St. John the Baptist – I

Beloved in Christ, today is the Birth of St. John the Baptist, and how can we understand the significance of John the Baptist?

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As we know, the entire Old Testament and the events and persons found there, are ‘types,’ that is symbols and prophecies which point to one thing: the coming of Jesus Christ. The Old Law was a preparation for the New, and everything in the Old was taught in figures, in symbol, and in shadows, until the Savior would come. For this reason we say, that the Old Testament is fulfilled in the New, and the New Testament reveals the Old.

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John the Baptist is therefore the boundary between the Old and New.  John represents the time past, yet he herald’s the future, as St. Augustine says.

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Elizabeth was old and barren – just like the Old Law. John’s Father, Zechariah, was a priest of the Old Law, while Christ is the priest of the New Law.  John was born of a woman too old for childbirth, Jesus was born of a youthful virgin. John’s birth was not at first believed, but Jesus’ birth was received with Faith.

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The father of John, Zechariah lost his voice and could not speak, and in this he represents the Old Testament prophets whose meaning was hidden and obscure. But finally his tongue is loosened with the birth of John, and he speaks. His tongue is loosed because John is the prophet who will herald the coming salvation.

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St. Augustine says that the birth of John the Baptist is at the time of the summer solstice; days now become shorter, and daylight fades. Christ will be born at the winter solstice, when light begins to grow.

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‘I must decrease, he must increase,’ said John. Today is the fading of the Old Law which was lifeless, and the coming of the New Law, which will give light, and eternal life.