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John the Baptist.
John the Baptist is the forerunner of Christ — son of the priest Zechariah and Elizabeth, born about six months before Jesus. He emerges in the Jordan wilderness preaching repentance and baptising those who came to him. He identifies Jesus as "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (John 1:29) and baptises him. He is later imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticising the king's marriage and beheaded at the request of Herodias's daughter. Jesus calls him the greatest born of women (Matthew 11:11).
Timeline
- Birth announced to Zechariah (Luke 1)
- Born to Elizabeth in her old age
- Ministry in the Jordan wilderness
- Baptised Jesus (Matthew 3)
- Imprisoned by Herod Antipas
- Beheaded at Salome's request (Mark 6)
Key verses
Why John the Baptist matters
John is the last of the Old Testament prophets and the first of the New. Jesus identifies him with the Elijah promised in Malachi 4:5 — the one preparing the way of the Lord. His statement "he must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30) is the model of every Christian witness: pointing away from oneself and toward Christ. His baptism of repentance is the immediate background of Christian baptism.
Related tools
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