Yesterday reflecting on John the Baptist and his role in the life of Jesus, it occured to me that by way of impact, there was hardly any great 'preparation' that JB did for Jesus. So when Jesus began his ministry there was still opposition, criticism and ultimately his public trial and death. If John had done a 'better' work surely Jesus should have had a bit more of support and ease in carrying out his mission. So in terms of 'preparation' there was not much that John the Baptist did. In comparison to his work, the apostles did a 'better job'.
Well, that's an easy presumption. The fact is that John did what he could to the best of his ability. Jesus knew exactly what he was upto and how he was to carry out his mission. The apostles so to say did not have to be 'creative' in their mission. They just had to replicate what Jesus said and did. However, in the case of John the Baptist, he did not have a clue of what exactly lay in the future. And he did not have a precedent to follow. He had to literally and metaphorically 'make the way'.
Besides this, in comparison to Jesus, no one on earth has ever had a greater impact - at least not so lasting and powerful. But each one who came before and after him put in their best efforts. Impact or no impact, they did not wait for it. They just did what they were convinced was the right and best thing to do. They were not showmen or artists who were keen to merely gather attention. They had a message to convey, a task to carry out and that's all they did.
Well, that's an easy presumption. The fact is that John did what he could to the best of his ability. Jesus knew exactly what he was upto and how he was to carry out his mission. The apostles so to say did not have to be 'creative' in their mission. They just had to replicate what Jesus said and did. However, in the case of John the Baptist, he did not have a clue of what exactly lay in the future. And he did not have a precedent to follow. He had to literally and metaphorically 'make the way'.
Besides this, in comparison to Jesus, no one on earth has ever had a greater impact - at least not so lasting and powerful. But each one who came before and after him put in their best efforts. Impact or no impact, they did not wait for it. They just did what they were convinced was the right and best thing to do. They were not showmen or artists who were keen to merely gather attention. They had a message to convey, a task to carry out and that's all they did.
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