The Ancient Witnesses

Chapter 6: The Fullness of Time • 187

“John’s witness was very credible too,” agreed Father Greg, “because his birth was miraculous 32 and he was well respected in his generation as the son of Zacharias the priest.” “The Commentary says that?” I asked. Father Greg replied by reading, “John was like the king in the circumstances of his birth: like Christ, he was born out of grace, not nature; his conception was announced by an angel and his name was heard before his birth; his virtue was evident before his birth, as was Christ’s power.” 33 “Is the Commentary saying there was no difference between John and Jesus?” I asked. “Not at all” said Father Greg, reading further, “When Christ was conceived, his faithful mother gave thanks to God, saying ‘Behold, the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to your word,’ but when John was conceived, his unbelieving father was struck dumb. Furthermore, when John was born the law was silent in other respects, but when Christ was born a little later, grace was about to speak.” 34 “I love that!” said Joseph, “John’s heritage was the law, but Christ was born of a grace-filled confession, and with his birth grace was about to speak!”

32 See Luke 1:57-80.

33 These assertions are supported by Luke’s Gospel, including John’s miraculous conception (Luke 1:7), the announcement of his name by an angel (Luke 1:13), and his unusual virtue (Luke 1:44). 34 My translation here follows James Kellerman and Thomas Oden, Incomplete Commentary on Matthew ( Opus Imperfectum ) in Ancient Christian Texts (Downers Grove: IVP Academic, 2010), volume 1, page 43).