Third Sunday Of Advent
There are two parts to this Sunday’s gospel. The first part proclaims God’s approval of John the Baptizer’s mission , “There was a man sent from God whose name was John.” This might be called the positive side of the proclamation. We know that there was an ongoing dispute between John’s disciples and Christians, long after John’s death, about the role or identity of John. The author of the gospel speaks to this debate. Was John the Messiah or was Jesus the Messiah? Luke 3:15 describes the problem, “…all questioned in their hearts concerning John whether he might be the Messiah….” The author of John’s gospel expresses the superiority of Jesus by a negative proclamation about John, “He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him,” (not in him or on him). In case a reader missed the point, the author adds, “He (John) was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.”
So important was this double statement about the Baptizer that the author inserted it in the middle of his opening hymn proclaiming not only the divinity of the Word of God, but also the Word’s activity as Creator God and as “life” and “light” of humanity. John was not the true light, but the one who was sent to point out the true light. The author then continues the opening hymn in which he affirms that the true light, the Word of God who is God, became united to human flesh, “And the Word was made flesh.” In ancient times a sign of welcoming into a nomadic community was to pitch one’s tent in the midst of that community. If the one who pitched his tent was an important official, then the community was honored to have his tent among them. Therefore the author of the gospel adds of the Word of God who is God, “…and (he) pitched his tent among us.” At the conclusion of the hymn he identifies this Word of God who is God as Jesus of Nazareth who is the Messiah (Christ).
The author of the gospel is not ready to let go of his determination to proclaim the Baptizer secondary to Jesus. He adds a description of an examination of John’s activity by an official delegation from the Jerusalem authorities. This is not unlike today, when someone’s writings or activities give birth to a visitation or examination from authorities in Rome. From the official point of view in Jerusalem, John the Baptizer was a freelance operator who was drawing far too much attention and too many enthusiasts. As far as was known he was not a disciple of some great Torah-scholar in Jerusalem, so by what authority did he go about preaching and baptizing? The priests and Levites from Jerusalem who composed this delegation or visitation were undoubtedly sent by the chief religious governing body of the Jews, the Sanhedrin or Great Council in Jerusalem. Their presiding officer was the high priest himself.
They begin with the most logical question, “Who are you?” (The same question was asked of this writer by two Jehovah’s Witnesses who walked into his library and saw open books written in strange languages. Upon entering the house, they had stated that they merely came by to en-courage him to read the Bible. And they never returned!) The Baptizer obviously knew what this visitation was about. There were rumors that some of his followers claimed that he was the Messiah. Therefore John’s first answer, “I am not the Messiah (the Christ).” They asked, “So what are you? Are you Elijah?” According to 2 Kings 2:11, this ninth century B.C. prophet had been raptured up to heaven in a chariot of fire drawn by horses of fire in a whirlwind.
It was well known that no human being escapes death, since the Torah itself teaches, “In the sweat of your face you shall eat your bread until you return to the ground from which you were taken, for you are dust and unto dust you shall return.” In the New Testament, Hebrews 9:27 reminds us of the same, “…it is appointed for men to die….” Therefore Elijah sometime had to return to earth to die. Could John be the returned Elijah? The prophet Malachy in the late fifth century spoke of the return of Elijah. But the Baptizer emphatically denies this identity, “I am not!” Next question: “Are you the prophet?” Who is this awaited “the” prophet? In Deutero-nomy 18:15-18, Moses is depicted as promising that God would raise up for his people “ a prophet like Moses.” Could John the Baptizer be the prophet? This seemed logical since some scholars at the time were teaching that the Israelites who were led through the Sea of Reeds (Red Sea) by Moses were “baptized into Moses.” See I Corinthians 10:2. And John was baptizing!
The Baptizer seems annoyed by this time in the interrogation and replies in one word, “NO!”
The delegation presses on, “So who are you? We have to take an answer to those who sent us.” John mysteriously quotes Isaiah 40:3, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.’” (See last Sunday’s gospel commentary for an explanation of this quote from Isaiah.) Again the delegation, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are none of the above?” The author of the gospel takes another opportunity (but not the last) to put the Baptizer into a secondary role. His baptism was merely an external washing, but there was already someone among them whose baptism, (as will be revealed a few lines later), grants the Holy Spirit to those who receive his baptism. Finally the Baptizer adds a statement appropriate for everyone who proclaims Jesus, “Even the strap of his sandal I am unworthy to untie.”
