Age of Zechariah (regarding his priesthood)

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I am curious if Zechariah is thought to be a particularly old man. Luke 1:7-9 states: “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.”

It is my understanding that the priesthood was only carried out between the ages of 30 and 50 (cf. Numbers 4). So then it would appear that Zechariah was not an “old” man (as we today consider aged) but most likely a man in his (probably late) 40s.

Does this sound accurate?
 
japhy said:
t is my understanding that the priesthood was only carried out between the ages of 30 and 50 (cf. Numbers 4). So then it would appear that Zechariah was not an “old” man (as we today consider aged) but most likely a man in his (probably late) 40s.
Does this sound accurate?
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In today’s reading Anna was 84 (Luke 2:37). I think the people could get to a great, old age back then, more so than today.
 
LMP said:
In today’s reading Anna was 84 (Luke 2:37). I think the people could get to a great, old age back then, more so than today.
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Right, we know Anna’s age was 84, but we don’t know Elizabeth and Zechariah’s ages exactly. I would just assume that Zechariah was 50 or younger since he was still exercising his priestly ministry.
 
japhy said:
I am curious if Zechariah is thought to be a particularly old man. Luke 1:7-9 states: “But they had no child, because Elizabeth was barren, and both were advanced in years. Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood, it fell to him by lot to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense.”

It is my understanding that the priesthood was only carried out between the ages of 30 and 50 (cf. Numbers 4). So then it would appear that Zechariah was not an “old” man (as we today consider aged) but most likely a man in his (probably late) 40s.

Does this sound accurate?
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Hi Japhy,
Numbers 4 is concerned with Levites carrying the ark and furniture. The particular Levi’s in question in that chapter are not high priestly; eg: not sons of AAron. The age restriction there, then, has to do with ability for physical labor.
I do recall seeing another age listing elsewhere, but I had never considered it with respect to the AAronite – I’ll have to look for it again.

Zechariah was offering incense on the small golden altar that was inside the inner temple (Naos); a light job; He was not entering the innermost sanctuary where the Ark was kept – but was rather just outside it – offering incense on a altar which faced where the ark (WOULD HAVE BEEN) if it had been recovered after the Babylonian captivity. Zechariah is from the AAronitic course of Abia – eg: one of the 24 courses assigned by king David for perpetual service in the temple year after year. He wasn’t exactly high priest – as in top of the office – but high priestly in that he was AAronitic and so could touch items inside the temple which normal Levites could not (eg: the sons of Caath). Normal Levites would do the offering of certain animals at the entrance to the inner temple (eg: outside the inner temple/tent) on a large altar.
So, I am thinking that the age restriction may not have applied to Zechariah in the way shown in Numbers 4 – as that chapter is almost entirely devoted to the priests who would do physical labor carrying the tent of meeting around.
The age, then, (seems to me), to be for the purpose of insuring health and strength capable of performing their task.

I’ll look a bit more; you have raised a terribly interesting question.

Peace; --Andrew
 
My reading of Numbers 4 is that it refers to the age range of men to be inducted into the service of the sons of Kohath (not the Jewish priesthood and not the usual Levitical service); this was manual labor (moving various equipment and moving the tabernacle of the convenant from place to place), and so anyone older than 50 was not inducted. But obviously if a man was inducted at age 50, he would not then immediately retire. The age range was the starting age for admittance. This would be comparable to a seminary accepting men up to the age of whatever the limit is, but as a starting point for the ministry.

This has no bearing at all on Zecharah’s age for his service as a priest in the Temple of Jerusalem.
 
Huiou Theou, so Zechariah’s was the Aaronic priesthood (which was for ministering), rather than the Levitic priesthood (which was for assistance)?
 
found this on the web

“Luke 1:5 There was in the time of Herod, the king of Judaea,
a priest of the name of Zechariah, belonging to the class of Abijah.
He had a wife who was a descendant of Aaron, and her name was Elizabeth.”

Abijah A descendant of Eleazar, the son of Aaron, a chief of one of the twenty-four orders into which the priesthood was divided by David (1 Chr. 24:10)
The order of Abijah was one of those which did not return from the Captivity (Ezra 2:36-39; Neh. 7:39-42; 12:1).
 
japhy said:
Huiou Theou, so Zechariah’s was the Aaronic priesthood (which was for ministering), rather than the Levitic priesthood (which was for assistance)?
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The levitical tribe as a whole did priestly duties. This included smearing blood on the altar to make the blood holy, draining blood at the foot of the alter, and so forth.
For every sacrifice that was butchered – it was either butchered by the owner themselves, or by a Levite.
The owner did it themselves when they wished purification from sin, etc; They would lay their hands on the animal as a sign that the animal was taking their place with respect to sin/impurtity; The cleansing was to be effected by the life of the person being touched to the altar which then made the blood holy – and symbolically made the blood of the offerer holy as well.

Once butchered, however, my understanding is that a Levite had to do whatever was associated with the altar as a layperson was not allowed to touch it.

For the sanctification of the altar, itself, and what I would call Higher Tasks the sons of AAron were required.
It was a priest of AAron’s line who could take blood from outside the temple and bring it inside to be smeared on the horns of the altar of incense. As far as I know, however, a regular Levi could handle blood to be poured out on the bronze altar outside the tent of meeting/inner temple.

Aaron is of the tribe of Levi; he is the brother of Moses; So an AAronite is a Levi descended from AAron. Moses was essentially high priest, but abdicated much of his office to AAron: Eg: AAron spoke to Pharaoh … etc. and the privelege of high priestly duties then fell to AAron and his sons.

The special privileges associated with AAron over and above a normal Levite, included coordinating the wars and moving of the tribes, burning of special incense compounded for prayers in the temple: eg: Numbers 10:8; 3:4 (wrong incense burned even by AArons sons.caused death, and any incense burned by non AAronites would bring death. etc.)

I am not sure that it is appropriate to distinguish them based on “ministry”, but rather the AAronite priests performed the duties of a higher Honor and (I presume) a better purification.

Notice; it is Moses who washes the AAronites to cleanse them – they do not wash themselves. He was the one closest to God, and his purification evidently held the highest honor.
 
The work of the Levites was clearly distinct from the work of the Jewish priests. This is clear from the passage in Numbers where God rebukes the Levites who claim to have the same role as the priests.

The Jewish priests were a foreshadowing of the ordained Christian priesthood.
The Jewish Levites were a foreshadowing of men and women religious, who are not ordained.

But the sons of Kohath were neither; so it is absurd to apply that passage to Zechariah, who was a priest, not a Levite.
 
Here are links to a couple of articles in the Jewish Encyclopedia:
jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=300&letter=L
This is a short article. It notes how some sections of Scripture use the terms “Levite” and “Priest” synomously.

jewishencyclopedia.com/view.jsp?artid=523&letter=P on priesthood
A longer article on the priesthood.

I’ve been unable to find anything in Scripture or elsewhere that gives a retirement age for the priesthood. But as someone noted earlier, it’s an interesting question - so hope someone can find out.

Here’s a further Scripture passage regarding the “retirement” of the Levites (not priests):
Numbers 8:23 And the LORD said to Moses, 8:24 “This is what pertains to the Levites: from twenty-five years old and upward they shall go in to perform the work in the service of the tent of meeting; 8:25 and from the age of fifty years they shall withdraw from the work of the service and serve no more, 8:26 but minister to their brethren in the tent of meeting, to keep the charge, and they shall do no service. Thus shall you do to the Levites in assigning their duties.”
The NIV translates verse 26 - "They may assist their brothers in performing their duties at the Tent of Meeting, but they themselves must not do the work.

Nita
 
If one keeps digging, something usually turns up!! 🙂

**I’m not familiar with the New World Encyclopedia so do not know how reliable it is. ** I found the site by googling “retirement age of the aaronic priesthood”. What I did discover when googling the aaronic priesthood is that the Mormons also have what they call an “aaronic priesthood”. So, if this encyclopedia is put out by them, information could be slanted.

newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Kohen
According to the New World Encyclopedia entry for “Kohen”:
(kohen=priest; kohanim=priests)

“In biblical times, kohanim could assume their duties once they reached physical maturity, usually associated with the age of 13. However, in later years kohanim normally begin serving at the age of 20 (Talmud Bavli:Hullin 24b, and Mishneh Torah:Hilchoth Klei HaMiqdash 5:15). There was no mandatory retirement age. Only when a kohen became physically infirm could he no longer serve.”

Nita
 
Ron_Conte said:
The Jewish priests were a foreshadowing of the ordained Christian priesthood.
The Jewish Levites were a foreshadowing of men and women religious, who are not ordained.

But the sons of Kohath were neither;
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Hi Ron,
The sons of Kohath were Levites (cf Numbers 3:17-19). Their responsibilities are given in these verses:
Numbers 3:28-31 The Kohathites were responsible for the care of the sanctuary. …The leader of the families of the Kohathite clans was Elizaphan son of Uzziel. They were responsible for the care of the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the articles of the sanctuary used in ministering, the curtain, and everything related to their use.

Nita
 
Although Aaron was of the tribe of Levi only his sons were priests and performed priestly functions. The rest in the Levitical tribe were… the “Levites” with separate temple functions.
Levites served from age 30 to 50 (Num 4:3, 23, 47) and retired at 50 (8:25).
The priests served until they died (Heb 7:23, “…death prevented them from continuing in office”).
 
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