Clothes make the man
Commentary
Object:
Gottfried Keller's short story Kleider machen Leute was translated into English as Clothes Make the Man. In it he told of an apprenticed tailor whose master had withheld his wages because the shop was going bankrupt. Wandering forlorn through a forest in Poland, the young man is met by travelers who assume he is of noble birth because of the fine cut of his clothes and the rich materials from which they are made. Keller weaves an interesting and humorous web of enchantment, showing how the tailor's apprentice soon becomes an honored guest of a new community where everyone believes he is royalty in disguise. "Clothes make the man," transforming him into an honored person with new resources available to him at every turn.
Today's lectionary readings carry a similar "fairy tale" quality about them. Through Isaiah, God speaks to ancient Israel and tells of a new wardrobe that is about to transform exiles, aliens, and slaves into lords and ladies of the kingdom of righteousness. The apostle Paul instructs the newborn church in Thessalonica to wear the outward appearance of what God has already made manifest in the spiritual regeneration of their hearts. And John the Baptist dialogues with those who come to him with mistaken thoughts about his identity, based upon outward perceptions, revealing to them a new lifestyle that their religion can bring when they catch hold of it afresh.
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-10
Isaiah stands at the head of the collection of Old Testament prophets for good reason. While he is not the earliest among them (Samuel was already considered a prophet three centuries before and many of the first prophets noted in the Bible -- e.g., Nathan, Ahijah -- were evidently not "writing prophets," bequeathing to us no documents to peruse), he is chief over them, giving the prophetic message lyrical power and addressing every theme that others would pursue only in part. Isaiah is the grand master of covenant prophecy.
According to the list of kings that Isaiah identifies, during whose reigns he received and declared messages from Yahweh, this prophet's work spanned about fifty years (740-690 BC). During that time Assyria was the constant superpower threat in his contemporary world. "Israel" (the northern portion of David and Solomon's kingdom) had been split off from "Judah" for nearly 300 years (since 930 BC). Because of the tenacious advance of the Assyrian war machine, Israel was desperately seeking ways in which to form alliances that might hold it back for a time. Syria and Israel became partners throughout most of the eighth century, often as much by the sheer dominance of Syria's military might coercing Israel into defensive pacts as by the choice of the Samaria-based government. Seeking to draw the smaller kingdom into their anti-Assyria alliances either by compliance or force, Syria and Israel made many overtures toward Judah. Throughout a succession of kings, Judah tried to retain its own identity in several ways:
* Uzziah chose to come under the protectorate of Israel and thus allowed Judah to become a vassal province of the Israel-Syria alliance.
* Ahaz made an end run around his northern neighbors and appealed directly to Tiglath-pileser of Assyria for protection against Israel and Syria, hoping that in their destruction Judah would regain some of the old territory as its administrative district.
* Hezekiah first formed a tentative alliance with ambassadors from Babylon as that eastern province of Assyria was beginning to stir in rebellion. Later he joined Egypt in a stop-payment of tribute to Assyria, which roused their ire against him until he was forced into reasserting submissive ties to Nineveh. Later, after a miraculous escape from what seemed an imminent crushing defeat by Assyrian forces, Hezekiah renewed his subversive contacts with Babylon.
Each of these international political policies (and several more beside) were possible choices for tiny Judah. The prophets probed them all, assessing each according to the evaluation of Yahweh, and then asserting what they believed was the only political option true to the theology of the ancient Sinai covenant. Among the possibilities at the time were these:
* Join Egypt, the only nearby strong nation, in opposing Assyria.
* Join the Israel-Syria confederation in opposing Assyria.
* Declare allegiance to Assyria and become a vassal province of that empire in hopes of reaping enlarged borders when the fighting was finished and northern neighbors Israel and Syria were destroyed.
* Ally with Babylon, the restless eastern province of Assyria, in hopes of an overthrow of Assyria that would net independence in their remote mountainous locale.
* Stay neutral from all international alliances, relying solely on Yahweh for protection and deliverance.
Only this final piece of political and religious advice was put forward consistently by Isaiah and the other prophets. This was the single viable path open to those who truly believed that Yahweh was sovereign over all nations, and that Israel's (Judah's) mandate was to continue as a witness to the surrounding nations rather than becoming a subservient vassal to their gods and cultures.
Although the elements of Isaiah's prophecy, in its current literary shape, have been pieced together from a variety of independent oracles, there is a logical flow to the whole of the book:
* 1-12 -- Messages for Judah and Jerusalem:
-- There is crisis in the land because of sin
-- Remember what Yahweh intended for Israel
-- Isaiah's call and commissioning
-- In the context of threatened judgments, a Deliverer will come
* 13-23 -- Prophecies against the nations around
* 24-27 -- Yahweh's impending worldwide judgment that will be put in motion in order to restore Israel
* 28-35 -- A cycle of judgments and woes, especially if an alliance is made with Egypt
* 36-39 -- The historical events during Hezekiah's reign that shaped a revival and renewed confidence in Yahweh
* 40-55 -- Prophecies of future restoration through a "Suffering Servant"
* 56-66 -- This coming restoration expanded into a global creational renewal
Isaiah was overwhelmed by a divine commissioning (v. 6) that took place in the Temple during the year that King Uzziah died. He was guided by the theology of the Sinai covenant (vv. 2-5), which understood that Israel was supposed to have a unique lifestyle among the nations, a set of behaviors that would serve as a missional call for others to join this holy community in a global return to the ways of their Creator. He was confident that Yahweh could resolve all political problems (vv. 7-11), no matter how daunting they might seem. He believed Israel/Judah needed to repent (v. 12) and recover their original identity and purpose as Yahweh's covenant partners and witnesses. He was certain that Yahweh was sovereign over all nations (vv. 13-35), even if Yahweh's primary focus was attached to Israel/Judah. He heard the heartbeat of divine love and compassion, wrestling for the heart and destiny of Israel/Judah as a loved companion and partner (vv. 36-41). He saw Yahweh transforming Israel's/Judah's identity and fortunes through a "Suffering Servant" leader (vv. 42-53). He envisioned a future age in which all the world and every society and even the universe itself would be restored to harmony with its Creator and would resonate with magnificent glory (vv. 56-66).
Among the prophets of ancient Israel, Isaiah was truly a prince and his writings shaped the language of theological reflection among his peers and on into the age of the New Testament church. In this season of Advent, it is Isaiah's prophecies that focus our attention on the promises of God's salvation erupting into a dark and desperate world. The metaphors of today's reading picture not only the people of Judah emerging from bleak exile, but also depict the adopted daughters and sons of God in the name of the Suffering Servant Jesus rising from ashes to honor.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
For three weeks in early 50 AD Paul preached about Jesus in the Jewish synagogue of Thessalonica (Acts 17:19). When Gentiles swelled the crowd of Christ-believers, some Jews became jealous and formed a mob to disrupt civic life. The uproar caused city officials to arrest leading members of the new Christian congregation, and the group sent Paul and Silas out of town that evening under the cover of darkness. With brief stops in Berea (Acts 17:10-15) and Athens (Acts 17:16-34), Paul eventually arrived in Corinth, where he met Aquila and Priscilla for the first time (Acts 18:1-3). This couple would become fast friends with Paul, keeping in touch for the rest of his life.
Although Paul would spend the next year-and-a-half in Corinth, at the outset his heart remained back in Thessalonica. Already when he was traveling through Athens he worried about how the fledgling Thessalonian congregation was faring (1 Thessalonians 2:17-20) and sent Timothy back to find out more and make a report (1 Thessalonians 3:1-5). Paul had already traveled on to Corinth by the time Timothy caught up with him and was elated at the good word brought to him (1 Thessalonians 3:6-10). With emotions running high, Paul dashed off a letter of appreciation and encouragement to his new friends (1 Thessalonians).
The central message of Paul's missionary preaching focused on the resurrection, which was, for Paul, the astounding confirmation of Jesus' divine character. This was the undeniable proof that Jesus was the messiah and that his words and teachings had ushered in the new age of God's final revelation and redemptive activity. Furthermore, the urgency of Paul's missionary endeavors was predicated on his understanding that Jesus had gone back to heaven only briefly and would be returning to earth very soon -- probably next week but possibly even next month. It was the generous grace of God that provided this brief window of opportunity, allowing Jesus' disciples a chance to quickly tell others the good news so that those who believed would also reap the benefits of the looming messianic age. Neither Paul nor God wanted anyone to be destroyed in the judgments that were still ahead.
The response of the Thessalonian church to this insistent focus on Jesus' imminent return apparently echoed back to Paul through Timothy's report in a way he had not expected. Rather than energizing the new believers in Thessalonica with anticipation of divine vindication after the painful struggles they had recently endured, some had instead become deeply discouraged. In the few intervening weeks or months since they had come to faith in Jesus under Paul's passionate preaching, several members of the congregation had died. The grief of those who survived was heightened because they supposed that their lost loved ones had come so close to sharing in the powers and perfections of the new age, only to succumb to death virtually on its threshold. They assumed that the dead were excluded forever from the messianic kingdom.
Paul corrects this mistaken notion with a brief eschatological teaching. Jesus will return soon, to be sure, and those of us who are alive when that happens will enjoy renewed direct interaction with him. But those who have already died will not be left behind. Their bodies will be raised and restored, just as happened with Jesus on resurrection morning. Assurance of this comes from "the Lord's own word," according to Paul. Although none of the gospels records this exact teaching from Jesus, evidently it had become part of the oral tradition already being passed along from one believer to another.
Paul then went on to reaffirm the central imminent-return-of-Jesus proclamation that had precipitated these reflections in the first place (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). Jesus will come back very soon, most likely in the foreseeable future. Paul fully expected that he himself and most of his readers there in Thessalonica would experience this event firsthand and probably nearer on the calendar than more distant.
The letter closes with a quick litany of moral and ethical exhortations (including today's lectionary reading), urging faithful living regardless of circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28). It was probably sent in early 50 AD, just as Paul was getting started with his work in Corinth.
Knowing the historical and literary context is imperative for rightly handling today's pericope. It can be treated merely as a list of injunctions and instructions for happy, holy living, or even as a kind of Christian self-help list for purposeful living. But that was not its intent, nor is that the message that ought to be communicated homiletically. It was written to new Christians under persecution, surrounded by the deaths of loved ones, who were beginning to doubt the reality of the good news preached in Paul's short revival some months ago. Paul's instructions emphasize living by authenticated realities (prayer, God's will, the Spirit's indwelling testimony, prophecies, "the good") rather than emotional responses of fear or despondency. Wear the clothes of kingdom hope and walk confidently through the threatening darkness. That is good Advent preaching!
John 1:6-8, 19-28
John's unique lifestyle and habits were bound to attract attention, particularly in the roiling storms brewing in Palestine. After a century of Jewish freedom, during which expectations of the coming of the Messiah were very high, the Romans had been invited to take over direct rule by the descendents of the charismatic Macabbee deliverers. In recent times at least half-a-dozen would-be "saviors" had roused followings and claimed divine backing. Times were rife for God to show his hand once again in power and restore the fortunes of Israel. So when John came shouting out of the desert, looking like every caricature of a prophet, people were ready to get nervous and ask questions.
We aren't always certain why folks around Jerusalem and throughout Judea might try to peg John by some of the names they throw at him: Elijah, "the Prophet," Christ. Why these? There were rumors floating around, of course. "Elijah" was a favorite among the scribes who copied scripture and knew it well. They remembered what was written in the prophecy of Malachi.
Malachi's very name meant "my messenger," so he spoke unabashedly with the voice of God. When Malachi interacted with the crowds of Jerusalem, what emerged was a dialogue in which God accused, the people responded with rhetorical questions, and God preached sermons of indignation against them. One of the questions the people asked of God was why God did not return to this temple they had rebuilt. After all, when Solomon created the temple that used to stand here, God showed up at the dedication service and flooded the place with God's own Shekinah glory presence. It was obvious that God had come to live in the temple.
But this time around God didn't seem interested in moving in. An earlier prophet, Ezekiel, had declared visions in which he saw the glory of God leaving Solomon's temple before the Babylonians finally destroyed it. Ezekiel had also predicted that the temple would be rebuilt and firmly asserted that God's glory presence would re-enter the place. Now the temple was resurrected, however, and still God had not shown up.
Malachi boomed the opinion of God that the people did not really want God in the neighborhood. God would show up when the people were really ready to have God around. As a sign of God's good intentions, intoned Malachi, God would send another messenger to prepare the way. God would raise up Elijah of old, the first of the great prophets, and he would make things ready. Elijah would appear with stern speeches and mighty miracles. The people should get ready, for when Elijah came, God would follow quickly on his heels.
That is why some people thought John was Elijah. This idea took hold especially among the scribes who copied the prophetic writings. John spoke with divine authority. He called for faithful living, just like Elijah had done. Maybe this was the occasion for God to fulfill Malachi's prophecies. If so, John was the new Elijah.
In a sense, it was all Moses' fault. At the end of his life, in Deuteronomy 18, Moses promised and prophesied that one day Yahweh would raise up another prophet like Moses himself and that the people ought to be ready to hear and follow him. If ever there were times that called for a new Moses, these certainly made the top of the list. Of course, anyone who claimed to be anointed to such a task was identified as "messiah" or "christ," which is all that the term "Christ" meant.
However, John was none of these. Or, perhaps better expressed, he was the culmination of all of these who stood at the door to Tomorrow and challenged all to enter it, even though no one knew what was in that room. He did not bring in Tomorrow, as he himself testified; instead, he was the final gatekeeper who could turn the knob and let the light of eternity flood in.
John wore the right clothes but people didn't yet fully understand what role he was playing. They were still living in Advent.
Application
In one of his stories O. Henry tells of thieves who are scheming a bank robbery. In order to heighten their chances of success, one will wear a police uniform and patrol outside the building while the heist takes place. His presence will calm any who might otherwise be suspicious.
While the robbers are inside, however, the police-clothed outsider is approached by an elderly lady who wants help in crossing the street, a child crying because she can't find her mommy, and a would-be purse-snatcher. At first the man tries to ignore calls for help, since he is not a real policeman. But then the duties of the role begin to take over, and he assists each in turn. Then, when his comrades emerge from the bank with their loot, he arrests them! After all, "clothes make the man!"
In these dark days of brooding advent, the assigned scriptures encourage us to put on the clothes of Christmas and of Epiphany and of Easter and of Pentecost. We may not feel or see the presence of God in a compromised world, but with saints of old we believe and we live as if God's kingdom had already come -- for in God's promises and in elements of fulfillment, it already has.
An Alternative Application
John 1:6-8, 19-28. Fred Craddock has many times preached a great sermon called "Have You Heard John Preach?" He imagines what it is that drew people to go out to a wild preacher and suggests that perilous times and personal inadequacies or failings drive us to prophetic voices.
This can make a very interesting platform on which to build a message of hope and expectation in this third week of Advent. The materials above will help shape such homiletic developments.
Today's lectionary readings carry a similar "fairy tale" quality about them. Through Isaiah, God speaks to ancient Israel and tells of a new wardrobe that is about to transform exiles, aliens, and slaves into lords and ladies of the kingdom of righteousness. The apostle Paul instructs the newborn church in Thessalonica to wear the outward appearance of what God has already made manifest in the spiritual regeneration of their hearts. And John the Baptist dialogues with those who come to him with mistaken thoughts about his identity, based upon outward perceptions, revealing to them a new lifestyle that their religion can bring when they catch hold of it afresh.
Isaiah 61:1-4, 8-10
Isaiah stands at the head of the collection of Old Testament prophets for good reason. While he is not the earliest among them (Samuel was already considered a prophet three centuries before and many of the first prophets noted in the Bible -- e.g., Nathan, Ahijah -- were evidently not "writing prophets," bequeathing to us no documents to peruse), he is chief over them, giving the prophetic message lyrical power and addressing every theme that others would pursue only in part. Isaiah is the grand master of covenant prophecy.
According to the list of kings that Isaiah identifies, during whose reigns he received and declared messages from Yahweh, this prophet's work spanned about fifty years (740-690 BC). During that time Assyria was the constant superpower threat in his contemporary world. "Israel" (the northern portion of David and Solomon's kingdom) had been split off from "Judah" for nearly 300 years (since 930 BC). Because of the tenacious advance of the Assyrian war machine, Israel was desperately seeking ways in which to form alliances that might hold it back for a time. Syria and Israel became partners throughout most of the eighth century, often as much by the sheer dominance of Syria's military might coercing Israel into defensive pacts as by the choice of the Samaria-based government. Seeking to draw the smaller kingdom into their anti-Assyria alliances either by compliance or force, Syria and Israel made many overtures toward Judah. Throughout a succession of kings, Judah tried to retain its own identity in several ways:
* Uzziah chose to come under the protectorate of Israel and thus allowed Judah to become a vassal province of the Israel-Syria alliance.
* Ahaz made an end run around his northern neighbors and appealed directly to Tiglath-pileser of Assyria for protection against Israel and Syria, hoping that in their destruction Judah would regain some of the old territory as its administrative district.
* Hezekiah first formed a tentative alliance with ambassadors from Babylon as that eastern province of Assyria was beginning to stir in rebellion. Later he joined Egypt in a stop-payment of tribute to Assyria, which roused their ire against him until he was forced into reasserting submissive ties to Nineveh. Later, after a miraculous escape from what seemed an imminent crushing defeat by Assyrian forces, Hezekiah renewed his subversive contacts with Babylon.
Each of these international political policies (and several more beside) were possible choices for tiny Judah. The prophets probed them all, assessing each according to the evaluation of Yahweh, and then asserting what they believed was the only political option true to the theology of the ancient Sinai covenant. Among the possibilities at the time were these:
* Join Egypt, the only nearby strong nation, in opposing Assyria.
* Join the Israel-Syria confederation in opposing Assyria.
* Declare allegiance to Assyria and become a vassal province of that empire in hopes of reaping enlarged borders when the fighting was finished and northern neighbors Israel and Syria were destroyed.
* Ally with Babylon, the restless eastern province of Assyria, in hopes of an overthrow of Assyria that would net independence in their remote mountainous locale.
* Stay neutral from all international alliances, relying solely on Yahweh for protection and deliverance.
Only this final piece of political and religious advice was put forward consistently by Isaiah and the other prophets. This was the single viable path open to those who truly believed that Yahweh was sovereign over all nations, and that Israel's (Judah's) mandate was to continue as a witness to the surrounding nations rather than becoming a subservient vassal to their gods and cultures.
Although the elements of Isaiah's prophecy, in its current literary shape, have been pieced together from a variety of independent oracles, there is a logical flow to the whole of the book:
* 1-12 -- Messages for Judah and Jerusalem:
-- There is crisis in the land because of sin
-- Remember what Yahweh intended for Israel
-- Isaiah's call and commissioning
-- In the context of threatened judgments, a Deliverer will come
* 13-23 -- Prophecies against the nations around
* 24-27 -- Yahweh's impending worldwide judgment that will be put in motion in order to restore Israel
* 28-35 -- A cycle of judgments and woes, especially if an alliance is made with Egypt
* 36-39 -- The historical events during Hezekiah's reign that shaped a revival and renewed confidence in Yahweh
* 40-55 -- Prophecies of future restoration through a "Suffering Servant"
* 56-66 -- This coming restoration expanded into a global creational renewal
Isaiah was overwhelmed by a divine commissioning (v. 6) that took place in the Temple during the year that King Uzziah died. He was guided by the theology of the Sinai covenant (vv. 2-5), which understood that Israel was supposed to have a unique lifestyle among the nations, a set of behaviors that would serve as a missional call for others to join this holy community in a global return to the ways of their Creator. He was confident that Yahweh could resolve all political problems (vv. 7-11), no matter how daunting they might seem. He believed Israel/Judah needed to repent (v. 12) and recover their original identity and purpose as Yahweh's covenant partners and witnesses. He was certain that Yahweh was sovereign over all nations (vv. 13-35), even if Yahweh's primary focus was attached to Israel/Judah. He heard the heartbeat of divine love and compassion, wrestling for the heart and destiny of Israel/Judah as a loved companion and partner (vv. 36-41). He saw Yahweh transforming Israel's/Judah's identity and fortunes through a "Suffering Servant" leader (vv. 42-53). He envisioned a future age in which all the world and every society and even the universe itself would be restored to harmony with its Creator and would resonate with magnificent glory (vv. 56-66).
Among the prophets of ancient Israel, Isaiah was truly a prince and his writings shaped the language of theological reflection among his peers and on into the age of the New Testament church. In this season of Advent, it is Isaiah's prophecies that focus our attention on the promises of God's salvation erupting into a dark and desperate world. The metaphors of today's reading picture not only the people of Judah emerging from bleak exile, but also depict the adopted daughters and sons of God in the name of the Suffering Servant Jesus rising from ashes to honor.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
For three weeks in early 50 AD Paul preached about Jesus in the Jewish synagogue of Thessalonica (Acts 17:19). When Gentiles swelled the crowd of Christ-believers, some Jews became jealous and formed a mob to disrupt civic life. The uproar caused city officials to arrest leading members of the new Christian congregation, and the group sent Paul and Silas out of town that evening under the cover of darkness. With brief stops in Berea (Acts 17:10-15) and Athens (Acts 17:16-34), Paul eventually arrived in Corinth, where he met Aquila and Priscilla for the first time (Acts 18:1-3). This couple would become fast friends with Paul, keeping in touch for the rest of his life.
Although Paul would spend the next year-and-a-half in Corinth, at the outset his heart remained back in Thessalonica. Already when he was traveling through Athens he worried about how the fledgling Thessalonian congregation was faring (1 Thessalonians 2:17-20) and sent Timothy back to find out more and make a report (1 Thessalonians 3:1-5). Paul had already traveled on to Corinth by the time Timothy caught up with him and was elated at the good word brought to him (1 Thessalonians 3:6-10). With emotions running high, Paul dashed off a letter of appreciation and encouragement to his new friends (1 Thessalonians).
The central message of Paul's missionary preaching focused on the resurrection, which was, for Paul, the astounding confirmation of Jesus' divine character. This was the undeniable proof that Jesus was the messiah and that his words and teachings had ushered in the new age of God's final revelation and redemptive activity. Furthermore, the urgency of Paul's missionary endeavors was predicated on his understanding that Jesus had gone back to heaven only briefly and would be returning to earth very soon -- probably next week but possibly even next month. It was the generous grace of God that provided this brief window of opportunity, allowing Jesus' disciples a chance to quickly tell others the good news so that those who believed would also reap the benefits of the looming messianic age. Neither Paul nor God wanted anyone to be destroyed in the judgments that were still ahead.
The response of the Thessalonian church to this insistent focus on Jesus' imminent return apparently echoed back to Paul through Timothy's report in a way he had not expected. Rather than energizing the new believers in Thessalonica with anticipation of divine vindication after the painful struggles they had recently endured, some had instead become deeply discouraged. In the few intervening weeks or months since they had come to faith in Jesus under Paul's passionate preaching, several members of the congregation had died. The grief of those who survived was heightened because they supposed that their lost loved ones had come so close to sharing in the powers and perfections of the new age, only to succumb to death virtually on its threshold. They assumed that the dead were excluded forever from the messianic kingdom.
Paul corrects this mistaken notion with a brief eschatological teaching. Jesus will return soon, to be sure, and those of us who are alive when that happens will enjoy renewed direct interaction with him. But those who have already died will not be left behind. Their bodies will be raised and restored, just as happened with Jesus on resurrection morning. Assurance of this comes from "the Lord's own word," according to Paul. Although none of the gospels records this exact teaching from Jesus, evidently it had become part of the oral tradition already being passed along from one believer to another.
Paul then went on to reaffirm the central imminent-return-of-Jesus proclamation that had precipitated these reflections in the first place (1 Thessalonians 5:1-11). Jesus will come back very soon, most likely in the foreseeable future. Paul fully expected that he himself and most of his readers there in Thessalonica would experience this event firsthand and probably nearer on the calendar than more distant.
The letter closes with a quick litany of moral and ethical exhortations (including today's lectionary reading), urging faithful living regardless of circumstances (1 Thessalonians 5:12-28). It was probably sent in early 50 AD, just as Paul was getting started with his work in Corinth.
Knowing the historical and literary context is imperative for rightly handling today's pericope. It can be treated merely as a list of injunctions and instructions for happy, holy living, or even as a kind of Christian self-help list for purposeful living. But that was not its intent, nor is that the message that ought to be communicated homiletically. It was written to new Christians under persecution, surrounded by the deaths of loved ones, who were beginning to doubt the reality of the good news preached in Paul's short revival some months ago. Paul's instructions emphasize living by authenticated realities (prayer, God's will, the Spirit's indwelling testimony, prophecies, "the good") rather than emotional responses of fear or despondency. Wear the clothes of kingdom hope and walk confidently through the threatening darkness. That is good Advent preaching!
John 1:6-8, 19-28
John's unique lifestyle and habits were bound to attract attention, particularly in the roiling storms brewing in Palestine. After a century of Jewish freedom, during which expectations of the coming of the Messiah were very high, the Romans had been invited to take over direct rule by the descendents of the charismatic Macabbee deliverers. In recent times at least half-a-dozen would-be "saviors" had roused followings and claimed divine backing. Times were rife for God to show his hand once again in power and restore the fortunes of Israel. So when John came shouting out of the desert, looking like every caricature of a prophet, people were ready to get nervous and ask questions.
We aren't always certain why folks around Jerusalem and throughout Judea might try to peg John by some of the names they throw at him: Elijah, "the Prophet," Christ. Why these? There were rumors floating around, of course. "Elijah" was a favorite among the scribes who copied scripture and knew it well. They remembered what was written in the prophecy of Malachi.
Malachi's very name meant "my messenger," so he spoke unabashedly with the voice of God. When Malachi interacted with the crowds of Jerusalem, what emerged was a dialogue in which God accused, the people responded with rhetorical questions, and God preached sermons of indignation against them. One of the questions the people asked of God was why God did not return to this temple they had rebuilt. After all, when Solomon created the temple that used to stand here, God showed up at the dedication service and flooded the place with God's own Shekinah glory presence. It was obvious that God had come to live in the temple.
But this time around God didn't seem interested in moving in. An earlier prophet, Ezekiel, had declared visions in which he saw the glory of God leaving Solomon's temple before the Babylonians finally destroyed it. Ezekiel had also predicted that the temple would be rebuilt and firmly asserted that God's glory presence would re-enter the place. Now the temple was resurrected, however, and still God had not shown up.
Malachi boomed the opinion of God that the people did not really want God in the neighborhood. God would show up when the people were really ready to have God around. As a sign of God's good intentions, intoned Malachi, God would send another messenger to prepare the way. God would raise up Elijah of old, the first of the great prophets, and he would make things ready. Elijah would appear with stern speeches and mighty miracles. The people should get ready, for when Elijah came, God would follow quickly on his heels.
That is why some people thought John was Elijah. This idea took hold especially among the scribes who copied the prophetic writings. John spoke with divine authority. He called for faithful living, just like Elijah had done. Maybe this was the occasion for God to fulfill Malachi's prophecies. If so, John was the new Elijah.
In a sense, it was all Moses' fault. At the end of his life, in Deuteronomy 18, Moses promised and prophesied that one day Yahweh would raise up another prophet like Moses himself and that the people ought to be ready to hear and follow him. If ever there were times that called for a new Moses, these certainly made the top of the list. Of course, anyone who claimed to be anointed to such a task was identified as "messiah" or "christ," which is all that the term "Christ" meant.
However, John was none of these. Or, perhaps better expressed, he was the culmination of all of these who stood at the door to Tomorrow and challenged all to enter it, even though no one knew what was in that room. He did not bring in Tomorrow, as he himself testified; instead, he was the final gatekeeper who could turn the knob and let the light of eternity flood in.
John wore the right clothes but people didn't yet fully understand what role he was playing. They were still living in Advent.
Application
In one of his stories O. Henry tells of thieves who are scheming a bank robbery. In order to heighten their chances of success, one will wear a police uniform and patrol outside the building while the heist takes place. His presence will calm any who might otherwise be suspicious.
While the robbers are inside, however, the police-clothed outsider is approached by an elderly lady who wants help in crossing the street, a child crying because she can't find her mommy, and a would-be purse-snatcher. At first the man tries to ignore calls for help, since he is not a real policeman. But then the duties of the role begin to take over, and he assists each in turn. Then, when his comrades emerge from the bank with their loot, he arrests them! After all, "clothes make the man!"
In these dark days of brooding advent, the assigned scriptures encourage us to put on the clothes of Christmas and of Epiphany and of Easter and of Pentecost. We may not feel or see the presence of God in a compromised world, but with saints of old we believe and we live as if God's kingdom had already come -- for in God's promises and in elements of fulfillment, it already has.
An Alternative Application
John 1:6-8, 19-28. Fred Craddock has many times preached a great sermon called "Have You Heard John Preach?" He imagines what it is that drew people to go out to a wild preacher and suggests that perilous times and personal inadequacies or failings drive us to prophetic voices.
This can make a very interesting platform on which to build a message of hope and expectation in this third week of Advent. The materials above will help shape such homiletic developments.
