John's Baptism (Luke 3:1-22).

John's Baptism of Repentance

¹ Tiberius Caesar was the Roman Emperor and he was even worshipped as a ‘god’ in parts of the Empire.  Israel was in their land but they were forced to live under Roman rule. Rome had put Pontius Pilate in charge in Judea. ‘Herod the Great’ who was appointed by Rome as King in Israel was dead and his territory was divided among four rulers. Herod and his sons were illegitimate Jews and Roman collaborators. Herod Antipas oversaw Galilee and his brother, Philip, was in charge of Iturea and Traconitis. ² Annas and Caiaphas were from the same priestly family and were the High Priests appointed by Rome.

Into a world entrenched with Roman oppressors and Jewish collaborators with Rome came God’s word. The word of God came to John, the son of Zechariah, in the wilderness around the Jordan River. John’s message is symbolically connected to Israel’s wilderness wandering and their crossing the Jordan River. These symbols depict Israel’s need for a new beginning or a ‘New Exodus’ in order to take possession of their ‘Promised Land’.

So Israel comes out to the wilderness around the Jordan River to hear John preach his ‘baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ ⁴ in preparation for the coming Lord. The quoting of Isaiah 40 indicates that a total upheaval of the present landscape was needed to make straight paths for the coming return of the Lord. ⁵ Valleys were to be filled in and mountains were to be leveled. The crooked and rough roads were to be made straight and smooth ⁶ and all people would see God’s salvation. This was consistent with Simeon’s vision of the infant Jesus as ‘God’s salvation for all people’.  

⁷ John calls for baptism depicting the need for the forgiveness of sins and the need for genuine repentance. Moreover, John warns those coming to him for hypocritical reasons by calling them snakes and questioning why they were fleeing the coming wrath. ⁸ Preparation for the coming Lord would require fruit consistent with ‘true repentance’ and no mere claim to being a physical descent of Abraham. Claiming to be a child of Abraham would not protect one from God’s judgment. God was able to raise up from the stones ‘children for Abraham’.

⁹ From John’s perspective the axe was already at the roots; so that those not producing fruit would be cut down and thrown in the fire. In other words, the judgment of God is near, and John’s was an urgent call to life transformation. ¹⁰ The crowds asked John what they were to do and he said those with extra clothes and food were to share it with those in need. Those common poor people living in relative poverty where to pool their resources and care for one another.  

² Those tax collectors who were considered Roman collaborators where not to use their positions to exploit their fellow Jews. John did not say forsake their occupations, but he did say do not collect more than was required. They were not take advantage of vulnerable people. They were no to benefit at the expense of the poor oppressed Israelites.  In the same way ¹⁴ soldiers were not to force people to give them money or falsely accuse people. Rather the soldiers were to be content with their pay.

¹⁵ People wondered if the bold prophet was the Christ. However, John humbly confessed that that the Christ was coming after him adn that that he was not fit to untie his sandals. John’s baptism symbolized cleansing, but the one coming would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹⁷ He would bring the repentant into union with God and gather the wheat and burn the chaff with unquenchable fire. ¹⁸ John preached the ‘good news’ to the people, but he spoke out against Herod for taking his brother’s wife. ²⁰ Herod was no genuine king of the Jews and he added to his lawlessness by having John locked up in prison.

John Baptizes Jesus

John the Baptist message was ‘good news’ of  the return of God. The word of God breaks into a world under Roman dominion. The sons of Herod the Great’s were ruling under Rome and they were neither benevolent nor faithful Jews. The high priests were also appointed by Rome and weren’t much better. John brought a ‘word from God’ telling people to gather in wilderness by the Jordan for a ‘New Exodus’. This would require a radical reorientation of the present order; a genuine turning to God from the heart. ‘Return to me, and I will return to you’ (Malachi 3:7). Isaiah had talked about preparing the way for the Lord and John’s was a prepatory baptism of cleansing. Yet, John was calling Israel to a change of heart. 

This was no mere confession that one was one of Abraham’s children. In the coming kingdom people would care for one another and share what they had. Tax-collectors were not to take more than was required and soldiers (Herod’s troops) were not to abuse their power.and take advantage of people. John was pointing to the coming Messianic king of the Jews, who would bring God’s blessing and justice to the world. This was ‘good news’ for the people, but correction for Herod. By contrast to both Caesar and Herod Antipas, this coming king would restore God’s presence among God’s repentant people. He would baptize with the Spirit, gather his wheat and burn up the chaff. Ironically, this coming king identified with those needing John’s baptism, and he was ‘anointed’ by the Spirit and confirmed to be the ‘Son of God’ by the voice from heaven; King Jesus our Lord!