Graduate 98: Advent, Day 21
John the Baptizer
Luke 1:57-80; 3:1-20; 7:18-30
Luke 3:1-2 are an especially striking set of verses. In addition to situating the narrative within a particular time-frame, they also make a significant theological point. The opening lines are one long list of the Who’s Who of Israel in that time—Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome; Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; Herod, tetrarch of Galilee; Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene; Annas, recognized high priest by the conservative Jews; Caiaphas, appointed high priest by the Roman government—all the major political and religious leaders of that time. But to whom does the word of the Lord come? Not to Caesar, not to Pilate, not to Herod or Philip or Lysanias, and not even to Annas or Caiaphas, but to John.
Who is John? The son of Zechariah—who belongs to the priestly division of Abijah, one of twenty-four priestly divisions—not a man of particular note or distinction. Yet God chooses him (John), before he is even conceived, to be the herald of the Messiah. We will look more closely at the announcement of his birth in a couple days, but we can see from Luke 1:66 that people recognized, from the events surrounding his birth, that he would be significant.
As a man of about thirty, he is recognized by the people to be a prophet of God, which is highly significant. The people understand that God has not spoken to the nation of Israel through a prophet (in the Old Testament, pre-exilic pattern) for some four-hundred years. What does it mean that a new prophet has emerged? Clearly powerful movements are afoot.
Jesus underscores that very same point when he says of John, “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (7:28) John marks the end of an era, just as Jesus marks the beginning of something new—a new way of access to God’s kingdom, to relationship with God, and to life abundant. John is the last of the forerunners before the radical in-breaking of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Have you heard the message? Have you embraced it?—like those who listened to John’s words and were prepared, thereby, to receive what Jesus brought and offered? Are you prepared to receive it, though it does not come with the endorsement of the world’s authorities? Have you followed the building, growing, emerging, unfolding picture of God’s plan that will be revealed in the coming few days. It’s only four days until Christmas.
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
Luke 1:57-80; 3:1-20; 7:18-30
Luke 3:1-2 are an especially striking set of verses. In addition to situating the narrative within a particular time-frame, they also make a significant theological point. The opening lines are one long list of the Who’s Who of Israel in that time—Tiberius Caesar, emperor of Rome; Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; Herod, tetrarch of Galilee; Philip, tetrarch of Ituraea and Trachonitis; Lysanias, tetrarch of Abilene; Annas, recognized high priest by the conservative Jews; Caiaphas, appointed high priest by the Roman government—all the major political and religious leaders of that time. But to whom does the word of the Lord come? Not to Caesar, not to Pilate, not to Herod or Philip or Lysanias, and not even to Annas or Caiaphas, but to John.
Who is John? The son of Zechariah—who belongs to the priestly division of Abijah, one of twenty-four priestly divisions—not a man of particular note or distinction. Yet God chooses him (John), before he is even conceived, to be the herald of the Messiah. We will look more closely at the announcement of his birth in a couple days, but we can see from Luke 1:66 that people recognized, from the events surrounding his birth, that he would be significant.
As a man of about thirty, he is recognized by the people to be a prophet of God, which is highly significant. The people understand that God has not spoken to the nation of Israel through a prophet (in the Old Testament, pre-exilic pattern) for some four-hundred years. What does it mean that a new prophet has emerged? Clearly powerful movements are afoot.
Jesus underscores that very same point when he says of John, “I say to you, among those born of women, there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” (7:28) John marks the end of an era, just as Jesus marks the beginning of something new—a new way of access to God’s kingdom, to relationship with God, and to life abundant. John is the last of the forerunners before the radical in-breaking of the Kingdom of the Heavens.
Have you heard the message? Have you embraced it?—like those who listened to John’s words and were prepared, thereby, to receive what Jesus brought and offered? Are you prepared to receive it, though it does not come with the endorsement of the world’s authorities? Have you followed the building, growing, emerging, unfolding picture of God’s plan that will be revealed in the coming few days. It’s only four days until Christmas.
--
God is in this place,
And that reality, seen and understood by the grace of God in Christ Jesus through the work of the Holy Spirit, makes all the difference in the world.
posted by Metaphysician_delta | 2:00 AM
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