JOHN 1:26-28 (Today’s Gospel Reading: John 1:6-8,19-28)

Jakarta, 13 December 2020

A Christian Pilgrim

 

THERE IS ONE AMONG YOU: THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT [YEAR B] -JOHN 1:6-8.19-28

Jakarta, 17 December 2017

A Christian Pilgrim

 

ONLY THROUGH JESUS CAN WE ESTABLISH A VERY CLOSE AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

ONLY THROUGH JESUS CAN WE ESTABLISH A VERY CLOSE AND LOVING RELATIONSHIP WITH OUR HEAVENLY FATHER

(A biblical reflection on THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT [Year B], 17 December 2017) 

Gospel Reading: John 1:6-8,19-28 

First Reading: Isaiah 61:1-2,10-11; Psalms: Luke 1:46-50,53-54; Second Reading: 1Thessalonians 5:15-24 

The Scripture Text

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came for testimony, to bear witness to the light, that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to bear witness to the light.

And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, he did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you a prophet?” And he answered, “No.” They said to him then, “Who are you?” Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water; but among you stands One whom you do not know, even He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” This took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. (John 1:6-8,19-28 RSV)

In today’s Gospel, priests and Levites went to ask John the Baptist who he was. Unlike our modern day priests, the Jewish priests were not chosen for the job because they were specially trained or because they were particularly holy but because they were descendants of Moses’ brother Aaron. In Exodus 28:1, God commanded Moses to consecrate Aaron and Aaron’s sons as priests of the Jewish people. From that day on, only Aaron’s descendants were to represent the Jewish people when offering sacrifices in the Temple.

The Levites were descendants of a man named Levi, one of the twelve sons of Jacob, whose descendants make up the twelve tribes of Israel. Because God gave the Levites the special honor of assisting the priests in the Temple, some of the more menial tasks (e.g., cleaning up and filling the lamps with oil) were their responsibility.

As you probably remember from last week’s reading, some of the Jewish people expected the prophet Elijah to return to the world to help prepare for the coming of the Messiah, a political/military leader through whom God would rule the world and establish His Kingdom. John emphatically said that he was neither the Messiah nor Elijah.

John also denied being the Prophet. Deuteronomy 18:15 and 18:18, says that one day God will send the Jewish people another prophet like Moses. Since Moses talked directly to God (Exodus 34:27-35), many of the Jews considered him the greatest prophet who ever lived. The Prophet, like Moses, would be a very special person.

If John the Baptist wasn’t the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet, then who was he? Today’s Gospel describes him as a man God sent to point to the light. This light was Jesus.

The first five books of our Bible make up the Jewish Torah. The rabbis sometimes called the Torah a light because the laws found in the Torah illuminated the way to holiness. Anyone who observed all these laws was close to God and, therefore, holy. By identifying Jesus as the light, John says that it is Jesus who lights the way to holiness, not the Jewish laws. Only through Jesus can we establish a very close and loving relationship with our Father in heaven.

Sometimes we consider ourselves good Christians because we do what the Church tells us. Church laws are good but they cannot replace Jesus. If we want to be holy, we must have a close and loving relationship with Jesus. There’s no other way.

Source: Jerome J. Sabatowich, Cycling Through the Gospels – Gospel Commentaries for Cycles A, B, and C, pages 124-125.)

Prayer: Heavenly Father, our Lord God, thank You for sending us Jesus Christ, Your only begotten Son, as the fulfilment of all our hopes. Thank You for Your healing and restoration through His death and resurrection. Amen. 

Jakarta, 15 December 2017 

A Christian Pilgrim