The Great Humble Prophet – Luke 3:15-22

BibleStudyTools.com makes some strong statements about John the Baptist, saying he was “probably the most theologically significant figure in the Gospels…a pivotal figure in the salvation history of God…his public ministry ended nearly four hundred years of prophetic silence…his message and ministry marked the culmination of the law and the prophets, but heralded the inbreaking of the kingdom of God.”  As they say, his ministry spanned “the ages with one foot firmly planted in the Old Testament and the other squarely placed in the New.”

As the people were in expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people. But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form, like a dove; and a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.”  (Luke 3:15-22 ESV)

Some begin to wonder if John the Baptist is the Messiah (Hebrew for “anointed one” as Christ is Greek for “anointed one”) but John makes it clear that he is not even worthy to tie the shoe laces for the Messiah.  In contrast to John’s baptism in water, the Messiah will baptize in the Holy Spirit (he will give his believers the Holy Spirit, the third member of the Trinity, the One promised as the implementer of Messiah’s kingdom), and he will baptize his enemies in fire.

John’s preaching brings opposition from Herod the tetrarch, a middle east leader to whom Rome has granted authority as a governor over a portion of Israel.  John scolded him for breaking up his brother’s marriage by having an affair with his brother’s wife and then marrying her, and John has rebuked him for other evil ways in which he has used his power.  So he throws John in prison.

But before he does this Jesus comes to John for baptism and when Jesus comes out of the water the Holy Spirit comes upon him to anoint him for ministry and the Father commends him as His beloved Son.  The kingdom is among the people of Israel in the form of the anointed king.  And John has been the prophet who announces and prepares for his coming.

John was a prophet of great integrity.   He is the pattern for us, who are to be present day prophets announcing Jesus as Lord.  We are to be committed to our calling, humble no matter how gifted or acclaimed, always pointing to Jesus.