We typically and rightly identify John the Baptist as the Forerunner, the one who prepared the way of the Lord. But the phrase that John uses to describe himself in John 3:29, “the friend of the bridegroom”, is the one I cherish the most.
The Forerunner is none other than a friend. The Forerunner, he exists not for himself, but only in relation to his “Other”, the Lord. The profoundest ontological significance of John comes to the fore as a Friend. In the person of John, Jesus encounters a Friend. One can only speculate their relationship as cousins as the scriptures don’t offer much on that level. As a friend of the bridegroom, he rejoices elatedly at the bridegroom’s voice and actions. Only a true friend can say - “this joy of mine is now complete”.
The vocation of the Forerunner/Friend was to receive the Messiah as the representative of humanity. He introduces Jesus to humanity when he says - “Behold the lamb of God…”. The starting point of both the Friends’ preaching is also the same, it is one of repentance.
John having witnessed the Trinity at Jesus’ baptism offers us one of the earliest expositions on the Trinity, way before the apostles could ever comprehend it. He goes on to say in John 3:34 - “For he whom God sent speaks God’s words; for the Father gives the Spirit without measure”.
Whenever we talk of John the Baptist, this usual troublesome exegetical matter comes to the fore, when John makes the query - “Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?”. The church fathers explained it away saying that John posed this question for the benefit of his disciples. Other exegetes typically arrive at the conclusion that this was John’s lack of faith, his “dark night of the soul” moment or he was expecting the Messiah to come in an all conquering power to deliver the captives and thus, himself from prison.
Sergius Bulgakov, one of my favorite theologians, instead offers us a stunning hypothesis. The question represents the Forerunner’s own “personal Gethsemane”, a sense of “abandonment by God” analogous to the Lord’s own existential cry; “My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?”. What this represents for Bulgakov is not something subjective and psychological, but to the contrary, is objective and ontological. The existential angst suffered by John shows his “co-participation in anticipation” in the cry of Gethsemane precisely as the Forerunner.
It is this fiery trial of co-participation that represents the crowning and glorification of the Forerunner and thus, a true Friend.
Epiphany 2020