Category:Birth of John the Baptist (subject)

The Birth, Circumcision, and Naming of John the Baptist refers to an event in the life of John the Baptist and his parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth. The episode is narrated in the Gospel of Luke and later Christian tradition.

People : John the Baptist -- Elizabeth -- Zacharias -- Mary of Nazareth

< Life of John the Baptist : Annunciation to Zacharias -- Visitation of Mary -- Birth of John the Baptist -- Child John the Baptist with Jesus -- Young John the Baptist in the Desert -- Preaching of John the Baptist -- Baptism of Jesus -- Question about Fasting -- Messengers from John the Baptist -- Death of John the Baptist -- Question about Authority -- Relics of John the Baptist >

Overview

The Gospel of Luke is the only ancient Gospel to provide a legendary account of the birth, circumcision, and naming of John the Baptist, as the only child of Zacharias and Elizabeth, a family of priestly origins.

From the historical point of view, nothing can be said about the real circumstances of the birth of John the Baptist. That he was Jewish and circumcised, is certain, as he fulfilled the obligations of the Mosaic Torah in his life. More complex and controversial is the problem of his alleged priestly origins.

Birth of John the Baptist, in ancient sources

Gospel of Luke

Luke 1:57-80 (NRSV) -- [57] Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her. 59 On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child, and they were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." 61 They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue freed, and he began to speak, praising God. 65 Fear came over all their neighbors, and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea. 66 All who heard them pondered them and said, "What then will this child become?" For, indeed, the hand of the Lord was with him. 67 Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke this prophecy: 68 "Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has looked favorably on his people and redeemed them. 69 He has raised up a mighty savior for us in the house of his servant David, 70 as he spoke through the mouth of his holy prophets from of old, 71 that we would be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us. 72 Thus he has shown the mercy promised to our ancestors, and has remembered his holy covenant, 73 the oath that he swore to our ancestor Abraham, to grant us 74 that we, being rescued from the hands of our enemies, might serve him without fear, 75 in holiness and righteousness before him all our days. 76 And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways, 77 to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the forgiveness of their sins. 78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, 79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace."

Subplots

Birth of John the Baptist

"Now the time came for Elizabeth to give birth, and she bore a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy to her, and they rejoiced with her" (Lk 1:57-58).

Visitation of Mary

In Luke, Mary of Nazareth was not present when John the Baptist was born. Mary of Nazareth is placed there in the Golden Legend (she "did the office and service to receive St. John Baptist when he was born") and more explicitly in the Historia Scholastica ("the Blessed Virgin was the first to lift him up"). See Stories from the Life of John the Baptist (1416 Salimbeni), art.

Circumcision of John the Baptist

"On the eighth day they came to circumcise the child" (Lk 1:59).

The circumcision of John the Baptist is the least represented among the events related to the birth of the Baptist. It appears only in Stories from the Life of John the Baptist (1416 Salimbeni), art and in Annunciation to Zacharias; Birth of John the Baptist; Circumcision and Naming of John the Baptist (1535 Piaggio), art.

Naming of John the Baptist

"They were going to name him Zechariah after his father. 60 But his mother said, "No; he is to be called John." 61 They said to her, "None of your relatives has this name." 62 Then they began motioning to his father to find out what name he wanted to give him. 63 He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "His name is John." And all of them were amazed"

The scene of the Naming is generally associated to that of the Birth of John the Baptist. Only in few cases it is made an autonomous scene (Ghirlandaio, Pontormo).