John the Baptiser

The closing words of the Old Testament speak of a messenger who would prepare the
way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1). The work of this messenger is further described in
Malachi 4:5-6, "Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto
him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you
Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD: And he
shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their
fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse."
During His earthly ministry our Lord explained how John the Baptist was the "Elijah"
who was to come. "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath
not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom
of heaven is greater than he. And from the days of John the Baptist until now the
kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the
prophets and the law prophesied until John. And if ye will receive it, this is Elias, which
was for to come." (Matthew 11:11-14). After His transfiguration, our Lord would further
expound upon this topic. And Jesus answered and said unto them, "Elias truly shall first
come, and restore all things. But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they
knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the
Son of man suffer of them." Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of
John the Baptist. (Matthew 17:11-13).
Jesus said that among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the
Baptist (Matthew 11:11). Let us look at the life of this great man of God, the one who
prepared the way for the Messiah.
John's Background
Under the Law of Moses, all priests had to come from the tribe of Levi, but not all
Levites were priests. The family of Aaron was selected as the priestly family (Exodus
28:1, 43; Numbers 3:10; 18:7).
When the land of Canaan was divided, the Levites were not given their own territory --
certain cities located in the territory of other tribes were given to them (Numbers 35:1-8;
Joshua 21:1-42). When the priests became numerous it was not necessary for them all to
reside in Jerusalem continuously. To establish an order and system, David divided the
priests into twenty-four courses (1 Chronicles 24:1-19). These courses served by turn in
the temple and each course had a chief -- hence, the origin of the term "chief priest."
John's parents, Zacharias and Elizabeth, were both from priestly families -- Zacharias was
of the course of Abijah (Luke 1:5-6).
Zacharias and Elizabeth "were both righteous before God, walking in all the
commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless" (Luke 1:6). Though they were
both advanced in years, they desired a son (Luke 1:7).
The angel Gabriel appeared to Zacharias while he served in the temple and told him that
Elizabeth would bear a son, whom they would name John (Luke 1:11-13). The angel also
spoke of John's greatness, telling Zacharias that, "Thou wilt (you will) have joy and
gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and
many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall
drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from
his mother's womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their
God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a
people prepared for the Lord." (Luke 1:14-17).
John grew up in the hills and wilderness of Judea (Luke 1:80). This environment gave
him time for meditation and communion with God -- as his character matured he was
unspoiled by the world. This gave him great boldness in denouncing sin and error.
There was a general expectation among righteous people that a Deliverer would come
about that time "and all mused (reasoned) in their hearts about John, whether he was the
Christ or not" (Luke 3:15). Righteous and just men like Simeon were "waiting for the
Consolation of Israel" (Luke 2:25), for "it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit
that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord's Christ" (Luke 2:26). Anna, a
prophetess from the tribe of Asher, was one of the many "who looked for redemption in
Jerusalem" (Luke 2:38).
As John preached in the wilderness of Judea, the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem
sent a delegation of priests and Levites to John to learn if he was the Messiah (John 1:19-
27).
The Forerunner Of The Messiah
As John preached in the region around the Jordan, he was preparing the way for Christ.
Quoting from Isaiah, Luke tells us how "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain
and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways
shall be made smooth; And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. " (Luke 3:5-6). The
imagery is drawn from the building of a highway. John was not literally digging down the
hills and filling up the valleys -- he was dealing with people. "Every valley shall be
filled" -- the downcast, the hopeless, the dispirited, needed to be lifted up, and to have
their hopes rekindled. "Every mountain and hill brought low" -- the self-righteous, the
arrogant, the haughty, the proud, must be brought to a true humility of spirit and bow at
God's word. "The crooked shall become straight" -- those who had been crooked in their
dealings with their fellowman needed to be straightened out. "The rough ways made
smooth" -- otherwise good people who were rough in their ways and inconsiderate of the
feelings of others needed to learn gentleness, forbearance and consideration.
Another work that John had was to point out and identify the Messiah to Israel. John
pointed out who the Messiah was (John 1:32-34). After John baptized Jesus in the river
Jordan, "And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a
dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with
water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and
remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw, and
bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:32-34).
John's Message
John brought unto the nation of Israel the message of repentance and the imminent
establishment of the kingdom of heaven (Matthew 3:2). John also warned of the
judgment and eternal punishment which awaits the wicked (Matthew 3:12).
The message which finally cost John his life was doctrine of marriage and divorce
(Matthew 14:3-4). John had taught that there are some marriages which are "unlawful"
even though recognized by the civil government. Our Lord taught he same thing
(Matthew 19:1-9).
John's Baptism
John's baptism was a "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins" (Luke 3:3). It was
preceded by a confession of sins (Matthew 3:5-6), and accomplished purification (John
3:22-26). The common people and even the tax collectors accepted John's baptism and
thus "justified God" (Luke 7:29), "but the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of
God for themselves, being not (not having been) baptized by him" (Luke 7:30).
Three classes of people came to John. Some men came "confessing their sins" -- these
John baptized without question or delay (Matthew 3:6). There were also those who
claimed they were already saved -- these John refused to baptize (Matthew 3:7-9). The
third category consisted of a single case, i.e., the sinless Son of God (Matthew 3:13-15).
Jesus was the exception to the rule. Jesus could not confess His sins prior to His baptism,
for He was sinless, thus John did not want to baptize Him. Jesus told John to, "suffer
(permit) it to be so now, for thus it is becometh (fitting for) us to fulfill all righteousness"
(Matthew 3:15). Jesus was baptized because it was a commandment of God.
If to reject the baptism of John was to reject God, what is it to reject the baptism which
Jesus Christ commands (Luke 7:29-30)?
John Did Not Build Any Church
It is hard to believe, but there are some people who are under the mistaken idea that John
the Baptist established a church and they claim to be a member of it. However, John the
Baptist was dead and buried when Jesus promised to build His church (Matthew 14:10;
Matt. 16:18). John was never a member of the church Jesus promised to build (Matthew
11:11).
The Death Of John
John's death is recorded in Matthew 14:1-12 and Mark 6:14-29. After John had rebuked
Herod for his unlawful marriage, John was cast into prison and his judgment deferred
because of the multitudes.
After John's rebuke of Herod for his unlawful marriage, it seems Herod's first wave of
anger had passed and there returned a growing respect for John. However, in Herodias
there burned a thirst for John's blood.
On Herod's birthday he gave a supper at which wine freely flowed. Herodias shamelessly
sent Salome, her daughter by Philip, to perform a licentious (lewd) dance. Herod was so
pleased with the dance that he vowed to give her anything -- up to half of his kingdom.
Acting on the advice from her mother, Salome asked for the "head of John the Baptist on
a platter" (Mark 6:24). The king was "exceedingly sorry," but he would rather commit
murder than break his word. John's head was brought in on a silver platter and given to
Salome, who in turn gave it to her mother, "And when his disciples heard of it, they came
and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb. And the apostles gathered themselves
together unto Jesus, and told him all things, both what they had done, and what they had
taught." (Mark 6:29-30).
Conclusion
Jesus summed up the life of John by saying, "Among them that are born of women there
hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the
kingdom of heaven is greater than he." (Matthew 11:11).
You and I have a tremendous opportunity that John did not have -- we can become
members the church Jesus built and citizens of the "kingdom of the His dear Son"
(Colossians 1:13).
And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the
upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, "Have ye
received the Holy Ghost since ye believed?" And they said unto him, "We have not so
much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost." And he said unto them, "Unto what
then were ye baptized?" And they said, "Unto John's baptism." Then said Paul, "John
verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should
believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus." When they heard
this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus (Acts 19:1-5)