24th Jun - BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

 Jesus called John the greatest of all those who had preceded him: “I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John….” But John would have agreed completely with 

    what Jesus added: “Yet the least in the kingdom of God is greater than he” (Lk. 7:28). John spent his time in the desert, an ascetic. He began to announce the coming of the Kingdom, 

    and to call everyone to a fundamental reformation of life. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus. His baptism, he said, was for repentance. But one would come who would 

    baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. John was not worthy even to untie his sandals. His attitude toward Jesus was: “He must increase; I must decrease” (Jn. 3:30). John was humbled 

    to find among the crowd of sinners who came to be baptized the one whom he already knew to be the Messiah. “I need to be baptized by you” (Mt. 3:14). But Jesus insisted, 

    “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness” (Mt. 3:15). Jesus, true and humble human as well as eternal God, 

    was eager to do what was required of any good Jew. John thus publicly entered the community of those awaiting the Messiah. But making himself part of that community, 

    he made it truly messianic.

    The greatness of John, his pivotal place in the history of salvation, is seen in the great emphasis Luke gives to the announcement of his birth and the event itself—both made 

    prominently parallel to the same occurrences in the life of Jesus. John attracted countless people to the banks of the Jordan, and it occurred to some people that he might be the 

    Messiah. But he constantly deferred to Jesus, even to sending away some of his followers to become the first disciples of Jesus.

    Perhaps John’s idea of the coming of the Kingdom of God was not being perfectly fulfilled in the public ministry of Jesus. For whatever reason, 

    when he was in prison he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was the Messiah. Jesus’ answer showed that the Messiah was to be a figure like that of the Suffering Servant in Isaiah. 

    John himself would share in the pattern of messianic suffering, losing his life to the revenge of Herodias.






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