Good question. I've wish I could hear the tone of their voices. Was Zachariah being sarcastic? Antagonistic? I'm a teacher and I can ask 2 students if they did their homework. One will politely answer "yes, I did" and the second one may be belligerent and stare at me while muttering "yes, I did". You don't think they both mean the same, do you? I'm NOT saying that Zachariah was ugly to Gabriel, all I'm saying is that just because Mary and he asked basically the same question it does not mean they both believed and submitted to God's will the same way!
You wrote:
“all I’m saying is that just because Mary and he asked basically the same question...”
Read the text over again. Before you decide that Mary and Zachariah asked the same question, look at the answers they were given. The same question should get the same answer. Basically the same question - as you put it - should get basically the same answer. Did they get the same answer?
Good thought there with the tone of the voice. I have always thought that Mary’s question was full of wonderment and a little bit of confusion.
And Zechariah;s question was more doubt and sarcasm. That’s why God had him remain mute until he named the baby John.
Attitutde, attitude.