DEAR JOHN

A V A T A R I N T e r n a t i o n a l. o r g A V A T A R I N T e r n a t i o n a l. o r g





CLASHES IN CONSCIOUSNESS




DEAR JOHN



When a person lacks a strong personal life there is often made room for one of two results: either they fill their life with the world and worldly things and ideas, or they will make room for the spirit of God. Some can maintain both in balance, but sooner or later a choosing is usually made. With John the Baptist, who did not have brothers or sisters and whose father was elderly, it is clear he chose the spiritual. John’s maturing life was alternately spent in the deserts near the Jordan, and probably in the areas near Jericho, and from all appearances he had relationship with the Essenes. His study would have been rigorous, dedicated, and it would not be hard to see how a firebrand of indignation would be launched from this soul(1).


The word ascetic infers a self-imposed discipline from the world and the comforts of the world. From not having the mind absorbed with the world we come to confronting self, and from self to self-mastery. The whole nature of this endeavor lends itself to godly enlightenment, an enlightenment which John later preached as it had been revealed to him. Nor can there be doubt that the austere Essene communities swayed in this direction. In fact, without much of a stretch we could say the Essene retreats were organized for that purpose. If the emphasis is repentance, so done within a retreat community, which it surely was, where would this lead but to study and discipline (discipleship) within a spiritually ennobling program (2)?

The Essenes were a separatist group, and many Jews would have viewed them as radical. Some of their communities were a withdrawal from society and what they saw as general sinfulness within the world. [Jesus later presented a higher understanding by stating to ‘be in the world, but not of it’.] Some Essenes were married and some were celibate, although specific retreats, as with Qumran, practiced celibacy. The retreats themselves were male predominant and small in numbers, but other communities would be of some account as Jewish sects would be numbered. Throughout the land they had as many as four thousand active followers, according to Josephus. When we consider the Pharisaical sect would counter with approximately six thousand active members and priests, even though this number would not include general adherents of which there were many, nonetheless, we see that the Essenes were growing in number and influence, and now they had a voice-- this man from the wilderness, this John the Baptist (a).

John preached five main themes. The first was the recurring theme of the Essene, which was repentance, or to turn from evil ways. They viewed, as did John, the coming Jewish deliverer tied to repentance by Israel, Israel’s priestly hierarchy as well as the people. Further, we have this retreat from the world, or at least having as little to do with the world as possible. Within this retreat we come to purity through isolation and repentance, combined with a mainstay of Jewish thought which is emphasis on prayer. This Essene signature would certainly give Israel and the Jewish people spiritual freedom from the Romans, they believed. Further, that the faithfulness and repentance John called for must be maintained for the deliverer to arrive. John the Baptist preached stridently and with urgency that this time was now upon the Jewish people. This call to spiritual arms, this harsh clanging bell, would keynote John’s ministry (b).

The second great theme of John was the confessing of sins and the ritual cleansing by baptizing. It appears that most of John’s followers were Essenes, but others were converting also. Jews from Jerusalem and Jericho walked to hear John and many accepted his water baptismal. Along with the baptismal it could be reasonably granted that if anything about John was true then we might expect a powerful spiritual presence and light. If later Jesus was anointed with the light of God, then is John left with no substance relative to his own ministry? This would seem unlikely, as the preparation steps God has moved through seem whole and complete, full with intent and purpose, structured for presentation. God has a presenter, a speaker, a voice that fills the air with spiritual revolution (c).
What follows is a strong confluence of consciousness best exemplified by the baptismal itself. The baptismal is a powerful element, for it is intended as a true anointing. Those who came forth and recommitted their life to God, then demonstrating this for all to see, what amounted to a conversion in faith and into a purity within daily life, would have understood the power of the anointing spirit. Further, if there was no real anointing which brought substance to the soul, then why were the people there? Of what was the appeal of his message? Why would John’s ministry be expanding so much so that the Sanhedrin was watching?
Why would they bother if John remained a voice in the wilderness, and was only speaking quietly and to the few? Spiritually one could equate this with remaining in the wilderness of the mind, or of a hypnosis with the world and worldliness. John, however, not only came out of the wilderness, but came out of the wilderness of his (earthly) mind, and presented the first establishment of preparation for this new revelation teaching.
His job was to prepare the way. While others waited, John acted. While others might stand by, John picked up a rock and threw it in your face. While the many watched and hoped for a sign, John baptized and spoke for the messiah’s coming so a free Israel could be established. He not only presented repentance, but it was a repentance that would lead to revelation mind, a new spiritual freedom and shared enlightenment with God. Although all of this might not have been seen by John, some of it surely was. He tells us the process, to produce fruit, and that the axe will be taken to the roots of evil.
In a broader social context one could ask who would be left out of this deliverer’s Israel, anyway? The Pharisees and the Sadducees to name two. John the Baptist condemned them both and Jesus did the same. This was not a light dance of disagreement with the powers that be. This man was saying the Sanhedrin would be swept away if they did not repent, that Herod and his sinful kingdom would fall. To be replaced with what? It seemed likely this new creation would be willing to get by without the current order of affairs and the powers that currently reigned, including the Romans if possible. These would be chilling insights for the hierarchy.

A third theme would echo throughout John’s ministry, this was to “produce fruit in keeping with repentance”, Matt: 3: 8 NIV. In other words, if you truly want to wake up to God then you have to do something, follow what you are shown. First, John says to verbally or prayerfully confess, second to purify (the soul) and be baptized into the new, and third, to redeem by producing good fruit. True repentance begins with the redemptive process of expressing the opposite of that negative nature. In more modern phrasing we would say to demonstrate this new good so that you or others may benefit or see.
Even from the beginning power and soul development through doing is marked as essential to the spiritual walk. Prayerful or supplicating repentance will not be enough. Throughout John’s and Jesus’ ministries the willingness to demonstrate is far more emphasized than most people are aware. A portion comes to us as loving your neighbor as your own family (repentance of anger, redemption by love). This brings us to a much greater extended family, or brotherhood, and demonstrates love in the more universal sense. Jesus speaks of a lantern shedding its light within the room, the city on the hill, to demonstrate spirit illuminating the mind. Later Jesus reveals that the keys to spiritual knowledge are found within ourselves, and are set free by change within, and then demonstrated without-- the very repentance and redemption we discuss here.

Fourth, “The axe is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.” Matt: 3: 10 NIV. This is John’s call to action, a call to participation that he has outlined. It is true that others before John have preached such messages, but John is not mindful of that. He is saying that it does not matter how many times the Old Testament has told us these things, and more than one prophet besides. He is saying that it is important to do it now, that this is one of those times where we need spirit alive and active to accomplish this task, to symbolically burn that which is not useful within ourselves. That can’t happen unless you participate, he tells them. Today we recognize that even the personal ministry of a person’s own life can begin in no other way. Doing and participation count. That which does not bear fruit in that life (or the life of a nation) needs be cast into a consuming fire.

A fifth emphasis is the urgency to wake up now, and that there is “one coming who is greater than I”. Some intent, some preparedness always goes before change. So, we have by the Jordan a powerful and anointed prophet. He is attracting a good deal of attention. It is clear that many people are hungry for this message. It is clear there are more and more of them, and that the essential Essene message is already spreading. There is a flavor of rushing change presenting itself even in the midst of God’s anointing power. There is everyday talk about a messiah, but John says it is not him. The Sanhedrin has sent Nicodemus to inquire, perhaps to spy, and then return with his verdict. This fomentation, this spiritual light that seems to abound, people changed in their lives, making new commitments and being willingly baptized-- it would have been to the Sanhedrin that the locusts had emerged from the desert soil.
John was beginning to wield a powerful and influential ministry. This is a religious/social movement stumbling out of itself and spilling over the countryside, brawny, raw, loud and in your face. It is unremitting, forceful, pushy, willing to point fingers and dare you to strike them. If you try to contain it then it will smash itself out of the box; if you try to grab it then it will turn and bite you; if you think to limit it then you have yet to deal with Jesus. People have trouble grasping the power and threat of John’s message. Why was there a way finally found to murder John? His ministry was reaching many thousands, and for Herod made the intent and need to silence John absolute.
Nonetheless, soon Jesus would be arriving, and with him would come the announcement that the spirit of God is alive in you; God’s kingdom is within and is here now; walk and I will show you The Way.


copyright, Avatar International, 2006



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