{"id":1276,"date":"2011-12-09T05:08:03","date_gmt":"2011-12-09T05:08:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/christcommunitychurch.com\/blog\/?p=1276"},"modified":"2011-12-09T01:09:51","modified_gmt":"2011-12-09T01:09:51","slug":"mary-v-zechariah-on-fear-of-the-lord","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/christcommunitychurch.com\/blog\/2011\/12\/09\/mary-v-zechariah-on-fear-of-the-lord\/","title":{"rendered":"Mary v. Zechariah on Fear of the Lord"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Advent we’ve looked at the songs of Luke 1.\u00a0 Mary’s Magnificat and Zechariah’s Benedictus.\u00a0 Both speak of fear.\u00a0 Justin Taylor & John Newton shed light:<\/em><\/h2>\n
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When Zechariah the elderly priest and Mary the young virgin encountered a word from the Lord by means of an angel, they both found the experience troubling and frightening:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd Zechariah was troubled<\/strong><\/em> when he saw him, and fear fell upon him<\/strong><\/em>\u201d (Luke 1:12<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cBut she was greatly troubled<\/strong><\/em> at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be\u201d (Luke 1:29<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And in both cases the angel\u2019s first command was against the fear they were feeling:<\/p>\n

\u201cBut the angel said to him, \u201cDo not be afraid,<\/strong><\/em> Zechariah . . .\u201d (Luke 1:13<\/a>).<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd the angel said to her, \u2018Do not be afraid<\/strong><\/em>, Mary . . .\u2019\u201d\u00a0 (Luke 1:30<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mary obeyed the command with fear-filled faith.<\/p>\n

Zechariah initially disbelieved with fear-filled doubt.<\/p>\n

But in her song of praise to God (the Magnificat) Mary commends<\/em> the fear of the Lord:<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd his mercy is for those who fear [God]<\/strong><\/em> from generation to generation\u201d (Luke 1:50<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

And in his prophecy, Zechariah discourages<\/em> fear before the Lord. He recalls that Israel was shown mercy and delivered in order that they<\/p>\n

\u201cmight serve [God] without fear<\/strong><\/em>, in holiness and righteousness before him all our days\u201d (Luke 1:74-75<\/a>).<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

John Newton<\/a> got to the heart of this biblical paradox:<\/p>\n

The Lord bids me \u201cfear not\u201d\u2014and at the same time he says, \u201cHappy is the man who fears always.\u201d<\/p>\n

How to fear and not to fear at the same time is, I believe, one branch of that secret of the Lord which none can understand but by the teaching of his Spirit.<\/p>\n

When I think of my heart, of the world of the power of darkness\u2014what cause of continual fear! I am on an enemy\u2019s ground, and cannot move a step but some snare is spread for my feet.<\/p>\n

But when I think of the person, grace, power, care, and faithfulness of my Savior, why may I not say \u2014 I will trust and not be afraid, for the Lord Almighty is with us, the God of Jacob is our refuge.<\/p>\n

I wish to be delivered from anxious and unbelieving fear, which weakens the hands and disquiets the heart.<\/p>\n

I wish to increase in a humble jealousy and distrust of myself and of everything about me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n