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Advent of John the Baptist

by Paul George  
12/18/2008 / Bible Studies

Luke 1:57-80

The matter of the names of children is very sensitive. In the culture of the Israelites, the name of a child was very significant. God sometimes changed the name of a person, such as changing the name of Abram to Abraham, of Sarai to Sarah, and of Jacob to Israel. At other times, God gave the name of the child before birth. Such is the case with both John and Jesus. Luke 1:57-80 has to do with a family argument over the name that was to be given the child of Zacharias and Elizabeth. When Gabriel informed Zacharias that he and his wife would have a child in their old age, the first thing he did was to instruct this priest as to what the child's name would be, "your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will give him the name John" (Luke 1:13).

It is not until the time of John's circumcision, that this divinely given instruction causes any difficulty. Suddenly, the naming of John ends up in what appears to be a rather emotional issue, with Elizabeth standing her ground against an unnamed group of observer-participants, who are insisting that the boy be named after his father.

Somewhere in the ceremony, when the name of Zacharias was being given, Elizabeth interrupted, insisting that the child's name was to be John (Luke 1:60). Since this was not the name of the father, nor was it the name of a relative, there was a strong reaction to Elizabeth's demands. When Zacharias is made aware of the dispute and when he is asked, as to what he wanted John called, Zacharias writes on a tablet, "His name is John" (Luke 1:63).

Why was the naming of the child so important, and so emotional? The naming of the son after his father implied that this child would "walk in the steps of his father," that he would carry on the father's name, and thus his work as well. Had John been named Zacharias, he would have been expected to grow up as a priest, just like his father. He would thus have gone about with his father as he carried out his priestly duties. To be named by any other name would have implied just the opposite. John would not follow in his father's steps. He would not learn to do what his father did. He would not be a priest. This, of course, was precisely the case, and thus the reason for the name John. The meaning of the name "John" is not what is important; it is the implied message by having any name other than Zacharias that is such an emotional issue. If any of those gathered at the circumcision ceremony were relatives, Elizabeth's insistence that the boy be named John was to renounce the family, its work, and its perpetuation through the next generation.

When Zacharias wrote the words, "His name is John," on that tablet, he was given the power of speech. At that moment, his tongue was loosed and he began to praise God. The record of the praise of Zacharias is delayed a few verses, so that Luke can record the impact on those who watched, on those who heard, and those who witnessed the dispute over the naming of the child.

Zacharias' Praise
Luke 1:67-79

In verses 67-75, Zacharias' praise is directed toward Messiah. Zacharias' praise highlights the political blessings that the nation Israel will experience. In verses 76-79, Zacharias' praise highlights the impact of John's ministry. As Gabriel informed Zacharias, John will be the forerunner of Messiah, whose task will be to prepare men and women for His coming, by calling them to repent.

In both the praises of Mary and of Zacharias, there seems to be more emphasis on the results of the second coming of Christ, than His first.

In verse 80, Luke gives us his reason for including the account of John's childhood. In addition, Luke informs us as to his reason for including the dispute over the naming of John.

What can we learn from this account of the conception and birth of John, first, God's purpose for John was announced, even before his conception, so that his parents might raise him in the light of those purposes, thus helping to prepare him for this ministry. Second, John was filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth, so that his spiritual growth would be enhanced, during his childhood, in preparation for his ministry. Finally, John was prepared for his ministry by being separated from his family, culture, and religious system.

In the Old Testament, the accounts of men like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joseph, and David, reveal that God was working in their early lives to prepare them for later ministry. There are also incidents recorded in the Old Testament that indicate that God's preparation for the ministry of those He calls begins in the womb. Even in the New Testament, Paul spoke of his calling before his birth. He also reminded Timothy of the preparation which God had worked in his life through his mother and grandmother.

Consider this; in this supposed Christian nation, since the legalizing of abortion, of the billion or more babies that have been murdered in the mother's womb, we will never know in this life how many of those little ones the Lord would have called to go into all the nations, including this nation to proclaim the gospel message. Someone might say if it was God's will that one of these murdered babies were destined to work in the harvest field of the Lord, He would have prevented the abortion. Such a claim does not take in consideration God's intervention into human matters is not a normal procedure by God. When God created man He instilled in man the ability to make decisions and God will never overturn the decisions men and women make unless they interfere with the ultimate goal of God, the redemption of mankind.

God's purpose for John was not so that God could intervene in the affairs of the world, but to call the backslidden chosen people of God, Israel, to repent and prepare themselves for the coming of the Messiah. Today, God's purpose for the church is not so that He can intervene in the affairs of the world, He does not need the church if it is His desire to intervene in the affairs of the world. God's purpose for the church is to prepare the world for the coming of the Messiah.

In a casual reading of the birth of John an important point is overlooked, the spiritual growth of John and the preparation of John for the mission God has given him requires a separation, from his family, from his culture, and from the Jewish religious system, of which he would have been a priest, like his father.

When he was given the name "John," rather than "Zacharias," God was indicating to all who were involved that John would not be carrying on his father's name, nor his work. Think of the ways in which John became very different from his father, which was symbolized by his non-family name. Zacharias was a priest; John was a prophet. John was a Nazarite; his father was not. Zacharias lived among the people; John lived in the desert. Zacharias was a part of the old religious system; John was not, he stood apart from it. Zacharias, as evidenced by his praise, spoke as an Israelite, but John, being somewhat removed from typical Israelite life and the religious system of the day, was able to see the errors which had developed in the religious system.

There is a lesson for those who God calls today. Zacharias, as a part of the religious system, identified with it, while John was able to stand apart from it and to see its many errors and perversions. The boldness and clarity with which John spoke out against the evils of his day was, largely, the result of John's separation from the system and its sins, which he condemned. In contrast to Zacharias, who seemed reluctant to speak, John spoke out boldly.

To represent Christ, we must stand apart from sin and the world, which hates Him.

Those who represent Christ separation from the world enable them to see its sins, to stand firmly against them, and to speak out boldly in condemning them. This same separation required in the Old Testament, required of the New Testament saints, is required of the present day professing Christians. Just as Peter wrote in his first letter to the first century Christians, "As obedient children, do not be conformed to the former lusts which were yours in your ignorance, but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, 'You shall be holy, for I am holy'"(1 Peter 1:14-16).

Holiness in the life of the Christian, that is, separation from sin, is necessary for several reasons; Holiness is required if we are to represent and reflect a holy God to men. We cannot be God-like if we live in sin, but only if we live apart from sin. We must be holy, we must stand apart from sin in order to be sensitive to sin, to recognize it and to sense how evil and offensive, it is to God. In addition, we must stand apart from sin if we are to condemn it and to plead with others to forsake sin. John's separation from sin was essential to his personal walk with God and to his ministry. Therefore, our separation from sin is also essential.

There are still those today who would strive to be separate from the world by attempting to live in some remote place, away from people, Our Lord has commanded Christians to be physically separated from others as the norm. In the Sermon on the Mount, our Lord taught that we should be "salt" and "light" both of which speak of our penetration into the world, rather than of our fleeing from the world. It is also said that such penetration with the gospel and holy living will likely result in persecution. Therefore, our separation, while it should be as thorough in spirit as that of John, will manifest itself differently than John's did. What is the nature of our separation; first, we separate ourselves from sinful thinking. There is a sinful "mind," a wrong way of looking at things and thinking about them. The natural "mind" is "set on the things of the flesh" and leads to death because it is hostile toward God. Thus, we must be "renewed in the spirit of our mind" which to a large degree done through intense and prolonged exposure to the Word of God.

Second, we must be separate from the sinful inclinations of our own fleshly desires. The seventh chapter of Romans deals with these, as does Galatians 5:19-21. The only way to overcome these inclinations and to live righteously is to "walk in the Spirit," to walk according to the promptings and the power of the Holy Spirit of God.

Third, we must be separate from the world. Here, it is not by a physical removal, which is impossible by any means other than death. We must be separate from the world by thinking differently, by recognizing its evil inclinations and solicitations, and by refusing to participate in any of its sins.

Finally, we must be separate from the world by recognizing and removing ourselves from the sins of our family and even of our religion, which are not in keeping with the Word of God. In addition, we should be mindful that even in the godliest of homes there is still sin and sinful behavior we should recognize as sin and get rid of it, so that our lives will conform to the Word of God.

Let us be a separate people, so that we may represent a holy God to an unholy world.

Retired pastor,Church of the Nazarene

Author of web site Exploring God's Word

www.thewordofgodonline.net

New American Standard Bible

King James Version

The World English Bible

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