Hello,

Would you have knowledge of whether there is any information on record of what happened to Elizabeth and Zacharias after John’s circumcision while he was growing up?

Luke states how John grew then went into the desert…But what did he do while growing?

Also what ever happened to his parents?

Appreciate any information or direction…Thank you,

S___

Hi S____,

Thank you for your question concerning John and his parents.

We are told that John’s father, Zacharias, was a priest who ministered at the temple in Jerusalem, so we know that much about what John’s father Zacharias did. There is absolutely no reason given in scripture to assume that Zacharias did not continue his priestly duties.

Luk 1:5  There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judaea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abia: and his wife was of the daughters of Aaron, and her name was Elisabeth.

Luk 1:8  And it came to pass, that while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his course, 
Luk 1:9  According to the custom of the priest’s office, his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord.

Here is all we are told about the life of John:

Luk 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel. 

Here is Matthew’s account of John:

Mat 3:3  For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mat 3:4  And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
Mat 3:5  Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
Mat 3:6  And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.

Here is what Mark tells us about John:

Mar 1:2  As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. 
Mar 1:3  The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
Mar 1:4  John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Mar 1:5  And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mar 1:6  And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
Mar 1:7  And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
Mar 1:8  I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

And finally, we have the apostle John’s account of John the baptist:

Joh 1:6  There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
Joh 1:7  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
Joh 1:8  He [John] was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

This is all we are told about what John did before he ‘showed himself to Israel’:

Luk 1:80  And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.

Many people also wonder what Christ did as a child. The only thing we know about His life before his ministry began at “about 30 years of age” is that at 12 years of age He stayed behind in the temple after His parents left to go back home.

The Bible gives the briefest sketch as a history book, simply because history is not its main objective. Its main objective is to tell us what God is doing with mankind and to introduce mankind to God and His son Jesus Christ, through the faith of Jesus Christ within us:

Pro 16:4  The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
Pro 16:5  Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
Pro 16:6  By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.

Ecc 1:13 I applied my heart to inquiring and exploring by wisdom concerning all that is done under the heavens: it is an experience of evil Elohim has given to the sons of humanity to humble them by it. (CLV)

Ecc 12:13  Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

Jer 18:4  And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter: so he made it again another vessel, as seemed good to the potter to make it.

Dan 4:17  This matter is by the decree of the watchers, and the demand by the word of the holy ones: to the intent that the living may know that the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the basest of men.

Joh 17:3  And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent. 

Rom 9:16  So then it is not of him that willeth, nor of him that runneth, but of God that sheweth mercy.

1Co 15:22  For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

Eph 1:11  In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will:

This is what the word of God is all about, and any history of the lives of anyone in scripture is solely for the purpose of teaching us that God is sovereign, that He has made us in a marred condition right from “the hand of the Potter”, and that He is in the process of humbling every man who has ever lived and bringing “all in Adam” back to him “after the counsel of His own will”.

I will close this e-mail with one more verse of scripture which we strive to obey as we answer every question that comes before us on iswasandwillbe.com. Here is that verse of scripture:

1Co 4:6  Now these things, brethren, I have in a figure transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes; that in us ye might learn not to go beyond the things which are written; that no one of you be puffed up for the one against the other.

There is nothing wrong with wondering about these things. I wonder about matters like this myself. But I never quote extra Biblical sources like the so-called ‘church fathers’ concerning Biblical doctrine,because of this admonition “not to go beyond the things which are written” in the scriptures themselves.

I hope this helps you to see why I have only given you “what is written” in answer to your question.

Your brother in Christ,

Mike