John the Baptist owes his greatness to his righteous parents, and when the Herod’s soldiers wanted to kill him, his father put him in the temple, probably on the altar of incense, so the angel came and took him to the wilderness. He is the son of wilderness, served by the angels, and raised by the Spirit. Not a man was around to serve or comfort him in his loneliness, but his solitude made him taste the heavenly life. His experience with God’s care for him as a baby, made him enjoy a taste of heaven. The Bible says about him, “So the child grew and became strong in spirit and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” (Luke 1:80).
* So I suppose that Zechariah hastened to speak to the infant because he knew John would soon be living in the desert, and he would no longer enjoy John’s presence. “For, the boy was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel.” Moses, too, dwelt in the desert. After he completed the fortieth year of his age, he fled from Egypt and, for another forty years, pastured Jethro’s herds. But John went out to the wilderness as soon as he was born. “Greatest among those born of women,” he was evidently worthy of a greater upbringing.1
Origen
* But some may find it unreasonable and extravagant to speak to an eight day-old child. Yet, on reflection, we fully understand that he could, once born, hear the voice of his father, having heard the salvation of Mary before being born. Prophet (Zechariah) knew that there are other ears for a prophet, those opened by the Spirit of God, and not the growth of the body; he (John the Baptist) had the sense to understand, having felt to flinch.
St. Ambrose
I am not worthy to loose His sandal’s strap
John confessed that he is not worthy to loose the sandals straps of Christ, but he submitted to the Lord’s command, to place his hand on him and baptize him, He, whom the heavenly multitudes do not dare to stare at Him.
St. Cyril of Alexandria says:
[For he knew that He is faithful unto those that serve Him. And what he acknowledges is in very deed the truth: for between God and man the distance is immeasurable. “Ye yourselves, therefore,” he says, “bear me witness that I said I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before Him.”(John 3:28), Great therefore and admirable in very deed is the forerunner, who was the dawning before the Savior’s meridian splendor, the precursor of the spiritual daylight, beautiful as the morning star, and called of God the Father a torch. Having therefore thus declared himself not to be the Christ, he now brings forward proofs, which we must necessarily consider, and by which we may learn how immeasurable the distance evidently is between God and man, between the slave and the Master, between the minister and Him Who is ministered unto, between him who goes before as a servant, and Him Who shines forth with divine dignity. What, therefore, is the proof? “I indeed baptize in water. After me shall come He Who is mightier than I, Whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.” As I said, therefore, the difference is incomparable, the superiority immeasurable, if, as is the case, the blessed Baptist, being so great in virtue, declares that he is not worthy even, as it were, to touch His shoes. And his declaration is true: for if the rational powers above, principalities, and thrones, and lordships, and the holy Seraphim themselves, who stand around His godlike throne, holding the rank of ministers, unceasingly crown Him with praises as the Lord of all, what dweller upon earth is worthy even to be nigh unto God? For though He be loving unto man, and gentle, and mild, yet must we, as being of slight account, and children of earth, confess the weakness of our nature.]1
No one can loose the straps of His sandals, meaning; No one can understand the mysteries of His incarnation. John was really filled with the Holy Spirit, and thus he became worthy to become a friend, and not only a servant, but he was still incapable of understanding the mysteries of His divine nature. St. Jerome provides another commentary, which is that St. John the Baptist did not dare to loose the sandal’s straps of His Master, because the Master wants His widowed bride and does not want to reject her as stated in the Law, that the close relative, who refuses to marry the widow to perpetuate the name of the dead through his inheritance, would take off his sandal, in front of the elders, and give it, to the one who accepts marrying her. As the close relative of Ruth did. (Ruth 4:7-8). Our Christ will not take off His sandals, to give them to anyone, as He wants to have us as His bride, and purchase us by his own love and own blood.
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Prepared by: Fr. Tadros Yacoub Malaty
Translated By: Michael Stefanos – Mary F. A. – Andre Ghobrial
Designed by: Emad Roushdy