111. (Verse 62.) For this reason there follows: And they made signs to his father, what he would have him called: they made signs, I say, to one deaf and mute, because, as Ambrose says, "incredulity had stolen from him both speech and hearing"; and yet they sought from him, because the authority of naming resided with him, both because he was the father, and because he was a priest, and because he had foreknown the birth of his son by divine revelation.
112. (Verse 63.). And because he could not respond with his voice, he spoke by hand and by letters; and therefore it is added: And asking for a writing tablet, he wrote, saying: John is his name: as if to say: I do not impose a name, but I declare one already imposed; above in the same chapter: "You shall call his name John," according to that passage of Isaiah forty-nine: "The Lord called me from the womb, from the bowels of my mother he remembered my name." And rightly it is said written on account of its indelible firmness, to show that his name is written in the book of life, just as those of Christ's disciples; below in the tenth chapter: "Rejoice, because your names are written in heaven." Concerning this writing it is said in Apocalypse three: "He who overcomes, I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem"; and again in the second chapter: "I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a name written, which no one knows except he who receives it." - And because they did not know the reason for this naming, therefore it follows: And all marveled: the Gloss says: "On account of the agreement between the father and the mother," so that now "by the mouth of two witnesses that word might stand." Or also they marveled at so great a prerogative in the child"; Ecclesiasticus eleven says of the just man: "God exalted him, and many marveled at him and honored God." Whence he himself could say that passage from Wisdom eight: "The faces of princes shall wonder at me." In this we are taught that the prerogatives of divine privileges are to be humbly and soberly admired rather than boldly scrutinized.
113. Spiritually note that by Zachariah is understood the old priesthood, and by John the new; and because the old and the new differ as the memorial of a gift and the gift itself, therefore the former is rightly named from the memorial, but the latter from the gift of grace; and this indeed quite rightly, because the memory of God in us generates the affections of virtue and grace. For whoever wishes to be John through grace must first be Zachariah through divine remembrance. For Zachariah is interpreted as mindful of God; the Psalm: "He has made a memorial of his wonders"; Exodus twenty: "You shall make an altar of earth for me, and you shall offer upon it your holocausts and your peace offerings, your sheep and your oxen, in every place in which the memorial of my name shall be; I will come to you and bless you."
114. Moreover, everyone ought to be mindful of the sacraments of God for believing and confessing: In Exodus thirteen it is said of the paschal lamb: "It shall be as a sign in your hand and as a memorial before your eyes"; it follows: "You shall keep this manner of worship at the appointed time from day to day." - Of benefits for giving thanks: Deuteronomy sixteen: "Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread of affliction, because in fear you went out of Egypt, that you may remember the day of your departure from Egypt all the days of your life"; Psalm: "He has made a memorial" etc. - Of judgments for fearing: Sirach eighteen: "Remember wrath in the day of consummation, and the time of retribution in the turning of the face"; Psalm: "I have been mindful of your judgments from of old, O Lord." - Of promises for hoping: Sirach eleven: "In the day of evil things, be not unmindful of good things." - Of commandments for doing: Psalm: "His justice unto the children of children, to those who keep his covenant and are mindful of his commandments to do them." - Of examples for imitating : John fifteen: "Remember my word, which I said to you: The disciple is not above the master." - Of sufferings for having compassion; Lamentations three: "Remember poverty and transgression"; and it follows: "Remembering I shall remember, and my soul shall waste away within me." - Of consolations for rejoicing together; Song of Songs one: "We shall exult and rejoice in you, mindful of your breasts more than wine." - Of works for praising; Psalm: "I have been mindful of the works of God, for I shall remember from the beginning your wonders, and I shall meditate on all your works and shall be exercised in your designs"; likewise: "Remember his wonderful works which he has done." - Of charisms for petitioning; Isaiah twenty-six: "O Lord, we have waited for you; your name and your memorial are in the desire of the soul. My soul has desired you in the night": and sixty-two: "You who are mindful of the Lord, be not silent, and give him no silence, until he establishes and until he makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."
115. And immediately his mouth was opened etc. After the birth from the barren woman and the circumcision and the naming of the infant, there follows the opening of the priestly mouth, according to the word of the heavenly messenger. This miracle was demonstrative of the prerogative and excellent magnificence in John, so that it might deservedly be shown that he is called by this name. In the description of this miracle, three things are intimated, namely, the evidence of the miracle and its"; reverence and the understanding of the same. For the appearance of a miracle begets admiration, and admiration begets knowledge or inquiry.
116. (Vers. 64.). He therefore first sets forth the evidence of the miracle, when he says: And immediately the mouth of Zechariah was opened and his tongue, and he spoke blessing God: opened, I say, not by the power of nature, but of heavenly power: Wisdom 10: "Wisdom opened the mouth of the mute and made the tongues of infants eloquent." He, I say, did this, at whom the crowds marveled, saying: "He has done all things well, and has made the deaf to hear and the mute to speak," namely Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God, Mark 7. And so that the miracle may be shown to be true, it says immediately; for as Ambrose says: "The grace of the Holy Spirit knows no slow endeavors." — So that it may be shown to be full and perfect, there is added: And he spoke blessing God, acknowledging the benefit, as in Tobit 13: "And the elder Tobias, opening his mouth, blessed God." In this we are instructed that we ought to have our mouth open for divine praise, which we pray in the Psalm: "O Lord, you will open my lips, and my mouth shall declare your praise"; and especially after the benefit of our redemption: Isaiah 35: "Then the lame shall leap like a deer, and the tongue of the mute shall be opened." But on the contrary, it is said of the wicked in Job 16: "They have opened their mouths against me, reviling"; because, according to what is said in the Psalm, "their throat is an open grave, with their tongues they acted deceitfully."
117. (Vers. 65.). Second, he adds the reverence of the miracle, when he says: And fear came upon all their neighbors, and throughout all the hill country of Judea all these words were spread abroad: the Psalm: "All who dwell at the borders shall fear at your signs"; whence they could sing that of Exodus 15: "Who is like you among the mighty, O Lord? Who is like you, magnificent in holiness?" And because the magnificence of proclamation follows upon the reverence of the miracle, therefore he says: Throughout all the hill country of Judea they were spread abroad, etc. And rightly so, because, Tobit 12, "it is good to hide the secret of a king, but to reveal and confess the works of God is honorable"; and therefore the Psalm: "Give thanks to the Lord and call upon his name"; and afterwards: "Declare all his wondrous works."
118. (Verse 66.). Thirdly, he subjoins the understanding of the miracle, when he says: And all who heard laid them up in their heart, saying: What manner of child, think you, shall this be ? Ecclesiasticus fifty: "Blessed is he who occupies himself with these good things"; "he who lays them up in his heart shall always be wise"; and Proverbs twenty-four: "I passed through the field of a slothful man and through the vineyard of a foolish man: and behold, nettles had filled the whole of it, thorns had covered its surface, and its stone wall was broken down. When I had seen this, I laid it up in my heart and learned the lesson." They laid them up, namely through attention, understanding, and memory; and through the greatness of the miracle they recognized the greatness of the child: whence they said: What manner of child, think you, shall this be? As if to say: he shall be great, according to that word of the Angel, above in the same chapter: "For he shall be great before the Lord." Thus they spoke of Christ: Mark four: "Who, think you, is this?" Rightly of Christ it is said is, as of the Creator, whose nature is to abide; but of John shall be, as of the forerunner, whose role was to pass on. — And they give the reason: For the hand of the Lord was with him: Ezekiel three: "The hand of the Lord was with me, strengthening me"; so also with John the right hand of the Lord was preserving and strengthening him: Psalm: "Let your hand be upon the man of your right hand and upon the son of man whom you have confirmed for yourself." And thus they understood him, of whom it is written in Isaiah forty-nine: "He made my mouth like a sharp sword; under the covering of his hand he protected me."
Concerning praise and thanksgiving, two things are set forth.
119. (Verse 67.). And Zacharias his father etc. After the origin of John has been described, here is subjoined the thanksgiving for the benefit of redemption already begun in the birth of the forerunner and to be consummated in the birth of the Savior. This thanksgiving, therefore, he describes in two ways: first, on the part of the motive; second, on the part of the manner, at: Blessed be the Lord.
Concerning the motive, note that what moved Zechariah to praise was the divine Spirit, not his own; for which reason he premises that he was breathed upon and filled with the Holy Spirit. And here is touched upon: who is filled? Namely Zechariah, who was a just man, of whom above in the same chapter, that he was "walking in all the commandments and justifications of the Lord without blame," and in this it is intimated that the memory of God is filled; Tobit 1: "Because he was mindful of the Lord with his whole heart, God gave him grace in the sight of King Shalmaneser." - Why is he filled? Because he is the father of him, namely of John; whence just as the mother had the spirit of prophecy on account of the son, above in the same chapter, so also the father; Proverbs 23: "The father of the just exults with gladness; he who has begotten a wise son shall rejoice in him." In which is understood allegorically that the old law and the priesthood did not have the Spirit except by reason of the new testament, which it prefigured. - How is he filled? For which reason it says: And he was filled with the Holy Spirit; Genesis 41: "Can we find such a man, who is full of the spirit of God?" And Sirach 15: "He filled him with the spirit of wisdom and understanding." In which we are instructed with what we ought to be filled; Ephesians 5: "Be filled with the Holy Spirit, speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns," etc. - To what end is he filled? And he prophesied, by praising and preaching: Acts 2: "They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in various tongues, as the Holy Spirit gave them to speak"; and Amos 3: "The Lord has spoken, who shall not prophesy?"; and 2 Peter 1: "For prophecy was not brought at any time by human will, but holy men of God spoke, inspired by the Holy Spirit."
120. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, etc. Here is described the thanksgiving as regards its manner in this canticle, of which there are four parts. In the first of these there is a thanksgiving and singing of praise for the benefit of our redemption, according as the remedial dispensation was to be consummated through Christ. Second, inasmuch as it was already promised through the Prophets by the prophecy of the Holy Spirit, there at As He spoke through the mouth of His holy ones. Third, inasmuch as it was promised to the Patriarchs, armed with the oath of truth, there at: To perform mercy with our Fathers, etc. Fourth, according as it was already begun in the precursor by prophetic proclamation, there at: And you, child, shall be called the Prophet of the Most High.
Now giving thanks for the benefit of the redemption to be consummated in Christ, he puts the past tense for the future, in the prophetic manner: in which is touched upon the mystery of the incarnation, the price of redemption, the trophy of the resurrection: in which lies the remedy of our salvation.
121. (Vers. 68.). He therefore first introduces Zacharias prophesying through the Holy Spirit in thanksgiving, because he gives thanks for a future benefit, when he says: Blessed be the Lord God of Israel. Similarly it is said in Tobit 8: "We bless you, Lord God of Israel, because you have shown us your mercy"; and in 1 Chronicles, last chapter: "Blessed are you, Lord God of Israel, our father, from eternity to eternity."
And note that Lord names the majesty to be blessed with fear: Malachi 1: "If I am the Lord, where is my fear?" And therefore it is said in Deuteronomy 10: "You shall fear the Lord your God"; and the Psalm: "O Lord our Lord, how admirable is your name in all the earth" — God of Israel names the benignity to be blessed with love; Isaiah 45: "I am the Lord, who call you by your name, the God of Israel, for the sake of Jacob my servant and Israel my chosen one"; and Exodus 3: "I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. This is my name, and this is my memorial." Moreover, Israel is named here rather than another, because it is the name of election and grace.
122. Now the first motive of this blessing is the mystery of the incarnation, which he indicates when he says: Because he has visited, namely through the incarnation; Exodus 3: "Visiting, the Lord has visited us and has seen all the evils that have befallen us in Egypt, and he will lead us out of the affliction of Egypt," etc. The Prophet was asking for this in the Psalm: "Remember us, O Lord, in the good pleasure of your people; visit us with your salvation." This moreover came to pass when he took flesh from the Virgin; the Psalm: "You have visited the earth and made it drunk; you have multiplied its enrichment."
123. The second motive is the price of redemption, which he touches upon when he says: And he has wrought the redemption of his people: so that what is said in the Psalm may be fulfilled: "The Lord has sent redemption to his people"; and truly, "because with the Lord there is mercy, and with him plentiful redemption"; and 1 Peter 1: "You were not redeemed with corruptible gold or silver from your vain manner of life received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood as of a Lamb unspotted and undefiled," etc. And this is what is said in Isaiah 52: "You were sold for nothing, and you shall be redeemed without money"; the Psalm: "You have redeemed your people with your arm."
124. (Vers. 69.). The third motive is the trophy of the resurrection, which he touches upon when he says: And he raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, his servant: in which is understood the power of Christ rising: 1 Kings 2: "The Lord will give dominion to his king and will exalt the horn of his Christ." And this was in the resurrection: Matthew, last chapter: "All power has been given to me in heaven and on earth." And because that power was enduring, therefore it is signified by a horn; as a figure of this, the vessel with which Solomon was anointed was a horn, 3 Kings 1; the vessel with which Saul was anointed was a flask, that is, a fragile vessel, 1 Kings 10. And it is said: Horn of salvation, because through it "Israel was saved with an eternal salvation," Isaiah 45. — And he adds: In the house of David, his servant: according to that of the Psalm: "There I will make a horn spring forth for David; I have prepared a lamp for my Christ"; and 2 Kings 22: "My shield and the horn of my salvation, my lifter and my protector; from my iniquity you will free me." This, however, is said on account of the incarnation; below in chapter 2 it is said that Joseph and Mary were "of the family of David."
125. (Vers. 70.). As he spoke by the mouth of his holy ones. Here he offers praises and thanks for our restoration, inasmuch as it was promised through the Prophets by the prophecy of the Holy Spirit. And first he sets forth the prophetic oracle; second, he subjoins the prophesied benefit; and third, the fulfillment of the benefit. For these three things stir one to bless God.
First, therefore, he sets forth the oracle in that he says: As he spoke by the mouth of his holy Prophets who have been from of old. And it should be repeated: "Blessed be the Lord God, because he raised up," etc. As he spoke: 1 Chronicles 17: "Now, Lord, let the word which you have spoken be confirmed forever, and do as you have spoken." This the Saints preceding Christ's advent desired: Ecclesiasticus 36: "Raise up the prayers which your former Prophets spoke in your name, and give reward to those who wait for you, that your Prophets may be found faithful." Which also came to pass: below, chapter 18: "Behold, we go up to Jerusalem, and all things that were spoken by the Prophets concerning the Son of man shall be accomplished"; Amos 3: "For the Lord will not do a thing unless he has revealed his secret to his servants the Prophets."
126. (Vers. 71.). Second, he subjoins the benefit which the Prophets promised, when he says: Salvation from our enemies: and the word he wrought or he raised up should be repeated. For the Prophets spoke of this: 1 Peter 1: "Concerning which salvation the Prophets inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace to come in you." This salvation, moreover, consists in liberation from enemies, that is, from demons: Psalm: "Deliver me from my enemies"; Colossians 1: "He has rescued us from the power of darkness."
127. And he adds thirdly the completion of the benefit, when he says: And from the hand of all who hated us, that is, from the hand or power of all persecutors, whether demons or men: Isaiah nineteen: "They shall cry out to the Lord because of the oppressor, and he shall send them a savior and a champion, who shall deliver them"; Job five: "He dissipates the plans of the malicious, so that their hands cannot accomplish what they had begun." And for so great a benefit God is to be praised: Second Maccabees one: "Having been delivered from great dangers by God, we give him magnificent thanks"; and in the Psalm: "He delivered me from my most powerful enemies, and from those who hated me."
128. (Verse 72). To perform mercy etc. This is the third principal part of the canticle, in which he gives thanks for our restoration, inasmuch as it was promised to the Fathers under oath. And in this part he first sets forth the principle moving to the promise; second, the oath establishing it; and third, the remedy following upon it.
The principle now moving to the promise was the divine mercy, from which promise arose the testimony of the Fathers: and he touches on this when he says: To perform mercy with our Fathers. And the word previously stated must be repeated, namely that of blessing and raising up: blessed, that is, be God, who raised up a horn, so that he might perform mercy: Exodus twenty: "He performs mercy unto thousands for those who love him"; and Tobit three: "Blessed are you, Lord God of our fathers, who, when you have been angry, show mercy"; the Psalm: "Magnifying the salvations of his king and showing mercy to his anointed, to David and to his seed forever." And because by promising mercy he as it were made it a debt through a covenant, he therefore adds: And to remember his holy testament: the Psalm: "He has been mindful forever of his testament, of the word which he commanded for a thousand generations."
129. And note that the old testament was holy through prefiguration, but the new through containment and fulfillment: whence he calls the new testament a holy testament, which he sanctified with his blood: Zechariah nine: "You also, in the blood of your testament, have sent forth your prisoners from the pit"; and Hebrews nine: "If the blood of goats and the ashes of a heifer sprinkled upon the defiled sanctifies unto the cleansing of the flesh, how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the Holy Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, cleanse our conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And therefore he is the mediator of the new testament, so that, with death intervening, for the redemption of those transgressions which were under the former testament, those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance." And this is what he had promised beforehand, as is said in Hebrews eight: "I will consummate upon the house of Israel and the house of Judah a new testament."