I appreciate thoughtful, challenging books like Ben F. Meyer’s The Aims of Jesus. This is my second time through the book and I am reading it more slowly and intentionally.

John the Baptist

Meyer reasons that we need to discern the aims of John the Baptist in the quest to discover Jesus’ aims. John was an “eschatological symbol” entering the stage of history in the train of the Old Testament prophets. We will learn John’s aims as we answer the question, “What was the meaning of his baptizing in the wilderness” (117)?

Prophets always get locked into engagement with God’s people with both severe warnings to create urgency and restoration vision to inspire hope. John the Baptist did both as his “goal was to gather the remnant of Israel destined for salvation” (119). Other sects in Jesus’ day also claimed a way to gather the remnant, e.g., the Essenes at Qumran as escapists from society and the Pharisees with their multiple ways of obedience to Torah. Each of these were exclusive groups. John the Baptist was different in that his “remnant” was open to all who would submit to a baptism of repentance.  It also meant that all (sects) had to renounce their ways and submit to John’s baptism. His work was consciously preparatory and provisional. One was coming after him who was “mightier” and would “baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Jesus and John the Baptist

Jesus launched a baptism ministry that was allied with John’s, though some of John’s disciples felt it was in competition with John (John 3:25-26). Some of John’s disciples were urged by John to follow Jesus (John 1:35-38). Initially Jesus, too, was preparing a new people to be the true Israel of the heart, not just on racial grounds (“We have Abraham as our father”). As John, Jesus’ ministry did not recognize the legitimacy of the righteousness of the religious elite. All had to repent. From the start, this sowed a seed of conflict with the entrenched religious leaders. For his message, John was beheaded. Both Jesus and John exhibited asocial behaviors, yet in distinctive ways. John came eating locusts and wild honey, and wearing the prophetic cloak, i.e., severe asceticism. Jesus came eating and drinking and was labeled a glutton. Their behaviors were symbolic rejections of the ingrained status quo as “both violated the sanctity of custom” (124).

Jesus declared that John the Baptist was Elijah who would come and purify the priesthood and be a trigger for “the imminent epiphany of the Messiah.” John prepared a people for the kingdom to come; Jesus inaugurated that very kingdom. By aligning with and affirming John and his mission, Jesus entered into his own preparatory and prophetic mission: to prepare a people for the restoration of Israel.

So What?

Neither John nor Jesus came and talked about “how to go to heaven when you die.” They did not focus on individual decisions. They had a greater vision: to prepare the new Israel for God. They were called to prepare a people, not just get individuals saved. The New Testament continues this strong biblical theme: God is creating a people, a new nation, a new humanity for himself through the mission of the Messiah. Of course, this new people is comprised of individuals, but the vision is first of a corporate reality.

God’s grand Story is first. We must find our place in it. God’s Story is not made for “me.” We are made for and called into God’s Story. It is a community Story, not just a “Jesus and me” story.

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