The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1922-06-29
"THE TEMPTATION OF JOHN, THE
BAPTISIv'

'Ss '"
study of the mind of John at this time.
At first thought it may seem a little
strange to speak of the temptation of
the baptist, for II Is not often spoken
of and often dwelt upon. But he was
as truly tempted as Jesus IL not so
significantly tempted. However the
temptation was SO wrapped up i'm and
with the life and mission OF Christ
that II seems not right to give 1t an
insignificant place.
There is no incongruity I'm the tenn
ptation of Jesus coming, first, for II
was only the tempted Jesus and the
Jesus victorious over temptation, to
whom the words Behold the Lamb OF
Cod could apply as coming from
John. For those words were Of the
John victorious over temptation. The
supreme temptation Of the Baptist
came to him on the very day when
Jesus came from his conquest over
Satan, and thus the spirit of each was
an exultant and doubtless each
recognized conquest In the other.
But l have not yet told you what
Johns temptation was. Jno. /, 1928.
To understand them IL is necessary
that we know what Johns mission was
and as he conceived of II.
He was prominently the and only
the fo%rerunner of Christ. This comes
out In his own words 81 am the voice"
and Zone cometh after me-" He was
the n WHO proclaimed the advent OF
Messiah to be at hand. He came be-
fore but ont to remain before; for he
said of Christ that He was greater
than himself "for He was before me-"
He was then conscious of his mission
he had 1t definitely before him. The
obligation to fulfill 1t must have rest
ed upon him heavily If he were hon.
est; for his continued cry was RE
pent We" In fact his earnestness and
humility stood out markedly. He said
to Christ at his baptism II have need
to be baptised of thee and contest
thou to me?"
But he was eminently successful in
his work of calling people to repen-
lance and thus prepare themselves for
the kingdom that he declared was al
hand. The crowds f1ocked to him from
Galilee and Judea to hear what he
would say. Already he was the CEN
ter of the religious interest Of Pal
istine. For before he baptised Jesus
he baptised all Galilee. He was the
most prominent figure OF the times
even so far as the holy city, Jeru-
salem. But the people, out of the ex-
p~ectancy that was in their heart, took
himself to be FALL were unused In thei
hearts whether he be the Christ or
not" And in the minds of many there
was the deep convicti,d that he was
the Christ. Indeed 1t was commonly
reported that he a OF course h
was largely due to the expectancy III
the minds of the people OF the Mes
siah's appearance. The circumstan-
ces were such that he could most cas-
lily have made claim to Messiahship.
And SO when the d%eputatiOn came
down from Jerusalem to ask him IL
he were the Christ 1t was a great
temptation. For we must remember
that John was a mere man. Many
had fallen under the same temptation
4. @. to be demogogues and deceive
the people, or let themselves believe
they were indeed the Christi. The adj
miration and following of a whole
nation was enough to turn the head
OF II mdU-cspcCidi VI moh VIM
had not before been In the public eye.
He had been and was still an ascetic
OF the observation-disclosures to the
attentions of men. But the last Of the
prophets stood firm In the roll he was
to play. He did not finch his duty
a particle. The Apostle John makes
the Baptist's reply full and decisive.
"And he confessed. and denied not.
and confessed. / am not the Christ"
The man who could so reply under
those circumstances was indeed, as
, Christ himself said, as great as any
"borr OF woman" This was the first
temptation and of course In Its ma
ture was the greatest. But 1t is doubt
full II II was the greatest to John. As
to Christ so there were three tempt
atoms which came to his forerunner.
And they came In tile same order
Christ's first wal to declare himself
God by turning stones into bread