Luke 1:65

And fear came on all that dwelt around about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judea.

Fear ... was a natural result of such providential intervention as had been evidenced, not only in the birth, but in the naming of John. Also, Luke is careful to point out, as distinguished from the affairs of Mary, that the events relative to this birth received the widest publicity and comment throughout the whole area. There were none who could say they had not heard of such a thing.