Luke 1:14-15

Luke 1:14-15

[14] And  joy  and  gladness;  and  many  shall rejoice  at  his  [15] For  great  in the sight  of the Lord,  and  shall drink  wine  nor  strong drink;  and  he shall be filled  with the Holy  Ghost,  even  from  his  mother's  womb. 

What does Luke 1:14-15 Mean?

Contextual Meaning

Joy would replace fear in Zechariah"s heart and spread to his wife and then to all Israel. The coming of Israel"s predicted Messiah would be a joyous event according to the Old Testament. The theme of joy is prominent in Luke"s Gospel.
The cause of joy would be John"s spiritual greatness. The same angel also announced that Jesus would be great without qualification ( Luke 1:32). Thus there was a connection between the roles of John and Jesus. The phrase "in the sight of" the Lord indicates God"s choice and approval. It translates a Greek word, enopion, which only Luke among the synoptic writers used. It appears35 times in Luke and Acts. [1] John used this word once, in John 20:30.
"Filling [2] is a general Lucan term for presence and enablement." [3]
The connection between control by drink and control by the Holy Spirit occurs elsewhere in Scripture ( Ephesians 5:18). It is difficult, if not impossible, to determine if John was to be a Nazirite ( Numbers 6:1-12) or simply devoted to God. The priests were to refrain from strong drink before serving in the sanctuary ( Leviticus 10:1-4; Leviticus 10:9-11). There are no other specific indications that John was a Nazirite, though he may have been. His ascetic lifestyle was similar to that of many prophets, particularly Elijah ( Luke 1:17; 2 Kings 1:8; Matthew 3:4).
"John"s greatness is not found in his choice of lifestyle, but in the fact that in understanding his calling, he pursues it fully and carries out God"s will faithfully. John"s style will be different from that of Jesus. God does not make all people to minister in the same way. That diversity allows different types of ministry to impact different kinds of people." [4]
The Holy Spirit"s influence in his life was unusual for someone living in Old Testament times. Normally the Holy Spirit empowered people selectively and temporarily then. Luke had a special interest in the Holy Spirit"s enabling ministry that surfaces frequently in his writings (cf. Luke 1:35; Luke 1:41; Luke 1:67; Luke 2:25-27; Luke 3:16; Luke 3:22; Luke 4:1; Luke 4:14; Luke 4:18; Luke 10:21; Luke 11:13; Luke 12:10; Luke 12:12; and many times in Acts).