When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.” 61 But they answered her, “There is no one among your relatives who has this name.” 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then, will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
The gathering “on the eighth day” for circumcision is not only a family celebration. In Israel’s Scriptures, circumcision is the sign of belonging to the covenant people (Gen. 17:9-14; Lev. 12:3). Luke highlights it because he wants the reader to see that the story of Jesus does not begin as a new religion dropped into the world from nowhere. John’s birth, and then Jesus’ birth, are told in a way that shows continuity with Israel’s life of faith. Later, Luke will narrate Jesus’ own circumcision (Lk. 2:21) in the same pattern. The message is simple: the saving work God is about to accomplish is rooted in the promises already given and in the people to whom God first entrusted them.
The naming moment brings the drama into focus. Everyone assumes the child will take his father’s name. That is what custom expects, and it would also mark the child’s place within the family line. Elizabeth, however, speaks with calm firmness: “No. He will be called John.” The surprise is not only that she resists custom, but that Zechariah confirms the same name in writing. Luke mentions that they “made signs” to the father, which suggests they treat him as unable to hear as well as unable to speak. Yet the man who cannot speak can still obey. He asks for a tablet and writes, “John is his name.” Zechariah does not first explain himself to the relatives, defend Elizabeth, or argue about family custom. He aligns himself with the word God had already spoken through the angel (Lk. 1:13). He obeys without first explaining. It is a quiet turning point in the story: the silence that began with doubt ends when Zechariah obeys God’s instruction.
The name itself matters. John’s name is not chosen because it fits the family tree, but because it fits God’s plan of salvation. Luke is teaching the reader to look for God’s initiative. This child is not a private answer to one couple’s longing alone; he has been conceived and born through God’s intervention. He is being placed into Israel’s covenant life for a purpose that will soon touch the whole nation.
When Zechariah’s tongue was loosed, his first use of restored speech is not self-defense, not argument, and not explanation, but blessing God. Luke is showing that the right response to God’s mercy is praise. And the reaction of the neighbors—“fear came upon all,” discussion spreading through the hill country—signals that something more than a happy birth has occurred. In Scripture, this kind of awe often follows moments when God’s hand becomes visible in ordinary life (cf. Lk. 7:16; Acts 2:43; Ex. 14:31).
The episode ends with two lines that point forward. First, the people took what they heard “to heart.” Luke uses that kind of language when he wants the reader to see deep, attentive listening, the kind that receives God’s work rather than treating it as gossip. Second, they ask the question Luke wants hanging in the air: “What, then, will this child be?” The answer will unfold as John grows into his mission, and it will be defined by how he prepares the way for Jesus (Mk. 1:4-8; Jn. 1:6-8). The “hand of the Lord” being with him is not merely a comforting phrase. It signals divine guidance for a prophetic calling. John will not point to himself; he will point beyond himself, so that Israel—and then the nations—can recognize the Lord when he comes.
Lord God, you show mercy from generation to generation, as you lead your people into salvation. Give us hearts that listen deeply, faith that obeys your word, and gratitude that turns quickly into praise. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Sources and References
- The Holy Bible, New American Bible, Revised Edition (2011).
- New American Bible, Revised Edition notes on Luke 1:57-66.
- Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, The Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Gospel of Luke (Ignatius Press), Luke 1:59-64 (p. 107).
- Faculty of the University of Navarre, The Navarre Bible: Saint Luke (Four Courts/Scepter), Luke 1:57-80 (p. 247).
- José Enrique Aguilar Chiu et al., eds., The Paulist Biblical Commentary (Paulist Press, 2018), Luke 1:57-66 (pp. 1039-1040).
- Raymond E. Brown et al., eds., The New Jerome Biblical Commentary (Prentice Hall, 1990), Luke 1:57-66 (p. 682).
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