The mission of John the Baptizer was that of a forerunner for Jesus. Isaiah said he would be, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight,” Isaiah 40:3. Again, in Malachi 3:1, we are told, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me.”
John was of priestly descent. His mother, Elizabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron, while his father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abija and did service at the temple in Jerusalem. It is said of them, “And they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless,” Luke 1:6.
While Zacharias was carrying out his responsibility at the altar of incense, the angel Gabriel appeared to him and said, “Do not be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard; and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you shall call his name John,” Luke 1:13.
Both parents were up in age. Elizabeth was past the age of childbearing, Luke 1:6. His coming birth was foretold to Zacharias by an angel of God, Luke 1:13. At the same time, he was told that his name would be John.
It seems Zacharias could hardly believe what he was hearing. He said, “How shall I know this? For I am an old man and my wife is well advanced in years,” Luke 1:18.
His birth was a miraculous act of God. Because of his doubt, Zacharias was told, “Behold you will be mute and not able to speak until the day these things take place, because you did not believe my words which will be fulfilled in their season,” Luke 1:20. When he came out of the temple, he could not speak, Luke 1:22.
He was born in the hill country (where his mother had gone, probably for the sake of privacy). John was born six months before the birth of Jesus. After John was born, the neighbours and relatives wanted him to be called Zacharias after his father, but his mother said, “No, but he shall be called John,” Luke 1:60.
After this, Zacharias could speak. Because of the mystery surrounding John’s birth, people were saying, “What kind of child will this be?” Luke 1:66. Zacharias broke out into an amazing prophecy. We are told, “The child grew and became strong in spirit, and was in the deserts till the day of his manifestation to Israel,” Luke 1:80.
It seems that John chose to live in seclusion until he began his ministry as the forerunner of Christ. Matthew tells us that his raiment was of camel’s hair, Matthew 3:4. This would be similar to sackcloth, which is very coarse, rough and baggy.
He had a girdle, Matthew 3:4, which was like a belt to bind the long, loose-fitting clothes. His food was locusts and wild honey, Matthew 3:4. Locusts were similar to grasshoppers.
They were considered clean and could be used for food, Leviticus 11:22. Sometimes roasted and sometimes boiled, they were eaten by the poorer classes. The honey of wild bees was deposited in trees and rocks. Palestine was described in the Old Testament as a land “flowing with milk and honey,” Exodus 3:17.
In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar (about A.D. 25), we are told the “Word of God came to John,” Luke 3:1-2. He begins his work of preparing the people for the coming of the Lord. He left the wilderness and went to the Jordan River to preach, Mark 1:4. This was probably around the city of Jericho.
He attracted a great multitude from Jerusalem, Judea and the area around the Jordan River, Mark 1:5. His message was, “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand,” Matthew 3:2. He also preached “the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins,” Mark 1:4.
Repentance involves a complete change of mind. Baptism is immersion. John preached near the Jordan because there was much water there to immerse people.
His baptism was “Unto the remission of sins,” Mark 1:4. Baptism was connected with repentance and brought them into a state where they could receive forgiveness of sins. The Jews had been baptising proselytes to Judaism, but John’s baptism was new in that it required Jews who were descendants of Abraham to be baptised.
It was not the same as the baptism Jesus commanded in the great commission, Matthew 28:19-20. It did not put one into Christ, nor bring one into contact with the blood of Jesus, nor did it add one to the church or endow one with the Holy Spirit, Acts 2:38.
Jesus came directly to John to be baptised by him “But John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptised by You, and are You coming to me?” Matthew 3:13-14. He came because it was God’s will for Him to be baptised.
John at first refused, but Jesus said, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness,” Matthew 3:15. The distance Jesus travelled indicates the importance of Jesus being baptised.
Multitudes came to hear him preach. Some came out of curiosity, but others were envious and jealous because he attracted large crowds. John addresses them as a “brood of vipers,” Matthew 3:7, which describes their character. John’s preaching pricked the hearts of many people.
Many wanted to know what they should do. He told those who had food and clothing to share and not hoard, but give to those in need, Luke 3:11. The Publicans, who were tax collectors for the Romans, were told to be honest, Luke 3:13. Soldiers were told not to give themselves to violence; neither accuse anyone wrongfully and learn to be satisfied with their wages, Luke 3:14.
Many wondered if John was the Christ, Luke 3:15. He told them there was one who would come after him who would be greater, Mark 1:7. He was so great that John said he was not worthy to unloose the latches on his shoes, Luke 3:16.
He also told them that while he baptized them in water but Jesus would baptize them in the Holy Spirit and fire, Luke 3:16. The first was fulfilled on Pentecost upon the apostles, Acts 2:1-5. The second refers to destruction in Hell, Revelation 21:8.
Herod Antipas had taken Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, Mark 6:17-18. John rebuked him for his adulterous and incestuous marriage, Mark 6:18. Herod had John placed in prison, Matthew 14:3. Death seemed imminent. He had time to sit and think. Probably depression and doubt began to set in. Jesus did not seem to fit the contemporary expectations of a Messiah.
At the same time, Jesus was at the height of his popularity. John evidently was looking for a political Messiah, too, just as most of the Jews. He could not understand why Jesus was not taking proper action toward that end. His questions are probably not so much from doubt as from a feeling of impatience. Why is He waiting?
The men sent by John said, “John the Baptist has sent us to You, saying, Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Luke 7:20. The disciples of John arrive at a good time. Luke says, “And in that same hour He cured many people of their infirmities, afflictions, and evil spirits; and to many who were blind He gave sight,” Luke 7:21.
Their questions came at a time when Jesus was performing many of His miracles. Not only were they able to witness many of these miracles, but they could also have talked to a number of people who had already been healed by Jesus. Jesus tells them to report back to John what they had seen with their eyes and heard. He felt this was sufficient evidence of who He was.
After the messengers left, Jesus spoke of John. Who do you think John was? He was not “a weed shaken by the wind,” Luke 7:24. John was no weakling. He was a man of strong convictions.
As to looks, He was not a “man clothed in soft garments,” Luke 7:25. Jesus quotes from Malachi 3:1, “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me,” Luke 7:27.
John served as the forerunner of Christ. He broke four hundred years of prophetic silence. He drew a large group of baptised disciples who crowded around him. But in spite of his popularity, he exalted Jesus. He declared, “He must increase, but I must decrease,” John. 3:30.
Jesus now pays John the highest compliment anyone could pay an individual. “For I say to you, among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he,” Luke 7:28.
This is a very significant statement considering the great prophets of the Old Testament, such as Moses, Daniel, Jeremiah, Isaiah, etc. As far as we know, John never did perform any miracles. His work was that of preaching.
Would people of today tolerate his style of preaching? Ever since John had condemned Herod and Herodias living together in revenge, she had worked to bring about John’s death. Her daughter, Salome, had danced before Herod and pleased him so much that he offered her anything she desired, Matthew 14:6-11.
Herodias took advantage of the situation and ordered the head of John, Matthew 14:8–10. The king reluctantly complied and sent an executioner, who beheaded him in prison. John’s disciples heard of his death, buried his body, and went and told the Lord, Matthew 14:12.
That John’s work was extensive and his influence was lasting is shown by the fact that twenty years afterwards Paul found in Ephesus certain disciples, including Apollos, who knew no other baptism than that of John, Acts 19:1-7.