Birth of John the Baptist. (Luke 1:57-66)
INTRODUCTION
The birth of John the Baptist was marking a
new chapter in the salvation history. The neighbors and relatives who
used to view Elizabeth as disgraceful, came to rejoice with her.
Zechariah and Elizabeth did the circumcision of the child on the eighth
day according to the Jewish tradition. Zechariah was relieved from his
nine-month muteness when he obeyed the directive of Angel Gabriel by
naming his child John. His initial reaction when he regained the speech
was blessing God.
Birth of John the Baptist.
(57) When the time arrived
for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son.
(58) Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great
mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her. (59)
When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were
going to call him Zechariah after his father, (60)
but his mother said in reply, “No. He will be called John.”
(61) But they answered her, “There is no one among your
relatives who has this name.” (62) So they made
signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called.
(63) He asked for a tablet and wrote, “John is his name,” and all were
amazed. (64) Immediately his mouth was opened,
his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. (65)
Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were
discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.
(66) All who heard these things took them to heart, saying, “What, then,
will this child be?” For surely the hand of the Lord was with him.
(57) When the time arrived for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son.
Elizabeth’s conception of John was
miraculous. When pregnant Mary visited Elizabeth, John was filled with
the Holy Spirit while he was in the womb of his mother. However, his
growth in the womb of Elizabeth and birth were quite normal.
The church celebrates the birthday of John
the Baptist on 24th of June, six months prior to
Christmas. This birthday celebration of John is an exception because the
date of death is celebrated in the case of other saints remembering
their passage from world’s militant church to the triumphant church in
heaven. The exception of celebrating the birthday of John in the
liturgical calendar of the church is because he was filled with the Holy
Spirit while he was in the womb of his mother. (Luke 1:15, 1:40-44).
The birth of this child at the old age of
parents with extraordinary sign of dumbness and deafness of his father
Zechariah was a great reason for the neighbors to gather at the birth of
the child and to rejoice with his aged mother Elizabeth. Formerly they
were under the impression that God was punishing them because Elizabeth
was barren. This rejoice of neighbors was a fulfillment of
Angel Gabriel’s promise to Zechariah: “you will have
joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth.” (Luke 1:14).
They came again on the eighth day for the child’s circumcision.
CIRCUMCISION
Circumcision was a symbol of
covenant between God and Abraham. The act of circumcision was called the
bris, which means “covenant.” According to the God’s covenant with
Abraham, “Throughout
the ages, every male among you, when he is eight days old, shall be
circumcised, including house born slaves and those acquired with money
from any foreigner who is not of your descendants.” (Gen 17:12). So,
the practice of circumcision was continued from the time of Abraham
among the Jews and it was a sign of covenant relationship with God.
PLACE OF CIRCUMCISION
Here the pronoun
“they” stands for the priests and relatives who were assigned to perform
the circumcision. The circumcision could be done either in a synagogue
or at the house. In John’s case, it was performed at the house is clear
from the fact that Elizabeth was present at the occasion. According to
the Law of the Lord given through Moses, the mother was unclean for 40
days if she gave birth to a boy and 80 days if the born child was a
girl. During that time “she shall not touch anything sacred nor enter
the sanctuary till the days of her purification are fulfilled.”
(Lev. 12:1-5). So, the performers and participants of circumcision came
to the house of Zechariah and Elizabeth on the eighth day.
EIGHTH DAY
Number eight, according to the
Biblical numerology stands for recreation. God completed creation of the
universe including a day of rest in seven days. So eighth day means a
new beginning. The covenant with Abraham through circumcision was also a
new beginning of salvation. So circumcision, that signals the beginning
of the child’s covenant with God and initiation into Israel, was
supposed to be performed on the eighth day. The importance of the eighth
day is clear from that fact that even if the eighth day was a Sabbath
when work was prohibited, circumcision was performed on that day as an
exception.
The selection of eighth day for circumcision
regardless of Sabbath observance was the decision from God. One reason
is that the newborn baby will live a complete week inclusive of a
Sabbath. Hence the baby experiences the “holiness” of a Sabbath. Then he
can enter into the covenant with God and thus join the community of the
Jewish people.
Another reason, based on recent medical
science, is that the eighth day after birth is the best day for blood
clotting and so is the suitable time for circumcision. Blood clotting is
dependent on platelets, prothrombin, and vitamin K. Vitamin K and
prothrombin levels are at their peak on the eighth day. Therefore, that
day is physically the perfect day to perform circumcision which was
unknown to humans until recently but known to omniscient God.
NAMING OF CHILD
Naming of a male child was
done near the birth or at the time of circumcision on the eighth day.
Girls could be named anytime within 30 days of their birth. According to
the Jewish practice, the name of the grandfather, and in exceptional
cases that of the father, was given to the male child. Father’s name was
given when there was uncertainty on the continuation of his name in the
future generation. The priest and relatives might have considered to
give Zechariah’s name to his child because Zechariah’s name could not be
assured of transmitting to the next generation as John was his only son.
A person’s name had great significance in the
in Biblical times. It was given based on the essence of the person,
divine role in his birth, his birth order, his character, his future
mission, his physical trait, where he was born and so on. For example,
Adam means man, human being, or red (color of the earth) (Gen. 2:7),
Noah means rest or comfort (Gen. 5:29), Abraham means father of a
multitude (Gen. 17:5), Moses means drawn out of the waters (Ex. 2:10),
David means beloved (1 Sam. 13:14) and Jesus means savior or Jehovah is
salvation (Mat. 1:21).
In the Biblical tradition, either the mother
or the father could name their children. For example: Leah and Rachel
named their children and their maidservants’ children (Gen.
29:31-30:24). Hanna named her son Samuel (1 Samuel 1:20). Abram
named his son from Hagar, Ishmael. (Gen. 16:15). Moses named his son
Gershom (Exodus 2:22). There were exceptions when
others also named children: Pharaoh’s daughter named her adopted son
Moses. (Exodus 2:10). Naomi’s female neighbors named her son Obed. (Ruth
4:17).
Since Zechariah could not talk, the priests
and relatives asked Elizabeth to name her son. She knew that the child
had a God given name, John. She got this information since she was
filled with Holy Spirit during the visit of Blessed Virgin Mary or
Zachariah might have communicated to her in writing.
In John’s case the earthly custom was not
followed because he was specially chosen by God. God had assigned him a
name making him God’s own chosen one for a special mission. John
belonged to God more than Zechariah’s family.
Naming a child was mainly the right of the
father. Since John was deaf and dumb, they did not ask him first.
However, the priests and relatives doubted whether Elizabeth was
mistaken. That was why they asked Zechariah. However, they had to use
sign language because he could not hear them.
When Zechariah obeyed the command of God by
naming the child John, he was relieved from his nine months of muteness
which also became a proof of divine intervention for the people around.
His first reaction after the recovery was “blessing God.”
This fear was the “fear of God.” Biblical
meaning of fear of God is “reverence to God respecting Him, obeying Him,
submitting to His discipline, and worshipping Him in awe.” The faith of
the people who witnessed the events had increased. They began to share
their experience all over the hill country of Judea. So even from the
time of birth, John began to become popular.
“Hand of the Lord” is symbolic of the
wonderful power, providence, care, grace and favor of God manifested
through the chosen onces. So in John’s case, the hand of God formed him
a great prophet, the foretold return of Elijah, who came to prepare the
way for the Lord (Malachi 3: 23-24 / 4:5-6).
Rejoice with Others
When Zechariah and Elizabeth had a child, their neighbors and relatives
came to rejoice with her. Similarly, when we notice the blessings and
achievements of others we need to rejoice and praise God with them.
Birth and Baptism
Day of Baptism
Naming a child
Teach children to
study and learn from their patron saint
Faith formation of
children