Next Sunday is the second Sunday in Advent. The Advent season is given over to waiting expectantly for Christ's birth, and the second Sunday usually is given over to reflections on the ministry of John the Baptist who encouraged the people to prepare for the coming of the Messiah through baptism, repentance and change of life.
Last week I heard the comedian Will Farrell commenting on the now iconic sketch from his SNL days involving the cowbell. If you haven't seen it, you can probably check it out on YouTube or the NBC website. Farrell's superb physical comedy skills and Christopher Walken's suberb acting skills join together to make a hilarious sketch.
Yet in the interview, Farrell says that in rehearsals the sketch was not funny at all. It was just strange. Then he put on a shirt that was way too small, and the skit was suddenly transformed. The skit was not just strange anymore; it was so strange that it was funny.
Sometimes a simple, subtle change can make all the difference. This is probably as true in life as it is in comedy.
Matthew takes time to mention, in his description of John's baptizing ministry, that John dressed in camel's hair and wore a leather belt. I find it odd that Matthew would point that out. He never mentions what Jesus wears during his ministry.
What do you think is the significance of John's attire? How does his attire affect his message? What is Matthew telling us about John here?
The book of Matthew was written for the Jews in the author's community of faith. In the author's story of Jesus, he portrays John the Baptist as Elijah, the prophet in the Hebrew Bible. Also the story of the beginning of life for Jesus parallels that of Moses' life in the Hebrew Bible.
ReplyDeleteJohn the Baptist was written to fulfill the prophecy that “Elijah” would come again and meet the “Messiah” John the Baptist's attire was supposedly similar to “Elijah's garment of hair and a leather belt around his waist.” (2 Kings 1: 3-13) In his story, Matthew had John meet Jesus (the Messiah).
Elijah and John the Baptist were both preaching inner transformation. John through baptism. Elijah through repentance. Baptism, repentance, and change of life are each a form of inner transformation.
I can see John's attire as a New Testament burning bush. I believe the Holy Spirit asks us to stop like a modern Moses and take off our sandals to see what transformational opportunity may be in front of us. Sometimes the person in strange clothes simply needs our help in healing, but other times he might be like the Baptiser, preparing the way for a spiritual insight. Sometimes the healing opportunity and the insight occur concurrently.
ReplyDeleteHe sounds a little like Grizzly Adams, in a desert kind of way. If he lived in the harsh environment of the desert, he may have worn that to stay warm at night, but also it would wear pretty well. Maybe Matthew is just setting the scene for a perceived wacko ushering in the most unexpected king of all - a little baby.
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