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Jesus’ Testimony About John the Baptist (Mt. 11:7-19)

'As they were going off, Jesus began to speak to the crowds about John, “What did you go out to the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? Then what did you go out to see? Someone dressed in fine clothing? Those who wear fine clothing are in royal palaces. Then why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: ‘Behold, I am sending my messenger ahead of you; he will prepare your way before you.’ Amen, I say to you, among those born of women there has been none greater than John the Baptist; yet the least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent are taking it by force. All the prophets and the law prophesied up to the time of John. And if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah, the one who is to come. Whoever has ears ought to hear. “To what shall I compare this generation? It is like children who sit in marketplaces and call to one another, ‘We played the flute for you, but you did not dance, we sang a dirge but you did not mourn.’ For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they said, ‘He is possessed by a demon.’ The Son of Man came eating and drinking and they said, ‘Look, he is a glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners.’ But wisdom is vindicated by her works (Mt. 11:7-19).”’

John the Baptist preached a prophetic message of repentance in the desert of Judea.  He told all who came to him to turn away from rebellion against God to obedience towards God because the kingdom of heaven was at hand.  Many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to him to be baptized.  (Mt. 3:1-12).  John and Jesus had similar messages, similar lives, and both met with violent deaths.  They fulfilled their roles in God’s plan of salvation.  Jesus gave his testimony about JBap and asserted that he was a prophet, the messenger of God (Malachi 3:1), and the greatest human who ever lived.  Yet he was not as great as the least in the kingdom of heaven.  JBap’s preaching was met with opposition from Herod and the religious leaders who resisted his message.  The prophets foretold of the promised Messiah and JBap was the bridge between the prophets and the coming of the kingdom, the fulfillment of the promise, the Messiah.  John lived an austere life and had a harsh message of repentance; Jesus came with a message of joy.  Both were rejected.  From the time of JBap, who represented the second coming of Elijah, the kingdom was under attack.  John and Jesus were children of wisdom (the kingdom).

Almighty God, we struggle not with flesh and blood but with principalities and powers which seek to turn us away from Your goodness and light to the darkness.  Shower us with the righteousness of Your son that we may resist all that is bad and hold fast to the truth of the Gospel.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!

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References

Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.

Faculty of the University of Navarre. The Navarre Bible: New Testament Expanded Edition. Expanded Edition, Four Courts / Scepter, 2008.

Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

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