Sunday, January 12, 2025

 

 

There is something about this passage in Luke 3 that always baffled me:

15As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, 16John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 17His 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.”

21Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, “You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.”


Talk about faith! People are being baptized in the name of Jesus, and he isn't even there yet. That's pretty incredible. 

However, the Messiah that John describes isn't much like the Jesus in the gospels. While Jesus does talk about God's judgment, he isn't that judgmental himself except for a few spates of anger (at Peter, the moneychangers in the temple, etc.).  John the Baptist seems to be describing someone who really leans into the "unquenchable fire" side of things, but that's not Jesus, who is much more about hope, forgiveness and love.

# posted by Mark Osler @ 1:00 AM
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