Paper 135 Overview: John the Baptist

John the Baptist was born on March 25, 7 B.C., after the angel Gabriel visited his mother Elizabeth and told her she would have a special son. John grew up to become a religious teacher and baptized people in the Jordan River, telling them to prepare for the coming of God's kingdom. He lived a simple life, wore rough clothing, and ate basic food while preaching about repentance and preparing for the Messiah.

John baptized Jesus in the Jordan River, recognizing him as the promised deliverer. After Jesus left for forty days, John continued preaching until he was arrested by King Herod. John spent more than a year in prison before being beheaded at the request of Herod's stepdaughter, ending his mission of preparing the way for Jesus.

John the Baptist was born March 25, 7 B.C., after the angel Gabriel visited his mother Elizabeth and promised her a son. The only supernatural events related to John's birth were Gabriel's visit and a dream that his father Zacharias had six weeks before John was born. John was circumcised on his eighth day and grew up in the small village known as the City of Judah.

John visited Jesus and the Nazareth family when he was six years old. His parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, provided him with a good education since they were both educated and from priestly families. Zacharias and Elizabeth owned a small sheep farm and also received money from the temple because Zacharias was a priest.

When John was fourteen, his parents took him to Engedi near the Dead Sea where he took the Nazarite vow. This special lifelong promise included not drinking alcohol, letting his hair grow long, and not touching dead bodies. After the ceremony at Engedi, the family went to Jerusalem where John completed the offerings required for Nazarites.

John returned home to tend his father's sheep and grew into a strong young man with good character. At sixteen, John was impressed by stories of the prophet Elijah and began wearing similar clothing – a hairy garment with a leather belt. John was over six feet tall with flowing hair, making him look quite unusual, and his parents had high hopes for their only son.

When John was eighteen, his father Zacharias died after being sick for several months. This created a problem for John because his Nazarite vow forbade contact with the dead, even family members. After his father's burial, John went to Jerusalem to offer sacrifices for cleansing as required by the Nazarite rules.

In September of that year, Elizabeth and John visited Mary and Jesus in Nazareth. John was thinking about starting his life's work, but Jesus advised him to return home and take care of his mother until "the Father's hour" came. When they could no longer afford their home, John and his mother moved south to Hebron with their sheep. John visited the Nazarite colony at Engedi often and became friends with Abner, the leader there.

John built stone shelters and sheep pens along a brook where he watched over his flocks. His life as a shepherd gave him much time to think about his future mission. An orphan boy named Ezda helped John care for the sheep and lived simply with him, eating mutton, goat's milk, wild honey, and locusts.

Elizabeth kept John informed about world events, and he became convinced that the time was coming for the old order to end. John especially liked reading the prophet Daniel's writings about kingdoms of the world being replaced by God's kingdom. Though sometimes confused about Jesus' role, John's mother assured him that Jesus was the true Messiah and that John would be his helper.

When John was twenty-eight, his mother Elizabeth died suddenly. Because of his Nazarite restrictions about contact with the dead, John's friends arranged Elizabeth's burial before telling him. After attending his mother's funeral, John returned to the Engedi colony and gave his flocks to the brotherhood there.

For two and a half years, John lived at Engedi and convinced many there that "the end of the age was at hand" and "the kingdom of heaven was about to appear." He spent much time reading sacred writings, especially Isaiah and Malachi, who had prophesied the return of Elijah before "the great and dreadful day of the Lord." John wondered if he might be fulfilling this role, though he had doubts about calling himself Elijah.

The Jewish people had been ruled by foreigners for nearly a hundred years and wondered why God's chosen people were suffering. A group of religious teachers called the apocalyptists taught that Israel's troubles were punishment for sins but would soon end. Many Jews believed the Roman rule would end soon and God's kingdom would arrive.

Jews had different ideas about the coming kingdom. Some expected a new king in Palestine who would rule the world, while others believed in a spiritual kingdom with a new heaven and earth. Most agreed that some cleansing event would happen first, and that a Messiah (special leader) would establish this kingdom. Some thought the Messiah would be a son of David, while others believed he would be a divine "Son of Man" from heaven.

In March of A.D. 25, John went to the Jordan River near Jericho and began preaching to people crossing the river. John appeared like a prophet from old times, and people were excited to hear him because they had been waiting for someone to bring hope to Israel. His message spread quickly throughout Palestine.

John did something new – he baptized Jewish believers in the Jordan River "for the remission of sins." Before this, only non-Jews converting to Judaism received baptism. During his fifteen months of preaching before being arrested, John baptized over one hundred thousand people. He preached for four months at Bethany ford before moving north along the Jordan, and religious leaders from Jerusalem came to question whether he claimed to be the Messiah.

As John traveled north along the Jordan River, he became more confused about the coming kingdom, though he never doubted it would appear soon. He wasn't sure if Jesus would rule this kingdom, especially when he thought about whether it would be a spiritual kingdom or a restored throne of David. John wished he could talk with Jesus about these questions.

While at Adam, John first mentioned "another one who is to come after me" when his disciples asked if he was the Messiah. John explained that this coming one would be greater than him, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." As time passed, John's teachings became more helpful and comforting than his early message of simply "Repent and be baptized."

By December of A.D. 25, John was near Pella, and his fame had spread throughout Palestine. Jesus had spoken favorably of John's message, and some from Capernaum, including James and John the fishermen, had already been baptized by him. Jesus' brothers James and Jude also wanted to be baptized and asked Jesus for advice.

On Sunday, January 13, A.D. 26, Jesus told his workmates, "My hour has come," and left with James and Jude for Pella. The next day, they joined the line of people waiting to be baptized by John. When John recognized Jesus, he asked why Jesus needed to be baptized, and Jesus answered that it was an example for others. After baptizing Jesus and his brothers, John saw an apparition over Jesus and heard a voice saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased."

After Jesus left, John told his disciples about Gabriel's visit to Mary before Jesus was born. John's preaching became more certain about the coming kingdom and the Messiah. This forty-day period of waiting for Jesus to return was a tense time, but John continued to preach powerfully and his disciples began to preach to the crowds too.

Three weeks after Jesus left, another group of priests and Pharisees from Jerusalem asked John if he was Elijah, the prophet, or the Messiah. John said no to all these questions but told them, "There has been among us one who will return to baptize you with the Holy Spirit." When Jesus finally returned on February 23, John announced to everyone, "Behold the Son of God, the deliverer of the world!"

After Jesus went north to Galilee, John felt led to go south. About a quarter of John's followers left to find Jesus, and John never preached with the same confidence as before. He felt that the responsibility for the coming kingdom was no longer on his shoulders but continued his work of baptizing and traveling southward.

Near the village of Adam, John criticized King Herod Antipas for unlawfully taking another man's wife. By June, John was back at the Bethany ford where he had started preaching more than a year before. His message had changed to focus more on mercy for common people while criticizing corrupt leaders. Herod became worried that John might start a rebellion and was angry about John's criticism of his marriage, so he arrested John on June 12.

John had a difficult and lonely time in prison. Few of his followers could visit him, and he longed to see Jesus. Sometimes he doubted whether Jesus was really the Messiah, wondering why Jesus did nothing to free him from prison. This imprisonment was a great test of John's faith in Jesus and even in God.

After several months in prison, some of John's disciples asked why Jesus did nothing to help John. John assured them that Jesus must increase while he must decrease. Just before his death, John sent messengers to ask Jesus if he was truly the Messiah or if they should look for another. Jesus told them to report what they had seen and heard – the good news being preached to the poor – and promised that John would be blessed if he did not lose faith in Jesus.

John was imprisoned in the fortress of Machaerus because Herod feared that releasing him would cause rebellion, while killing him might start riots. Herodias, Herod's unlawful wife, hated John and wanted him dead. Though Herod sometimes talked with John about the kingdom of heaven, he kept him in prison.

During Herod's birthday celebration at the Machaerian palace, Herodias's daughter danced for the guests. Herod, who had been drinking much wine, was so pleased that he promised to give her anything she asked for, up to half his kingdom. After consulting her mother, the girl asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter. Herod reluctantly ordered John beheaded in prison, and his disciples came to take his body for burial before going to tell Jesus what had happened.