One of the key themes in the Gospel of John is the theme of witness or testimony. So, in today’s Gospel we hear: “This is the testimony of John.” This theme was already announced in the Prologue of the Gospel:
“A man named John was sent from God. He came for testimony, to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He was not the light, but came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.” (John 1:6-9).
God sent John the Baptist into the world with the mission of testifying to the light, to the Word made flesh, to Jesus. Today’s Gospel passage emphasizes both the negative and positive aspects of John’s testimony. He declares clearly that he is not the Christ (Messiah), or the prophet Elijah, or the Prophet. There were some expectations in Judaism at this time about various redeemer figures. Some expected a prophet like Moses as he promised in these words: “A prophet like me will the Lord, your God, raise up for you from among your own kindred; that is the one to whom you shall listen” (Deuteronomy 18:15). Some expected the return of the prophet Elijah who was taken up in a whirlwind:
“As they walked on still conversing, a fiery chariot and fiery horses came between the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in a whirlwind.” (2 Kings 2:11)
“Now I am sending to you Elijah the prophet, Before the day of the Lord comes, the great and terrible day; He will turn the heart of fathers to their sons, and the heart of sons to their fathers, Lest I come and strike the land with utter destruction.” (Malachi 3:23-24)
John the Baptist refuses to identify himself with any of these figures. John also gives witness or testimony to the positive aspect of his ministry. His mission is to prepare the way of the Lord: “I am the voice of one crying in the desert, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord.” John points ahead to Jesus who is already in their midst: “I baptize with water; but there is one among you whom you do not recognize, the one who is coming after me.”
John testifies that the Messiah, the Word, the Son of God is already in our midst. Do we recognize him? John’s testimony echoes the promise of Emmanuel that we hear at the beginning and the end of Matthew’s Gospel:
“All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had said through the prophet: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,’ which means ‘God is with us.’” (Matthew 1:22-23).
“And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:20).
God is indeed with us every day. Let us take time to recognize his presence in our daily life.
Image: “Ugolino di Nerio or / tai / eller Ugolino da Siena (1295?-1337?/1347?): Saint John the Baptist / Johannes Kastaja / Johannes Döparen” by Finnish National Gallery is marked with CC0 1.0.