“Prepare the way of the Lord!” writes Isaiah the prophet– and John the Baptist does this, announcing Jesus. He identifies Jesus as Israel’s Messiah, God’s own Son, the lamb of God, Savior of the world, coming King. He baptizes Jesus, points his own disciples to him and defers to him: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:30).
Today far too many Christians are actively preparing the way for their presidential candidate, or political party of choice (and even worshipping them). There is lots of anxiety about what’s going on in our country, and in the larger world—and there are good reasons for deep concern! Clear discernment is needed, and faith and courage.
How can we as disciples of Jesus avoid getting distracted from our highest calling and purpose in life? John the Baptist models prophetic witness that clears the way so we can see and welcome Jesus’ humble Kingdom in our midst—refusing all seductive, deceiving pretenders.
John the Baptist did not prepare the way for religious movements like the Pharisees, Sadducees or zealots, nor did he endorse political figures like Herod, Pilate, or Caesar. Rather, he exposed their abuses, resulting in his incarceration and execution by Herod, who later colluded in Jesus’ crucifixion.
John accomplishes Isaiah 40:3 by recruiting people into a movement of repentance. The Gospels present John as “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” (Lk 3:4). What John the Baptist cries out is an order that directly engages all of us: “prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight the paths of our God.”
John uses plural imperatives “prepare!” and “make straight!” recruiting each of us to get ready, and ready others, for a particular liberator, Jesus, the Savior of the world. This implies not preparing the way for anyone else, and actively discerning and refusing false saviors!
According to John the Baptist, preparing for Jesus involves rebirth into a new identity and way of thinking, which requires regular confession of sin and active receiving of forgiveness.
“Preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” is mentioned often in Luke and Acts (Lk 3:3; Acts 13:24; 19:4), and is emphasized in Jesus’ final instructions in Luke 24:47 “that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in his name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem.” John’s prophetic role to call people to prepare the way for Jesus continues to be ours too. So we have much learn from him.
John the Baptist modeled prophetic discernment regarding Jesus, by asking Jesus directly to clarify his identity. From his prison cell, John apparently wondered whether Jesus was for sure the awaited Messiah whom he had endorsed. After all, Jesus wasn’t protecting his freedom of religion, or freeing him from persecution and prison. Nor was Jesus freeing Israel from oppression under Herod, Pilate, Caesar and the Roman Army.
While in prison for exposing Herod’s injustices, John sent two of his disciples to ask Jesus directly: “Are you the Expected One, or do we look for someone else” (Luke 7:20)?
“At that very time he cured many of diseases and afflictions and evil spirits; and he gave sight to many blind” (Lk 7:21). He alerts the men to signs associated with the God’s anointed Messiah:
“Go and report to John what you have seen and heard: the blind receive sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, the poor have the gospel preached to them. Blessed is he who does not take offense at me” (Lk 7:22-23).
Do you see any of these signs accompanying politicians hailed as God’s candidates today?
Jesus goes on to further clarify extreme humility as a core quality associated with his presence and coming Kingdom.
After John’s two disciples left, Jesus spoke to the crowd about John the Baptist:
“What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? “But what did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Those who are splendidly clothed and live in luxury are found in royal palaces! But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet” (Lk 7:24-26).
In this endorsement of John, Jesus differentiates John from the power and pomp of his era, and certainly from today’s billionaire politicians and their endorsers. But Jesus’ next remarks take us to a whole new level of “not-of-this-world” humility.
“I say to you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John; yet he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Here Jesus declares that John is greater than himself, since he too was born of a woman, as Paul himself specifies in Galatians 4:4:
“But when the fullness of the time came, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the Law…”
Philemon of Gaza, a sixth-century monk, makes the startling observation about Jesus in his commentary on Luke (forthcoming).
“Here he is telling us that John the Baptist is greater than he is. This humble Jesus bows before the one who prepared his way in the desert and in our hearts. What humility! O my soul, Jesus bows even deeper; he who bowed before the hand of the one who baptized him, now also bows before the least of his brothers in the Kingdom of God. Behold, the least in the Kingdom is greater than John the Baptist and greater than Jesus. No one could be more humble than him [Jesus].”
Reading Philemon of Gaza’s reflections here have shocked and inspired me, inviting me to contemplate a level of humility I hadn’t dared to consider. Might this very humility of Jesus be the most essential sign identifying him as the Expected One?
The humble divinity revealed in Jesus evangelizes us, training us to welcome the true Presence and Kingdom of God. Becoming disciples of Jesus and preparing the way for him, requires that we refuse and disassociate ourselves from the false, pretender liberators and their endorsers (and even worshippers), who cry out through the media and in myriad ways today. Philemon of Gaza continues his reflection by drawing in Paul’s reflection on Jesus’ humble divinity.
“As the holy apostle Paul tells us, a humble person is one who considers others greater than themselves (Phil 2:3). Jesus truly made himself the most humble, and so God also sovereignly exalted him and gave him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (Phil 2:9). O my soul, it is he who speaks to us here, and we hear his gratitude expressed to all who bow the knee before him.”
May we re-orient ourselves afresh to our vocation to prepare the way for Jesus. May we become students of his radical humility through study of the Gospels, regular confession, repentance and actively receiving and offering forgiveness. May we proclaim and live out a liberating alternative to the many false ways and imposters that abound today, fixing our gaze on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith (Hebrews 12:2).
Check out my recent podcast “Get ready for God’s Endgame Jesus’ Way: A response to Lance Wallnau and the Courage Tour.”
Philemon of Gaza Meditates Mark’s Gospel, is now available as an Audiobook here, as is Daniel Bourguet’s The Humble Divinity of Jesus in Mark’s Gospel, Volume 1 and Volume 2 paperback, e-book and Audiobook versions.
Check out my podcast “Disciple: Word, Spirit, Justice, Witness” on Spotify or Apple.