Why Do We Spend So Much Time Talking About John The Baptist?
Jesus’ cousin, John the Baptist, gets plenty of attention in our Sunday lectionary readings: he appears twice during Advent and three times throughout the Epiphany! Why is that? To understand John the Baptist, we need to turn to the Old Testament and recall the prophet, Samuel.
Samuel was born to a barren woman named Hannah. He grew up in the temple and served as a priest, offering up sacrifices to God on behalf of Israel’s sins (I Sam 7:9). Additionally, before the era of the kings of Israel, Samuel was the last great judge to administer justice in Israel (I Sam 7:15). He had a king-like role before Saul and David, the first kings were appointed. Thus, Samuel was a kind of prophet, priest and king, who anointed David as king of Israel, with his triple authority of prophet, priest and king.
John the Baptist is the spitting image of Samuel. He too is a prophet declaring repentance and forgiveness in the wilderness. He too is in the lineage of priests because his father, Zechariah, was a high priest. He too is a judge, calling out Herod for his moral bankruptcy, while declaring comfort and peace to the humble and oppressed. He too was born to a barren mother, Elizabeth.
John the Baptist's functions were akin to Samuel's with the triple authority of prophet, priest and king. So, when he baptizes Jesus, he is anointing Jesus, with his triple authority, as the true king of Israel, the son of David, the Son of God, who has returned to take up His rightful throne. For the Israelites back then, waiting with bated breath for their king to return, John the Baptist was a blaring, flashing sign that could not be ignored, pointing to Israel’s long-awaited king. He is vitally important because his presence makes Jesus’ person and ministry crystal clear for those who have dim eyes and dull ears.
Yet, there is a second reason why we emphasize John the Baptist. As Christians, we too are called to be blaring, flashing signs, pointing to the king of the World, Jesus, to a world that has dim eyes and dull ears. Our lives are the sign.
As the collect for John the Baptist exhorts us, when we speak the truth, boldly rebuke vice and patiently suffer for truth’s sake, we shine like stars and lights in a world filled with darkness. John the Baptist gets plenty of attention in our appointed Sunday lectionary Gospel readings so that we can learn from his example and live like little lights that point to the true Light of the World, Jesus Christ.
