Luke 3:10-18

Three times the question is asked of John "What should we do?" Understood here is that in order to prepare for the coming of the Messiah one must do something. Also, implied here is that it is not enough in John and Luke's opinion for one to be an Israelite. Everyone is being called to repentance. And to demonstrate that one's repentance is authentic there needs a change in behavior. In none of the cases, which Luke presents to his community, does John suggest an ascetical practice like making a temple offering, and/or visiting a shrine. Rather in each case John focuses on the position of the questioner and asks that they live justly. At the same time, in none of the cases does John suggest that they change a structure that is unjust. Luke does not want the Christian community to be viewed as subversive to the Roman authorities.

The presumption of people of the day is that there is sufficient food, clothing, and wealth for the people to live. If one person has abundance, another is suffering because of insufficiency. Everyone understands this basic assumption about the goods of the earth. Therefore the one desiring an abundance or a surplus is in their mind being greedy.

Luke seems to be making a point through the people he describes as having come to John for baptism. They are not the Jewish Religious leaders but the common person, the Jews who worked for Rome by collecting taxes and the soldier who made sure that Roman authority was maintained throughout the land. Luke has included people who most people of his day would have considered outside of the scope Yahweh's holy people. Throughout his gospel Luke will include in the ministry of Jesus those who were not considered true children of Israel. Even before Jesus appears that theme is being signaled by the inclusion of tax collectors and soldier among those who have come out to John for Baptism in preparation for Jesus' coming.

1. How do you understand the abundance of some along side the dire need of others in the world today?
2. If you were to ask John what you should do to make the world a bit more ready for the second coming of Jesus, what do you think he would say?
3. Because John did not tell those who asked in today's Gospel to change the structures, do you think that God does not expect us to make those changes?
4. How was John the Baptist preaching good news for the people of his day? How is good news preached for people today?

(Comments to Paul at frpaul@franoutreach.org.)

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