- May 3, 2022
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- Divorced
John's message attracted many Jews with the preaching that the kingdom of God had arrived. Most of the Jewish people believed that the Messiah had indeed come, based on prophecy, but that he hadn't made himself known yet. Many believed that John may have been the promised Redeemer of Israel. Jewish people from Jerusalem, Judah, and around the Jordan River flocked to John. His activity had gotten the attention of the Religious Left.
One day, among the crowds, John spotted a group of Pharisees and Sadducees, who were easily recognized by their clothing, demeanor, and refusal to stand next to the common Jewish people. He pointed his finger at them and angrily shouted an insult, "You Brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath of God? Do not presume you are safe because you claim, 'Our father is Abraham.' I tell you, that means nothing as Jehovah is able to raise up physical descendants of Abraham out of these very stones around you! The axe is already lying at the root of the trees (as a woodsman would prepare to cut down a tree, he places his axe at the root of the tree before he swings back and starts chopping.) Every tree that does not produce good fruit (good deeds) is cut down and thrown into the fire."
John turned away from them and spoke to the rest of the crowd, "Therefore bear fruit consistent with repentance. Live your lives in a way that shows you have truly turned away from a sinful life. Many in the crowd asked John, "What should we do?" John answered, "Live a righteous life, as Jehovah commanded in the Torah (Mic 6:8, Pro 21:3, Is 48:17-18) The one who has two cloaks, let him share with the one who has none. If you have food, share with one who is hungry. A group of tax collectors had come to immerse themselves under John and asked him what they should do. "Collect no more than you have been authorized to." There were some of Herod's Jewish soldiers among the crowd. In those days, the average soldier was paid very little and often had to wait months or years before being paid. But they were above the law. Soldiers had free rein to do just about anything they wanted and would beat and rob people of money. They could beat you for any reason. They would falsely accuse people of crimes to have them thrown in prison. They could confiscate personal property. Groups of soldiers were known to enter villages and take whatever they wanted. After asking John how they should change, he said, " Stop committing violent acts against innocent people. Stop falsely accusing people and stop exhorting money from people, be content with what you are paid."
John's words gave the people hope, and many wondered if perhaps John was indeed the Promised One, the son of David. John was aware of this and told the crowd, "Listen to me, yes I immerse with water, but He who comes after me will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire. I am not the Messiah; in fact, I am not even worthy enough to bend down and unloose the strap of His sandal. He is everything, and I am nothing." But know this! His winnowing fork will be in his hand, and He is coming to cleanse the threshing floor. He will gather the wheat (sheep) into his barn and burn up the chaff (goats) with fire.
(Writers note. The next event lacks a specific explanation. We see Yeshua coming to John for immersion and John doesn't want it to go forward, recognizing that if anything, John should be immersed in the name of Yeshua. I have looked at 40 commentaries concerning this event and not one can give an explicit explanation. My two cents is that John recognized that the status of Yeshua, as a rabbi, was much higher than his own, and in that culture, the inferior always defered to the superior. Since they were related, they would have spent time together as families do. They would have attended the three required feasts in Jerusalem together and there would have been other family events when they were together. John would have experienced Yeshua, as a witness to his conduct and speech as they both grew up and recognized that Yeshua was a more perfect Jewish man than any other. John would have known about the time Yeshua was found at the Temple, at age 12, sitting among the "learned" rabbis, asking and answering questions, showing knowledge and insight that astounded the adults, Lk 2:41-49. Lk 2:52 states that Yeshua increased in wisdom and stature (standing, reputation) and found favor in God's eyes and among men. Thus, while John didn't know at first that Yeshua was the "Christ" (Anointed One), he did know that Yeshua did not need any immersion of repentance for the remission of sins., that Yeshua was a true "holy man of Jehovah.")
It happened one day that John was alone at the Jordan River, and Yeshua had left his home in Nazareth to meet with John. Yeshua traveled alone. John found it very curious that a solitary figure was walking towards him, as Jewish people usually traveled in groups. Still, when he recognized Yeshua, he knew what Yeshua was coming for, and he thought to himself, "No, this shouldn't be." John said to Yeshua, "Why are you coming to me for immersion? It is I who needs to be immersed in your name!" Yeshua replied to John, "Let this happen, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all required righteousness. This is the right thing to do so that I obey my Father and be found acceptable in the eyes of the Jewish people since they also went through this immersion. (By this action, Yeshua validated John and the Jewish people being immersed in John's name)
While Yeshua immersed himself, John began to pray. Yeshua rose up from the Jordan River, and John saw a vision of the Heavens open up before his eyes. He saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Yeshua and at the same time heard the voice of Jehovah speak from heaven, saying, "This one, You are my Son, the Beloved. You in whom I delight!"
At this point in time, John now knew that Yeshua was the Messiah! Yeshua, being filled with the Holy Spirit, was led by the Holy Spirit and departed towards the wilderness. Yeshua was 30 years old.
Notice that when John told the people that while he immersed with water, the Messiah would immerse with the Holy Spirit and fire, meaning John's immersion was not the only one, nor the most important, that another immersion was coming, a more important immersion! The next immersion would be through the hands of the Messiah, not just a mere man in the desert.
End of part 11
One day, among the crowds, John spotted a group of Pharisees and Sadducees, who were easily recognized by their clothing, demeanor, and refusal to stand next to the common Jewish people. He pointed his finger at them and angrily shouted an insult, "You Brood of Vipers! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath of God? Do not presume you are safe because you claim, 'Our father is Abraham.' I tell you, that means nothing as Jehovah is able to raise up physical descendants of Abraham out of these very stones around you! The axe is already lying at the root of the trees (as a woodsman would prepare to cut down a tree, he places his axe at the root of the tree before he swings back and starts chopping.) Every tree that does not produce good fruit (good deeds) is cut down and thrown into the fire."
John turned away from them and spoke to the rest of the crowd, "Therefore bear fruit consistent with repentance. Live your lives in a way that shows you have truly turned away from a sinful life. Many in the crowd asked John, "What should we do?" John answered, "Live a righteous life, as Jehovah commanded in the Torah (Mic 6:8, Pro 21:3, Is 48:17-18) The one who has two cloaks, let him share with the one who has none. If you have food, share with one who is hungry. A group of tax collectors had come to immerse themselves under John and asked him what they should do. "Collect no more than you have been authorized to." There were some of Herod's Jewish soldiers among the crowd. In those days, the average soldier was paid very little and often had to wait months or years before being paid. But they were above the law. Soldiers had free rein to do just about anything they wanted and would beat and rob people of money. They could beat you for any reason. They would falsely accuse people of crimes to have them thrown in prison. They could confiscate personal property. Groups of soldiers were known to enter villages and take whatever they wanted. After asking John how they should change, he said, " Stop committing violent acts against innocent people. Stop falsely accusing people and stop exhorting money from people, be content with what you are paid."
John's words gave the people hope, and many wondered if perhaps John was indeed the Promised One, the son of David. John was aware of this and told the crowd, "Listen to me, yes I immerse with water, but He who comes after me will immerse you in the Holy Spirit and fire. I am not the Messiah; in fact, I am not even worthy enough to bend down and unloose the strap of His sandal. He is everything, and I am nothing." But know this! His winnowing fork will be in his hand, and He is coming to cleanse the threshing floor. He will gather the wheat (sheep) into his barn and burn up the chaff (goats) with fire.
(Writers note. The next event lacks a specific explanation. We see Yeshua coming to John for immersion and John doesn't want it to go forward, recognizing that if anything, John should be immersed in the name of Yeshua. I have looked at 40 commentaries concerning this event and not one can give an explicit explanation. My two cents is that John recognized that the status of Yeshua, as a rabbi, was much higher than his own, and in that culture, the inferior always defered to the superior. Since they were related, they would have spent time together as families do. They would have attended the three required feasts in Jerusalem together and there would have been other family events when they were together. John would have experienced Yeshua, as a witness to his conduct and speech as they both grew up and recognized that Yeshua was a more perfect Jewish man than any other. John would have known about the time Yeshua was found at the Temple, at age 12, sitting among the "learned" rabbis, asking and answering questions, showing knowledge and insight that astounded the adults, Lk 2:41-49. Lk 2:52 states that Yeshua increased in wisdom and stature (standing, reputation) and found favor in God's eyes and among men. Thus, while John didn't know at first that Yeshua was the "Christ" (Anointed One), he did know that Yeshua did not need any immersion of repentance for the remission of sins., that Yeshua was a true "holy man of Jehovah.")
It happened one day that John was alone at the Jordan River, and Yeshua had left his home in Nazareth to meet with John. Yeshua traveled alone. John found it very curious that a solitary figure was walking towards him, as Jewish people usually traveled in groups. Still, when he recognized Yeshua, he knew what Yeshua was coming for, and he thought to himself, "No, this shouldn't be." John said to Yeshua, "Why are you coming to me for immersion? It is I who needs to be immersed in your name!" Yeshua replied to John, "Let this happen, for it is fitting for us to fulfill all required righteousness. This is the right thing to do so that I obey my Father and be found acceptable in the eyes of the Jewish people since they also went through this immersion. (By this action, Yeshua validated John and the Jewish people being immersed in John's name)
While Yeshua immersed himself, John began to pray. Yeshua rose up from the Jordan River, and John saw a vision of the Heavens open up before his eyes. He saw the Holy Spirit descend upon Yeshua and at the same time heard the voice of Jehovah speak from heaven, saying, "This one, You are my Son, the Beloved. You in whom I delight!"
At this point in time, John now knew that Yeshua was the Messiah! Yeshua, being filled with the Holy Spirit, was led by the Holy Spirit and departed towards the wilderness. Yeshua was 30 years old.
Notice that when John told the people that while he immersed with water, the Messiah would immerse with the Holy Spirit and fire, meaning John's immersion was not the only one, nor the most important, that another immersion was coming, a more important immersion! The next immersion would be through the hands of the Messiah, not just a mere man in the desert.
End of part 11
