In Christian biblical studies, “the theology of history” refers to the understanding of history as shaped by God’s purpose and action. Unlike secular views of history, which may see events as random or solely influenced by human actions and natural processes, the theology of history views events within the context of God’s overarching plan, especially as it is revealed in Scripture. This perspective assumes that history unfolds according to God’s will and that each event has theological significance as part of a divine narrative. The key aspects of the theology of history in Christian thought are: Continue reading →

15 Now the people were filled with expectation, and all were asking in their hearts whether John might be the Messiah.16 John answered them all, saying, “I am baptizing you with water, but one mightier than I is coming. I am not worthy to loosen the thongs of his sandals. (Luke 3:15–16a) After inquiring how they might prepare themselves for coming judgment, now, they ask whether John is the Messiah. Green [180] notes: “Recognizing in John’s mission the first hints of eschatological consolation (Isaiah 40; cf. Luke 3:4–6), they wonder if he is God’s agent of salvation. For them, the meaning of “Messiah” is manifestly fluid at this point; hope is present but ill defined. They do not know if John and the anticipated messianic figure fit the same profile, and this allows John to begin the process of outlining what to expect of the Messiah. At the same time, he is able to identify his own relationship to the coming one. According to the narrator, John’s answer is to all the people; everyone receives the invitation to accept his baptism and receive the baptism ‘with the Holy Spirit and fire.’” Continue reading →

7 He said to the crowds who came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce good fruits as evidence of your repentance; and do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 9 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” (Luke 3:7–9) Continue reading →

“…the crowds who came out to be baptized by him.” (Luke 3:7)

At this point in the narrative there are no baptismal actions, but there is an emphasis on the interpretation of the ritual action itself. As Joel Green [173] notes: “ baptism is seen as an initiatory rite of passage as people (1) come away from their normal lives to participate in John’s ministry through baptism, (2) undergo a repentance-baptism signifying their (re)new(ed) allegiance to God’s purpose, and (3) return to their normal lives having accepted the challenge to reflect in their lives ways of living appropriate to true children of Abraham. John’s proclamation ensures that his baptism is understood as an assault on the status quo, that to participate in his baptism is to embrace behaviors rooted in a radical realignment with God’s purpose.” Continue reading →

The gospel for the 3rd Sunday of Advent in Year C continues the Advent theme of John the Baptist as the herald of the promised good news. In last Sunday’s gospel (Luke 3:1-6), Luke has already connected the ministry and actions of John to the proclamation of the “good news” by the prophet Isaiah:

“ 4 as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one crying out in the desert: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 5 Every valley shall be filled and every mountain and hill shall be made low. The winding roads shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth,   6 and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.’” (Luke 3:4-6)

Our reading finds John in the wilderness, baptizing people as he proclaims that his was a “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3). All of this was part of last week’s gospel for the 2nd Sunday of Advent. Yet, there are several verses that fall between the Advent gospels. Continue reading →