Paper 135 Overview: John the Baptist

John the Baptist was born on March 25, 7 B.C., following Gabriel's visitation to his mother Elizabeth, which was the only supernatural element associated with his birth aside from a dream his father Zacharias had. John grew up to become a powerful religious figure who prepared the way for Jesus by preaching repentance and baptizing people in the Jordan River. His mission centered on proclaiming the imminent arrival of "the kingdom of heaven" and introducing the people of Palestine to the concept of a coming Messiah.

John's ministry lasted approximately fifteen months, during which he baptized over one hundred thousand people and gained significant followers throughout Palestine. His public work culminated in the baptism of Jesus, after which John continued preaching for a time before being imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticizing the king's unlawful marriage. John remained in prison for over a year and a half, struggling at times with doubts about Jesus' mission, before being executed at the request of Herodias's daughter during Herod's birthday celebration.

John the Baptist was born March 25, 7 B.C., following Gabriel's promise to Elizabeth in June of the previous year. The only supernatural elements connected with his birth were Gabriel's visitation to Elizabeth and the dream Zacharias had six weeks before John was born. John was circumcised on his eighth day according to Jewish custom and grew up in a small village called the City of Judah, about four miles west of Jerusalem.

When John was just over six years old, he visited Jesus and the Nazareth family, an important event in his early childhood. John's parents provided him with systematic education since there was no synagogue school in their village. Zacharias, being a priest with education, and Elizabeth, who was well-educated and also of priestly lineage, devoted considerable time to John's mental and spiritual training. They maintained a small sheep farm and supplemented their income with Zacharias's regular allowance from temple funds.

At age fourteen, John's parents took him to Engedi by the Dead Sea, where he was formally inducted into the Nazarite brotherhood for life. The ceremony involved making vows to abstain from all intoxicating drinks, to let his hair grow, and to refrain from touching the dead. After these ceremonies at Engedi, the family traveled to Jerusalem where John completed the offerings required for those taking Nazarite vows at the temple.

John's lifelong Nazarite status earned him special respect among the Jewish people, who regarded Nazarites almost as highly as the high priests. After returning home from Jerusalem, John tended his father's sheep and developed into a strong man with a noble character. At sixteen, inspired by reading about the prophet Elijah, John adopted his style of dress—wearing a hairy garment with a leather girdle. By this age, John stood over six feet tall with flowing hair, presenting a picturesque appearance that matched the high expectations his parents had for their only son.

Zacharias died after several months of illness in July, A.D. 12, when John was eighteen years old, creating a difficult situation for John because his Nazarite vow prohibited contact with the dead, even family members. Concerned that he might not have fully complied with these restrictions, John went to Jerusalem after his father's burial to offer the sacrifices required for his cleansing at the Nazarite corner of the women's court in the temple.

In September of that year, Elizabeth and John visited Mary and Jesus in Nazareth, where John was considering launching his life's work. Jesus advised him to return home, care for his mother, and wait for "the coming of the Father's hour," guidance that John followed. When financial difficulties forced them to give up their home two years later, John and Elizabeth moved south to Hebron with their sheep herd. John tended his flocks near a brook tributary to a stream entering the Dead Sea at Engedi, where he associated with the Nazarite brotherhood and became particularly fond of Abner, the acknowledged leader of the Engedi colony.

Along the valley of a small brook, John constructed at least twelve stone shelters and night corrals made of piled-up stones where he could watch over and protect his herds of sheep and goats. This shepherd's life afforded John considerable time for thought and reflection, during which he often conversed with Ezda, an orphan boy from Beth-zur whom John had essentially adopted to help care for the herds. They lived simply, subsisting primarily on mutton, goat's milk, wild honey, and the edible locusts common to the region, occasionally supplemented with provisions from Hebron and Engedi.

Elizabeth kept John informed about Palestinian and world affairs, strengthening his conviction that the time approached for the old order to end and for him to become the herald of a new age—"the kingdom of heaven." John was particularly drawn to the writings of the Prophet Daniel, especially his description of great empires culminating with Rome, which John believed was already divided and unstable. Although sometimes confused by what he had heard from his parents about Jesus and by passages he read in scripture, John's mother consistently assured him that Jesus of Nazareth was indeed the true Messiah and that John would become his advance herald and chief supporter.

On August 17, A.D. 22, when John was twenty-eight, his mother Elizabeth suddenly died. Understanding the Nazarite restrictions regarding contact with the dead, Elizabeth's friends arranged her burial before notifying John. Upon returning to Engedi from his mother's funeral, John presented his flocks to the brotherhood and entered a period of fasting and prayer, withdrawing from the outside world to process his grief.

For two and a half years, John lived at the Engedi community, convincing most of the brotherhood that "the end of the age was at hand" and "the kingdom of heaven was about to appear." His teachings during this time were based on the current Jewish concept of the Messiah as the promised deliverer of the Jewish nation from foreign rule. John spent much time reading sacred writings, particularly Isaiah and Malachi, who had prophesied the return of Elijah before "the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord." This prophecy initially prevented John from beginning his public ministry, as he wondered if he might fulfill Elijah's role but hesitated to make such a claim outright.

The Jewish people were in a state of confusion regarding their continuous subjection to gentile rulers, finding it difficult to reconcile this reality with Moses' teaching that righteousness would be rewarded with prosperity and power. About a century before Jesus and John, a new school of religious teachers called the apocalyptists had emerged, explaining Jewish suffering as punishment for the nation's sins but promising that this discipline was nearly complete. These teachers predicted that Roman rule would soon end, signaling both the end of the age and, in some interpretations, the end of the world.

Among Jews, the phrase "kingdom of heaven" referred to a righteous state where God (or the Messiah) would perfectly rule the nations of earth. While Jews differed in their expectations of this kingdom, most agreed its arrival was imminent. Some anticipated a literal new king in Palestine—a successor to David who would rule the world—while others envisioned a spiritual kingdom with "a new heaven and a new earth." Most believed that some form of purification would precede the kingdom's establishment, whether through worldwide war destroying unbelievers or through divine judgment separating the righteous from the unrighteous. The term "Messiah" specifically referred to someone who would establish this new kingdom, not merely a teacher or prophet.

In March of A.D. 25, John journeyed to the Jordan River opposite Jericho and began preaching to people crossing at this heavily trafficked ford. His appearance and message convinced many listeners that they were hearing a prophet, and John's proclamation that "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" resonated deeply with Jews who had long awaited the "consolation of Israel" and the "restoration of the kingdom." His style resembled that of the prophet Amos—coming from among herdsmen—and his clothing and thunderous admonitions evoked Elijah, creating significant interest throughout Palestine.

John introduced a distinctive practice by baptizing believers in the Jordan River "for the remission of sins." While baptism existed in Jewish tradition for gentile converts, Jews themselves had never been asked to undergo baptism of repentance. During his fifteen-month ministry before imprisonment, John baptized over 100,000 penitents. After preaching four months at Bethany ford, drawing thousands of listeners from throughout Judea, Perea, and Samaria, John faced questioning from priests and Levites sent from Jerusalem who wanted to know if he claimed to be the Messiah. John conducted classes for his disciples, instructing them on their new life and counseling people from all walks of life on ethical behavior and preparation for the coming kingdom.

As John traveled northward along the Jordan, he experienced increasing intellectual confusion about the precise nature of the coming kingdom, though his spiritual conviction regarding its certain appearance never wavered. His uncertainty centered on Jesus' role—when thinking of a restored throne of David, Jesus' birth in the City of David suggested he might be the deliverer, but when considering a spiritual kingdom, John felt less certain about how Jesus would fit into this scenario. Though he longed to discuss these matters with his cousin, their agreement prevented such conversation.

At Adam, John first publicly referenced "another one who is to come after me" when directly asked if he was the Messiah. He explained that someone greater would follow him, saying, "I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit." As John continued northward, his teachings evolved from the initial cryptic message of "Repent and be baptized" to include more helpful and comforting instruction. He attracted growing numbers of followers, including people from Galilee and the Decapolis, many of whom remained with him for extended periods to learn from his expanding teachings.

By December of A.D. 25, John had reached the vicinity of Pella, and his fame had spread throughout Palestine. Jesus spoke favorably of John's message, prompting some from Capernaum, including James and John (sons of Zebedee), to seek baptism from John. When Jesus' brothers James and Jude expressed interest in being baptized, they consulted Jesus, who arranged to discuss the matter with them on Sunday, January 13, A.D. 26. After this conversation, Jesus announced to his workshop companions, "My hour has come," and departed with his brothers for Pella.

When they arrived the next day, John was already baptizing candidates when Jesus and his brothers joined the line of believers. Though John had been expecting Jesus, he was surprised to find him in the baptismal line and asked why Jesus would come to be baptized. Jesus responded that it was appropriate to set an example for his brothers and for the people to know his hour had come. After baptizing Jesus, James, and Jude, John witnessed a strange apparition appearing over Jesus' head and heard a voice declaring, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." Jesus then departed alone toward the eastern hills and was not seen again for forty days.

After Jesus left, John shared with his disciples the story of Gabriel's visit to Mary before Jesus' birth. With Jesus absent, John's preaching took on new certainty regarding the coming kingdom and the expected Messiah. This forty-day period became a tense time of waiting, but John continued to preach powerfully, and his disciples began sharing the message with the overflowing crowds at the Jordan.

About three weeks after Jesus' departure, another delegation from Jerusalem's priests and Pharisees questioned John, asking if he was Elijah, the prophet promised by Moses, or the Messiah. When John denied all these identities, they demanded to know why he baptized people and created such excitement. John replied that while he baptized with water, "there has been among us one who will return to baptize you with the Holy Spirit." During this period, John and his disciples debated how Jesus fit into their expectations of the Messiah—whether as a military leader, a Davidic king, or the establisher of a spiritual kingdom. John generally favored the minority view that Jesus had come to establish the kingdom of heaven.

After Jesus returned briefly and then departed for Galilee, John felt led to journey southward. About one-quarter of his immediate followers left to seek Jesus, and John never again preached with the same confidence, feeling that responsibility for the coming kingdom was no longer entirely his burden. Nevertheless, he continued to baptize and preach as he traveled south, though his message and demeanor had subtly changed.

Near the village of Adam, John publicly criticized Herod Antipas for unlawfully taking another man's wife. By June, John had returned to the Bethany ford where he had begun his preaching more than a year earlier. His message had evolved to emphasize mercy for common people while more vigorously denouncing corrupt political and religious leaders. Herod grew concerned that John's influence might lead to rebellion and was personally offended by John's criticism of his domestic affairs. On June 12, before the morning crowds arrived for preaching and baptism, Herod's agents arrested John, leading his disciples to scatter throughout Palestine, many joining Jesus' followers in Galilee.

John experienced a lonely and bitter imprisonment lasting more than a year and a half. Few followers were permitted to visit him, and he longed to see Jesus. At times, John questioned whether Jesus was truly the Messiah, wondering why Jesus did nothing to deliver him from his unjust confinement. This prolonged imprisonment severely tested John's faith in Jesus and even occasionally his faith in God himself.

After several months in prison, a group of John's disciples visited him and questioned why Jesus prospered while doing nothing to secure John's release. John responded by affirming Jesus' divine appointment, saying, "A man can receive nothing except it be given him from heaven," and explaining, "He must increase but I must decrease." Shortly before his death, John sent messengers to ask Jesus directly, "Are you truly the Messiah, or shall we look for another?" Jesus replied by pointing to his ministry—the good news preached to the poor—and promised that John would be blessed if he did not lose faith. This message comforted John and stabilized his faith in preparation for his imminent death.

When arrested in southern Perea, John was immediately imprisoned in the fortress of Machaerus, where he remained until his execution. Herod Antipas, who ruled both Perea and Galilee, kept residences in both regions. Herod feared releasing John would trigger rebellion, while executing him might provoke riots among the many Pereans who considered John a holy prophet. Herodias, Herod's unlawful wife, harbored intense hatred for John and repeatedly sought his death.

During Herod's birthday celebration at the Machaerian palace, Herodias implemented a plan to eliminate John. Her daughter performed a dance that greatly pleased the wine-influenced Herod, who rashly promised to give her whatever she requested, even half his kingdom. Coached by her mother, the young woman asked for John the Baptist's head on a platter. Though filled with fear and regret, Herod fulfilled the request because of his oath and the presence of his guests. A soldier beheaded John in prison that night and presented his head to the young woman, who gave it to her mother. When John's disciples heard of his execution, they retrieved his body for burial and then went to inform Jesus of what had happened.