Tuesday, April 04, 2006
Inter-Trinitarian Conversation
Matt. 11:9-10 "But why did you go out? To see a prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 10. "This is the one about whom it is written, `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Luke 7:26-27 "But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and one who is more than a prophet. 27. "This is the one about whom it is written, `Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Jesus is the source of authority forcing the issue on this crowd to set them straight on their initial reaction to John’s ministry. He backs off the admonishment and gives them credit that is due by saying, “But why did you go way out of your way to the Jordan wilderness? To see a prophet? Yes, you are commended for this effort but the one who you came out to see is more than just a prophet.” This prophet is the very one about whom it is written by the last Old Testament prophet’s writing in scripture; the prophet Malachi. 400 years of silence are broken in prophetic history as John arrives on the scene. He is the one Malachi 3:1a describes: "Behold, I am going to send My messenger, and he will clear the way before Me.” The richness of this passage must not be overlooked. Malachi’s words are from God the Father who is calling John the Baptist My messenger. God then is speaking to His Son, Jesus, in the words “Your face”. We zoom out to see God saying that He is sending His messenger, John the Baptist before Your face, Jesus. He, John, will prepare Your way before You. Jesus is letting this crowd in on some inter-Trinitarian conversation that has John as the object of that conversation. This passage is direct fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy found in 40:1-5 “Comfort, yes, comfort My people!'' says your God. 2. "Speak comfort to Jerusalem, and cry out to her, that her warfare is ended, that her iniquity is pardoned; for she has received from the Lord's hand double for all her sins.'' 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. 4. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low; the crooked places shall be made straight, and the rough places smooth; 5. the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.''
# posted by Castusfumus : 5:13 PM
