Une lecture juive de l’annonce faite à Zacharie

Many scholars are reluctant to exploit the texts of the Mishnah and Rabbinic literature when it comes to specifying the background of a gospel passage. The refrain that often comes up is that those texts are late. They simply forget to distinguish between late writing and ancient tradition. The Infancy Gospel in Luke demonstrates very clearly how the treaties Yoma and Midot of the Mishnah are fundamental for the understanding of the Temple and the Priestly work in it. In fact, the relationship of Luke to Judaism remains essential to understanding its history of salvation. The first two chapters of his gospel, which begin at the Temple of Jerusalem are a privileged witness of the relation between the two stages of the covenant. The theme of the Temple also forms an inclusion in his gospel. We shall confine ourselves here to the analysis of the story of the announcement to Zechariah (Luke 1:5-23) to show his Jewish background.