Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father, but his mother answered, “No; he shall be called John.” And they said to her, “None of your relatives is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called. And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
Luke 1:57-63
When the time of naming the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah came, Zechariah was still unable to speak, and according to the signing required to communicate with him, he was unable to hear as well (a condition brought on by his unbelief - see Luke 1:20).* In this state of unawareness, Zechariah didn’t notice the desire of the family and friends around him to name his son after him.*
In Jewish culture at the time, it was tradition to name a son after a father or a grandfather.* This was especially true when the father was a person of great esteem, as was the case with Zechariah.* It was natural for those gathered to assume that the baby’s name would be Zechariah. They assumed that they understood his legacy. According to one scholar, however, they took one step beyond assuming.
According to George Garland, the original language, unlike the english translations that are common to us, indicates that they were actually actively referring to the baby as “Zechariah.”* Meaning, while Zechariah couldn’t speak or hear, everyone was calling the baby, “Zechariah.” Leaning on tradition, everyone had decided the outcome.
Elizabeth thought differently.
The Bible doesn’t indicate how Elizabeth knew that the baby’s name was to be John, but not however she knew, she spoke up against the traditions of her culture and popular thinking to hold fast to God’s Word. The name “John” was not an uncommon name for priests, and because his naming was directly from God, to reject the name meant rejecting his destiny.* This was something that Elizabeth and Zechariah would not do.
When tradition and popular thinking go against what God has said, what will we do? When everyone around us has decided the outcome, will we have the boldness to put a stop to it and affirm God’s promise? Will we recognize that the legacy God has for us is anything but natural?
“John” is a shortened form of “Jochanan.”* It means, “God’s gracious gift.”* God has gracious gifts for you and me. Will we stand up for them? Will our own inability to hear and speak keep us from aligning to God’s will?
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to remember that He has given you gracious gifts. Perhaps today God wants you to stand up against popular thinking or tradition that opposes God’s promises. Maybe today God wants to change your legacy.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke (Lk 1:59–66). InterVarsity Press.
Garland, D. E. (2012). Luke (pp. 104–105). Zondervan.
Edwards, J. R. (2015). The Gospel according to Luke (D. A. Carson, Ed.; pp. 58–60). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Liefeld, W. L., & Pao, D. W. (2007). Luke. In T. Longman III & D. E. Garland (Eds.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Luke–Acts (Revised Edition) (Vol. 10, p. 68). Zondervan.
Bock, D. L. (1996). Luke (p. 74). Zondervan Publishing House.
Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke: 1:1–9:50 (Vol. 1, pp. 166–167). Baker Academic.
Nolland, J. (1989). Luke 1:1–9:20 (Vol. 35A, pp. 78–79). Word, Incorporated.