This is a significant fact, since the priesthood at this time was known to be corrupt – especially at the highest
level. 'The office of High Priest, which was supposed to be inherited (passing through the eldest son) was at
that time purchased each year from the Romans, having been sold to the highest bidder. The Romans had
seized the garments of the High Priest and they only allowed him to wear them on Yom Kippur (Day of
Atonement), By this means, the Romans controlled both the High Priest, and through him, to some degree,
the Temple itself. Because the High Priest could not wear the garments on a daily basis, the Apostle Paul did
not know that he was standing before the High Priest when Paul took issue with him for having him (Paul)
struck on the mouth (see Acts 23:1-5).
The High Priest during the year of Y‘shua's crucifixion was Caiaphas. However, another High Priest, Annas,
is also mentioned in the Gospel accounts and in Jewish history. Who, then, was the functioning High Priest
at that time? Indeed it was Caiaphas, who was the son-in-law of Annas. However, Annas had also served as
High Priest at an earlier time. Just as past American presidents are still called ―Mr. President‖ after they
leave office, so Annas was still referred to as High Priest even though he was no longer in that position. Not
only had Annas and his son-in-law Caiaphas both held the office, Five of Annas' own sons also held the
office of High Priest at one time or another. In other words, their family had a lock on the office of High Priest
for which they were required to pay the Roman Procurator. However, they made far more money from the
Temple treasury then they ever paid to Pilate.
According to tradition, once the High Priest was in office, he was supposed to remain in that position until
death. As you can see from the practice of the time, this rule was no longer being followed. They often had a
different High Priest each year, depending on who had sufficient money and/or political pull with the Romans
to purchase the office. Despite the corruption at the highest level, there were many ordinary priests like
Zacharias who were still obedient to YHWH. They were conscientious about their calling and not in the
priesthood for the money.
―But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well advanced in years‖. (Luke
1:7)
How old were Zacharias and Elizabeth? Alfred Edersheim, in his classic nineteenth century work entitled;
The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, makes the observation that according to the Talmud (Ahoth v. 21)
a person was not considered to be 'aged' until attaining the age of sixty years. If this is true, then both
Zacharias and Elizabeth could be expected to be above the age of sixty.
According to the Torah, the Priests were allowed to minister as long as they were physically fit to do so. They
were not limited by age, as were the Levites (Num 4:2-3)
(16) ―And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying,
(17) ̳Speak to Aaron, saying: ―No man of your descendants in succeeding generations, who has any
defect, may approach to offer the bread of his God.
(18) For any man who has a defect shall not approach: a man blind or lame, who has a marred face or
any limb too long,
(19) a man who has a broken foot or broken hand,
(20) or is a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man who has a defect in his eye, or eczema or scab, or is a
eunuch‘‖.
(Lev 21:16-20 NKJV)
Priests suffering from these various afflictions were still allowed to partake of the food that was set aside for
use by the priesthood, but they were not allowed to serve in the Temple rituals: ―...lest he profane My
sanctuaries; for I the LORD sanctify them‖ (Lev 21:23b)
The Incense Ritual
The burning of incense during the Temple service was a very special event in the life of a Temple Priest.
This honour was decided by lot each day. Once a priest had served in this capacity, his name was taken out
of the lottery so that he could never bum incense a second time unless all of the officiating priests on any
given day had already served in that capacity. This being the case, the burning of incense probably was the
pinnacle of a Priest's entire career.
(8) ―So it was, that while he (Zacharias) was serving as priest before God in the order of his division,
(9) according to the custom of the priesthood, his lot fell to burn incense when he went into the temple of
the Lord.