Why was the name given after circumcision? Because one must first receive the seal from God, and only then a human name. In other words: circumcision signifies the rejection of fleshly qualities, for no one is worthy of being called a soldier of God and being inscribed by name in the heavenly book before rejecting and cutting off fleshly qualities.
Lk. 1:60. But his mother answered and said: No, he shall be called John.
Elizabeth spoke of the name, that his name is John, as a prophetess. Or perhaps John himself assigned his own name, for he imparted the gift of prophecy to his mother.
Lk. 1:61. And they said to her: There is no one among your relatives who is called by this name.
Lk. 1:62. They also asked his father by signs what he would have him called.
Lk. 1:63. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote: "John is his name." And everyone was amazed.
Lk. 1:64. And immediately his mouth and his tongue were loosed, and he began to speak, blessing God.
Zechariah, being unable to make known to them by signs, asks for a tablet; and when regarding the name of the child he was found to be in complete agreement with his wife, "all marveled," for this name was not in their kinship, and no one could say that the two of them had agreed upon this beforehand. John means "the grace of God"; therefore the father also immediately received grace and prophesies first about Christ, and then also about his son.
Lk. 1:65. Fear came upon all who lived around them; and all these things were talked about throughout the entire hill country of Judea.
Lk. 1:66. All who heard laid it up in their hearts, saying: what manner of child shall this be? And the hand of the Lord was with him.
Lk. 1:67. And Zacharias, his father, was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied, saying:
Lk. 1:68. Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for He has visited His people and wrought redemption for them,
At the miraculous utterance of Zacharias, fear fell upon all; for just as when silence was imposed upon him the people were amazed, so now too, when he began to speak again, they are amazed, so that by these two miracles all could understand that the one who was born is above many. All this was by special providence, so that the one who would bear witness concerning Christ would be received with full trust, and so that all would be convinced from the very birth of John that he is above many. Zacharias blesses God, who visited the Israelites. He indeed came to the lost sheep of the house of Israel, but very many of them did not wish to accept the grace, which is why He visited the true Israelites, that is, those who believed.
Lk. 1:69. And has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of David, His servant,
Lk. 1:70. as He spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets, who have been since the world began,
Lk. 1:71. That He will save us from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
"He raised up a horn of salvation," that is, a salvific power and kingdom. For "horn" signifies either power, since horned animals have their strength in their horns, or kingdom, since kings were anointed from a horn. Christ is the Power and Kingdom of the Father; thus, for us there arose a "horn of salvation" — Christ. For He seemed to be at rest when He paid no attention to many sins and was long-suffering toward idol-madness; but when He became incarnate in the last times, He arose and crushed all the demons who hate us, and no longer continues to rest and be long-suffering. He raised it up "in the house of David," that is, in Bethlehem; for there He was born. Bethlehem is, of course, the city of David, as the prophets said. For all of them spoke of the incarnation, and Micah also mentioned the house of David, that is, Bethlehem, saying: "And you, Bethlehem... are by no means least among the rulers of Judah, for out of you shall come a Ruler" (Mic. 5:2, cited according to Matt. 2:6).
Lk. 1:72. to perform mercy with our fathers and to remember His holy covenant,
"He has shown mercy" not only to the living, but also "to our fathers," for the grace of Christ extended to them as well, even though they had already died. Namely: to us the living He granted the hope of resurrection, and we shall rise; but not we alone shall be deemed worthy of this benefaction, but also those who died before us. For all of nature received this blessing.
And in another sense: "He showed mercy to the fathers" in that He fulfilled their expectations, for what they had hoped for, they saw fulfilled in Christ. And seeing their children in blessedness from such great blessings, the fathers rejoice and, sharing in the joy, receive mercy as though it were done for themselves.
Lk. 1:73. The oath which He swore to Abraham our father, to grant us,
Of what covenant did he speak, and of what oath given to Abraham? Without doubt, of this one: "In blessing I will bless you, and in multiplying I will multiply your seed" (Gen. 22:17). Abraham was indeed multiplied now, when all the nations through faith became his sons; for as he believed, so they too through faith became his sons.
Lk. 1:74. without fear,* having been delivered from the hand of our enemies,
Often others are delivered, but with fear and many labors and struggle; but Christ was crucified for us without any labor on our part and delivered us at last without fear, that is, without danger.
Lk. 1:75. To serve Him in holiness and righteousness before Him, all the days of our life.