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Therefore, he was stating to the crowds coming out to be immersed by him, “Progeny of snakes, who uncovered to you to flee from the approaching wrath?” (Luke’s AD 60 research report re Jesus: Chapter 3: 7-14)
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Strong words indeed. But this was the “message of God” to “the crowds” who came to John the Baptist – the “he” in the extract above. The question asked of all of them by John was of mega importance. He asked, “who made it known to you to flee from the approaching wrath?” Who, despite their snake-like mentality and deeds? Who?
They were anxious to be immersed in the river Jordan by John – anxious to give a clear signal of the reality of their concerns about their own sins and sin. The year was AD 29. John was aged 29, as was his cousin Jesus.
“Therefore, produce fruits deserving of that mind-change! And do not state in yourselves ‘We have a father - Abraham’ because I state to you that God is able from these stones to raise up offspring of Abraham. And already, in fact, the axe lies near the root of the trees. Every tree therefore not producing fine fruit is being cut down and is being thrown into fire.”
A few Sundays ago in St Helier, a baby, dressed in white, was baptized in church. As soon as that was over, all forty people supporting the baby and her parents left the church. Job done. But John the Baptist wanted heart reality, not play-acting.
The mindset of his audience was basically to rely on their physical descent from the patriarch Abraham. who was alive around 1800 BC and walked with God. The LORD God had covenanted to bless Abraham and his offspring. To rely on Abrahamic descent was not enough. It never was.
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| In fact, back then in AD 29, “the axe lies near the root of the trees”. And, therefore, “every tree not producing fine fruit is being cut down and is being thrown into the fire.” What do you think? Are such people “not producing fine fruit” still being “cut down” and “thrown into fire”? Calamities befall us all. Death is inescapable. What is really going on?
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And the crowds were questioning him, stating, “What therefore may we do?” In fact, he, responding, was stating to them, “The one having two shirts - share with the one who has none! And the one having food, do likewise!”
This was – and is – the most perceptive statement of what any human being should do in order significantly to reduce the suffering and harm throughout the world. Then. And today. The wrong which is in me is made clear when I decide that I cannot and will not fully carry out these two imperatives. But if I don’t want to do these, I have not had a “mind-change”, let alone a “mind-change immersion”.
In fact, tax collectors also came to be immersed and said to him, “Teacher, what may we do?” In fact, he himself said to them, “Collect nothing more than that instructed to you!”
The taxes authorized by Rome at that time were collected by contractors who paid to Rome the authorized amounts. Using Rome’s authority, many tax-collectors extorted more – for themselves. Tax collectors who had begun to have a “mind-change” asked what they should do. Could they – would they - change and turn away from harming others for self-gain?
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In fact, serving soldiers also were questioning him, stating, “And we, what shall we do?” and he said to them, “You may terrify no-one and you may not wrongly extort. And be content with your wages!”
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Others there at the Jordan river in AD 29 were Roman soldiers. These too had authority – physical and military power. Their newly-arrived “mind-change” led them to ask for advice about their own besetting guilt. John the Baptist pinpointed all abuse of power and force for their self-interested purposes. And John instructed them to stop their self-interested determination to get more money.
Is it our determined self-interest which is the source of all harm and evil in the world? Does that trouble us? Do we want to change, to be changed? John pointed out to them the coming of the LORD. Would that be “wrath”? Or would it be rescue, through the rescuer?
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