And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zacharias’s act of writing "His name is John" isn't just a choice, but a clear statement of divine direction, as the name itself means "the grace of God." This echoes the transition from the old covenant's "curse" to the new covenant's "grace," marking the very first written word of the Gospel era.
And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered.
English Standard Version (ESV)
Zacharias, who has been miraculously struck mute after questioning the angel, is finally able to communicate again following the birth of his son. When the neighbors and relatives try to name the baby after his father, Zacharias motions for a writing tablet and clearly writes the divinely appointed name, John, stunning everyone with this affirmation of God's will and his own restored voice.
Imagine being unable to speak for months, then finally getting your voice back. But instead of shouting for joy, you ask for a writing tool. What does this silent act reveal?
This moment is profound because Zechariah, having been struck dumb by God for his disbelief, is still unable to speak verbally when his son is born. Yet, he insists on communicating his child's divinely appointed name. He asks for a writing tablet, a small wooden board often covered in wax, and uses a stylus to inscribe the name 'John.' This isn't just a preference; it's a final act of obedience and proclamation using the means God allows him, even before his voice is fully restored.
Everyone expected the child to be named after his father, Zechariah. But when the name 'John' is written, the crowd is astonished. Why such a reaction?
The astonishment of the onlookers wasn't just about a different name; it was about the source of that name.
A Consensus of Heaven
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The astonishment of the crowd highlights the miraculous nature of John's naming, directly contradicting family tradition and confirming divine intervention, just as Zechariah's muteness and subsequent prophecy underscored God's power.
c. 6 BC
Annunciation to Zechariah
The angel Gabriel appears to Zechariah in the Jerusalem Temple, announcing the birth of a son who will prepare the way for the Messiah. Zechariah doubts and is struck mute until the child's birth.
c. 6 BC
Annunciation to Mary
The angel Gabriel visits Mary in Nazareth, announcing she will conceive and bear Jesus, the Son of God. This event closely follows the annunciation to Zechariah.
c. 5 BC— this verse
Birth of John the Baptist
John is born to Zechariah and Elizabeth. Neighbors and relatives gather for the traditional circumcision and naming ceremony, expecting the child to be named after his father.
c. 5 BC
Zechariah Writes John's Name
Unable to speak, Zechariah uses a writing tablet to declare the child's name is John, fulfilling Gabriel's instruction and astonishing the onlookers.
c. 5 BC
Zechariah's Mouth Opened
Immediately after naming the child, Zechariah's speech is restored, and he blesses God, prophesying about John's role and the coming of the Messiah.
c. 2 BC - AD 1
Childhood of Jesus and John
While details are scarce, both John and Jesus grow up in Judea during a period of Roman occupation and growing Messianic expectation.
This passage details God's command to Abraham regarding circumcision and marking his descendants with the sign of the covenant, similar to how John's name is divinely appointed here.
1 Samuel 1:20Hannah, after praying for a son, names him Samuel, which means 'heard of God,' highlighting the significance of a divinely given name that reflects God's action.
Isaiah 7:14This prophecy of Immanuel ('God with us') shows God intervening in human affairs through miraculous births and significant names that carry theological weight.
Malachi 4:5-6These verses speak of Elijah being sent before the 'great and dreadful day of the Lord' and warn of a curse if the people turn away, setting a powerful prophetic context for the coming of John the Baptist.
jfbLuke 1:57-80: "Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son."
Lu 1:57-80. Birth and Circumcision of John—Song of Zacharias and Progress of the Child.
barnesLuke 1:63: "And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, His name is John. And they marvelled all."
He asked - That is, by signs. A writing table - The table denoted by this word was usually made of wood and covered with wax. The ancients used to write on such tables, as they had not the use of paper. The instrument used for writing was an iron pen or style, by which they marked on the wax which covered the table. Sometimes the writing-table was made entirely of lead.
Zacharias’s act of writing "His name is John" isn't just a choice, but a clear statement of divine direction, as the name itself means "the grace of God." This echoes the transition from the old covenant's "curse" to the new covenant's "grace," marking the very first written word of the Gospel era.
Zacharias, who has been miraculously struck mute after questioning the angel, is finally able to communicate again following the birth of his son. When the neighbors and relatives try to name the baby after his father, Zacharias motions for a writing tablet and clearly writes the divinely appointed name, John, stunning everyone with this affirmation of God's will and his own restored voice.
Zacharias, who has been miraculously struck mute after questioning the angel, is finally able to communicate again following the birth of his son. When the neighbors and relatives try to name the baby after his father, Zacharias motions for a writing tablet and clearly writes the divinely appointed name, John, stunning everyone with this affirmation of God's will and his own restored voice.
"And he asked for a writing tablet and wrote, “His name is John.” And they all wondered." — Zacharias’s act of writing "His name is John" isn't just a choice, but a clear statement of divine direction, as the name itself means "the grace of God." This echoes the transition from the old cove…
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Last reviewed October 2026