Learning more about John the Baptizer

In last Sunday's Gospel, we read the passage about John the Baptizer on Mark 1:1-8. For this 3rd Sunday of Advent, you will find another story about John the Baptizer, this time from the prologue of the Gospel of John the Evangelist. In John 1: 6-9, "6 A man named John was sent from God. 7 He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. 9 The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world."

We move on further to John 1: 19-28. "19 And this is the testimony of John. When the Jews from Jerusalem sent priests and Levites [to him] to ask him, 'Who are you?' 20 he admitted and did not deny it, but admitted, 'I am not the Messiah.' 21 So they asked him, 'What are you then? Are you Elijah?' He answered, 'I am not.' 'Are you the Prophet?' He answered, 'No.' 22 So they said to him, 'Who are you, so we can give an answer to those who sent us? What do you have to say for yourself?'"

23 He said, 'I am the voice of one crying out in the desert; Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said." 24 Some Pharisees were also sent. 25 They asked him, 'Why then do you baptize if you are not the Messiah or Elijah or the Prophet?' 26 John answered them, 'I baptize with water, but, but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, 27 the one who is coming after me, whose sandal strap I am not worthy to untie.' 28 This happened in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing." John the Baptizer was really as our Lord Jesus declared, that he was Elijah who has returned as prophesied.

In Matt 17: 11-12, "11 He said in reply, 'Elijah will indeed come and restore all things. 12 but I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him but did to him whatever they pleased.'"

John the Baptizer was a great prophet because he was two prophets in one person, Elijah and John. Our Lord Jesus says about John in Luke 7: 28, "I tell you, among those born of women, no one is greater than John; yet the least in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

Now that we know what our Lord Jesus Christ has told us about John, we should know more about him how he came into the world. John the Baptizer was the son of a priest named Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth, a cousin of our Blessed Virgin Mary. Their story is quite similar to the story of Abraham and Sarah in Genesis, where Elizabeth was also barren and old in age. In those days, a barren woman was considered a curse.

One day, Zechariah entered the sanctuary to burn incense when the Angel Gabriel appeared before him and said, " Do not be afraid Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. You wife Elizabeth will bear you a son and you shall name him John." You can read that passage in Luke 1:11-13. In Luke 1:18-20, you will read that instead of rejoicing, Zechariah replied to Angel Gabriel; "How shall I know this? For I am an old man, and my wife is advanced in years." 19 And the Angel said to him in reply, "I am Gabriel, who stand before God. I was sent to speak to you and to announce to you this good news. 20 But now you will be speechless and unable to talk until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words, which will be fulfilled at their proper time." In Luke 1: 22, But when he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they realized that he had seen a vision in the sanctuary. He was gesturing to them but remained mute."

The proper time came with the birth of John, which we can read in Luke 1: 5-66. "When the time for Elizabeth to have her child she gave birth to a son. 58 Her neighbors and relatives heard that the Lord had shown his great mercy toward her, and they rejoiced with her.59 When they came on the eighth day to circumcise the child, they were going to call him Zechariah after his father, 60 but his mother said in reply, "No. He will be called John." 61 But they answered her, "There is no one among your relatives who has this name." 62 So they made signs, asking his father what he wished him to be called. 63 He asked for a tablet and wrote, "John is his name," and all were amazed. 64 Immediately his mouth was opened, his tongue freed, and he spoke blessing God. 65 Then fear came upon all their neighbors, and all these matters were discussed throughout the hill country of Judea.66 All who heard these things took them to heart, saying "what, then, will this child be?" For surely the hand of the Lord was with him."

When John the Baptizer finally met our Lord Jesus in the Jordan River and baptized him, he knew that his work was accomplished. In John 3:30 he teaches us what the Lord Jesus Christ should mean to all of us, "He must increase; I must decrease." This is a lesson on humility. We must accept and believe that we are nothing and Jesus is everything!

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