A Fresh Perspective - 01/04/08
Most Bible translations label the Gospel text introducing John the Baptist (see Matt. 3:1-12) with something like: John the Baptist Prepares the Way. One could just as easily label it: Wild Man in the Wilderness. His attire was camel's hair gird about with a leather belt and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. (When I started in ministry it was polyester suits and fried chicken).
He, like Jesus, announced the coming kingdom, but he took a different approach than Jesus. His message was a fiery one. He called the religious leaders a "brood of vipers" and thundered at them, "Who warned you to flee the coming judgment?" The image is that of snakes scurrying before a fire that is about to overtake them. Jesus spoke poetically of the religious leaders' rejection of both John and himself: "We played the flute for you, and you did not dance; we wailed (a funeral dirge), and you did not mourn." Jesus was the flute player; John, the doomsayer.
John warned of an impending judgment where the "wheat" would be separated from the "chaff." He proclaimed this message with a radical sense of urgency: "the axe is already laid at the root of the tree." John demanded real repentance and told the religious establishment that they could not escape God's judgment by resting in their religious heritage: "God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham."
Jesus also spoke of judgment, but Jesus was much more concerned about preaching good news and administering grace. Later, when John was imprisoned, realizing that Jesus took a different approach, and that judgment had not fallen nor had the kingdom come as he expected, he started to doubt whether Jesus was the one though whom Israel's prophetic hope would be realized (see Matt. 11:2ff.).
Whatever we make of John the Baptist one thing is for sure - he was authentic. He may not have understood perfectly God's plan and his message may have been tilted too much toward judgment, but he was the real deal. There was nothing false or fake about John.
Maybe this is why so many folks went out into the wilderness to see and hear John. He didn't need to pass out fliers or hold a "pack-a-pew" contest. Perhaps they were drawn to his genuineness or maybe they just wanted to see a good show - I don't know - but whatever is to be said about John I am convinced that John was true to himself - and this is a vital characteristic of healthy, holistic religion.
Legend has it that years later when Rosa Parks was asked by a graduate student why she sat down on the front of the bus that day, she said that she was tired. She did not mean that she was physically tired. Rather, she was tired of playing by racist rules and tired of denying her true and deepest self. Healthy religion always leads to authenticity; it inspires us to be true to our deepest self, the self God created us to be.
Chuck Queen is Pastor of Immanuel Baptist Church, Frankfort (CBF affiliated). You can access his sermons and past articles at www.ibcfrankfort.com. He welcomes your comments at cqueen@fewpb.net