December 11 NOTES FOR REFLECTION Advent 3
Texts: Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-11; 1 Thessalonians 5:12-24; John 1:6-8, 19-28
Theme: As usual there are a number of possibilities. I rather like "John on John", as the author of the Gospel reflects on the role or ministry of John the Baptist. That offers an opportunity to look at the question I raised last week, "Why do we need John the Baptist?" And just as that question led into a quick overview of St Mark's gospel, so this same question invites a similar overview of St John's gospel this week.
Introduction. The link between our first lesson and our gospel passage is a little more obscure than usual, but it is there in the person of John the Baptist. We recall again that when John was held in captivity and doubt set in, he sent emissaries to check with Jesus, in effect, that Jesus really was the Messiah as John had originally thought. By way of response Jesus pointed to what was going on all around him – the blind were given back their sight, the deaf could hear again, the lame could walk, and the dead were being raised. In other words, the very things that Isaiah had predicted would happen on when the Anointed One came in passages such as today's first lesson were coming to pass. There is, of course, a great irony here. John has identified himself by quoting from Isaiah, yet he has apparently failed to recognise the Messianic signs that are accompanying Jesus' ministry, as predicted by that very same prophet. That could well have been the point of Jesus' answering John's question in the way that he did. Meanwhile, St Paul's First Letter to the Thessalonians is again used to remind us that, for us, the focus has shifted from Jesus' first coming to his return at the end of the age.
Background. All the gospels at least hint at some ongoing difficulty within the early Church over the exact relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus – or, more accurately, between their respective followers. St John is perhaps the most explicit on this matter: see 3:25-26. He is also very clear about John's mission. In today's extracts from the wonderful prologue to his gospel, St John spells out his understanding. John the Baptist is NOT the Light (the Christ), but a witness to the light. And as soon as he has finished the prologue he begins the main body of the gospel by bringing John onto centre stage to make the same point even more emphatically. Moreover, in the prologue he explains why a witness was necessary: He (Christ) was in the world, and though the world was made through him, the world did not recognise him. There is the point I made last week. For whatever reason people were incapable of recognising Christ: they needed to have him pointed out to them.
So the first thing we could say in an overview of St John's gospel is that the act of witnessing is crucial to the development of the Christian faith. It is John who points two of his own disciples towards Jesus: 1:35-37. One of those is Andrew who goes and finds Peter: 1:40-42. Later the Samaritan woman will return to her village and testify to Jesus with such good effect that many of the villagers come out to meet Jesus and are themselves convinced: 4:39-42.
Even more explicit in this gospel is the other main theme I raised last week. The reason why John was necessary was that most people lacked the spiritual faculties necessary to discern Jesus' true identity. At that time the people still needed a prophet (one who is spiritually advanced) to lead them into spiritual truths. Take a quick run through this gospel and we will find episode after episode of almost comic misunderstanding between those who are operating in the worldly mode and Jesus trying to speak spiritual truths to them. Here are just a few examples:
· 2:19-22, where Jesus is talking about his body (death and resurrection), whereas his protagonists think he is talking about the temple.
· 3:1-21, the dialogue between Jesus and Nicodemus, where Jesus tells the old man he must be born again – born from above – born of water and the Spirit.
· 4:7-26, where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman at the well and they talk past each other about "water".
· 4:27-34, where the disciples urge Jesus to eat something, only to be told he has food they know nothing about.
· 6:25-65, where just about everybody is baffled by Jesus' identifying himself as the bread of heaven.
· 8:23, where Jesus tells his critics, "You are from below; I am from above. You are of this world; I am not of this world." And 8:47 is in similar vein: "Whoever belongs to God hears what God says. The reason you do not hear is that you do not belong to God."
That this idea of worldly/spiritual divide is at the heart of St John's presentation is spelled out most clearly in 7:39, where he interrupts his own narrative to explain what Jesus means by "living water": By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.
To recap and summarise: in the past God had spoken to his people through the prophets. With the coming of Jesus God spoke directly through his Son, but most of the people lacked the spiritual capacity to see, hear and understand. So they needed people like John the Baptist to spell it out for them. Then at Pentecost the Spirit came to lead the people into all truth: 16:13. Next time you hear the reader say, "Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church", understand that it is something different from, and deeper than, "hear what Mary has just read out in the church".
Isaiah. This is the great messianic prophecy that Jesus took as his kaupapa when he began his teaching in his hometown synagogue: Luke 4:18-19. The Anointed One (the One on whom the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord has come) inaugurates a time of renewal and transformation for the people, and of restoration and re-building for their towns and cities. In short, the coming of the Anointed One (the Christ) makes a difference! As mentioned above, these are the signs to which Jesus drew John's attention: hence the gospel writers' emphasis on the healing work that Jesus carried out during his earthly ministry. Notice that this passage in Isaiah is in the first person. Isaiah the prophet usually acts as a mouthpiece for God, or for himself. Here he is the mouthpiece for the Christ who is to come. Also noteworthy is the priority given to preaching good news to the poor. It comes before the various acts of mercy mentioned in the passage. But it's not all good news: in this passage the coming of the Anointed One also includes judgment: the year of the Lord's favour is intertwined with the day of vengeance of our Lord. [When Jesus reads from the scroll in the synagogue he breaks off before this day is mentioned; perhaps to make the point that his first coming is about the offer of salvation – judgment is delayed until his return.]
Taking It Personally.
· Read the passage slowly and prayerfully several times. Which phrase strikes you in particular? As we approach the end of this year and the beginning of the next, how does this prophecy of better things to come make you feel?
· In what way is this good news for the poor?
· Are you aware of someone who is broken-hearted at this time? How might you bind up that person's wounds?
· Who among those known to you might be held captive – to addiction, for example, or by an unhealthy relationship? Is there some way in which you might be able to help set that person free?
· Spend some time in intercessory prayer, drawing on this passage.
Thessalonians. It is thought that this Letter was written as early as 50-51 A.D. The belief in Christ's imminent return was still very strong and had led to a somewhat laid-back attitude. What's the point in working hard if everything is about to end? So St Paul urges discipline, both in the practical everyday sense and in the spiritual sense. Above all he urges them to keep a Christian attitude, one of joy and thanksgiving whatever their personal circumstances. Verses 19-23 are of particular importance. They are to be open to the Spirit, listening to the word of God, and bringing commonsense to bear. Not everybody who claims to be speaking for God really is! Paul's final remarks are both words of instruction and of prayer for them
Taking It Personally.
· Examine your attitude in the light of this passage. Are you generally a thankful and joyous person, or is your mood dictated by your particular circumstances?
· What about your attitude towards other people? Ponder verse 14. Which of those things do you find most difficult to do? Why? As you reflect on this verse do particular people come into your mind? Do you need to change your attitude to them?
· And then there's verse 15! Clearly St Paul has in mind a community of faith prepared to take responsibility for one another as well as for their own attitude and behaviour. Is that how things are in your local church?
· Are you open to the leading of the Spirit? Make that a focus of your prayer, drawing on verse 23.
John. The first point St John makes about John the Baptist is that he is a man: not an angel, nor some divine spirit, or a voice, but a man. Secondly, he was "sent by God". He was a man on a divine mission. His mission was to be the witness to Christ; and notice the importance attached to him by St John. It is "through him all might believe". John the Baptist is the primal witness to Christ, the pattern for all other witnesses to come. Clearly, he caused a great stir, so much so that the Temple equivalent of ERO was sent to audit his teaching, since he did not have the appropriate credentials of a rabbi. His interview is recorded by St John in fairly neutral terms: it seems his interrogators wanted to hear his explanation of what he was up to. In answer he identifies himself as the one calling in the wilderness. He is then asked to explain why he baptises people, and it's in answering this question that he gives us a further clue about the need for his ministry: "among you stands one you do not know" (v.26). Then in the next verse comes his famous remark about untying the sandals. This was one thing that no disciple could be obliged to do for his master: such work was reserved for slaves. It is, of course, a preview of Jesus' actions in washing his disciples' feet at the Last Supper. It is also an amazing illustration of John's humility: he considered himself unworthy even to be Christ's slave!
Taking It Personally.
· There's no avoiding this question! How do you witness to Jesus?
· If you were asked who you are, how would you answer? With just your name, or with some reference to your family of origin or your place of birth? Or would you describe yourself in terms of your faith – "I am a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ", or even "I am a unique manifestation of the creative love of God"?
· At Christmas we will sing of Emmanuel, God with us (or God among us). How aware are you of God's presence with you? Take some time in silent prayer today: be conscious of spending the time in God's presence. This week pause frequently and say to yourself "I am in God's presence". At the end of the week reflect on this practice: has it made any difference to you or for you?
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