Luke 1:60

And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John. AND HIS MOTHER ANSWERED AND SAID, NOT SO; BUT HE SHALL BE CALLED JOHN ... AND THEY MADE SIGNS TO HIS FATHER, HOW HE WOULD HAVE HIM CALLED - showing that he was deaf as well as dumb. AND HE ASKED FOR A WRITING TABLE, AND WROTE, SAYING, HIS NAME IS JOHN. AND THEY MARVELED ALL - at his concurring with his wife in giving to the child a name so new in the family; not knowing of any communication between them on the subject....

60._And his mother answering said _It is uncertain if Elisabeth spoke this by inspiration. But when Zacharias saw the punishment inflicted on him for being too slow in believing, he probably informed his wife by writing what the angel had enjoined respecting the name, (Luke 1:13,) otherwise he would not have obeyed the command of God. Why this name was given to the Baptist by divine authority, I have already explained. The relatives, though unacquainted with the reason, are affected by the strangeness of the occurrence, particularly as they conjecture it did not take place without design....

57-66 In these verses we have an account of the birth of John the Baptist, and the great joy among all the relations of the family. He shall be called Johanan, or "Gracious," because he shall bring in the gospel of Christ, wherein God's grace shines most bright. Zacharias recovered his speech. Unbelief closed his mouth, and believing opened it again: he believers, therefore he speaks. When God opens our lips, our mouths must show forth his praise; and better be without speech, than not use it in praising God. It is said, The hand of the Lord was working with John. God has ways of working on children in their infancy, which we cannot account for. We should observe the dealings of God, and wait the event....

Verse 60. _NOT_ SO; _BUT HE SHALL BE CALLED JOHN._] This is the name which the angel desired should be given him, Luke 1:13, and of which Zacharias by writing had informed his wife. There is something very remarkable in the names of this family. _Zachariah_, זכריהו the _memory_ or _memorial of Jehovah_; יהו yeho, at the end of the word, being contracted for יהוה _Yehovah_, as in many other names. Elisabeth, אליסבה the _Sabbath_ or _rest of my strong_ _God_: names probably given them by their parents, to point out some remarkable circumstance in their conception or birth. And _John_, which should always be written _Jehochanan_ or _Yehochanan_, יהוחנן the _grace_ or _mercy of Jehovah_: so named, because he was to go before and proclaim the _God of all grace_, and the mercy granted through him to a lost world. Se...

SHALL BE CALLED JOHN - This was the name which the angel had said should be given to him, of which Zechariah had probably informed Elizabeth by writing....

EXPOSITION THE origin of the Gospels—the four histories which relate in detail the circumstances of the foundation of Christianity—will ever be an interesting study. Here we shall never know the exact truth of the compilation of these writings, the foundation-stones of all our hopes and fears; a reverent, scholarly speculation is all that can be offered to the student of the Divine memoirs. The speculation, however, probably in this case comes very near the truth. After the Ascension and the events of the first Pentecost, which quickly followed their Master's return to heaven, the twelve and a few others who had walked in the company which followed Jesus during the years of his public ministry no doubt often met together and talked over the teaching and the acts of their risen and now glorified Master. As time passed on, a certain number of these acts, a certain number of the public and...

AND HIS MOTHER ANSWERED AND SAID,.... That is, Elisabeth: NOT SO, BUT HE SHALL BE CALLED JOHN; knowing that this was the name wherewith the angel said he should be called; either by divine revelation, she being filled with the Holy Ghost, Luke 1:41 or by information of her husband, who, doubtless, in writing, gave her an account of all that the angel had said unto him....

THE GOSPEL OF LUKE Analysis and Annotations I. The Birth and Childhood -- Chapter 1-2:52 CHAPTER 1 _ 1. The Introduction. (Luke 1:1)_ 2. Zacharias and Elizabeth; the Vision. (Luke 1:5) 3. John the Baptist, his birth and ministry announced. (Luke 1:13) 4. Zacharias' Unbelief and Punishment. (Luke 1:18) 5. The Angel's Announcement to the Virgin Mary. (Luke 1:27) 6. Mary's Question and the Answer. (Luke 1:34) 7. Mary Visits Elizabeth ...

THE BIRTH OF JOHN. THE BENEDICTAS. In due course Elisabeth bore her son and received the congratulations of her friends. When the babe has been circumcised and named, his mother rejects the proposal to call him Zacharias and insists on John. The deaf and dumb father confirms his wife's wish, and his power of speech is restored. The whole incident made a great impression in the district, and people recognised that some great future was before the lad, for as he grew up (the last clause of Luke 1:66 is anti cipatory) he was seen to be Divinely guided and protected. Meanwhile Zacharias is inspired and utters a song-prophecy. Luke 1:68, in thoroughly Jewish tone, predicts the deliverance of Israel from the oppressor by a scion of the house of David, and the restoration of the theocracy. In...

AN HISTORIAN'S INTRODUCTION (Luke 1:1-4)...