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Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the world delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed.
* * *
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
'Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.
Every valley shall be filled
And every mountain and hill brought low;
The crooked places shall be made straight
And the rough ways smooth;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'"
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."
So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages."
- Luke 1:1-4; 3:1-14
On Saturday, we were reading chapter 12 of the Book of John. Jesus was in Jerusalem, at the last Passover Feast of His life, and it was clear the leadership was to put Him to death. We read: Then Jesus cried out and said, "He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me. And he who sees me sees Him who sent Me. I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness. And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him -- the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day. For I have not spoken on My own authority; but the Father who sent Me gave Me a command, what I should say and what I should speak. And I know that His command is everlasting life. Therefore, whatever I speak, just as the Father has told Me, so I speak."
Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the world delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed. Today the lectionary skips from chapter 12 of John to the first and third chapters of Luke. Of this "introduction" or "preface" to the Book of Luke, my study bible says: "Luke was not a disciple from the beginning, yet he has perfect understanding of the gospel because his sources were the apostles themselves, the eyewitnesses of Christ. Luke wrote his Gospel to Theophilus, a prominent Gentile who had received Christian instruction (see also Acts 1:1). St. Ambrose notes that Theophilus can simply mean 'any lover of God,' and therefore he writes, 'If you love God, it was written to you.'"
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene . . . Throughout his Gospel, Luke is careful to give as exact dates as possible for the events he describes. Here he clarifies who was ruler in each region at the time these events unfolded, so that we have a clear idea when they took place. Earlier, in chapter 1, He made clear that Herod was ruler of Judea at the time of the births of Jesus and John the Baptist (Luke 1:5).
. . . while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. My study bible explains that Caiaphas was now the sole high priest, but people also recognized the continuing power of his father-in-law Annas, a previous high priest deposed by the Romans.
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins . . . My study bible notes: "The call to repentance was traditional for prophets. John's baptism did not grant remission of sins once and for all, but prefigured and prepared people for the baptism of Christ which was to come (see Romans 6:3-11). John is a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit (literally, "put away") sin. Both John and the law point to the One who can remit sin."
. . . as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight." John the Baptist gives himself this role of "the voice" crying in the wilderness, as prophesied by Isaiah (see John 1:23).
"'Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" The full quotation is from Isaiah 40:3-5.
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." My study bible says, "While parents and ancestors help impart piety and holiness, ancestry itself does not make one worthy of God. Each person in every generation must bear fruits worthy of repentance. Stones symbolize the Gentiles who would become children to Abraham through faith in Christ (Romans 4:16-18)."
So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." Clearly the message here is that fruits worthy of repentance are examples of justice and mercy. Help those in need if you have extra to share. The teachings are against self-centeredness and selfishness. Moreover, these are teachings against corruption and exploitation. Those with power (the soldiers) aren't to intimidate or accuse falsely in order to take bribes. The tax collectors, also representatives of the Roman state, are to only take the lawful portion allotted to them. It's a recipe for treating one another with dignity and decency. Note the "mercy" of the Gospels here: nobody is turned away. It doesn't matter the job or the position, however socially despised a tax collector or even a soldier of the occupying army may be. They are there asking earnestly what they must do to be saved, to bear fruits worthy of repentance. Nobody is turned down here: there is a way for everybody to be who they are and still have room for God, for the One to come. And this is of the greatest importance, because nobody is made to feel entirely culpable here simply for being who they are, or for the job they do in life, their place in society. Nobody's told they are evil simply by virtue of the job they do. Instead, each sincere person can find a way; John suggests a way for each, a guideline for what they must do, and how they must conduct themselves. They don't need to quit doing what they do or being who they are; but they do need to bear fruits worthy of repentance, to practice fairness and honesty to the best of their ability, not to exploit others with less power through corrupt methods. There is a way of doing justice and of practicing mercy. Neither are those with "extra" taught they must be someone else, do something else; they aren't guilty because they have wealth. But they are taught to care for those who are unfortunate, as each is able to do so. And this is so important; I think it's often lost on people because the message is made too stark, to the point where there is no hope for someone who has wealth, or who does a particular job or holds a particular position in society. In terms of humility and a life of extreme ascetic poverty, there is no one who sacrifices more security in life than John the Baptist, who practices a kind of "holy poverty" that is among the most ascetic known in order to more fully rely on the love for God and make it the center of his life. But his advice is wise, and kind. It is for everybody -- and it bears a message for today's highly politicized world of "does" and "don'ts." There is a way for everybody. John saves his wrath, as will Jesus, for those who are hypocrites -- who fail to lead the people in true faith and are not sincere in putting God's love first, those who think their ancestry will save them rather than their own "fruits worthy of repentance." The buck stops where we are not willing to practice the things John teaches here: compassion and justice and fairness and honesty. We can each assess our lives in the light of what he teaches, as we still look to the Light to which he points. How do we make the Lord's paths straight to our hearts and our lives? to our world, our community?
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea and the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene . . . Throughout his Gospel, Luke is careful to give as exact dates as possible for the events he describes. Here he clarifies who was ruler in each region at the time these events unfolded, so that we have a clear idea when they took place. Earlier, in chapter 1, He made clear that Herod was ruler of Judea at the time of the births of Jesus and John the Baptist (Luke 1:5).
. . . while Annas and Caiaphas were high priests, the word of God came to John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. My study bible explains that Caiaphas was now the sole high priest, but people also recognized the continuing power of his father-in-law Annas, a previous high priest deposed by the Romans.
And he went into all the region around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the remission of sins . . . My study bible notes: "The call to repentance was traditional for prophets. John's baptism did not grant remission of sins once and for all, but prefigured and prepared people for the baptism of Christ which was to come (see Romans 6:3-11). John is a figure of the Law in that, like the Law, he denounced sin but could not remit (literally, "put away") sin. Both John and the law point to the One who can remit sin."
. . . as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, saying: "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight." John the Baptist gives himself this role of "the voice" crying in the wilderness, as prophesied by Isaiah (see John 1:23).
"'Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight and the rough ways smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.'" The full quotation is from Isaiah 40:3-5.
Then he said to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, "Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father.' For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire." My study bible says, "While parents and ancestors help impart piety and holiness, ancestry itself does not make one worthy of God. Each person in every generation must bear fruits worthy of repentance. Stones symbolize the Gentiles who would become children to Abraham through faith in Christ (Romans 4:16-18)."
So the people asked him, saying, "What shall we do then?" He answered and said to them, "He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise." Then tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, "Teacher, what shall we do?" And he said to them, "Collect no more than what is appointed for you." Likewise the soldiers asked him, saying, "And what shall we do?" So he said to them, "Do not intimidate anyone or accuse falsely, and be content with your wages." Clearly the message here is that fruits worthy of repentance are examples of justice and mercy. Help those in need if you have extra to share. The teachings are against self-centeredness and selfishness. Moreover, these are teachings against corruption and exploitation. Those with power (the soldiers) aren't to intimidate or accuse falsely in order to take bribes. The tax collectors, also representatives of the Roman state, are to only take the lawful portion allotted to them. It's a recipe for treating one another with dignity and decency. Note the "mercy" of the Gospels here: nobody is turned away. It doesn't matter the job or the position, however socially despised a tax collector or even a soldier of the occupying army may be. They are there asking earnestly what they must do to be saved, to bear fruits worthy of repentance. Nobody is turned down here: there is a way for everybody to be who they are and still have room for God, for the One to come. And this is of the greatest importance, because nobody is made to feel entirely culpable here simply for being who they are, or for the job they do in life, their place in society. Nobody's told they are evil simply by virtue of the job they do. Instead, each sincere person can find a way; John suggests a way for each, a guideline for what they must do, and how they must conduct themselves. They don't need to quit doing what they do or being who they are; but they do need to bear fruits worthy of repentance, to practice fairness and honesty to the best of their ability, not to exploit others with less power through corrupt methods. There is a way of doing justice and of practicing mercy. Neither are those with "extra" taught they must be someone else, do something else; they aren't guilty because they have wealth. But they are taught to care for those who are unfortunate, as each is able to do so. And this is so important; I think it's often lost on people because the message is made too stark, to the point where there is no hope for someone who has wealth, or who does a particular job or holds a particular position in society. In terms of humility and a life of extreme ascetic poverty, there is no one who sacrifices more security in life than John the Baptist, who practices a kind of "holy poverty" that is among the most ascetic known in order to more fully rely on the love for God and make it the center of his life. But his advice is wise, and kind. It is for everybody -- and it bears a message for today's highly politicized world of "does" and "don'ts." There is a way for everybody. John saves his wrath, as will Jesus, for those who are hypocrites -- who fail to lead the people in true faith and are not sincere in putting God's love first, those who think their ancestry will save them rather than their own "fruits worthy of repentance." The buck stops where we are not willing to practice the things John teaches here: compassion and justice and fairness and honesty. We can each assess our lives in the light of what he teaches, as we still look to the Light to which he points. How do we make the Lord's paths straight to our hearts and our lives? to our world, our community?
