Isaiah 11:1-10; Romans 15:4-9; Matthew 3:1-12

A new shoot is usually a sign of hope. This shoot might spring off a cutting or a wounded tree. It bears hope of a new, healthy and strong branch.
Foretelling the coming of Jesus, the picture of the scion is similar. Instead of the hope for a new branch, Isaiah announces a shoot on which the spirit of the Lord would rest. The attributes of wisdom, insight, counsel, power, knowledge and integrity point to compassion and justice.
The previous chapter announced God’s wrath against injustice. The new shoot will be the answer. The vision is of true justice. There is no discrimination or preference how you look like and no influence through hearsay.
This is the justice we all dream of. The kind of justice that is based on action rather than on your status in society. It is about integrity and faithfulness.

Human societies tend to have different hierarchies which are often determined by birth and which are then hard to overcome.
However, nothing is impossible “with the knowledge of the Lord”. Isaiah’s vision goes so far as to describe a world where wild animals would be at peace with animals they used to prey on and even with defenceless children.
This is a true vision of peace for everyone.

In Paul’s letter to the Romans, he refers to this intrinsic search for hope and peace. Just like Isaiah, he points out that there is hope against all odds. We just need to persevere and not give up. God will help. Jesus Christ was an example of this perseverance and of integrity. If we follow his example, we will treat one another with respect and without prejudices.
Jesus is a scion of the root of Jesse and leads us to God the Father. He connects us to the ancient Scriptures, but he spreads the message of hope far beyond the people of Israel: Christ is the saviour of all.

In the Gospel according to Matthew, John the Baptist is seen as the answer to one of Isaiah’s statements. The call is to repent and to be prepared for the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus himself once identifies John as “Elijah who is to come”, and when some people first hear Jesus, they asked themselves if he was Elijah or John the Baptist. The connections to the Scriptures are clear, and the genealogy is important. Matthew’s audience are firstly Jewish, and they would know their Scriptures.

John the Baptist preached in the wilderness – outside the cities and settlements. He didn’t teach in the synagogue and didn’t become a priest like his father might have been.
His message reaches people outside a sacred space, without structural constraints, without potential separation of men and women. In the wilderness, there would be no place of honour, but equality. This is where he asked people to prepare themselves and to correct any wrongdoings.
John’s teachings would have appealed especially to those who felt excluded or who were in search for God. John’s appearance and commitment to withdraw from society made him special. The people came, repented and he baptised them in the Jordan River – a living water of Biblical significance.

John’s reaction towards the more powerful people, some Pharisees and Sadducees, is significant. He doesn’t reject them categorically, but he is very clear that their actions and true intentions would grant them forgiveness, not their status or their lineage. Their connection to the root of Jesse would not be enough to be spared from God’s wrath.

John’s words are powerful and clear. However, he announces also the one who will come after him. While he baptises with water, the one who comes after him will baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
John is baptising adults who have repented. He uses living water for these baptisms to wash away the sins.

When we look at the symbolism, we might think of the fact that cleaning with water is a common process which usually will be repeated after a while. Fire, however, is used as a purifier when water is not enough. In fact, fire is so powerful that it can transform ordinary steel. The baptism with water to wash away our sins. The baptism with fire to transform us.
We are in the season of Advent. The time of the Coming of the Lord. In 2025, we are also in the Jubilee Year of Hope. This Christmas season, the Year of Hope will come to an end, and it is up to us to ensure that we don’t give up hope and support others to find hope – no matter their background or status in society.

BM