Matthew 11:1-19 & Luke 7:18-35 John the Baptist

In reading about John the Baptist certain questions were posed which I wanted to discuss in my blog today. These questions were first, what did the disciples of John the Baptist ask Jesus? They asked him, “Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?” Here John was looking for validation, trapped in prison he may have felt like his work perhaps was a failure. He also may have wanted to test the faith of those he taught. After reading through this, I thought about what 3 things I might have told to John when I saw him. I would have told him that Jesus was indeed the Savior. I would have told him that the things he showed us were the proofs from the scriptures as prophesied by hold prophets. And, I would have given my own testimony to John, seeing his suffering and worry in prison and wanting John to feel like his work was not wasted.

After reading the institute manual on John's motives for sending the disciples, I almost want to change my prior comments. Still, I think it must have been hard for John to decrease in prison, knowing his Master was out teaching others. John wanted his disciples to be converted to Jesus and not linger with him, knowing that he himself was not the redeemer, but simply a precursor.

In reading more about John the Baptist, it seems more and more that there was powerful testimony concerning John. Of John, the Savior said that none born of women was greater than John. Joseph Smith stated a few main points that establish John's greatness. First, no one has ever had the honor of a mission to prepare men for the coming of Jesus, than John. Second, no one was given the honor of baptizing the Savior. The last point I find very interesting: that John was the only legal administrator to the keys of the kingdom at that time, and so wrested the glory and honor from the Jews. They had only John to receive the saving ordinances, and so he alone held the right until his death. This constitutes an amazing set of events that one man fulfilled. Thinking about it that way, who could ever compare to the mission given to John?

In John 3:30 a simple statement is made here that is both profound and said: “He must increase, but I must decrease.” John understood that once his threefold mission was accomplished, his time on earth would dwindle. That, like Joseph Smith who came after him, John would one day know that his primary mission was complete, and his license on life would expire, and the world would likely come after him then with a vengeance. Both John and Joseph died in a prison, and both were slain for the jealousy of men, and out of fear. After thinking about this and considering myself, I can say I too could see life the way John did; living for the Savior, accepting that we each have a mission and may not be able to do more than accomplish it after giving what we had.

John 2. Water to Wine and Cleansing the Temple

Today, this post is centered on the miracle of the water into wine, and on the actions of Jesus cleansing the temple.  One of the key questions in John 2:4 is how we can understand why God calls His mother woman. In researching this question in the institute manual it first reminded me of when a woman came to Jesus and he used the term dog in describing the woman's state. Not offended, she responded that a dog may yet lick up the crumbs that fall from the master's plate, and she was blessed for her fortitude and honesty. What strikes me is the strong usage of words: never were these words, speaking to earnest individuals, used to deride or make mock of them, but were simply descriptive phrases that by contrary, were meant to be easily understood. In the institute manual, it points to a supreme honor, not woman, but Woman, or the supreme woman who is the mother of that man. It is seen as the title of supreme value and importance.
       The miracle of the water into wine itself is the first of the miracles Jesus did, and what makes it special is something I had not understood for a long time. In the verse 4 of John 2 it reads: "Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come." I never properly understood this phrase before. Now I understand it better. It is a gentle acknowledgement of help, a simple statement that a son who is truly humble might make, saying, what can I do to help you? The mother then orders the servants to do as instructed, and Jesus gives a simple task: to fill water pots with water and take them to the guests. At what point it became wine, we never know. But its quality was exquisite. How might those servants felt, tasting wine from ordinary water, possibly changed before their eyes, tasting most exquisite and delectable? Its an amazing moment to those present, humbling for the servants, and impressive to the guests. Its simplicity is especially apparent here: no words of obvious great import were spoken, just the direct command and they became wine. Simple, drawing one's mind to awesome nature of the universe we must work so hard in to make sub-par food, when God makes it perfect, seemingly without effort. Another important point is that it was filled from waterpots used in ritual purification. The symbolism is the sacred nature of the vessels: no mere pot was used, but the tools of purifying through water were the medium, citing one's need to be pure and holy and clean.
    The last event that I wanted to discuss was the cleansing of the temple. Its fairly short, and so tends to be passed up. But look at what Jesus did! He created a scourge of cords. Now this part is confusing, because it says he used it to drive them out, followed by their animals. Most people from reading this online state its a mistranslation. Rather, he drove the sheep and cattle out and then overturned the money table, ordering them to leave His sacred house. Reading through this, I personally agree with the alternate interpretation, that he did not intentionally hurt anyone, he just needed a way to get the animals out and then the men were sufficiently cowed, knowing their culpability, to leave on their own afterwards. I think even here, Jesus was not trying to be cruel, but it was a sacred place that needed to be made clean. Note his tenderness towards the doves, asking the men to take them out rather than driving them out. I think this scene was very real.