THE HOLY GOSPEL OF JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO ST. LUKE
St. Luke was a native of Antioch, the capital of Syria. He was by profession a physician; and some ancient writers say, that he was very skillful in painting. He was converted by St. Paul and became his disciple and companion in his travels, and fellow-labourer in the ministry of the Gospel. He wrote in Greek, about twenty-four years after our Lord's Ascension.
Luke Chapter 1
The conception of John the Baptist, and of Christ. The visitation and canticle of the Blessed Virgin. The birth of the Baptist and the canticle of Zachary.
1:1. Forasmuch as many have taken in hand to set forth in order a narration of the things that have been accomplished among us,
1:2. According as they have delivered them unto us, who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word:
1:3. It seemed good to me also, having diligently attained to all things from the beginning, to write to thee in order, most excellent Theophilus,
1:4. That thou mayest know the verity of those words in which thou hast been instructed.
1:5. There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zachary, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth.
Of the course of Abia… that is, of the rank of Abia, which word in the Greek is commonly put for the employment of one day: but here for the functions of a whole week. For, by the appointment of David, 1 Par. 24., the descendants from Aaron were divided into twenty-four families, of which the eighth was Abia, from whom descended this Zachary, who at this time was in the week of his priestly functions.