Luke 1:63

63 And he axed for wrytynge tables and wroote saying: his name is Iohn. And they marvelled all.

Luke 1:63 Meaning and Commentary

Luke 1:63

And he asked for a writing table
That is, he made signs for one, for as yet he could not speak. The Persic version renders it "ink", and the Ethiopic, a book, and the Vulgate Latin, a notebook. The word signifies "a little table", such as they used to write not only "upon", but "in"; and was sometimes of brass ^F20, sometimes of wood, and sometimes of wax ^F21, on which they wrote with a style or pen;

and wrote, saying, his name is John:
not that he must be, or shall be, so called; but this is his name, and no other; being what the angel had given him before his conception, and Zacharias now confirms:

and they marvelled all;
they were astonished, not so much at the new name brought into the family, as at the agreement between Elisabeth and Zacharias in this point, when the latter was both deaf and dumb; they knowing nothing, as yet, of the angel's message to him.

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FOOTNOTES:

F20 Haryocration. Lex. p. 244.
F21 Alex. ab Alex. Genial. Dier. l. 2. c. 30.

Luke 1:63 In-Context

61 And they sayd vnto hyr: Ther is none of thy kynne that is named wt this name.

62 And they made signes to his father how he wolde have him called.

63 And he axed for wrytynge tables and wroote saying: his name is Iohn. And they marvelled all.

64 And his mouthe was opened immediatly and his tonge also and he spake lawdynge God.

65 And feare came on all the that dwelt nye vnto them. And all these sayinges were noysed abroade throughout all ye hyll coutre of Iurie