Fulfilling All Righteousness

The talented composer Antonio Salieri produced dozens of operas in multiple languages, and in 1774 he became the court musician of the Habsburg monarchy. In the early 1780s, however, he met a rare man widely regarded as his musical superior and whom many saw as his successor—Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. At least according to legend, a series of intrigues ensued as each sought to undercut the other. While the most outlandish claims, such as that Salieri poisoned Mozart, are likely false, they illustrate just how tense relations between predecessors and successors often are.

This makes the relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus all the more notable. John had prominence, drawing crowds “from Jerusalem and all Judea” (v. 5). But he did not think he needed protection against a possible successor. Rather, he waited eagerly for that successor and humbly proclaimed the coming of One “whose sandals I am not worthy to carry” (v. 11).

When his successor arrived, John readily acknowledged His superiority. John’s attitude is perhaps best captured in the Gospel of John, in which he says of Jesus: “He must become greater; I must become less” (John 3:30).

Just as notably, however, Jesus did not seek to negate the ministry of His predecessor. Rather, He validated it, receiving John’s baptism and declaring it necessary “to fulfill all righteousness” (v. 15). He preached a similar message about the coming kingdom (4:17), and praised John and his work (11:7–14). Jesus built upon the foundation laid by John and the other prophets in a unique way. But in acknowledging the importance of their work, He shows that God’s kingdom advances not through jealous competition but by righteous cooperation.

Pray with Us

Will you pray for our International Study Program and its coordinator, Miriam Smith? Our students have an opportunity to spend a semester in countries such as Greece, England, Italy, Ireland, or Israel, discover a new culture, and minister in a local community.