What Does Luke 1:60 Mean in the King James?
And his mother answered and said, Not so; but he shall be called John.
The analysis reads the King James wording.
King James Version The King James Version, first published in 1611. Selah Verse shows the standard text.
THE KEY
John’s name breaks the expected family line and names a nature: YHWH has shown favor.
THE MEANING
When identity is expected to repeat a family line, this verse holds open another possibility: a name can carry a distinct nature. John means “YHWH has shown favor,” making the spoken name a compact declaration of favor.
WHAT THIS UNDOES
The assumption that a child’s identity must be named after the father gives way here: a name can belong without repeating his.
THE ROOT
κληθήσεται
klēthēsetai
GROWS FROM
καλέω
to call, summon, or name
English can make “called” sound like a label someone assigns, while καλέω carries the act of calling and naming. Here the future passive presents John’s name as an identity that is to be recognized, not merely a family label.
ALSO GROWS
klēsis: calling, invitation
κλῆσις
The same word family holds together being named and being called into a particular place or purpose.
klētos: called, invited
κλητός
This branch describes someone by the call they have received, echoing the verse’s naming as an identity.
epikaleō: to call upon, invoke, or name
ἐπικαλέω
It shows the same root at work when a name is spoken or appealed to.
יוֹחָנָן
Yōḥānān
GROWS FROM
חנן
to show favor, be gracious
The name John comes from the Hebrew name Yohanan, meaning “YHWH has shown favor.” Its root חנן also appears in words for favor and graciousness, so the name carries a nature within it rather than serving only as a label.
ALSO GROWS
ḥēn: favor
חֵן
This branch makes the favor contained in John’s name visible as a word in its own right.
ḥannûn: gracious
חַנּוּן
The same root describes the nature of one who shows favor, deepening the name’s declaration.
THE PATTERN
A name can reveal a nature or calling that inherited expectations do not determine.
Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee.And the Gentiles shall see thy righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name, which the mouth of the LORD shall name.And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.THE THREAD
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.Luke 1:13 uses the same Greek verb, καλέω, when the name John is announced. In this verse the same naming appears in the future passive: the name is spoken as something to be received, even against the family’s expectation.
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