Luke 1:21

Study note

Setting — The narrative shifts to the crowd gathered in the temple, waiting for Zechariah to emerge after his time inside. This occurs immediately after the angel’s declaration that Zechariah would remain mute until the prophecy is fulfilled (Luke 1:20).

The words — The text records the people as προσδοκῶν (prosdokōn), meaning they were actively expecting or waiting for Zechariah to come out.

The thread — The expectation of Zechariah’s return connects directly to the angel’s warning in Luke 1:20 and the crowd’s subsequent realization of a vision when he emerges in Luke 1:22.

Why it lands — The text shows the crowd's growing impatience and confusion over Zechariah's prolonged absence, which sets the stage for their reaction to his mute emergence. A reader must observe how the narrative uses this waiting period to heighten tension before the fulfillment of the angel's sign.

Drafted by a language model from the text, its original words and its cross-references, then checked against them. It can still be wrong: open the verse in the app to report it.