THE BIRTH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

Birth of John the Baptist by Giovanni di Paolo, circa 1454

(Spring B.C. 5)

Luke 1:57-79

Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered; and she brought forth a son. And her neighbors and her cousins heard how the Lord had shown great mercy upon her; and they rejoiced with her.

And it came to pass, that on the eighth day they came to circumcise the child; and they called him Zacharias, after the name of his father. And his mother answered and said, “Not so; but he shall be called John.”

And they said to her, “There is none of your kindred that is called by this name.” And they made signs to his father, how he would have him called.

And he asked for a writing table, and wrote, saying, “His name is John.”

And they marveled all.

And his mouth was opened immediately, and his tongue loosed, and he spoke, and praised God.

And fear came on all that dwelt round about them: and all these sayings were noised abroad throughout all the hill country of Judaea. And all they that heard them laid them up in their hearts, saying, “What manner of child shall this be!”

And the hand of the Lord was with him.

It was the tradition of Jews, and this went on for thousands of years, to name a child in honor of a deceased relative (although for some sects, the name could be of a living relative or a great Torah scholar).  After the Diaspora [the one following the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD until the 1948 reestablishment of Israel], when the Jews were scattered throughout the world and their land no longer theirs, began a tradition of double naming; that is, giving a Hebrew name and a secular name. Within their own enclaves they would use the Hebrew name, but in the culture they lived within they would use the secular name. But that was to come later, so it must have been a real shock when Zechariah insisted on the name John, whom no one in his family had been called. John means "God is gracious". 

God was about to be gracious indeed, about to show the world His Grace through the birth and death of Jesus. I also think the name set John the Baptist apart just as his lifestyle and mission was going to set him apart from other men.  

Zechariah's Song

And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

“Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David; as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began: that we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us; to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant; the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant to us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

“And you, child, shall be called the prophet of the Highest: for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways; to give knowledge of salvation to his people by the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high has visited us, to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

Mary had been visited by Gabriel and told she would bear God's Son. She immediately went to visit her relative, Elizabeth, who lived some distance away and she stayed there for three months.

Here are a couple of things to consider. We were told in scripture it was the sixth month of Elizabeth's pregnancy when the Angel appeared to Mary, and Mary then stayed with Elizabeth for three months.  It seems quite reasonable that Mary was present at John the Baptist's birth and then came back home.  Perhaps this was her explanation to her parents for her journey, to tend to Elizabeth during the pregnancy and birthing.

Since Mary was not yet pregnant when she went to Elizabeth, we can logically assume Joseph's visitation occurred after her return. She probably was reveled as "with child" upon arrival back. This would look bad; of course, your teenage daughter goes away for three months and returns home pregnant. This was a very grave matter. One wonders if Elizabeth sent any message of support with Mary, since Elizabeth had experienced a miracle under similar circumstances of angelic visits. Elizabeth obviously understood and believed Mary's story. We don't know what Mary's parents thought of this, but we do know Joseph's reaction. He was distraught. 

JESUS PRESENTED IN THE TEMPLE

The Circumcision by Tintoetto (Jacopo Comin aka Jacopo Robusti), 1587

(Jerusalem, eight days after the birth; distance from Bethlehem to Jerusalem is 6 miles)

Matthew 1:25b and Luke 2:21

And when eight days had passed, before His circumcision, His name was then called Jesus, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb and [Joseph] called his name JESUS.

Having heard the Nativity repeated over and over most of our lives; we tend to run these events together as if they happened in a couple days time. It seems obvious that the Angels appeared to the Shepherds on the day Christ was born, but other events didn’t come about until certain passages of time.

Here is something to consider. We celebrate the birth of Christ on December 25, but it may be more likely this was the time of his conception, perhaps during Hanukkah. I tend to agree that Christ was born during the Feast of Tabernacles in late September of 5 BC. If we follow the schedule of priestly duties for Zechariah and the other historic data, this seems logical. I believe the Jewish Holy days have prophetic significance and you can see how Christ was crucified and rose on days related to Passover and the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost. Elijah is expected on Passover and I think there is an argument to be made that John the Baptist was born on Passover. John's birth would align with the conception time based on Zechariah's serving in the Temple on schedule. John was six months older than Jesus and if Passover came in late March of that year, this would have placed Jesus' birth near the end of September. This also fits with the Shepherds still being in the fields with their sheep before winter came.

If Mary did conceive during Hanukkah, John the Baptist would have been born three months later at Passover. And assuming a normal pregnancy of 285 days, Jesus would have been born on the 15th day of the Jewish month of Tishri (September 29 by modern reckoning). This is significant because it is the first day of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot). It is a high day, a special Sabbath, a time of great rejoicing.

There is a credible theory that Christ was born in June of 2 BC. This is based not only on the facts given in the Gospel accounts concerning events, but also on the alignment of the constellations and the conjunction of Jupiter and it’s path that may have been the “star” guiding the Magi. In this timetable, Jesus would have been conceived in September 3 BC, the Magi would have arrived in Bethlehem in December and Christ would have been born the next June. [Google www.bethlehemstar.net for a fuller explanation.]

 PURIFICATION

(Jerusalem, 40 days after birth according to Jewish Law)

Luke 2:22-39a

And when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were accomplished, they brought him to Jerusalem, to present him to the Lord; (As it is written in the law of the LORD, Every male that open the womb shall be called holy to the Lord [Exodus 13:2]) And to offer a sacrifice according to that which is said in the law of the Lord, A pair of turtledoves, or two young pigeons.

Under the Law of Moses a woman was considered impure after the birth of a child. For the first seven days she and her husband would refrain from any sexual relations. For the next 33 days she will not be allowed to touch anything considered holy or visit the sanctuary. At the end of this 40-day period, she is required to bring a sacrifice to the priest. Mary and Joseph followed the law as spelled out in Leviticus.

And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, Speak unto the children of Israel, saying, If a woman have conceived seed, and born a man child: then she shall be unclean seven days; according to the days of the separation for her infirmity shall she be unclean.

And in the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.

And she shall then continue in the blood of her purifying three and thirty days; she shall touch no hallowed thing, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying be fulfilled. But if she bear a maid child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her separation: and she shall continue in the blood of her purifying threescore and six days.

And when the days of her purifying are fulfilled, for a son, or for a daughter, she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering, unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, unto the priest, who shall offer it before the LORD, and make an atonement for her; and she shall be cleansed from the issue of her blood. This is the law for her that hath born a male or a female.

And if she be not able to bring a lamb, then she shall bring two turtles, or two young pigeons; the one for the burnt offering, and the other for a sin offering: and the priest shall make an atonement for her, and she shall be clean. Levitcus 12:1-8

And, behold, there was a man in Jerusalem, whose name was Simeon [which means “he heard” or “obedient”]; and the same man was just and devout, waiting for the consolation of Israel: and the Holy Ghost was upon him. And it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost, that he should not see death, before he had seen the Lord's Christ. And he came by the Spirit into the temple: and when the parents brought in the child Jesus, to do for him after the custom of the law,

Then took he him up in his arms, and blessed God, and said, “Lord, now let me your servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen your salvation, which you have prepared before the face of all people; a light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.”

And Joseph and his mother marveled at those things, which were spoken of him.

And Simeon blessed them, and said unto Mary his mother, “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising again of many in Israel; and for a sign which shall be spoken against; (Yea, a sword shall pierce through thy own soul also) that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.”

And there was one Anna [which means “Grace”], a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, [which means “Face of God”; the apocryphal Book of Enoch gives the name Phanuel to the fourth Archangel] of the tribe of Aser: she was of a great age, and had lived with an husband seven years from her virginity; and she was a widow of about fourscore and four years, which departed not from the temple, but served God with fasting and prayers night and day. And she coming in that instant gave thanks likewise to the Lord, and spoke of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem. And … they had performed all things according to the law of the Lord.

We do not know much about these two people. Both were elderly, both spent much of their time around the Temple and both were glad to see the baby Jesus.

Simeon, we are told, was promised he would see the Messiah. He bears the name of one of Jacob’s sons. This was the brother of Joseph who was held prisoner in Egypt until his younger brother, Benjamin, was brought to Joseph. There seems little connect beyond the name other than the Simeon in Luke was waiting on the consolidation of Judah and Israel. Simeon was a prisoner on hold to the consolidation of his family and Jacob with Joseph. Jacob is a name also used to refer to Israel.

Simeon in Luke does prophesy about Jesus being a light to the gentiles and to His crucifixion.

We don’t know much about Anna either except the few bits Luke mentions. Anna or Hannah shares the same name as the mother of Samuel and parallels can be drawn between Samuel’s birth and youth and that of Jesus. There is speculation that Anna’s family roots stretched to the Jews held in Media who returned to Israel after the Babylonian Diaspora. For this reason, it is though when she “spoke about the child to all who were looking forward to the redemption of Jerusalem”; she was referring to the time when all of the Jews would once again be brought together as a nation. This would be similar to what we have stated Simeon was doing.

Here we are a little over a month and a week since Jesus was born. Mary and Joseph are following the Law and Tradition of the Jews. They had Jesus circumcised on the eight day. This was the seal of the Abrahamic Covenant between God and Abraham in Genesis 17: 4-12 (NIV):

 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations. No longer will you be called Abram; your name will be Abraham,^] for I have made you a father of many nations. I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you. I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you are now an alien, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God."

 Then God said to Abraham, "As for you, you must keep my covenant, you and your descendants after you for the generations to come. This is my covenant with you and your descendants after you, the covenant you are to keep: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you. For the generations to come every male among you who is eight days old must be circumcised, including those born in your household or bought with money from a foreigner—those who are not your offspring.

Then they took Jesus for dedication in the temple at the end of the purification period for Mary, where they offered the required sacrifice to the priest.

Note that Mary and Joseph gave what the law required, two doves or two young pigeons. This was the requirement for the woman who couldn’t afford a young lamb. Now this is something some have pointed to in saying Mary and Joseph were poor; however, not being able to afford the price of a young lamb doesn’t necessarily mean they were poor. It has been over a month, so it seems they have remained and established residence in Bethlehem. This trip and stay may have depleted whatever money they had with them on arrival. They certainly appear to be making a new home in Bethlehem, for we will find them still living there in a house when the Magi arrive.

This sacrifice also indicates the Magi had not yet visited because if so they most certainly would have bought a young lamb from the treasures the Magi gave them. 

JOHN FACES DOWN THE PHARISEES AND PROCLAIMS THE COMING MESSIAH

JOHN FACES DOWN THE PHARISEES AND PROCLAIMS THE COMING MESSIAH

John and the Pharisees, Public Domain

Matthew 3:7-12, Mark 1:7-8 and Luke 3:7-18

We Christians have learned of Baptism in the church and some have heard about it all their life. Most people in America are familiar with the practice, even if they don’t go to church. And we tend to think of it as very Christian. It is easy to grow up thinking of John the Baptist doing some new radical thing of his own design. But it was actually a very old, and very Jewish, practice by the time Yochanon ben Zechariah (John son of Zechariah) came along.

It had its roots in the purification and cleansing rituals given in the Law of Moses (Exodus 19:10; Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 16:4; Numbers Chaper19 and Numbers 31:21-24). Beyond the Scriptures, baptism as a practice became part of Jewish tradition long before the New Testament and was a key ingredient of the Mikveh, the conversion rites to become a Jew. This was tevillah, the complete immersion of the convert’s body in a pool of water. Contemporary with the times of Jesus were arguments over the importance of Baptism recorded between the rabbinic schools of Shammai and Hillel. (The Hillelites prevailed in the end.)

In the 12^th century, the Jewish Scholar Maimonides, wrote of the Talmudic tradition:

"By three things did Israel enter into the Covenant: by circumcision, and baptism and sacrifice. Circumcision was in Egypt, as it is written: 'No uncircumcised person shall eat thereof' (Exodus 12:48) (NIV). Baptism was in the wilderness, just before giving of the Law, as it is written: 'Sanctify them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes' (Exodus 19:10) (NIV). And sacrifice, as it is said: 'And he sent young men of the children of Israel which offered burnt offerings' (Exodus 24:5) (NIV). …When a gentile is willing to enter the covenant…He must be circumcised and be baptized and bring a sacrifice…And at this time when there is no sacrifice, they must be circumcised and be baptized; and when the Temple shall be built, they are to bring a sacrifice…The gentile that is made a proselyte and the slave that is made free, behold he is like a child new born. [Emphasis mine –LEM]"

Therefore, what John was doing wasn’t entirely strange to the Jews. Submersion in water represented a change of soul and rebirth to the Jew. It was a commitment to a new life and a preparation for life with a reborn spirit and fresh eyes. It was a step toward reaching a higher plane toward God, purification, a cleansing away of the sins and old life. This was just what John was offering, much as great evangelists offer the Gospel in the present age. John the Baptist was the Billy Graham of his day.

It isn’t surprising Pharisees and Sadducees would come out to see the phenomena. Note that they did not condemn John or claim he was breaking any of the Law or traditions, as they were to accuse Jesus of doing on several occasions. They must have been somewhat taken back by his greeting (“You brood of vipers!)”, though.

But when he [John] saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, he said unto them. “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say and think not to say within yourselves, ‘We have Abraham to our father’: for I say to you that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

“And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

It is worthy of note here that many of these allusions will reappear in parables and talks given by Jesus in his own ministry: brood of vipers, producing fruit, stones, cutting down of nonproductive trees to be thrown in the fire. The same as with John’s answer ("The man with two tunics should share with him who has none, and the one who has food should do the same.") to their question, with prefigures part of the Sermon on the Mount.

And the people asked him, saying, “What shall we do then?”

He answered and said to them, “He that has two coats, let him impart to him that has none; and he that has meat, let him do likewise.”

Then came also publicans [contractors who hired out to Rome as tax collectors, suppliers to the military, overseers of public building projects and collectors of port fees] to be baptized, and said to him, “Master, what shall we do?”

And he said to them, “Exact no more than that which is appointed you.”

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, “And what shall we do?”

And he said to them, “Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”

And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he was the Christ, or not.

This too was not unexpected. People knew the prophesies of a coming messiah, and because of certain prophesies, especially those of Daniel, they were looking for the Messiah at this particular time. There were a number of false Messiahs in and about all ready. What they failed to understand was the two rolls of the Messiah and the two comings. John was here to prepare the way for the first coming.

John answered, saying to them all and this was his message, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance”. And preached, saying “But one that comes after is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire, and whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather his wheat into his garner, but he will burn up the chaff with fire unquenchable.”

And many other things in his exhortation preached he to the people.

 What is John talking about when he says, “whose fan is in his hand…etc.”?

His illustration would have been under stood as it was a common practice of those times in the process of harvested grain. Some translation use “winnowing fork” in place of fan, but it could be a basket, such as the one in the illustration that has a fan like shape. This was used for wind winnowing. The winnower would toss the wheat into the air and the wind would blow away the lighter chaff or non-edible grain away from the good wheat. Chaff, the worthless grain, would become a synonym for anything useless or worthless. This worthless chaff would be swept up and burned. 

(Painting: “The Winnower”, 1847-48 by Jean-Francois Millet).

JESUS IS BAPTIZED

The Baptism of Christ by Jan van Scorel, circa 1530

Autumn 26 A.D

The Jordan River

Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-23a

And it came to pass in those days, then that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him saying, “I have need to be baptized of you, and come you to me?”

And Jesus answering said to him, “Suffer it to be so now for thus it becomes us to fulfil all righteousness.”

Then [John] suffered him and [Jesus] was baptized of John in Jordan.

This is a very interesting statement by John the Baptist, "I have need to be baptized of you, and come you to me?" [The NIV reads, “I need to be baptized by you…”] John testifies later that “I myself did not know him…” except he was told it would be the one the Dove descended upon. My personal opinion is when John saw the Holy Spirit descend; it confirmed what he knew intuitively when Jesus appeared for baptism. Remember as a baby in the womb, John leapt with joy at the approach of Mary. When John says, “I need to be baptized by you”, he wasn’t referring to being washed in the river, but to the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He needed to be Saved like any other sinner.

But why would Jesus require baptism? He was without sin, He neither had to repent nor be purified from wrongdoing. 

Go read my previous information about Baptism in Jewish tradition. One thing noted was how the Jews entered into the Covenant with God: "By three things did Israel enter into the Covenant: by circumcision, and baptism and sacrifice.”  Jesus is the New Covenant with God and we see the three conditions exemplified in his life. On the eighth day after his birth, at the beginning of his human life, Jesus was circumcised as required by the Law. 

And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you. He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised. Every male throughout your generations, whether born in your house or bought with your money from any foreigner who is not of your offspring, both he who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money, shall surely be circumcised. So shall my covenant be in your flesh an everlasting covenant. Any uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin shall be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.” Genesis 17:9-14

The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to the people of Israel, saying, If a woman conceives and bears a male child, then she shall be unclean seven days. As at the time of her menstruation, she shall be unclean. And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised. Then she shall continue for thirty-three days in the blood of her purifying. She shall not touch anything holy, nor come into the sanctuary, until the days of her purifying are completed. But if she bears a female child, then she shall be unclean two weeks, as in her menstruation. And she shall continue in the blood of her purifying for sixty-six days. Leviticus 12:1-5. 

[NOTE: Is there anything special about the eigthth day?  Yes, according to Holt Pediatrics, a

classic study by Dr. L. Emmett Holt (pictured right). Vitamin K is essential for the liver to produce a substance called prothrombin, these two being necessary for blood coagulation. It is in the fifth to seventh day of a newborn male that adequate Vitamin K is present. On the eighth day the prothrombin elevates to over 100 percent of normal, and the eighth day of a male is the only day when both Vitamin K and prothrombin are at this high a peak, making it the perfect day for any surgery to be performed.]

At the end of his human life he became the final sacrifice for man’s sins, thus completing the cycle of the Covenant. If the circumcision and the sacrifice were required for all righteousness, then so was Baptism. 

But there is more.  Jesus is also the Priest of Priests. Priests were required to a Baptism of cleansing and an anointing of oil. Jesus would be anointed later, but here he is receiving that washing.  (And Moses said unto the congregation, “This is the thing which the LORD commanded to be done.” And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water. Leviticus 8:5-6)

But wait, there is still more. Jesus was setting the example for what we should do when we accept God’s Word (Jesus), that we should be baptized as an outer symbol of our change. He was also identifying Himself with the crowds who had come to be baptized and not with the old ways of the Pharisees and Sadducees who had only come to gawk at John and question. These Jewish leaders didn’t submit themselves to John’s baptism. Jesus was the exemplar putting his imprimatur on the work of John and He was showing his obedience to God the father. 

But wait, there is still even more. Baptism was used for conversion. It was more than just purification or a symbolic washing away of sin. “It was a commitment to a new life and a preparation for life with a reborn spirit and fresh eyes. It was a step toward reaching a higher plane toward God.” It symbolized a change in the person. Jesus had not yet started his ministry. He had lived for thirty years as a common man. Now he was making a change and a commitment to what He had come to do. It may seem strange to think of Jesus receiving the Holy Spirit from God the Father, since all three persons are one God, but this is what we see in Jesus’ Baptism.

Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized and praying, the heaven was opened. And straightway coming up out of the water, and, lo he [Jesus] saw the heavens opened, and he saw the Spirit of God, the Holy Ghost, in a bodily shape like a dove descending and lighting upon him.

And lo there came a voice from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age,

Here is one of the passages where we see the Trinity: the Holy Spirit descending and the Father speaking from heaven declaring the Son. This is also an anointing, done by the Father on the Son by the Holy Spirit. Jesus will receive at least two physical anointing during His ministry, but this is the one that counts.

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said to me, You are my Son; this day have I begotten thee. 

Ask of me, and I shall give you the heathen for your inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron; you shall dash them in pieces like a potter's vessel.

Be wise now therefore, O you kings: be instructed, you judges of the earth. Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling. Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and you perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him. Psalm 2:7-11