Luke 1:57-66
So much had happened in Israel since Isaiah’s prophecy. Seven centuries seemed to crawl by, and with them came wave after wave of judgment, degradation and defeat. Much of it was predicted by Isaiah as Israel “received of the LORD’s hand double for all her sins” (Isa 40:2).1 But then he spoke words of comfort to the nation, introducing “the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD” (v3). Messiah’s forerunner would arrive and begin to announce good news. At long last, that voice was born. “Now Elisabeth’s full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son” (Luk 1:57). Luke later tells us that this son, John, fulfilled that ancient text (3:4). Eight days later, the voice of John’s father was heard again. Zacharias had been unable to speak since Gabriel met him in the temple many months before and tied his tongue for failing to believe he would have a son in his old age. Thus, this portion of Scripture is about a voice born and a voice restored.
Rejoicing at the Birth
It was likely a big event. After John was born, family and friends began to arrive. The child would be circumcised, marking him with the sign of the covenant (Gen 17:11) and officially incorporating him into the nation. The rite would obligate John to live according to the commands of the Mosaic Law but would also inaugurate him into the blessings God promised to His people. And it was a must-see event. Who wouldn’t want to see this miracle baby, born to the elderly couple living in the hills outside Jerusalem!
Strangely, Mary had just left and we are not told why. Perhaps she did not want to draw attention to herself and her extraordinarily unique situation. But she was probably with Elisabeth until just before John’s birth: “And Mary abode with her [Elisabeth] about three months, and returned to her own house” (Luk 1:56). Speaking of Mary, something she said earlier in her song of praise to the Lord finds illustration here; she declared that the Lord’s “mercy is on them that fear him” (v50). The crowd of visitors surrounding God-fearing Elisabeth “heard how the Lord had shewed great mercy upon her” (v58). How right Mary was.
As each family member and friend bustled their way into the house to get a first look at Elisabeth and her wonder child, “they rejoiced with her” (v58). It was an occasion for celebration, not simply because a baby was born but born under such unimaginable circumstances. We must not overlook that in these verses are fulfilled the words Gabriel spoke to Elisabeth’s husband, “Thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son” (v13). Even the rejoicing was predicted: “And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth” (v14). No fanfare; just plain accomplishment. God always keeps His Word.
Revealing the Name
Unlike our gender reveal celebrations today, the big moment on this occasion was the name reveal. However, the drama did not usually run very high; most people knew the boy’s name would either be taken from his father or his grandfather. In this case, they all knew what to expect – or at least they thought they did – and so “they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father” (v59). But then there was drama, and plenty of it. Elisabeth intervened with a shocker: “And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John” (v60). John? Did they hear that correctly? John? Really? They started chatting with one another: Could anyone recall a John in their family history? With its many branches, no one could find a John in their family tree. If they lived today, their search for his name on ancestry.com would be fruitless. “And they said unto her, There is none of thy kindred that is called by this name” (v61). Apparently, Elisabeth was adamant about the name, so they moved on to “discuss” this with Zacharias. Perhaps he would be more sensible and talk (or write) some of that sense into his wife. “And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called” (v62).2 But Zacharias was even more firm. Elisabeth had said, “He shall be called John,” but her husband scribbled on his tablet, “His name is John” (vv60,63). They were in total agreement. Case closed. John was his name, which means “the Lord has given grace.” How fitting that the forerunner of the Messiah, the Savior who would usher in the dispensation of grace, be called “the Lord has given grace.”
Restoring Speech
No sooner had Zacharias written the exclamation point at the end of his sentence than he began to speak: “And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spake, and praised God” (v64). He acted in faith; Gabriel had told him, “Thou shalt call his name John” (v13), and now he obeyed. The combination of his faith and obedience effected the loosing of his tongue. What was the first thing he said? He did not reiterate his son’s name, now with spoken words, nor did he begin to tell everyone what happened to him on that memorable day in the holy place. Rather, he “praised God.”3 The discipline he received for his failure to believe God’s promise had not made him bitter. It was given for his good and had yielded “the peaceable fruit of righteousness” in his life (Heb 12:10-11), evidenced by his obedience to God’s Word.
Reacting with Wonder
Like Zacharias (v12) and Mary (v30) earlier, the reaction of everyone was fear: “And fear came on all that dwelt round about them” (v65). Sure, there was the shock of hearing Zacharias’ voice after such a long silence, but it was more than that. A couple old enough to be grandparents becoming first-time parents, the strange name they gave their boy, the muting and unmuting of the father – it was all so different. Something special was happening outside Jerusalem. The whole episode filled them with awe.
In addition to fear, there was plenty of discussion about these events: “And all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea” (v65). Zacharias was talking and so was everyone else! It was a story too good to be kept to oneself.
Luke has one more thing to say, but now it’s about those who heard the story: “And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, What manner of child shall this be!” (v66).4 He must be special for all of this to occur – and he was! He was the voice of which Isaiah prophesied so many centuries before. He would be the prophet of the Most High (v76). And once Zacharias used his restored voice to praise the Lord, everyone would have plenty of confirmation.
“Voice” Lessons
Let us take a moment to underline some helpful lessons from the two voices of our Scripture text. First, this story exhorts us to act upon God’s promises. Zacharias was told by Gabriel to name his son John (v13), and he was certainly tested in this regard. Would he cave to the pressures of family and friends and do what was the expected norm – go with the name Zacharias? He held firm, doing what God called him to do, and, as a result, he experienced the joy of obedience (v14). Here are some verses containing God’s promises on which we also can act, with resultant blessing: Proverbs 3:5-6; Matthew 11:28-30; John 14:13-14; John 15:5,9-11; 1 John 1:9.
Second, we learn from this episode to accept God’s discipline. The silencing of Zacharias for his failure to believe Gabriel’s message did not drive him away from God. Rather, he accepted the discipline with humility, knowing that Scripture says, “My child, do not despise discipline from the LORD, and do not loathe his rebuke. For the LORD disciplines those he loves, just as a father disciplines the son in whom he delights” (Pro 3:11-12 NET). Sadly, we all have times when we stray, sin or fail to believe God’s Word. And as Spurgeon used to say, “God will never allow His children to sin successfully.” He will discipline us. He does it because He loves us and wants to see us restored and share in His holiness (Heb 12:10).
Third, this incident encourages us to advance God’s gospel. The incredible news of a child born to elderly parents and speech restored to an obedient father was too good for it not to be heralded throughout the land. Soon it seemed that all of Judea was ablaze with reports of this special child. But we have an even better story to tell: it is of a child born of a virgin, a child who was God manifest in flesh, who grew up and then died on a cross for the sins of the whole world, and who raised Himself from the dead three days later. And now the gates of heaven stand wide open for all who will come to Him in faith. If tidings of the forerunner got such publication, how can we not advance the wonderful news about the One for whom John was preparing the way!
Finally, our story reminds us to appreciate God’s ways. Who else could write a story like this one – an angel appears to a priest, startling him on the biggest day of his life; a woman has a baby in her twilight years; said baby receives a name that makes everyone scratch their heads; and a father who finally throws away his writing tablet because he can speak again! “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts” (Isa 55:8-9). At times, God’s ways may be baffling to us, but we can always trust that God knows what He is doing, and that it is always for our good and for His glory.
1 Bible quotations in this article are from the KJV unless otherwise noted.
2 As pointed out in a previous article, the fact that they had to make signs to Zacharias here implies he was likely deaf as well as mute.
3 The verb “praised” is in the imperfect tense, implying continued praise, as Zacharias will demonstrate in the song to follow (vv67-79).
4 In laying these things up in their hearts, the crowd acted like Mary (see 2:19,51).
