Bible Figure
Elizabeth
mother of John the Baptist and the wife of Zacharias/Zachary, according to the Gospel of Luke
Elizabeth was the wife of the priest Zechariah, a relative of Mary, and the mother of John the Baptist. Though she had been unable to bear children and was advanced in age, God enabled her to conceive. Filled with the Holy Spirit when Mary visited her, Elizabeth blessed Mary and recognized the extraordinary significance of Mary's unborn child.
Biography
Luke introduces Elizabeth as a descendant of Aaron and the wife of the priest Zechariah. Both are described as righteous, yet they had no child because Elizabeth was barren and both were advanced in years. While Zechariah was serving in the temple, Gabriel announced that Elizabeth would bear a son named John who would prepare people for the Lord. Elizabeth conceived and remained in seclusion for several months. In the sixth month of her pregnancy, Mary visited her. When Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth, filled with the Holy Spirit, blessed Mary and the fruit of her womb. At John's birth, Elizabeth firmly supported the divinely given name John despite family expectations. Scripture gives no further account of her later life.
Biblical Significance
Elizabeth belongs to the opening movement of the Gospel story in which God prepares the way for Christ. Her miraculous conception recalls earlier biblical accounts of God giving children to women who had been barren, while her Spirit-filled recognition of Mary's child testifies to Jesus before His birth. As John's mother, she also stands within God's preparation for the ministry of the Messiah.