God's Grace in the Birth of John the Baptist

English Standard Version:
Luke 1:57-66 ESV  Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son.  (58)  And her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her.  (59)  And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,  (60)  but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."  (61)  And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name."  (62)  And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.  (63)  And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.  (64)  And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.  (65)  And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,  (66)  and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

Ang Bag-ong Testamento (Gihubad sa pinulongang Cebuano gikan sa Griego, by Dr. Gadiel T. Isidro):
Lukas 1:57-66  Karon miabut na ang panahon nga si Elizabet manganak ug nanganak siya ug anak nga lalake. (58) Ug ang iyang mga silingan ug mga kabanayan nagdayeg sa Ginoo tungod sa iyang kalooy kaniya ug nangalipay sila kauban niya. (59) Sa pag-abut sa ikawalo ka adlaw miadto sila aron pagpacircumcidar sa bata ug ila untang nganlan Zacarias. (60) Apan ang inahan mitubag ug miingon kanila: Dili, apan tawgon siya nga Juan. (61) Apan miingon sila kaniya: Walay tawo sa iyang kabanayan nga gitawag niini nga ngalan.  (62) Ug nagsinyas sila sa iyang amahan kong unsa nga pagatawgon siya. (63) Ug nangayo siya ug usa ka sulatanan ug iyang gisulat nga nag-ingon: Ang iyang ngalan Juan. Ug natingala silang tanan.  (64) Ug sa kalit nabuksan ang iyang ba-ba ug ang iyang dila ug misulti nga nagdayeg sa Dios. (65) Ug miabut ang kahadlok sa tibuok kasilinganan ug sa tibuok balangay sa Judea, ug kining mga butanga gihisgutan sa tanan. (66) Ug gitipigan niadtong nakadungog sa ilang kasingkasing  kining mga butanga ug miingon: Unsa ba kaha ang mahitabo niining bata-a kay matuod gayud nga ang kamot sa Ginoo nag-uban kaniya?

Introduction

We have now come, in our series of studies, to this portion of Scripture where Luke tells Theophilus, and his readers including us, the event of John the Baptist’s birth. Luke started his gospel with the story of foretelling the birth of John the Baptist and then the fulfillment of it, where we are now, because John has a role in preparing the hearts of the Jewish people for the coming of the Messiah. The coming of John the Baptist signals the coming of the Messiah. John’s birth was prophesied not just by angel Gabriel here in the first chapter of Luke but it was foretold even during the Old Testament times. Isaiah 40:3 and Malachi 4:5,6 are prophecies regarding John the Baptist. These events were also the start of God’s perceptible actions to fulfill His promise of sending a Savior after being silent for 400 years.

 
We can learn from this passage that our God is merciful and gracious. These were what Elizabeth and Zechariah experienced during the conception and the birth of their son. This was also the message of John, the work of John the Baptist of proclaiming repentance to experience God’s mercy. This is also the meaning of his name which God Himself gave through angel Gabriel to Zechariah, John, shortened form of Jochanan or Jehohanan, which means Jehovah is gracious.

I. God’s Grace Presented to Elizabeth – v.57-58

“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.”

 
Elizabeth now gives birth to John in her old age. And when her neighbors and relatives heard this, they too rejoiced with Elizabeth. Their rejoicing is a partial fulfillment of Gabriel’s words to Zechariah in verse 14 when he said, “And you will have joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” Giving birth is especially joyful in their culture when the baby born is a son, a male.

Elizabeth’s conception of John was God’s grace or mercy presented to her. God chose her to bear a child that will one day become great among the Jewish people. Gabriel also said in Luke 1:15, “for he will be great before the Lord.”

 
Not only that, her conception of John was also God’s grace or mercy because she was barren all her life, and also she’s now past child bearing age before God gifted her with a son. It was a miraculous conception; it was God’s grace to her. In their culture and religion infertility was a cause for despair, considered as a grave misfortune. That’s why she was able to say in verse 25, “Thus the Lord has done for me in the days when he looked on me, to take away my reproach among people.” Her reproach, criticisms, was taken away because God has now gifted her with a son.

Her delivery was also God’s grace. She’s already old, past child bearing age, and to give safe delivery at that season in life is only by God’s grace. Like Sarah who gave birth at very old age, was strengthened by God to deliver her son safely (Hebrews 11:11). That is also why her neighbors and relatives rejoiced with her. They rejoiced with her because God’s mercy was magnified in Elizabeth’s life. They acknowledged the work of God in the conception and bearing of this child.

 
How amazing our God is that even before the Messiah came His grace and mercy or loving-kindness were put on display, and chose undeserving people to proclaim it.

Now this does not mean that couples without children cannot or does not have God’s grace. No. John the Beloved states in John 1:14 and 16 that the Word became flesh referring to Jesus Christ, is, “full of grace and truth. And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” All believers, all disciples have received abounding, never-ending grace from Him. Our God and our Lord Jesus Christ is a gracious God.

You too can experience His grace, especially the grace to be forgiven and to be declared righteous and justified before God if you choose to believe and accept Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior. His death was for the forgiveness of sins and salvation for those who believe.

Can you think of some things, where you can say God is gracious or merciful to you even if we are in this hard times because of COVID-19? I encourage you to list it down and praise God for it. He is glorified when we acknowledge His grace bestowed to us.

II. God’s Grace Affirmed – v. 59-63

The naming of John is the focus on this section and the obedience of Elizabeth and Zechariah is emphasized. I would like to call this point God’s grace affirmed by Zechariah and Elizabeth because they abide to the instruction of angel Gabriel to name the child John, who is God’s gift and mercy presented to them.

 
Let’s read again verses 59-63. “And on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child. And they would have called him Zechariah after his father,  (60)  but his mother answered, "No; he shall be called John."  (61)  And they said to her, "None of your relatives is called by this name."  (62)  And they made signs to his father, inquiring what he wanted him to be called.  (63)  And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And they all wondered.”

When John was eight days old, the parents were careful to observe the law regarding circumcision as commanded by God to Abraham (Genesis 17:12) and later reaffirmed to Moses in Leviticus 12:3. “The circumcision ceremony was an important event for the family of a Jewish baby boy. This ceremony was a time of joy when relatives and friends came to celebrate the baby’s becoming part of God’s covenant nation.”[i]

 
Present in the ceremony were Elizabeth’s neighbors and cousins. They were witnesses to this important occasion. They wanted to be involved in naming the child. In fact, based on the imperfect tense of the verb called in verse 59, they tried to suggest several times to name the child Zechariah after his father, but their attempt failed because both parents rejected it. By the way, the naming of the child during circumcision is not part of the law, and naming a child after his father is also not usual. Perhaps they wanted to honor Zacharias because he was a righteous priest before God (v. 6), or that because he had a son at his old age, or in sympathy to his condition of being struck dumb or mute.

 
Elizabeth emphatically said “No” to their suggestion. In her language she was forceful, definite in saying “no”, but “he shall be called John” in obedience to Gabriel’s instruction to name the child as such. Most likely Zacharias communicated with Elizabeth through writing within the nine months of her conception regarding his conversation with angel Gabriel. Obedience is the right attitude or response towards God’s instruction. Still they tried to reason out with Elizabeth based on their custom of child naming saying none of their relatives is called John.

Because Elizabeth was adamant, they turned to Zechariah, the father of the child, by making signs asking him what will be his child’s name. Now, let us remember, Zacharias became mute as a discipline to him because of his faithless response to angel Gabriel’s announcement. (Please read verses 18-20 of Luke 1.) He was a changed man after that. “No longer does he face God’s miraculous hand in his life with skepticism and unbelief. Instead he has humbly learned from his past mistakes, repented of his unbelief, and submitted to God’s will.”[ii]

He asked for a writing tablet, “this was usually made of wood and covered with wax.”[iii] An iron pen or sharp object was used to write on it. He wrote on the tablet "His name is John." “Zacharias now confirms what the angel had given him before his conception. Not that he must be, or shall be, so called; but this is his name, and no other.”[iv] Zacharias demonstrated his obedient attitude to all by obeying the angel’s word to him and naming his son John.[v]

 
Because of this they all wondered. They all marveled that both parents agreed and insisted on this name even if none of their relatives was named John. It was because their neighbors and relatives did not know angel Gabriel’s announcement to Zechariah while he was in the temple during his time of service.

One of the lessons we can learn here says Bock is that, “God’s ways were not traditional or what had been culturally expected, but they were his ways nonetheless. Sometimes going God’s way means going against the grain of our culture.”[vi] Obedience to God’s word should be our priority as Christians. We should not follow culture or traditions if it goes against the Scriptures. Samuel even said to King Saul in 1 Samuel 15:22, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.”

 
III. God’s Grace Proclaimed – v. 64-66

Because Zechariah now obeyed the angel’s instruction, he experienced once again God’s mercy and grace with his speech being restored in the presence of many witnesses. Thus, God’s mercy was proclaimed in front of them.

Let’s read verse 64-66. And immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, blessing God.  (65)  And fear came on all their neighbors. And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea,  (66)  and all who heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, "What then will this child be?" For the hand of the Lord was with him.

 
The result of Zechariah’s faith and obedience was the fulfillment of angel’s sign to him in verse 20, “you will be silent and unable to speak until the day that these things take place.” Because he now believes, as soon as the child was named his speech was instantly restored (v. 64). And the first thing he did was he praised God. Zechariah praised God immediately after experiencing God’s mercy. His first words when all was being fulfilled, were words of praise to God. He proclaimed God’s mercy in front of the people who were there.

 
Unbelief in God’s words is unbelief in God and it is a great sin against God. “When God speaks; man should believe; nor can he that “will not” believe escape punishment. God speaks only truth, and we should believe Him.”[vii] And if we experience God’s mercy, the forgiveness of sins, and His acceptance, then we know how depraved we are and how unable and powerless we are to rescue ourselves from our own sins and from its judgement. There is nothing more appropriate response to God’s mercy after having believed than to adore and praise Him for his mercy and grace to us undeserving sinners.

 
The impact to the neighbors because of Zechariah's experience of God’s mercy was reverential fear. They recognized God’s work in the lives of this family. “And all these things were talked about through all the hill country of Judea.” God’s grace and mercy was proclaimed not only in the immediate neighborhood of Zechariah but through all the hill country of Judea. They talked about what they witnessed and heard, how Zechariah’s speech was restored, how God’s mercy was magnified in Elizabeth.

We too, as Christians, after personally believing in God, our lives should also proclaim God’s mercy and grace. Our lives and our lips should show that God, through His Holy Spirit, is working in our lives, by transforming us for His glory. And we are “transformed by the renewing of our mind.”[viii] While it is the Holy Spirit’s work, we have a part in it, by actively submitting to Him and studying His words. Thus, the need to study the Scriptures to renew our mind. Others should see God’s mercy in our lives that they too will revere God.

 
“This baby’s birth to an elderly couple, their strange insistence on an unusual name, the supernatural muteness and then instantaneous cure—all combined to fill the neighbors … with awe. Unusual news travels fast, and as the story spread, everyone talked about all these things. Certainly this was a special child with a special destiny. It was obvious to everyone that the Lord’s hand was with him.”[ix] “The people continued to note that the Lord’s hand was with him. Years later, when John began his preaching ministry, many went out from this district who no doubt remembered the amazing events surrounding his birth (Matt. 3:5).”[x] Hand of the Lord” is an Old Testament expression for the active presence of the power of God.[xi]

People who heard these events “treasured up in their memories, and often thought of them in their minds saying what will he be, or what will he come to?”[xii] They expected something great in the life of John the Baptist, for they concluded that the hand of the Lord, that the power of God, was with this child from conception to his birth.

 
Indeed, John’s life was a proclamation of God’s mercy. His work, when he started his preaching ministry, was to let people know and experience God’s mercy by telling them to repent of their sins. Though his words or language were sometimes hard, example, in Luke 3:7 he said, “O generation of vipers! Who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Yet, his purpose was to show and tell people that God is merciful and that people can receive God’s mercy if they repented of their sins and accept “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”[xiii]

Since we too have experienced God’s mercy, we too should proclaim it so that others will also receive God’s mercy and grace of forgiveness and salvation.

Conclusion

God is a merciful and gracious God. He demonstrated it to Zechariah and Elizabeth. He showed it in front of many witnesses by restoring Zechariah’s speech after obeying His instruction of naming his child “John.”

 
God never changes. He was, He still is, and He will still be gracious. But you can only receive His grace and mercy if you believe Him. “And his mercy is for those who fear him from generation to generation.”[xiv] Amen.

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[i] Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R. (1997). Luke. Life application Bible commentary (28). Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House Publishers.

[ii] Ibid.

[iii] Albert Barnes, (1847-85). Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible. Public domain.

[iv] Dr. John Gill (1690-1771). John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible. Public domain.

[v] Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R.

[vi] Bock, D. L. (1994). Luke. The IVP New Testament commentary series (Lk 1:59). Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press.

[vii] Albert Barnes.

[viii] Romans 12:2

[ix] Barton, B. B., Veerman, D., Taylor, L. C., & Osborne, G. R.

[x] Walvoord, J. F., Zuck, R. B., & Dallas Theological Seminary. (1983-c1985). The Bible knowledge commentary : An exposition of the scriptures (2:206). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.

[xi] Nolland, J. (2002). Vol. 35A: Word Biblical Commentary : Luke 1:1-9:20. Word Biblical Commentary (80). Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

[xii] John Gill.

[xiii] John 1:29

[xiv] Luke 1:50