Zachariah's question, "Whereby shall I know this?", isn't just asking how it will happen, but demands a sign or proof, revealing a failure to trust God's promise. Unlike Mary's gentler "How shall this be?" which sought understanding, Zachariah's question comes from a place of disbelief, stemming from his and his wife's advanced age, which he lets block his faith.
And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you this good news. And behold, you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled in their time.”
English Standard Version (ESV)
The angel Gabriel has just announced to the elderly priest Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son. Zechariah, faced with the seemingly impossible news given their advanced age, questions how this will happen. Unlike Mary's humble "how can this be?", Zechariah's "how shall I know this?" betrays a deeper doubt, leading to his temporary punishment of muteness.
Zechariah and Mary both asked questions about their divine appointments. But one received a rebuke, while the other was blessed. What's the difference?
Zechariah’s question, “How shall I know this?” reveals a heart struggling with belief. The original language hints that he’s asking for a specific sign or proof, leaning on his own understanding of limitations (old age). This is contrasted with Mary's question, “How shall this be, since I know not a man?” which is framed as a genuine inquiry about how the miraculous will unfold, not if it will. Her question flows from a place of submission and trust, not doubt. While both faced the impossible, Mary’s heart was already aligned with God’s will, whereas Zechariah’s focus on his own age and his wife’s condition revealed a blockage to full trust.
Zechariah’s words seem reasonable – he’s old, his wife is old. So why the severe punishment?
The commentators point out that God looks at the heart. While Zechariah’s words were a logical objection based on natural limitations, God saw a deeper distrust. He had prayed for this very thing, yet when it was promised, he focused on the natural impossibilities rather than the supernatural power of God. It wasn't just about his age; it was about his heart’s posture. This highlights that God evaluates our faith not just by what we say, but by the underlying belief (or unbelief) that drives our words. What seems like a minor doubt to us can be a significant offense to God when it stems from a failure to trust His power and faithfulness.
Understand the original words
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angelos · Greek Noun
A messenger of God; a spiritual being created by God to serve Him, carry out His commands, and reveal His will to humans.
Gabriel · Hebrew Proper Noun
A high-ranking heavenly messenger whose name means "God is my strength" or "God is my warrior." He acts as a special envoy of God in key moments of redemptive history.
euangelizomai · Greek Verb
The joyful announcement of salvation and the coming of the Kingdom of God; specifically, the proclamation that God is acting to fulfill His promises to His people.
pisteuō · Greek Verb
To trust, rely upon, and commit to the truthfulness of God or His message; it is the fundamental response of faith that aligns one's heart with God’s promises.
Zechariah's question reflects a common human struggle to believe God's promises when they defy natural understanding, contrasting with figures like Abraham who trusted God's power implicitly.
c. 2000 BC
God's Promise to Abraham
God promises Abraham and Sarah a son despite their old age, a promise Abraham believes, demonstrating faith in God's power over natural limitations.
c. 1200 BC
Gideon Asks for Signs
Gideon, called to deliver Israel, asks for signs from an angel to confirm God's promise, showing a different response to divine messages than Zechariah's.
c. 740 BC
Prophecy of Immanuel
Isaiah prophesies that a virgin will conceive and bear a son named Immanuel, a future event foreshadowing miraculous births.
Late 1st century BC— this verse
Annunciation to Zechariah
The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah, a priest, in the Temple to announce the miraculous birth of his son, John the Baptist, whom he will conceive in old age with his wife Elizabeth.
Late 1st century BC
Annunciation to Mary
Shortly after Zechariah's encounter, Gabriel appears to Mary to announce she will conceive Jesus through the Holy Spirit, a conception she accepts with faith and wonder.
This passage shows Abraham's similar, yet ultimately different, reaction to a promise of a child in old age, highlighting the nuance in faith when facing the seemingly impossible.
Romans 4:18-21Paul uses Abraham's story to illustrate faith that trusts God's power beyond natural limitations, contrasting with Zacharias' doubt based on his physical circumstances.
Judges 6:36-40Gideon also asked for a sign when receiving a divine promise, showing a pattern of seeking confirmation, though Zacharias' doubt was rebuked more severely.
Luke 1:34Mary's question, 'How shall this be?' stems from a place of wonder and seeking understanding, unlike Zacharias' question which expressed a lack of belief.
wesleyLuke 1:18: "And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years."
1:18 Zacharias said, Whereby shall I know this? - In how different a spirit did he blessed virgin say, How shall this be? Zacharias disbelieved the fact: Mary had no doubt of the thing; but only inquired concerning the manner of it.
cambridgeLuke 1:18: "And Zacharias said unto the angel, Whereby shall I know this? for I am an old man, and my wife well stricken in years."
18 . for I am an old man ] So “Abraham fell upon his face, and laughed, and said in his heart, Shall a child be born unto him that is a hundred years old?” Genesis 17:17 . But he had believed the original promise ( Genesis 15:6 ) though he asked for a confirmation of it ( Luke 1:8 ). “He believed … God who quickeneth the dead,” Romans 4:17 .
Zachariah's question, "Whereby shall I know this?", isn't just asking how it will happen, but demands a sign or proof, revealing a failure to trust God's promise. Unlike Mary's gentler "How shall this be?" which sought understanding, Zachariah's question comes from a place of disbelief, stemming from his and his wife's advanced age, which he lets block his faith.
The angel Gabriel has just announced to the elderly priest Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son. Zechariah, faced with the seemingly impossible news given their advanced age, questions how this will happen. Unlike Mary's humble "how can this be?", Zechariah's "how shall I know this?" betrays a deeper doubt, leading to his temporary punishment of muteness.
The angel Gabriel has just announced to the elderly priest Zechariah that he and his wife Elizabeth will have a son. Zechariah, faced with the seemingly impossible news given their advanced age, questions how this will happen. Unlike Mary's humble "how can this be?", Zechariah's "how shall I know this?" betrays a deeper doubt, leading to his temporary punishment of muteness.
"And Zechariah said to the angel, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years.” And the angel answered him, “I am Gabriel. I stand in the presence of God, and I was sent to speak to you and to bring you thi…" — Zachariah's question, "Whereby shall I know this?", isn't just asking how it will happen, but demands a sign or proof, revealing a failure to trust God's promise. Unlike Mary's gentler "How shall…
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Last reviewed October 2026
