Luke 1.5-25 has the feel of Hebrew narrative. First, of course, you have a priest descended from Aaron’s line entering the temple to burn incense. We also see the people of Israel represented outside. And then the episode has the conflict or crisis and resolution of that conflict. Zechariah’s seeing Gabriel next to the altar of incense serves as the conflict/crisis here. Zechariah soon learns that the angel has good news, but the people outside are kept waiting, not knowing what’s happened to the priest. (Their presence in this scene has just a smidgen, just a tiny bit of a feel of the Greek chorus, but with a different function. However, their part does give us a view from outside the temple, upping tension.)
Although Gabriel changes the mood from fear to joy with his greeting and announcement. But then the new conflict emerges with Zechariah’s doubt. Gabriel responds by having Zechariah lose his ability to speak until the baby is born.
Even though Luke is the only known gentile author of Scripture, his Gospel bears the feel, structure, and elements of Hebrew narrative.
