What was John the Baptist actually like?
What would you think if you met him?
He must have had some charisma or magnetism, because his words are grating and off-putting. He insults those who have bothered to come and listen to him, calling them a viper's brood, mocking them for running away from trouble, undercutting their confidence in God's promises to them (And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.)
Bewildered and afraid, the crowd ask for guidance, and suddenly John changes tack. He gives them simple practical advice. Stuff they can do.
Clever tactics. Scare people to death, then reassure them. Soon he had them eating out of his hand. So much so, that inevitably they started wondering if he was the Messiah.
But John acts quickly to squash that rumour. You think I'm special? You ain't seen nothing yet.
His fearless speech causes trouble with Herod the Great's lesser son, Herod Antipas. He was a playboy prince, with power, too much time on his hands, and too little sense of a goal worth achieving. But he wasn't going to be insulted by anybody. So he locked John away.
The voice crying in the wilderness was censored.
John the Baptist does indeed squash the rumour. Pointing to Christ he says "Behold, The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29 and 36), probably one of the greatest things that he ever said. It connects Christ and His death with the whole sacrificial system of the Old Testament and can leave us in no doubt as to the vicarious nature of Christ's death.
ReplyDeleteHe does indeed, Richard. But only in John's gospel, so I can't mention that while I'm reading Luke!
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