Blog:"none greater than John the Baptist": Difference between revisions
Blog:"none greater than John the Baptist" (view source)
Revision as of 11:50, 10 November 2024
, 10 November→John's role in the Plan of Salvation
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Notice how John's role is consistent with God's "Plan of Salvation" through which that plan is revealed (thus "revelation") incrementally. God wants us to operate through our own agency, which is why he uses prophets and intercessors. He selected his people through Abraham, he gave them the Law through Moses, and he sent prophets for correction and guidance. Rather than just appearing as a man, he came to us through a woman. And rather than just announcing himself, he brought attention to his arrival through the Baptizer. | Notice how John's role is consistent with God's "Plan of Salvation" through which that plan is revealed (thus "revelation") incrementally. God wants us to operate through our own agency, which is why he uses prophets and intercessors. He selected his people through Abraham, he gave them the Law through Moses, and he sent prophets for correction and guidance. Rather than just appearing as a man, he came to us through a woman. And rather than just announcing himself, he brought attention to his arrival through the Baptizer. | ||
John's work was completed following his Baptism of Jesus (see [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/3?13 Mt 3:13], [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?9 Mk 1:9] and [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/3?21 Lk 3:21]) and his own martyrdom, so he disappears from the Gospel stories -- yet, Jesus upholds him as "none greater" among men, likely because John is the last of the Old Testament prophets and thereby the one who announces the Messiah in person.<ref>John also announces the Holy Spirit ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1:8 Mk 1:8]) that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1:30 Jn 1:30]) that he is the Son of God ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?34 Jn 1:34]), and that he will be the perfect sacrifice, "the Lamb of God" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1:36 Jn 1:36])</ref> The Old Testament revelation thereby ends with the Baptizer, which is why he says ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3:30 Jn 3:30]), <blockquote>"He must increase; I must decrease.” </blockquote> | John's work was completed following his Baptism of Jesus (see [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/matthew/3?13 Mt 3:13], [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1?9 Mk 1:9] and [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/3?21 Lk 3:21]) and his own martyrdom, so he disappears from the Gospel stories -- yet, Jesus upholds him as "none greater" among men, likely because John is the last of the Old Testament prophets and thereby the one who announces the Messiah in person.<ref>Or he is the bridge between them: John also announces the Holy Spirit ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/mark/1:8 Mk 1:8]) that Jesus is the Alpha and Omega ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1:30 Jn 1:30]) that he is the Son of God ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1?34 Jn 1:34]), and that he will be the perfect sacrifice, "the Lamb of God" ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/1:36 Jn 1:36]) | ||
In [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/16?16 Lk 16:16], Jesus tells the pharisees, "The law and the prophets lasted until John". </ref> The Old Testament revelation thereby ends with the Baptizer, which is why he says ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/3:30 Jn 3:30]), <blockquote>"He must increase; I must decrease.” </blockquote> | |||
== The necessary and best man == | == The necessary and best man == | ||