Luke 1:61 - Printer Friendly

ESV: And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.”

NIV: They said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who has that name.'

NASB: And they said to her, 'There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.'

CSB: Then they said to her, "None of your relatives has that name."

NLT: What?' they exclaimed. 'There is no one in all your family by that name.'

KJV: And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name.

NKJV: But they said to her, “There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.”

By the New Testament era, it was common for Jewish families to rely on a set of traditional, family names when identifying newborn sons. Now that Elizabeth and Zechariah have finally had a child (Luke 1:5–7, 13, 57), family and neighbors expect them to follow that trend. Since Zechariah is unable to speak (Luke 1:18–20), those performing the naming ceremony plan to name the child after his father (Luke 1:59). Elizabeth refuses (Luke 1:60), wanting to name the child "John."

"John" is the name Zechariah was told to give his son, by Gabriel himself (Luke 1:13). Though he cannot speak—and likely cannot hear (Luke 1:62)—he can still write. He probably communicated everything to Elizabeth when he came home. Her insistence on the name John most likely is not a supernatural occurrence, or even a coincidence. And yet, others hesitate to accept her choice of a name. They will ask Zechariah, who confirms her wish and is immediately freed from his temporary silence (Luke 1:62–64).

Luke 1:57–80 describes the first of two births predicted by the angel Gabriel in this chapter (Luke 1:13, 31). Despite their old age, Elizabeth and Zechariah have had a son, who now needs to be named. Zechariah has been stricken mute for months, after doubting the angel's message. Elizabeth surprises her family by naming the child "John." When asked, Zechariah writes down the same name and is immediately able to speak again. Amid the awestruck reaction of family and neighbors, the legendary reputation of John the Baptist has begun. Zechariah then prophesies about the powerful ministry of his son.

The angel Gabriel predicts two miraculous births. The first is a son born to Zechariah and Elizabeth: an older, childless priest and his wife. Because Zechariah initially doubts this message, he is temporarily made unable to speak. Their child will be known as John the Baptist, a powerful herald of the Messiah. The Promised One whom John will proclaim is the second birth predicted by Gabriel. He tells an engaged virgin, Mary, that God will miraculously conceive His Son in her. The two women meet and rejoice over their blessings. John's arrival sets the stage for Luke's familiar account of the birth of Jesus Christ.

Luke was a travelling companion of the apostle Paul (Acts 16:10); his book of Acts is a direct "sequel" to the gospel of Luke (Acts 1:1–3). Those two books make up more than a quarter of the New Testament. Luke begins by explaining how his orderly approach is meant to inspire confidence in Christian faith. His work is based on eyewitness interviews and other evidence. The first chapter details the miraculous conceptions of John the Baptist and Jesus Christ. Chapter 2 continues with Jesus' birth.

Luke was a traveling companion of Paul (Acts 16:10) and a physician (Colossians 4:14). Unlike Matthew, Mark, and John, Luke writes his gospel as an historian, rather than as a first-hand eyewitness. His extensive writings also include the book of Acts (Acts 1:1–3). These are deliberately organized, carefully researched accounts of those events. The gospel of Luke focuses on the earthly ministry of Jesus Christ. Luke's Gentile perspective presents Christ as a Savior for all people, offering both forgiveness and direction to those who follow Him.

Accessed 5/11/2024 3:21:15 AM