What’s in a name? We all have names given by our parents – sometimes given with real thought to the meaning, sometimes given to honour another family member. Sometimes you might be given a roepnaam or nick name that reflects more of your character. I am called John because the doctor who delivered me in a rushed birth was called John and because it was one of the apostle’s names.
In our passage today we are reminded that Zechariah and Elizabeth are to call their child, John, or Johanan or Jehochanan as it would be in Hebrew. I wondered what the name meant, and this got me thinking about the meaning of Zechariah and Elizabeth’s names as well. As I discovered the meanings of these three names it provided a wonderful lens to reflect on the Benedictus as the prophetic speech of Zechariah is known.
For those of you like me who have not grown up in more liturgical churches the term Benedictus comes from the Latin for the first word in the prophecy of Zechariah – in the English Bibles it is “Bless” or “Praise”. Zechariah’s first word after being able to speak again is to Bless, or in other words, to praise God. The whole passage is a mix of praise and prophecy.
In many ways this prophecy is a bridge between things – it bridges the Old and New Testaments. It looks back and draws on the Hebrew Scripture’s expectations of a coming Messiah that would enter into Israel’s story, and indeed the human story, to restore and set right our relationship with God. Then it pivots to look forward to the future of this infant, John, who is the new Elijah, and how he will be a part of preparing the way for the long-promised Messiah, Jesus to come.
So let’s take a look at these three names and how it helps us explore aspects of the Benedictus.
God is gracious – John
- First to John – John’s name means Yahweh is or has been gracious or merciful – both words in the biblical sense refers to God’s acts of favour towards someone motivated by love and compassion by doing something the person is unable to do for themselves.
- The play on the name in the passage functions on different levels – on the personal level God has been gracious and shown favour to Elizabeth and Zechariah through giving her a son and thus restoring her honour and dignity in the eyes of her community. John’s birth is a demonstration of God’s gracious and merciful hand upon his mother.
- The name also functions within the wider biblical story, we can see that by calling John to prepare the way for Jesus, God has also been gracious to his people. Unable to save themselves Zechariah says in verse 69 that God is raising up a saviour for his people and indeed for all humanity (reference to Ps 132.17 – Here I will make a horn grow for David and set up a lamp for my anointed one). This motivates Zechariah to praise and bless God.
- In our own lives just like Elizabeth and Zechariah God is gracious and merciful. We experience God’s grace when we come into relationship with Jesus, when we receive God’s forgiveness. We experience God’s gracious answers to our prayers, for his presence with us – like Zechariah this too can motivate us to praise God for his gracious acts in our own lives and for all that God has done in Jesus.
- In what ways would you begin your own Benedictus if you were to write one? In what ways has God been gracious and merciful to you and to us as a church? What words come to mind if you were to finish this sentence: Blessed be the Lord for he has…It might be a good conversation starter around your lunch table today.
God remembers – Zechariah
- Now to Zechariah – Zechariah’s name means Yahweh remembers – to remember in Jewish thinking is not just a walk down memory lane but it is about acknowledging some promise, vow or commitment in the past and then being motivated towards action to fulfil the promise of vow.
- Again, it operates on different levels – God remembers his promise to loosen Zechariah’s tongue when the time is fulfilled for his silence to end. God remembers and acts.
- In the wider biblical story in verse 70 we are told that God remembers that through the prophets he promised to raise up a saviour who would deliver God people
- In verse 72 we are told that God remembers his covenant with the ancestors. This is a reference to covenants established with Abraham and Moses – promises of love, faithfulness, protection, deliverance and blessing (Gen 22.16-18)
- God’s remembering is not nostalgic but leads to action – by calling John to prepare the way for the promised Saviour God is delivering on his promise of a Messiah.
- As we celebrate the Holy Communion this morning, we too engage in an act of remembrance of the new covenant we have in Jesus – the promise of new life, forgiveness, reconciliation with God, of the Holy Spirit. All of this made possible in Jesus the promised Saviour through whom we can be reconciled with God by grace through faith. What does this remembering motivate you to do?
God is my oath – Elizabeth
- Now finally to Elizabeth – her name in Hebrew means God is an oath, or God is my oath
- Verse 73 tells us that God swore an oath to Abraham – to bless, protect, be faithful to his people, and to bless the nations through Abraham’s descendants
- What God promised on oath, God brings to fulfilment in Jesus whose ministry John will prepare the way for – God is faithful to the oaths and promises God has made and is about to fulfil his purposes in making the covenants
- Note that the deliverance is to enable God’s people to serve or worship God without fear– the word to serve here can be translated as either serve or worship – I like to think it taps into both meanings – that our acts of service are a part of our worship and in our worship we serve God
- This service is to be done in holiness and righteousness – holiness here can mean to be set apart for God’s service, and righteousness has the sense of being in right relationship with God
- So, as I understand Zechariah is indicating that God’s people are delivered and set apart to worship and serve our God and this is to be done in right relationship with the one who is our standard for living
- Jesus is the fulfilment of this oath and John will prepare the way for Jesus
- What promises do you need to hold on to this morning? Sometimes it is hard, God appears silent and the wait long, but we are reminded here that God does keep promises. Be encouraged this morning to hold fast, hold with expectancy, and hold with hope. In the meantime, we are called to worship and serve, set apart and in right relationship with our saviour
John’s role
v 76 Zechariah switches focus to his child John and his future role – having set the context of John’s role within the wider salvation history of God’s mission to the world the prophecy turns to the role of John’s ministry.
- John prepares the way for the Messiah – echoes the prophecies in Isaiah 40.3-4, Malachi 3.1
- In verse 77 it says that salvation and forgiveness will be made known – to know in Hebrew thought is to experience – knowing salvation means experiencing them in our lives in Jesus
- In verses 78-79 Zechariah says that will prepare the way for the coming Messiah who will shine on those in darkness to guide them into the way of peace – this passage draws heavily from Isaiah’s messianic prophecies
- cf Is 9.2 – people walking in darkness have seen a light.
- Is 60.1-3: Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord rises upon you…Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.
- In many ways this is also a part of our role as followers of Jesus in fulfilling the great commission – we are to prepare the way for people to come to Jesus and in doing so we are the light of the world that Jesus refers to in Matthew – how are we being people of light in our world to light the path to peace with God found in Jesus?
In sending John to prepare the way for the Messiah God is gracious, remembers his covenant, and keeps his promises about the coming Messiah. This motivates us like Zechariah to give praise and blessing to God. In the same way as God called John to prepare the way for Jesus, we too are called to be his light in the world by serving God faithfully and pointing people to Jesus leading them into peace with God through relationship with our Saviour.