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Blog:"none greater than John the Baptist"
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== Why was John the Baptist necessary? == 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 the contingency of John's absence, we can better grasp his importance and why Jesus said of him in [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/11 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 passage as a whole Matthew helps us see Jesus' explanation for why John was so great, "more than a prophet," actually:<blockquote>As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: ''‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you;'' ''he will prepare your way before you.''' 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. 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. Whoever has ears ought to hear. To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ 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" -- wow. 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, John came "neither eating nor drinking," whereas 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 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 -- God's gift that opens 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.<ref>Certainly applies to me, baptized as a later-in-life adult, as when I look back on my prior life before Baptism "with the holy Spirit" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1 Jn 1:33]), there were Johns the Baptist in my life, in events and persons, which prepared me, unknowingly, for my Baptism in Christ.</ref> [[File:Pieter_Bruegel_the_Elder_-_The_Sermon_of_Saint_John_the_Baptist.jpg|thumb|<small>The Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, 1566 (wikipedia)</small>]] 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> Jesus himself brings up his names to the Pharisees after he enters Jerusalem for his Passion. They demand to know "by what authority are you doing these things?"<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/21?23 Mt 21:23]</ref> Jesus turns it on them, and asks, <blockquote>Where was John’s baptism from? Was it of heavenly or of human origin?”<ref name=":0">[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/21?25 Mt 21:25]</ref> </blockquote>The pharisees debate whether or not to answer the question, deciding not to answer what they really believe, that John was of "human origin", out of "fear of the crowd."<ref>[https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/21?25 Mt 21:25]</ref> There in Jerusalem, days before the Crucifixion, Jesus is still pointing to John's role as Forerunner and Baptizer. Take away the Baptizer, Jesus has no context, no introduction, no "forerunner." But why would that be necessary for God?
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