4-6 Isaiah 40:3-5
6 Isaiah 52:10
7 Matthew 12:34; 23:33
8 Numbers 22:28; John 8:33
9 Isaiah 33:10-11; Jeremiah 11:16; Matthew 7:19
10-14 Acts 2:37
12 Luke 7:29
16 Isaiah 33:14-16
19-20 Matthew 14:3-4; Mark 6:17-18
1-6 Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 80-83
4-6 Francis Patrick Sullivan, “The Make-Believe Christian,” A Time To Sow, p. 4
4 Jan Richardson, Circle of Grace, p. 37
Circle of Grace
7-9 Nils Bolander, “Christianity Was Once an Eagle Message,” Divine Inspiration, p. 71
7-9 Leonard Cohen, “I Am Too Loud When You Are Gone,” Divine Inspiration, p. 72
7-9 Franco Fortini, “Bitter Winter,” Divine Inspiration, p. 70
10-18 Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., “Experience the Joy of Salvation,” Lovely in Eyes Not His, p. 11-16
“Experience the Joy of Salvation”
10-18 Andrew Greeley, “Two Kinds of Sorrow,” When Life Hurts, p. 98-101
10-18 Thomas R. Haney, Today’s Spirituality, p. 79 & 213
10-11 Francis Patrick Sullivan, “Moon Strikes Woman,” A Time To Sow, p. 6
15-22 Imaging the Word, Vol. 1, p. 112-115
15-16 Lorenzo Thomas, “Genesis, Psalms, and Gospels,” Communion, p. 513-526
16-17 John Dominic Crossan, “John’s Message,” The Historical Jesus, p. 234 f.
16-17 Hans Walter Wolff, Old Testament and Christian Preaching, p. 69
Old Testament and Christian Preaching
John the Baptist tells us that this is what it is like when the Messiah baptizes his people with the Holy Spirit and with fire. When his flames overrun us, then the dead wood of the church and the dry thickets of our own lives turn into something full of light and warmth again—in just the degree to which the old life is burnt up.
16 Thomas Merton, The Wisdom of the Desert, p. 50
The Wisdom of the Desert
Abbot Lot came to abbot Joseph and said: Father, according as I am able I keep my little rule and my little fast, my prayer, meditation, and contemplative silence; and according as I am able I strive to cleanse my heart of thoughts: now what more should I do? The elder rose up in reply and stretched out his hands to heaven and his fingers became like lamps of fire. He said: Why not be totally changed into fire?
1 In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, 2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John the son of Zechariah in the wilderness; 3 and he went into all the region about the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; 6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
7 He said therefore to the multitudes that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits that befit repentance, and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 9 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”
10 And the multitudes asked him, “What then shall we do?” 11 And he answered them, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” 12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” 13 And he said to them, “Collect no more than is appointed you.” 14 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, and be content with your wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all men questioned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he were the Christ, 16 John answered them all, “I baptize you with water; but he who is mightier than I is coming, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 17 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.”
18 So, with many other exhortations, he preached good news to the people. 19 But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, 20 added this to them all, that he shut up John in prison.
3:1 εν ετει δε πεντεκαιδεκατω της ηγεμονιας τιβεριου καισαρος ηγεμονευοντος ποντιου πιλατου της ιουδαιας και τετραρχουντος της γαλιλαιας ηρωδου φιλιππου δε του αδελφου αυτου τετραρχουντος της ιτουραιας και τραχωνιτιδος χωρας και λυσανιου της αβιληνης τετραρχουντος 3:2 επι αρχιερεως αννα και καιαφα εγενετο ρημα θεου επι ιωαννην τον ζαχαριου υιον εν τη ερημω 3:3 και ηλθεν εις πασαν την περιχωρον του ιορδανου κηρυσσων βαπτισμα μετανοιας εις αφεσιν αμαρτιων 3:4 ως γεγραπται εν βιβλω λογων ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου 3:5 πασα φαραγξ πληρωθησεται και παν ορος και βουνος ταπεινωθησεται και εσται τα σκολια εις ευθειαν και αι τραχειαι εις οδους λειας 3:6 και οψεται πασα σαρξ το σωτηριον του θεου
3:7 ελεγεν ουν τοις εκπορευομενοις οχλοις βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου γεννηματα εχιδνων τις υπεδειξεν υμιν φυγειν απο της μελλουσης οργης 3:8 ποιησατε ουν καρπους αξιους της μετανοιας και μη αρξησθε λεγειν εν εαυτοις πατερα εχομεν τον αβρααμ λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι δυναται ο θεος εκ των λιθων τουτων εγειραι τεκνα τω αβρααμ 3:9 ηδη δε και η αξινη προς την ριζαν των δενδρων κειται παν ουν δενδρον μη ποιουν καρπον καλον εκκοπτεται και εις πυρ βαλλεται
3:10 και επηρωτων αυτον οι οχλοι λεγοντες τι ουν ποιησομεν 3:11 αποκριθεις δε λεγει αυτοις ο εχων δυο χιτωνας μεταδοτω τω μη εχοντι και ο εχων βρωματα ομοιως ποιειτω 3:12 ηλθον δε και τελωναι βαπτισθηναι και ειπον προς αυτον διδασκαλε τι ποιησομεν 3:13 ο δε ειπεν προς αυτους μηδεν πλεον παρα το διατεταγμενον υμιν πρασσετε 3:14 επηρωτων δε αυτον και στρατευομενοι λεγοντες και ημεις τι ποιησομεν και ειπεν προς αυτους μηδενα διασεισητε μηδε συκοφαντησητε και αρκεισθε τοις οψωνιοις υμων
3:15 προσδοκωντος δε του λαου και διαλογιζομενων παντων εν ταις καρδιαις αυτων περι του ιωαννου μηποτε αυτος ειη ο χριστος 3:16 απεκρινατο ο ιωαννης απασιν λεγων εγω μεν υδατι βαπτιζω υμας ερχεται δε ο ισχυροτερος μου ου ουκ ειμι ικανος λυσαι τον ιμαντα των υποδηματων αυτου αυτος υμας βαπτισει εν πνευματι αγιω και πυρι 3:17 ου το πτυον εν τη χειρι αυτου και διακαθαριει την αλωνα αυτου και συναξει τον σιτον εις την αποθηκην αυτου το δε αχυρον κατακαυσει πυρι ασβεστω
3:18 πολλα μεν ουν και ετερα παρακαλων ευηγγελιζετο τον λαον 3:19 ο δε ηρωδης ο τετραρχης ελεγχομενος υπ αυτου περι ηρωδιαδος της γυναικος του αδελφου αυτου και περι παντων ων εποιησεν πονηρων ο ηρωδης 3:20 προσεθηκεν και τουτο επι πασιν και κατεκλεισεν τον ιωαννην εν τη φυλακη
John Howard Yoder, “The Commissioning and Testing,” The Politics of Jesus, p. 30
21 Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form, as a dove, and a voice came from heaven, “Thou art my beloved Son; with thee I am well pleased.”
3:21 εγενετο δε εν τω βαπτισθηναι απαντα τον λαον και ιησου βαπτισθεντος και προσευχομενου ανεωχθηναι τον ουρανον 3:22 και καταβηναι το πνευμα το αγιον σωματικω ειδει ωσει περιστεραν επ αυτον και φωνην εξ ουρανου γενεσθαι λεγουσαν συ ει ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος εν σοι ευδοκησα
John Howard Yoder, “The Commissioning and Testing,” The Politics of Jesus, p. 30
23-38 Ezra 7:1-5
23 Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli, 24 the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, the son of Melchi, the son of Jannai, the son of Joseph, 25 the son of Mattathias, the son of Amos, the son of Nahum, the son of Esli, the son of Naggai, 26 the son of Maath, the son of Mattathias, the son of Semein, the son of Josech, the son of Joda, 27 the son of Joanan, the son of Rhesa, the son of Zerubbabel, the son of Shealtiel, the son of Neri, 28 the son of Melchi, the son of Addi, the son of Cosam, the son of Elmadam, the son of Er, 29 the son of Joshua, the son of Eliezer, the son of Jorim, the son of Matthat, the son of Levi, 30 the son of Simeon, the son of Judah, the son of Joseph, the son of Jonam, the son of Eliakim, 31 the son of Melea, the son of Menna, the son of Mattatha, the son of Nathan, the son of David, 32 the son of Jesse, the son of Obed, the son of Boaz, the son of Sala, the son of Nahshon, 33 the son of Amminadab, the son of Admin, the son of Arni, the son of Hezron, the son of Perez, the son of Judah, 34 the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor, 35 the son of Serug, the son of Re’u, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah, 36 the son of Ca-i’nan, the son of Arphaxad, the son of Shem, the son of Noah, the son of Lamech, 37 the son of Methuselah, the son of Enoch, the son of Jared, the son of Mahalaleel, the son of Cainan, 38 the son of Enos, the son of Seth, the son of Adam, the son of God.
3:23 και αυτος ην ο ιησους ωσει ετων τριακοντα αρχομενος ων ως ενομιζετο υιος ιωσηφ του ηλι 3:24 του ματθατ του λευι του μελχι του ιαννα του ιωσηφ 3:25 του ματταθιου του αμως του ναουμ του εσλι του ναγγαι 3:26 του μααθ του ματταθιου του σεμει του ιωσηφ του ιουδα 3:27 του ιωαναν του ρησα του ζοροβαβελ του σαλαθιηλ του νηρι 3:28 του μελχι του αδδι του κωσαμ του ελμωδαμ του ηρ 3:29 του ιωση του ελιεζερ του ιωρειμ του ματθατ του λευι 3:30 του αβτου ιουδα του ιωσηφ του ιωναν του ελιακειμ 3:31 του μελεα του βτου ματταθα του ναθαν του δαυιδ 3:32 του ιεσσαι του ωβηδ του βοοζ του σαλμων του ναασσων 3:33 του αμιναδαβ του αραμ του εσρωμ του φαρες του ιουδα 3:34 του ιακωβ του ισαακ του αβρααμ του θαρα του ναχωρ 3:35 του σερουχ του ραγαυ του φαλεγ του εβερ του σαλα 3:36 του καιναν του αρφαξαδ του σημ του νωε του λαμεχ 3:37 του μαθουσαλα του ενωχ του ιαρεδ του μαλελεηλ του καιναν 3:38 του ενως του σηθ του αδαμ του θεου