76And you, my child, will be called a prophet of the Most High;
for you will go on before the Lord to prepare the way for him,
77to give his people the knowledge of salvation
through the forgiveness of their sins,
78because of the tender mercy of our God,
by which the rising sun will come to us from heaven
79to shine on those living in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the path of peace."
80And the child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived in the desert until he appeared publicly to Israel.
1 comment:
What jumps out at me is verse 77:
"to give his people the knowledge of salvation through the forgiveness of their sins"
I believe this was a radical idea at the time. The Pharisees had turned Judaism into a book of rules, a guidebook on how to earn one's way to heaven. John reminded people that salvation was the work of God and not men.
Luke also reminds us how important John was at the time. His fame was great - at one time greater than Jesus'. Josephus, the historian, wrote a complimentary passage about John in his writings. I think it interesting that more of John's teachings were not saved for posterity. I wonder if there was some rivalry between the followers of John and Jesus?
It's also interesting to me that John and Jesus were both born under auspicious occasions. No one seemed surprised that John became a prophet in the desert and fulfilled his destiny. Yet Jesus' family and neighbors were surprised that Jesus became a prophet and teacher, performing miracles. Why? I have so many historical questions. But I suppose the most important thing is their message: salvation through the forgiveness of sins.
Post a Comment