I read this footnote to Luke 1:20 in the Orthodox Study Bible the other day, and I thought it was so interesting I had to share.

The verse comes as John the Baptist’s father, Zacharias, is told by the archangel Gabriel that he will have a son who will go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah. In response, Zacharias questions Gabriel, and Gabriel replies, “you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their own time.”

The footnote at that point has an interesting observation on the silence of Zacharias (paragraph breaks mine):

“Zacharias is disciplined for his lack of faith, yet this also serves as proof that Gabriel’s announcement is true. The silencing of the high priest also reveals a deeper mystery.

“The Messiah was expected to fulfill three crucial roles held by various people in the OT: prophet, priest and king. Only Jesus Christ can be said to have fulfilled all three offices perfectly. He is the true Prophet (Dt. 18:15-18), the true King (Matt. 23:3; Is. 9:6; Mic. 5:1), and the true High Priest (Ps. 109:4; Heb. 4:14).

“In preparation for Christ’s coming, God had silenced the prophets for many years [a later footnote remarks that since the time of Malachi, God had not sent a great prophet to Israel], and also permitted an illegitimate usurper to occupy the position of king of Judea [since Herod was a non-Jew calling himself the king of Judea]. Here, in the last days before Christ’s coming, the high priest is also silenced. 

“With these three roles vacant, illegitimate and silent, all is ready for the Son of God to be revealed as Prophet, King and Priest.”