"A voice of one calling in the desert,"In those days" starts chapter three... what days are 'those'? After relaying the account of Jesus' birth and escape from Herod Matthew fast forwards about 28 years. He continues his Gospel with Jesus' adulthood.
'Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.' "
Why did he jump ahead like this? Perhaps it had something to do with the fact he didn't know much about Jesus' childhood. This is a possibility, though more likely it was because of his purpose in writing. Matthew was building his case for Jesus as Messiah. He continues to add to his proof by introducing another fulfillment of prophecy, one who would be the forerunner of the Messiah, a "voice calling out", one who would prophesy like Elijah: John the Baptist.
There is much that could be said about John. The Gospel of Luke contains more information than Matthew's of the account of his miraculous birth. Through Luke we read of the angel Gabriel's prophecy of John,
14 He will be a joy and delight to you, and many will rejoice because of his birth, 15 for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He is never to take wine or other fermented drink, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth. 16 Many of the people of Israel will he bring back to the Lord their God. 17 And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord."(Luke 1:14-17)
When we read the first 12 verses of Matthew 3 we see that John has indeed become the person the angel described. What I find interesting in these few verses is the contrast between John and the people of his day.
John dressed differently, he ate differently. These things made him stand out in a crowd but it was his message that caused crowds to flock to him. John called for repentance and announced that the kingdom of heaven was near. Unlike the religious elite who relied on their heritage and adherance to rules to ensure their forgiveness, John's message was that all needed to repent; all needed to be cleansed. John's style of baptism exemplified this.
Baptism wasn't uncommon in 'those days'. Gentiles performed a ritual washing baptism as part of a series of rites done to become part of the Jewish faith. They washed themselves in this process. John, in contrast, washed others. He baptized them proclaiming that soon One would come who would be the real means of baptism.
John was a unique character with a specific calling and a God given mission. There is no one who has had such a privilege - being the one to announce the coming of the Messiah. Or is there? In reading about John these last few days I've been wondering if we - the individuals who are the church - are supposed to be more like him: a voice calling out, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is near". Should we be less like the world with its post modern acceptance of every perspective and belief? Should we be less like the 'corporate church' caught up in administration or denominational differences? Should we instead be a unique, contrasting voice calling people to the Saviour?
How would that look in your life? It's made me wonder how it should look in mine... because, in actual fact, the kingdom of heaven is here, and Christ is coming. Will we be a voice calling out?
2 comments:
I sometimes wonder if I would have run away from John because he was "different". Would I have believed his message or considered him a freak because he was not the social norm.
No that is a thought - are we different. As I look at my own life I sometimes think I have one foot on one camp and one foot in another. I certainly am different in some ways but I certainly see areas where I need to improve. You have reminded us that not only do we need to be different - it is okay to be different - especially in the eyes of our Lord.
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