“I am not the Christ” is a phrase we read from the gospel of John, where John the Baptist explains who he is to those seeking to understand his identity. Interestingly, the Jews thought John was the Christ. At a point, while they interrogated him, they wondered why John was baptizing: “Why then do you baptize if you are not the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet” (John 1:25)?
While there isn’t a formal theological discussion on baptism before John the Baptist, it seems the Jewish audience at the time understood the importance of what John was doing. At least they saw in John a unique figure whose voice was irresistible, so much so that everyone sought to participate in his offering. They also thought John the Baptist was the Messiah/Christ. John’s correct identification of who he was revealed several essential messages.
Essential Messages
First, John refused to assume who he was not. He was not the Christ. He was not the Word. He was the voice. By refusing to bow to the pressure of the masses and enticement of palatably false identity, John defeated the temptation of ascribing God’s glory to himself.
In the book of the prophet Isaiah, we read, “I am the Lord. That is my name. My glory I yield to no one” (Isaiah 42:8). In the New Testament book of the Acts of the Apostles, we read that an Angel of God killed King Herod because he attempted to usurp the glory of God (Acts 12:23). We often face similar temptation of imitating who we are not due to pressure of the time.
In God’s sight, the identity God gave us is perfect. He made us this way. Everything we need to accomplish our purpose on earth is already deposited in us. The idea of imitation is a sign that we are not aware of our mission. Thus, we look elsewhere to assume an identity we think will make us complete and happy.
Secondly, when John refused to substitute his identity for something else, he made room for the gospel of Christ. Let’s walk in the shoes of John the Baptist for a moment: Yes, I do baptize, says John. However, my type of baptism pales in comparison with that of Christ. Mine is to prepare you for His. While I baptize with water, inviting everyone to repentance, Christ will baptize with the Holy Spirit and Fire, initiating the repentant into the eternal life of God.
To Prepare
In a sense, John’s entire life and purpose was to prepare for Christ’s coming and to introduce Him to the people. As John addressed these identity questions, Jesus was in the society among the people, but people did not know Him to be any different. John says, “Among you stands one whom you do not know” (John 1:26). John’s distinctive lifestyle and preaching were already selling points that drew people to him. Everyone who heard John was willing to do whatever he asked. However, John re-directed all that attention to the Messiah, the Christ.
This gospel scene succinctly captures humanity’s purpose: mirroring Christ. We can have problem-solving skills, be architects of civilizations, mark unchartered territories, inventors of the latest technologies, providers of the latest breakthroughs in medicine, and world peace brokers, but we are not Christ. We are servants and friends of Christ. We are tools in the hands of the Creator.
May the grace of Christ remain more available to us in this New Year and always, Amen!
