ref.JTHEB2

ref.JTHEB2


MINISTRY AND BAPTISM


(a) John and Jesus are both traditionally seen as singular figures. In John’s case we know very little about his current followers, including those closer to him that may be designated as disciples. John, in turn, introduces Jesus, who also appears as singular, or a figure with an unknown past. For the conventional Christian version this gives us Jesus in an unencumbered fashion. The facts, or at least what we can reason to, give us a quite different picture.

When we consider John’s background he is raised within a religious family, and both his mother and father, Elisabeth and Zacharias, were of full priestly descent, being of the family of Aaron. With John’s later upbringing as a Nazarite, as well as his father’s priestly background, counting the influence of his mother as well, we see John within a full and well educated environment. That suffices for home, but what occurs when the young man later leaves home so that he may see the world?

At some point we could assume a person would end at a place or environment most familiar, most available. This does not mean John may not have visited many places. Jerusalem is not far away, and would have already been part of pilgrimage. He may have undertaken studies we know nothing about. We do know one thing, however, his apocalyptic views, the clash of either/ or, battle of good and evil (“not produce fruit cut down and thrown into the fire”), all point to what would have to be perceived as far more Essene than could be ascribed to Pharisee.

The apocalyptic view was gaining some increased favor mainly because of the Roman occupation, which was considered intolerable. The clash between good, the godly (the Jews) and evil, the ungodly (the Romans) would have been seen as a fairly clear cut issue. Everyone could agree on that. The spiritual reflection of this would be demonstrated within the repentance and purity movement which the Essene preached. The Pharisee would see the ever more fervent carrying out of the law as the spiritual solution. We see both John and Jesus preaching similar themes and both reflect Essene elements, although in Jesus’ case we see him elevating the message into a greater enlightenment teaching.

This brings out the serious difference between Pharisaical law which is outward displayed (sometimes by ritual), and repentance which is inward motivated, brought forth from within the man or woman. It becomes the unseen God rectifying, not man’s visible laws that rectify. The Essene would see the Pharisaical outlook as the evil, or at least that which is of the lesser substance, and thus a form of bondage upon the people. Truthfully, it was considered more so the wrong interpretation, the wrong format if you will, and this leads to the wrong people being in charge and the wrong religion being taught. Once down this slippery slope how now to get back? This was settled by the Essene within retreat communities, and there were many others in the north, Israel, that had the same sentiments. Even in the south, Judah, there seem to have been some numbers of Essene.


(b) The Nazarite tradition was more popular in recent decades because of the Roman occupation. People were looking for ways to absolve themselves of sin, or if they could be pure enough or clean enough before God then perhaps God would look favorably upon the Jewish nation. No one would want to shoulder that responsibility in a direct way, of course, but they could pray for and demonstrate in their own lives this sincerity. The person who then would be worthy enough would have to be a prophet, such as John was considered, or the more literal messiah, a new King of the Jews, one who would take a literal throne, much like David, and secure the peace within the land.

So, we have one of the main themes of the Essene sect as repentance. It is not just a repentance from being a “bad person”, even though that might be included. It is more that when you repent you then enter into a state of being absolved, even if this is seen symbolically, and this initiates and allows for a fresh start in life. For this reason the ritual Pharisaical law is now diminished, or even not needed. In other words, performance within the law is not the issue when we consider baptism. Redemptive action through repentance, initiated by a proper authority (John was considered a prophet by many) leads us to this renewal within, and that is now the issue. That issue necessitates a change of the heart, not just a change in ritual law performance, or that more ritual performance is needed.

(c) When you go one step further as John did, and clearly establish the most obvious ritual of baptism with water, or through emersion, it takes on a preeminent quality. For the meaning behind it is no longer within the normal celebration cycle. It is at hand, it is immediate as you would commit, as if to say that God is at hand. There is no waiting to practice the law ever better. Accompanied with this baptism was the strong preachment of John. His preachment was a signal for change, to leave old ways and old thinking behind, get ready for the Anointed One, get ready for new revelation, repent now. John was essentially asking them to recommit into something new, and that this is a new understanding that must now be brought forth.

When baptizing with water it symbolizes the washing away, the cleansing of sin, past deeds, for all of this is a part of purity, or the ultimate cleansing. In the same breath of saying so it also means that the law is not the ultimate power, and that this cleansing is the greater power. It means even that the power of the law is also washed away, or in the eyes of the people would be certainly “diluted with the baptism”. They would see their baptism as the seminal event, not how they go about obeying the law everyday. It also might be considered a specific experience their own spirit might continue to witness to, and in that portion would lay the spiritual intent. And again, we have John speaking, ”rabble rousing”, drawing ever more people into the repentance message that is clear the Pharisaical message and ministry cannot provide. In other words, there is no real godliness under the law as we see outward pictured, there can only be the saving of the Jewish nation if repentance goes before the law.

Obeying law is outward demonstrated. Although we can see the baptism taking place, the accepting of baptism for the person is an inward experience, the result not readily seen. This conveys the power of the invisible over the visible. It takes the committed heart of a man, even though the full commitment of each man may not be known, and promotes this above any visible law, any manmade law. This is a most fundamental clash, and perhaps draws the line most clearly between Essene theology and Pharisaical. To a great extent we see the baptismal as turning the man from the inside out. That which was hidden (sin) will now be turned from within outward and cleansed in the process. It means the dark, the unknown, the hidden, shall now be revealed. The revealing is brought into the light of God’s day, what might be termed His light-filled consciousness.

For the Pharisee this causes many difficulties. How will we know which men may be transgressing if there is not the outward display of law and ritual? How will we know who has brought evil into our midst unless we see all obeying law by our own sight? How will we know what order is truly appearing within the society unless we have this obedience to law? These are more than frightening revelations that threaten obvious or outward Pharisaical control. A greater fear now arises, that is the fear of the unseen, the mystical. Ritual can we see, baptism if taken to the full extent is miracle within. We may see the results of baptism showing as a more dedicated life, but the process is unseen. The obedience to law is the opposite-- we may not know the heart of the man, but we can ajudge him by how he obeys our laws.

We have left the comfortable world we can see and control, we have now entered a world where rules may not be clearly understood, at least not by the Pharisee. We later see an incredible jealousy of Pharisee toward Jesus because Jesus proclaimed he could, and then did, reveal these many unrevealed truths. The fullness of God as love is an example, instead of the role of overbearing master that seems the Pharisaical slant. Also, the Essene give no trace toward the wealthy Sadduccean. The Essene is instead a grass roots ministry, pretty much all people with no obvious priests running anything, and wealth does not seem an issue. Spiritual wealth, in fact, is dispersed. The baptism is freely given, not held onto. The law is not freely given, but must be adhered to. In short, the Essene mentality is the exact opposite of the order of the day.

It is clear to John that the Jews must do something they are not doing now. Since we already have the obeying of the various laws, then that must mean something else must also be done. Once done, where does that put Pharisaical law? Where does that put the lawyers, where does that put the scribes? They can only remain as a stumbling block to the higher understanding both John the Baptist and Jesus bring forward. This must have been fairly close to how the Pharisee and Sadducee viewed the situation. Once the law is put into the secondary position wherein is the need for the Pharisees themselves? Without Pharisees how long would the Sadducee be able to withstand this righteous onslaught now boiling over?

In the history of this we see the Essene as the only group establishing repentance, thence giving shorter shrift to Pharisaical law and obedience. So, we could say that John’s message was tailor made within an Essene context, and further than that we depend on John’s individual revelation or enlightenment to give us the rest.


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