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Zechariah Father Of John The Baptist

The archangel Gabriel appears to Zechariah

Zechariah ( in Greek) is a character in the New Testament. He is the father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth , cousin of the Virgin Mary.

Summary

1 From the New Testament
2 apocryphal legends on the martyrdom of John's father Zechariah
- 2.1 Zechariah son of Bariskaios
3 Prophet of Islam
4 Notes and references

In the New Testament

In the New Testament , Zechariah is the father of John the Baptist and husband of Elizabeth. He belonged to the priestly class. His wife was barren and they were one and the other in advanced age. While he performed his duties in the temple of Jerusalem an angel appeared to him ^{Apocryphal Legends on the martyrdom of John's father Zechariah}

The martyrdom of Zechariah is told at least three ways to a relatively old age:

Origen said that he was killed "between the sanctuary and the altar" (Matt. 23, 35 on actually " Zechariah son of Barachias ") for taking the defense of Mary brought in a place reserved for the temple virgins. Another portion of his commentary on the Gospel according to St. Matthew given a narrative of the death of Zechariah with the sword to a literary source.
The literary source could correspond to the third part of Protoevangelium of Jacques. The shape of this structure preserved, not earlier in the fourth ^century, did not directly tell the death of Zechariah, but merely says that a priest discovered his body in the sanctuary near the altar " (not "between the altar and the sanctuary"), murdered because he refused to say where his son John, Herod, following the visit of the Magi, continued to kill.
Epiphanius cites a book Gnostic who tells of the death of the father of John of a third way : Zechariah saw in vision in the temple a man with a donkey's head and was for this reason was assassinated by bandits.

These various versions agree on at least one point that Father John is NOT the son of Jehoiada , whose violent death, also in the temple, is told in the Bible (II Chr. 24), but stoning. The confusion between these two biblical Zechariah, martyrs in the temple, however, has not failed to do, and it may be in favor of the following fact.

Zechariah son of Bariskaios

Josephus tells the story of a son of Zechariah Bariskaios notable of Jerusalem, killed by zealots "in the middle of the temple (or shrine) shortly before 70, despite a favorable ruling by the Sanhedrin . This sad story has caught the imagination, which could bring it closer to the biblical murder of Zechariah ( Zechariah Ben Jehoiada ), which could in turn give birth to the Christian tradition of the assassination of Father of the Baptist. On the other hand, the topographical tradition in the blood of Zechariah visible in the temple could also have its source in this episode of the Jewish war.

Prophet of Islam

The Koran refers to him as prophet and priest. He was sent to the Israelites and made respect for justice, under the request of God, using the Torah of Prophet Moses. He was well liked by his people for his good manners.

The Koran says he was devout and he prayed daily. He also had the burden of caring for Mariam. Whenever he returned accomplish its mission, it was Mariam with a good amount of food sent by the Almighty. One evening, while he was in the sanctuary (al-mihrab), he asked the Merciful grant her a son because he was 90 years old, and he still had found no heir. Thus God sends Gabriel to deliver any child pure and virtuous. The Quran says :

"O Zachariah, We give you the news of your son, calling Yahya ( John ). Before him, nobody has brought this name. Zacharias said: "My God, how can I have a son, while my wife is old and barren, and I passed the age of decrepitude? "

- Koran, Mary XIX, 7-8

References

Luke 1. 5-10
GCS 38, Orig. Werke, XI, p. 42-43
GCS 40 / 1 (1935); Klostermann, Orig. Werke, X, p. 24, 10 (SC = 162, p. 226-227)
XXIV 2 (A. FREY, apocryphal Christian writings, I, p. 103). The same passage speaks of traces of blood near the altar. see below.
Panarion, XXVI 12: 1-4
Jewish War IV 4, 334-344
Qur'an, Mary XIX, 1-11

New Testament people

Jesus - Christ

Viewpoint: History Christological

Gospels

Individuals

Alpheus Anan Anna the prophetess Blind Bethsaida Barabbas Bartimaeus Caiaphas Cleophas Devil Elizabeth Daughter of Jairus Gabriel John the Baptist Joan, wife of Chuza young man of Nain Joachim Joseph Joseph of Arimathea Joseph, brother of Jesus Jude, brother of Jesus Lazarus The Good Thief The bad thief Legion Luke Malchus Marc Mary of Bethany Mary Cleophas Mary Magdalene Mary, mother of Jesus Martha Nathanael Nicodemus Salome Satan Simon of Cyrene Simon, brother of Jesus Simon the leper Suzanne Simeon Thophile Zacharie Zacchaeus Zebedee

Groups

Angels God-Fearing Disciples Evangelists Herodians Myrrh-bearing women Pharisees Near Jesus proselytes Magi Sadducees Samaritans Sanhedrin Scribes Septuagint disciples Zealots
See also: the characters in parables

Twelve Apostles

Andre Bartholomew Jacques d'Alpheus Jacques de Zebedee Jean Judas Iscariot Jude Matthias Matthew Philippe Pierre Simon the Zealot Thomas

Acts of the Apostles

Agabus Ananias (Damascus) Ananias (Judaea) Apollos Aquila Aristarchus Barjsu Barnabas Damaris Demetrius Dionysius the Areopagite Dorcas Eutychus Gamaliel Jacques le Juste Jason Joseph Barsabbas Judas the Galilean Luke Lucius of Cyrene Lydia Manaen (John) Mark Mary, mother of John surnamed Mark Paul Pierre Priscilla Publius Saphire Sceva Silas Simeon of Jerusalem Simon Magus Sopater Theudas Timothy Titus Trophime Tychicus
Seven deacons : Stephen Nicanor Nicolas Parmenas Philippe Prochorus Timon

Romans and Herodians

Gospels	Aretas IV Cornelius Wife of Pontius Pilate Herod Antipas Herod Archelaus Herod the Great Herod Philip II Herodias Longinus the Centurion Lysanias Pontius Pilate Quirinius Salome Tiberius
Acts of the Apostles	Agrippa Agrippa II Claudius Lysias Felix Festus Gallion Sergius Paulus