Q: Who was John the Baptist's father?

A: Zechariah. According to the first chapter of the Gospel of Luke, Zechariah was a priest married to John's mother, Elizabeth, who conceived despite their old age. Zechariah was struck speechless because he did not believe the words of the angel Gabriel proclaiming that Elizabeth would become pregnant. However, as soon as Zechariah had written on a tablet, "His name is John," he regained his speech. As Elizabeth was a relative of Mary's (Luke 1:36), this makes John the Baptist a cousin of Jesus.

(Originally published Dec 28, 2021)