the G4 PROJECT - Day 2

The G4 Project – Day 2

JtB & JtC
READING: John 1:19-34
Soundtrack: Nesciens mater: choral works of Jean Mouton (selected tracks)

John the Baptizer (JtB) enters the scene.  Having read Luke not that long ago, it is plain that John and Jesus are cousins – however both John’s parents were human.

John comes baptizing the people for repentance of sins.  In John and Jesus’ day the people were expecting the Messiah at any moment - and many want to be ready; to be right with God.  This expectation was due in part to the Roman occupation and the Hebrews desire to be freed from this oppression as they had once been freed from Egyptian oppression.

Naturally the religious leaders send a delegation to John asking him who he thinks he is: “Are you the messiah?  Are you Elijah? (fulfilling the prophecy in Mal. 4:5) Are you the Prophet? (whom Moses spoke of in Deut. 18:15)?”

“I am not the Christ” John responds. “I am not Elijah (though Jesus would clarify this later). I am not the Prophet.”

Then who are you?  We need an answer to take back to those who sent us!

“I am ‘the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, “Make straight the way of the Lord,”’ as the prophet Isaiah said." (Isa. 40:3)

Whoa!!!  Don’t just skip over this!  One of my frustrations with many English translations of the Bible is that the sacred name of God “YHWH” (often pronounced Yahweh) is translated to the generic ‘Lord’ and most often this connection is made by having LORD (all caps).  I think we miss something by using ‘Lord’.

This is no generic 'god' being spoken of!  This is The One and Only, True and Living God Who revealed Himself and His sacred Name to Moses in the burning bush!

John was not saying I have come to prepare the way for a great religious teacher or a new rabbi.  John was saying, “I am here doing what God has called me to because God Himself is coming!”

Powerful words!

John the Baptizer goes on to say that the One Who is coming is so great that he (John) is unworthy even to the most humiliating of tasks assigned to a slave of that day – untie a sandal!

John (author) skips over JtB’s baptizing of Jesus, but it is fascinating when you read the Gospel accounts together.

Since JtB and Jesus are cousins I firmly believe that when JtB said to Jesus “You should be baptizing me” it was not because he yet recognized Jesus as the Christ.  JtB knew his cousin was a very righteous man and that for that reason Jesus should be the one doing the baptizing.

However in the G4 we see when the realization hits JtB:

"I saw the Spirit descend from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him. I myself did not know him, but He (God) who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' And I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God."

Only after Jesus is baptized by JtB does JtB realize that his very own cousin is not just Jesus bar (son of) Joseph, but Jesus the Christ (JtC) – Son of God!  Even Yahweh enfleshed!

“The next day (after JtB had baptized Jesus) he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! This is he of whom I said 'After me comes a man who ranks before me, because he was before me.' I myself did not know him, but for this purpose I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed to Israel."

The Hebrews… Israel… had been awaiting a Messiah to deliver them as Moses once had.  JtB, directed by the Spirit, tells them that not only will Jesus bring them deliverance – but that Jesus Himself will be the Passover lamb for this deliverance and coming exodus.

Here comes the all-powerful Word of God, creator of heaven and earth, come to demonstrate the heart of the Father... to help us 'see' and know God... and to be slaughtered like a passover lamb, so that flagrant, rebellious offenders deserving of separation and anguish and flame would be forgiven and adopted.