Narrative Lectionary Program Year – John Baptizes
Luke 3:1-22
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Furthering the Power of God’s Story – Narrative Lectionary Commentary
by Rev. Dr. Clint Schnekloth
Forgiveness of sin and the repentance related to it is framed here as a kind of preparation. There’s something even bigger coming than any one person’s personal repentance. Although we might fasten on either to guilt over our sin, or the peculiar shape repentance ought to take, in another way it matters very little in light of what is coming.
Perhaps one of the biggest blocks to repentance is the ways our resistance makes it larger than it seems. So for example Herod is so resistant to John’s rebuke at his marriage that he imprisons John. Honestly, anyone who has had to rebuke someone in power knows this to be true: the thing most threatening to many of those in power is a call to actual repentance.
But what’s remarkable about John the Baptist’s practice of repentance is its focus not on the repentance itself, but on what such repentance is preparation for. Repentance is just a small part each of us takes when we hear the announcement of the prophet, and it is that to which the prophet points that is more important.
Prepare the way of the Lord!
How should we prepare? Give your coats away!
The Lord is on the way!
How should we prepare? Don’t extort money!
These are very specific assignments, each made to people of different vocations when they ask what they should do. But the actions aren’t the main point. The main point is preparation for the arrival of the one who is coming.
It’s kind of like house guests. You clean the bathroom when guests are coming over, but don’t make the mistake of thinking the main point is scrubbing the toilet.
The main point is better: We have guests!
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Other Resources
Exegetical Links
Comparative Texts about Water and Baptism
How Purpose Reveals Itself by Melissa Bane Siever
This is my Son, the Beloved: Sermon on the Baptism of Jesus, by Martin Luther
The Outset, by John Stendahl
Worship As Repentance by Clint Schnekloth
Great Quotes
“We know but a few men, a great many coats and breaches. ”
Video Resources
Interstellar Black Hole Scene
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Free Dramatic Reading For This Text (NRSV)
Readers: Narrator, Isaiah, John, Crowds, Tax Collectors, Soldiers, Voice
Narrator: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins, as it is written in the book of the words of the prophet Isaiah,
Isaiah: The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God.”
Narrator: John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him,
John: You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our ancestor”; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
Narrator: And the crowds asked him,
Crowds: What then should we do?
Narrator: In reply he said to them,
John: Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.
Narrator: Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him,
Tax Collectors: Teacher, what should we do?
Narrator: He said to them,
John: Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.
Narrator: Soldiers also asked him,
Soldiers: And we, what should we do?
Narrator: He said to them,
John: Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.
Narrator: As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying,
John: I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.
Narrator: So, with many other exhortations, he proclaimed the good news to the people. But Herod the ruler, who had been rebuked by him because of Herodias, his brother’s wife, and because of all the evil things that Herod had done, added to them all by shutting up John in prison. Now when all the people were baptized, and when Jesus also had been baptized and was praying, the heaven was opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon him in bodily form like a dove. And a voice came from heaven,
Voice: You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased.