The Careful Account
And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside. Luke 1:10 · Berean Standard Bible
While Zechariah is inside offering incense, a large crowd of worshippers is gathered outside praying.
The incense symbolized the people's prayers rising to God. While the crowd prays outside, something extraordinary is happening just on the other side of the wall.
Luke describes the dual scene of worship.
Hundreds of people are praying outside, and inside the holy place, one old priest is about to get the answer to a prayer he may have stopped praying years ago.
While Zechariah offers incense inside, the entire plethos (multitude) of the people prays outside during the hora tou thymiamatos (hour of the incense offering).
The incense offering symbolized prayers ascending to God (Psalm 141:2, Revelation 5:8). The congregation praying outside while the priest ministers inside represents the mediatorial structure of temple worship.
The narrator describes the worship scene inside and outside the temple.
A beautiful dual scene: Zechariah stands in the holy place offering incense while the entire congregation prays outside. Their prayers and the incense rise to God together.
8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God,
9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.
10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.
11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense.
12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear.
Read all of Luke 1 — A physician writes the most detailed account of Jesus' life. Luke notices the people others overlook — the poor, the outcast, the women, the forgotten.
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