Blog:"none greater than John the Baptist": Difference between revisions
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(Created page with "none|thumb|1051x1051px|An industrial stream in lower central Pennsylvania: the site of Michael's baptism, October 10, 2021. <blockquote>A man named John was sent from God. ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?6 Jn 1:6])</blockquote>I like call him "the Baptizer." Interestingly, in some Orthodox churches, he is known as "Saint John the Forerunner," which speaks more clearly to his Biblical role. Most western...") |
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[[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb| | <center>[[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|850x850px|<small>An industrial stream in lower central Pennsylvania: the site of Michael's baptism, October 10, 2021.</small>]]</center>His name in Hebrew is "Yohanan," which means "God is grace":<blockquote>A man named John was sent from God. ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?6 Jn 1:6])</blockquote>I like to call him "the Baptizer." Interestingly, in some Orthodox churches, he is known as "John the Forerunner," which speaks to his Biblical role. However, "God is grace" speaks most clearly to his Biblical purpose, which we pray on Easter Sunday Mass,<blockquote>Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs, | ||
which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power. | |||
One historical approach we can employ here is to apply a counter-factual, in this case, removal of John from the moment in order to test alternative outcomes. Obviously, God does what God does | In Baptism we use your gift of water, | ||
which you have made a rich symbol | |||
of the grace you give us in this sacrament.<ref>From the Roman Missal, as per [[Father, you give us grace through sacramental signs, which tell us of the wonders of your unseen power. In Baptism we use your gift of water, which you have made a rich symbol of the grace you give us in this sacrament.|CCC 1217]]</ref></blockquote> | |||
Most western believers think of John only in terms of the Baptism of Christ, but if we listen to Jesus himself, there's a lot more to John than than that to which we usually attest about him. | |||
One historical approach we can employ here is to apply a counter-factual, in this case, removal of John from the moment in order to test alternative outcomes. Obviously, God does what God does. Nevertheless, by thinking over John's absence, we can better grasp his importance and why Jesus said of him in Matthew 11:<blockquote>"Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he."<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11:11 Mt 11:11] Interestingly, the phrase "among those born of women" implicitly affirms of Jesus' divinity, as well as the existence of angels.</ref></blockquote>The Gospel continues with Jesus' explanation for why John was so great:<blockquote>From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. | |||
All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. | All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. | ||
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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>Let's start with "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence" -- | 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 "the kingdom of heaven suffers violence" -- woh. Why in the context of the Baptizer? Perhaps Jesus is telling us that the Baptizer's insertion provoked a counter-attack from the other side? It would seem so -- and we might consider the "violence" in what seems passive, belief. | ||
As we see in 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." | As we see in 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." | ||
