Posted by Lisa Laree to Beer Lahai Roi
So, our perusal of the word 'desert' in the Bible has us now at the threshold of the New Testament. I looked over the listings and decided to treat the Gospels as a unit, since the same topics were discussed in each of them. And...the first 'desert' related topic we come to is the ministry of one known as 'John the Baptizer.'
I will give some background on John; just in case there's someone around who doesn't know it. John's parents were aged folks who were childless; his mother, Elizabeth, was 'barren' and 'well along in years' (Lk 1:7). Most folks have taken this to mean that she was post-menopausal, but that is not specifically stated...which doesn't really mean much because such a thing likely would not have been mentioned anway. His dad, Zechariah, was by birthright, a priest, descended from Abijah (one of the priests who returned from the Babylonian exile), and served in the Temple. Elizabeth was also descended from Aaron (tribe of Levi) and somehow she was related to Mary, who was of the tribe of Judah...this had to be from some marriage relationship, although they were close enough relatives that they apparently knew one another. An angel (Gabriel - Lk 1:19) met Zechariah as he was burning incense alone in the Temple and told him of John's birth. Zechariah was skeptical, and stricken mute until the child was born. Lo and behold, Elizabeth became pregnant shortly afterwards, and when she was 'in the sixth month', she had a visit from her young relative, Mary, and John responded to Mary's voice before she even came into the room where Elizabeth was (Luke 1:41), 'leaping' in the womb. Elizabeth, in a sudden infilling of the Holy Spirit, prophesied over Mary about the child she was carrying, confirming the message Gabriel had given to Mary. In time, John was born, Zechariah wrote on a tablet that he was to be named John, regained his voice and prophesied. Presumably John grew up under Nazirite conditions as Zechariah had been instructed (Lk 1: 14). Luke ends John's backstory with
And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel. (Lk. 1:80).
There are a lot of questions about John that are not answered. I take that to mean that after he had grown, and his parents likely had died, he lived in the desert communing with God until it was time for him to take up his ministry. As his parents were 'advanced in years', they may have died before he reached adulthood. Did he live in the desert with kinfolk for a while who taught him what he needed to know? Or did he take off on his own and learn survival by trial and error, under the tutelage of the Holy Spirit? He was an interesting character...the first true national prophet since the days of Malachi.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar -- when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, Herod tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and Traconitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene -- during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the desert. He went into all the country around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. As is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all mankind will see God's salvation.' " -- Lk 3:1-6
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the Desert of Judea, and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah: "A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.'" John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. -- Matt. 3:1-4
It is written in Isaiah the prophet: "I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way" -- "a voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him.' " And so John came, baptizing in the desert region and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. - Mark 1:3 - 4
John preached repentance...and he eventually started drawing a crowd. A prophet was a novelty, and, given the rising national discontentment under Roman rule, hope began to stir that things were about to change. They were, of course, but not how the folks of that day imagined. Baptism had been used as a ceremonial cleansing; he put it to a different use, as a turning point milestone. Folks repented and were baptized, symbolizing a new start in a new direction of devotion to God. Then, one day, a fellow who didn't seem to have anyone with him presented himself for baptism. John recognized him immediately...it's possible they had seen each other at Passover celebrations in Jerusalem, but they couldn't have exactly grown up together. But if John recognized him before either of them were born, you can bet he knew him when they met face-to-face at the Jordan. " I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" John asked him in wonder. 'It's proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness,' Jesus replied, so John baptized him. And when Jesus stepped up out of the water, John saw heaven open and the Spirit of God come down like a dove and landed on Jesus. And he heard a voice from heaven speak actual words, "This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased." (Matt. 3:13-17). But Jesus disappeared, and John kept up his ministry (see Luke 3: 1-18 for a sampling of what he preached).
Eventually, news of the prophet by the Jordan reached the Jewish authorities in Jerusalem so they sent some priests and Levites to check him out. In response to their questioning, he told them he was not the Christ, not Elijah, not the prophet Moses spoke of...
Finally they said, "Who are you? Give us an answer to take back to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the desert, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.' " Now some Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, "Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?"
"I baptize with water, " John replied, "but among you stands one you do not know. He is the one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie." -- John 1:22-26.
The very next day, Jesus returned to the Jordan and John pointed him out, telling everyone, 'Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! ....the reason I cam baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel....the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, 'the man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.' I have seen and I testify that this is the Son of God." ( see John 1:24-34)
The next day, two of John's disciples spent the day with Jesus before he headed to Galilee and began his ministry. John continued preaching; at some point, some of his disciples came up to him and reported that Jesus and his disciples were also baptizing people (John 4: 2 clarifies that Jesus himself didn't baptize folks but some of his disciples did) and "everyone is going to him." (John 3:23-26). John, rather remarkably, says that's fine, reminding them that he was not the Christ but the one sent ahead of him. Then he makes a statement that has echoed down through the centuries, "He must become greater; I must become less." (John 3:30). Soon after that, John called out Herod for marrying his brother's wife, and Herod arrested him and threw him into prison. (Lk 3: 19 - 20).
John was in prison for some time; it was difficult for him. His disciples came to him from time to time and told him what was going on in the outside world; at one point, he sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he was really the messiah or if they should look for someone else (Matt. 11:2 -3). Jesus replied that they should report back to John what they had seen.. miracles of healing and the preaching of the gospel to the poor, concluding, "Blessed is the man who does not fall away on account of me." They headed back to John, and Jesus turned and spoke to the crowd around him
"...What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings' palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: 'I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.' ...if you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come." --Matt 11:7 - 10, 14, see also Luke 7:24-27, which is pretty much this same story verbatim, including the desert reference.
Did John get depressed in prison, seemingly forgotten? Did he begin to doubt what he had seen and heard? I suppose it's possible, and it seems to be the popular explanation, but I kinda think there was another explanation. John's disciples were still following him and not Jesus; they had not made the paradigm shift that John ben Zebedee and Andrew had made to follow Jesus. I kinda suspect that John's deputation wasn't for his benefit but for the benefit of those who were following him, to help them make the transition. Remember, they had been a little miffed that Jesus was gaining followers at what seemed to be John's expense.I think Jesus' odd little comment about being offended at him wasn't for John but for the guys who came asking questions. They were the ones who had been questioning Jesus' ministry; John had always maintained that Jesus was greater than him.
Not long after, Herod had a birthday party that ended with John's head on a platter (Matt. 14: 3 -12, Mark 6:17 - 29)...from a purely human standpoint it was a truly tragic end for one of whom Jesus said, 'Among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist;' (Matt. 11:11). Jesus at least made an attempt to get off by himself to mourn John (Matt 13) but was followed by a crowd that ultimately became the multitude that was fed from five loaves and two fishes.
John was a transitional character; he was the last national prophet and the first witness to testify of Jesus; he set the example ...Jesus must increase, while the self...the personal ambition/ agenda of his followers...must decrease.
That's a heavy challenge.
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