Posted by Chester Morton / Wednesday, 29 March 2017 / No comments
The message of John the Baptist
In those days, John appeared in the wilderness with a leather
girdle around his waist and dressed in a dress made with Camel’s hair. His
food was locust and wild honey.
John preached in the wilderness about repentance because the Kingdom
of God was near. He said that it was a fulfillment of the prophesy of Isaiah
that they should “prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”
All the people in the region of Judea and round about the region
of the Jordan came to be baptized. When John saw them, he called them “brood of
vipers”. He asked them who told them to flee from the wrath that was coming.
John warned them not to say Abraham was their father because God would raise
children for Abraham from stones. He further said the axe is ready and anybody
who would not bear the right fruit would be cut down and thrown into the fire.
John further said he was baptizing them with water but the one
who would come after him is mightier than him and he (John) was not even worthy
to stoop and untie his sandals shall baptize them with the Holy Spirit. That
person, according to John, was holding his winnowing fork and would gather the
wheat into the granary and the chaff shall be thrown into the burning fire.
Luke gave the story a historical setting. Luke wrote that in
the 15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, when Pontus Pilate
was the Tetrarch of Galilee and Annas and Caiaphas were high Priests, the word
of God came to John the son of Zechariah. Then he went out into the regions
around the Jordan to preach baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
He also quoted from the book of Isaiah saying “Prepare the way of the Lord,
make his path straight.”
Like Matthew’s account, when the people gathered, he asked
them who told them to flee from the wrath which was coming. He told them to
bear good fruits. John warned them not to say Abraham was their father because
God would raise children for Abraham from stones. He further said the axe is
ready and anybody who would not bear the right fruit would be cut down and
thrown into the fire.
The people asked John what they must do and he told them that
those who had two dresses should give one out to another. Also those who have
food must share with others. Then the tax-collectors came and asked John what
they must do. John told them not to collect more that they are assigned. The
soldiers came and asked what they must also do and John told them not to rob
anybody with violence and to be content with their wages.
As the people were wondering what the whole thing was about,
whether it was the Messiah that had come, John told them that he was baptizing with
water but the one who is to come after he (John) would baptize with the Holy
Spirit. That person, he (John) was not worthy to even stoop down and untie his
sandals. That person has his winnowing fork in hand and is coming to gather the
grains and throw the chaff into an unquenchable fire. John also gave advice on
many other matters.
According to Luke, Herod the Tetrarch, who had earlier been reprimanded
by John on account of his marriage of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and
reproved for other evil deeds of his, arrested John and put him into prison.
SAMPLE QUESTION(S)
1. What message, according to Matthew, did John the Baptist
bring to the people in Judea and around the region of the Jordan?
2. What message, according to Luke, did John the Baptist
bring to the people in Judea and around the region of the Jordan?
