The Gospel of John
Matthew Philip
Water Baptizer: 1:24-28
Now the Pharisees who had been sent questioned him, “Why do you baptize if you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
“I baptize with water,” John replied, “but among you stands one who comes after me, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie.”
This all happened at Bethany on the other side of the Jordan, where John was baptizing.
If the Pharisees knew one thing, it was right action. They were the experts in the Law; tithing, ritual purity, even table manners were pondered. They could recite the ‘dos and don’ts’ for any Jew. Yet these religious authorities were unable to figure out John’s practice.
The baptizer’s words were familiar, echoing passages from the Torah. But his activity of plunging people into water was not exactly kosher, so they thought. John’s actions needed to be questioned: “Why do you baptize?”
As a young believer I had absolutely no idea why John baptized; I could not remember any reference to baptism in the Old Testament. Surely John did not baptize, saying, “In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit…”
A little poking around threw some light.
Bible dictionaries and commentaries (thank you InterVarsity Press!) revealed Judaism was full of ritual washings and cleansings, of hands and feet. The full body wash, baptism, was usually reserved for Gentiles converting into the faith. These unclean Gentiles needed more than just the ritual sprinkling, they needed to be dunked!
Adding a twist to what will later be called John’s Baptism, John baptizes not Gentiles, but Jews! He takes a recognized Jewish ritual, adds new meaning, and presto: both Jews and Gentiles have a new reminder to mark their repentance. A public declaration of internal change.
Last month Marvin Williams, a guest speaker at
Marvin’s conclusion was not normal for our Midwestern evangelical church.
“I know this is not the culture of this church, but I feel God wants you to respond, to get up from your seat, come forward and do business with God… I know you can do this in your seat… but look at it as symbolically leaving your ‘
Dozens streamed forward, declaring before God and their fellow sojourners that, right there and then, they were moving forward out of their ‘Gaths’ with God’s help.
Former UN General Secretary Dag Hammarskjold used to journal. His published notebook is titled Vagmarken – a Swedish term for small pile of stones a hiker would erect to mark the way when the trail is faint or non-existent. He called this diary his "book concerning my negotiations with myself and with God."
I remember when in seminary and still single, purchasing a thin gold band to wear as a reminder to me to remain sexually pure. It was a visible symbol of my decision to honor God with obedience to his directions for life.
Like John’s Baptism, journals, rings, raising one’s hand, or going forward are all helpful reminders of conscious godly choices on the journey of life. Moments of consecration, memories of divine intervention, or promises to serve wherever, whenever, however, remain front and center when they are intentionally marked.
What is reminding you today of your commitments to Christ?
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