The ministry of John, the son of Zechariah, who is called the Baptist has not been of great interest through the years. He is recognized, even now, in terms of his relevance to Jesus. In the Galilean section of the New Testament recorded in the synoptic gospels accounts read: "The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, Son of God. In those days, the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high priesthood of Annas and Calaphas, the word of God came to John the Baptist, son of Zechariah in the wilderness of Judea, and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 'Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.' For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said: 'The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'
John the baptizer, wore a garment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins."
John preaching repentance "said therefore to the multitudes, including the Pharisees and Sadducees, that came out to be baptized by him:
- 'You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham as our father"; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.'"
A special multitude inquired: "What then shall we do?" John preached to them answering: "He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than is appointed you." Soldiers also asked him, "And we what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Rob no one by violence of by false accusation, and be content with your wages."
As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, John answered them all and preached: "After me comes he who is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down, untie and carry. I baptize you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire." His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor, and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire." So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people.
But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother's wife, and for all the evil things that Herod has done, added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
In those days, Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee. Now, when all the people were baptized and when Jesus came, John would have prevented him saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented and Jesus was baptized, and when he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him; and lo, a voice came from heaven, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Interesting, the impossibility of being like Jesus draws us to be like the Lord. Disinterested in John, the son of Zechariah, yet the task of preparing the way for salvation remains the mission possible to repenting sinners, such as I.
Prayer: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on our souls, and save us from the burning fires of hell. Amen
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