Fast Fridays: 30 Minutes for God: Difference between revisions
→Friday, Oct 11: "none greater than John the Baptist"
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For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ | For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ | ||
The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”</blockquote> | The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works.”</blockquote>Let's start with those last two verses, 18 & 19: John came "neither eating nor drinking" and the Son of Man comes "eating and drinking," for which both are condemned ("they said"). "They" didn't dance when the flute was played, and "they" didn't mourn when the dirge was sung -- missed signals, and "they" still don't get why John didn't eat or drink and the Son of Man does. The footnote to the USSCB NASB translation on [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?16 verse 16] says that the meaning of this parable is "is much disputed." | ||
I don't find it difficult, especially in the context of "this generation" -- which includes us, not just those of Jesus' day. We're all confused and misdirected and Christ is misinterpreted, ignored, and the wrong dances are danced, the wrong dirges or mourned or not mourned at all. Ears aren't listening. | I don't find it difficult, especially in the context of "this generation" -- which includes us, not just those of Jesus' day. We're all confused and misdirected and Christ is misinterpreted, ignored, and the wrong dances are danced, the wrong dirges or mourned or not mourned at all. Ears weren't then and aren't now listening. | ||
But wait -- I think that's the point: the Baptizer, or the Forerunner, came to announce the Kingdom to those who might be willing to hear him. Isn't that what baptism itself is for -- to open our hearts, our minds, and our souls to Christ?<ref>And per [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/12:30 Mk 12:30], with all our strength.</ref> John, then, didn't just baptize the Jews, he baptized us, should we be willing to listen, with the joyous announcement, prefiguring baptism by the Holy Spirit. | |||
John baptized a lot of people -- everyone knew him, all the way | John baptized a lot of people -- and everyone knew of him, all the way to the court of Herod, the chief priests<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/21:23 Mt 21;23]</ref>, and into the histories of the late first century Jewish historian, Josephus.<ref>his "Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus wrote more about John than Jesus, but think audience: he wrote under Domitian, who horribly persecuted Christians. Later manuscripts have Josephus mentioning Jesus as the "Messiah", but these were likely added to the original text.</ref> Take away the Baptizer, Jesus has no context, no introduction, no "forerunner." But why would that be necessary for God? | ||
Firstly, whatever the larger purpose, the Lord planned out the role of the Forerunner from his miraculous conception in the barren Elizabeth.<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?7 Lk 1:7]</ref> In [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?26 Luke 1:26], <blockquote>In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, </blockquote> | Firstly, whatever the larger purpose, the Lord planned out the role of the Forerunner from his miraculous conception in the barren Elizabeth.<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?7 Lk 1:7]</ref> In [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?26 Luke 1:26], <blockquote>In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, </blockquote> | ||
The sixth month was that of John's conception, which Luke uses to measure the Archangel's announcement to Mary. And, of course, John "leaped in the womb" as Mary's walked in to his mother Elizabeth's house ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?41 Lk 1:41]). From the beginning, then, John announces the arrival of the Christ, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?2 Mk 1:2]),<blockquote>“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.<ref>The footnote in the USCCB NASB to Mk 1:2 states that this prophesy is actually an amalgamation of other scriptural texts, all of which point to the announcement of the coming of Christ.</ref></blockquote>Jesus later teaches Peter, James and John that John the Baptist was the second coming of Elijah | The sixth month was that of John's conception, which Luke uses to measure the Archangel's announcement to Mary. And, of course, John "leaped in the womb" as Mary's walked in to his mother Elizabeth's house ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?41 Lk 1:41]). From the beginning, then, John announces the arrival of the Christ, fulfilling Isaiah's prophecy ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?2 Mk 1:2]),<blockquote>“Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way.<ref>The footnote in the USCCB NASB to Mk 1:2 states that this prophesy is actually an amalgamation of other scriptural texts, all of which point to the announcement of the coming of Christ.</ref></blockquote>Jesus later teaches Peter, James and John that John the Baptist was the second coming of Elijah<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/17:11 Mt 17:11-13]:<blockquote>He told them, “Elijah will indeed come first and restore all things, yet how is it written regarding the Son of Man that he must suffer greatly and be treated with contempt? But I tell you that Elijah has come and they did to him whatever they pleased, as it is written of him.”</blockquote>Like the Son of Man, John suffered at the hands of the unfaithful authorities ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/14:1 Mt 14:1-12]). Btw, Elijah was persecuted by the wife, Jezebel, of a vacillating and morally corrupt King, Ahab ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/1kings/19?2 1Kg 19:2]), and John by a similar king, Herod of Antipas, at the hands of scheming his wife, Herodias.</ref>, so we have a very clear role for the Forerunner. | ||
Next would be his role as the Baptizer -- which goes hand-in-hand with his role as Forerunner:<blockquote>John [the] Baptist appeared in the desert proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. People of the whole Judean countryside and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. John was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. He fed on locusts and wild honey. | |||
And this is what he proclaimed: “One mightier than I is coming after me. I am not worthy to stoop and loosen the thongs of his sandals. | |||
I have baptized you with water; he will baptize you with the holy Spirit.”</blockquote>Baptism under John was a kind of self-repentance; whereas the Messiah could actually forgive sins. Still, John and his followers, including at least some of the Apostles, believed that the Messiah would rain fire upon the enemies of Israel, as did Elijah to the priests of Jezebel. Of course they didn't understand, but such is the process of revelation, through which God gives us hints and glimpses of truths we are unprepared to comprehend. When Jesus explained ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?12 Mt 11:12]),<blockquote>From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force.</blockquote>they may have heard fire and brimstone rather than God's wrath over sin. Indeed, from Herod's prison, John sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was truly "the one" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?3 Mt 11:3]), Jesus replies [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11?4 Mt 11:4-5]), <blockquote>“Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have the good news proclaimed to them.</blockquote> | |||
Not what they were thinking, while yet a fulfillment of prophecy, such as from Isa [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/29:18 29:18]:<blockquote> | |||
On that day the deaf shall hear the words of a scroll; And out of gloom and darkness, the eyes of the blind shall see.</blockquote> | |||
Thereby John, we may infer, was there to push along salvation from our enemies within us all, and not those beyond us, as the Jews all hoped. | |||
----There yet exists a cult of John the Baptism. These are known as "Mandaeans," a gnostic sect that believes John the Baptist was the final prophet from God. | |||
----There yet exists a cult of John the Baptism. These are known as | |||
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[[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|1051x1051px|Site of Michael's baptism on Oct 10, 2021]] | [[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|1051x1051px|Site of Michael's baptism on Oct 10, 2021]] | ||
== Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) == | == Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) == | ||