John’s Gospel is very much concerned with the question, "Who?" This Gospel, which probes most intently "Who is Jesus?", depicts John the Baptist professing adamantly, "I am he who is not!" (vv 19-23, 27). Thus, the negation of John as a personality of importance throws the importance of Jesus into sharp relief. John’s purpose is to point to Jesus, not to be a figure having his own meaning.

The institution of prophecy had been dead for several centuries in Judaism at this time, yet the hope was alive that it would be revived as a preparation for the Messiah (see Ez 7:26; Lam 2:9; and then Dt 18:15-18 and Is 2:1-3). Yet John, although he truly fulfilled this function, denied that he had any importance. A tradition, based on Mal 3:23, that Elijah would return to herald the Messiah, was current. John also denied any relevance of this to himself, even though Jesus expressly affirmed that John was the fulfillment of that expectation (see Mt 11:14; 17:10-13; also Lk 1:17). It is typical of the Gospel of John to lead from an incident and a dialogue into a deeper understanding of the meaning of Jesus. The identity and personality of Jesus, not John, is at issue here.

Note that John’s Gospel here opposes the baptism of water with the baptism of the Spirit (as do the synoptic Gospels: Mk 1:8; Mt 3:11; Lk 3:16), but elsewhere he united water and the Spirit as one (see Jn 3:5).

In chapter 61, the prophet contemplates his mission (vv 1-3), the effect of his message (vv 4-9), and the joy of all people in the fulfillment of God’s word (vv 10-11). The description of the prophet’s role in the opening verses — to proclaim God’s word, which has power to heal and set free in the Spirit — Jesus appropriates to himself in Lk 4:14-21. The word "prophet" means one who speaks for another. The work of the prophet is to make God’s word a living reality among his people. This Jesus did in perfect fullness (see Jn 1:14).

The enveloping and adorning garments of v 10 speak of a joy which is based on the inner reality of salvation — clothes may not "make the man," but they are always chosen to express what one is.

Mary’s canticle, a hymn of praise at the awareness of God’s overwhelming favor toward his "little ones," picks up and continues the theme of the last verses of the first reading. Response: "My soul rejoices in my God."

Christian rejoicing, based on a sense of trust in God (v 24) is not to be merely an empty and superficial hilarity, but a deep and enduring quality of a Christian life in community and in love. Joy both derives from thankful prayer and gives rise to it (vv 17-18). The work of the Spirit needs to be accepted freely (vv 19-20), yet his manifestation must not be accepted uncritically, but tested (v 21), lest they lead to the evil of division and dissension (v 22). Paul will develop this teaching more fully later in 1 Cor 14. V 23 is not speaking merely of individual wholeness, but the unity and health of the Christian community (the Church) as the Body of Christ (see 1 Cor 12).

1. What are the parallels between the roles of John the Baptist and ourselves as Christians?

2. What is praise? What does it mean to praise?