (vv. 57-58).
Hover Over for Answer:
Elizabeth’s relatives and neighbours heard how wonderfully good God had been to her in giving her a son in her old age and they all rejoiced with her.

2. What happened during the time of circumcision when they were going to name the baby (vv. 59-64)?

Hover Over for Answer:
The people there were going to name the baby Zechariah after his father but Elizabeth intervened and told them to name him John. They told her that she did not have any relatives with that name and made signs to Zechariah to ask for his opinion. Zechariah wrote down that the baby’s name was John. Everyone was surprised. At that moment, Zechariah was able to speak again as foretold by the angel Gabriel and he started to praise God.

3. How did the neighbours react to what took place (vv. 65-66)?

Hover Over for Answer:
The neighbours were all filled with fear and news about all these happenings spread through all the hill country of Judea. All who heard about it wondered about what the child was going to be because it was clear that God’s power was upon him.

4. What enabled Zechariah to prophesy about what God was going to do for His people (v. 67)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He was filled with the Holy Spirit who empowered him to prophesy.

5. What did Zechariah praise and thank God for (vv. 68-75)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He praised God because God had come to the help of His people and had raised up for them a mighty Saviour from the line of David who would set them free. He was thankful that God had remembered His covenant and kept His promise given to Abraham and His prophets that He would save them from their enemies and allow them to serve Him without fear and live holy and righteous lives before Him.

6. What did Zechariah prophesy about the work of his son (vv. 76-77)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He prophesied that John would be called a prophet of the Most High God. He would go ahead of the Lord and prepare the way for His coming. He would do this by telling the Israelites to turn away from their sins so that their sins would be forgiven and they would be saved.

7. What do the words of Zechariah tell us about the Jewish hopes concerning the Messiah and how those hopes would be fulfilled (vv. 69-75)?

Hover Over for Answer:
They tell us that the Jews were waiting for a Messiah or Saviour from the line of David who would rescue them from their enemies and set them free. This was something that God had promised them through His covenant with Abraham and through His prophets and they trusted that God would fulfil His promises by sending them such a deliverer.

8. Why was God bringing His salvation and peace to everyone (vv. 78-79)?

Hover Over for Answer:
This was because God is merciful and compassionate towards all the peoples He has made who live in darkness and do not know Him.

9. Where did John spend most of his time before his public ministry as a prophet (v. 80)?

Hover Over for Answer:
He spent most of his time in the desert of Judea which lies between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea.

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