Let's talk some more about John the Baptist. You should remember that John was a relative of Jesus and the last prophet of the Old Testament. By that we mean the last before the arrival of the Messiah, who is Jesus Christ. Our Lord Himself called John the greatest of all the Old Testament prophets.
In today's Gospel reading, we have the testimony of John the Baptist. It was testimony in a formal sense, like testimony to the police or to a court. When there is an auto accident in the street, what do the police do? They ask everyone who saw the accident, "What did you see?" People who tell what they see are called witnesses and their formal declarations, testimony.
In the same way, the religious leaders of the Jews in Jerusalem sent representatives to investigate John the Baptist. John was baptizing many people in the Jordan River and had many followers. So the council of priests and Levites in the Temple wanted to ascertain John's theological position.
So they asked him, "Who are you?" By which they meant, "Where do you derive your authority?" Primarily they wanted to know if John claimed to be the Messiah.
Note two things. First, the humility of John. He said to them, "I am not the Christ (that is, the Messiah)." He also denied claiming to be the prophet Elijah or the great prophet of whom Moses spoke in our Old Testament lesson (Deuteronomy 18:15-19). This prophet, who was to be greater than Moses, was to be Jesus the Messiah, but the priests did not understand this.
In Matthew 17:10-13, Jesus told His disciples that Juan the Baptist was indeed the new Elijah, according to the prophecy of Malachi 4:5. However, John in his humility, did not claim any titles for himself, except that of the "voice in the wilderness, crying, Make straight the way of the Lord."
That other thing: The Gospel of the Apostle John does not say the representatives of the priests and Levites went looking for the Messiah of whom John the Baptist spoke. They wanted to submit a report to their superiors and nothing more. Sadly, nowadays when we give our testimony of faith in Jesus Church, there often are those who are not really interested. There always are some who will listen, but not everyone.
There was another group that had a question for John. The first group represented the priests and Levites. The second consisted of Pharisees. The priests and Levites were only interested in their position and power in the Temple. The Pharisees wanted to justify themselves before God through their good works.
John was calling the people to repent of their sins in preparation for the coming of Christ. The Pharisees did not believe in the need for repentance because they believed they had kept the Law. Therefore, they asked John, "Why then, do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, not Elijah, or not the prophet?"
John explained to them that his baptism was just a symbolic ritual of washing with water. But one would come with a more powerful baptism, a baptism with water and the Holy Spirit, according to the verses following today's reading, John 1:26-34.
There are people today who say Christian baptism is only a symbolic ritual, although commanded by our Lord. Like the baptism of Juan, it has no power in itself. But that is not the truth. Baptism with water and the Word of God has the power of the Holy Spirit. We receive the Holy Spirit in baptism along with the power to live the new life in Christ. Furthermore, in baptism God accepts us into His family, the church.
The promise of baptism does not depend on our our own will or strength. It is a gift from God. So we do not have to worry that we do not really have faith, or that we have not really received the Holy Spirit. The promise of baptism never changes.
Lord Jesus, we thank you for the gift of faith that we receive in Holy Baptism. We give you thanks for the opportunity to live as as sons and daughters of God. Amen.
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