Epiphany

As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, ‘I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing-fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing-floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.’

So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison.

Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, ‘You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.’

- Luke 3:15-22

Luke's gospel continues with images of a judgment to come, and a just judge. This judgment is also correlated with the action of the Holy Spirit - the baptism of the one who is to come is with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand - to separate the wheat from the chaff - and with which he will clear the threshing floor. This is a time of clearing away the old, separating the true from the false, a reconciliation in truth and just judgment.

As is consistent with this idea of separation and judgment, we are given the actions of Herod - which become compounded and worse by his response to a just rebuke. He adds to his sins by imprisoning John the Baptist after Herod is rebuked. This is a pattern similar to that of Judas, who betrays Jesus after he is rebuked. A just rebuke is made in love, a correction from the just judge is truth to be embraced.

The immediate contrast to this persona of Herod, for whom truth is a matter of self-service, is Jesus himself. Jesus is baptized in the Jordan, and is immediately "crowned" with the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove and the voice of the Father, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. So Luke sets out a clear image of judgment: separating the wheat from the chaff; the selfish nature of Herod for whom truth is irrelevant, and the holiness of Christ, whose recognition is through obedience and service to the Father.

Making the way straight for the Lord creates conditions for revelation. The first revelation is this scene at the Jordan of Father, Son and Spirit. We will see revealed what is just and what is unjust in response to truth: love of truth versus contempt for truth unless it is self-serving; self-aggrandizement versus the love and honor of the Father; and personal power against service to the world, and to a community, in the embrace of the Father's will. The advent of this reality coming into the world, this epiphany, is with us and the time is now for revealing truth in all aspects.