John The Baptist
John [JÔö╝├àhn]
Jehovah hath been gracious.
John the Baptist
His name may mean: “Yahweh Has Been Gracious”
His work: He was the forerunner of Jesus, called to live in the spirit and power of Elijah. John prepared the way by preaching the need for repentance. His character: John was completely focused on his assignment, unaffected by anything other than his message. And he wasn’t willing to take on this duty without plenty of preparation. His sorrow: A prophet’s greatest joy is in preaching. But John spent the final days of his life in prison, unable to do what God had called and gifted him to do. His triumph: God chose John to baptize his Son. No greater honour has ever been given a man. Key Scriptures:Luke 1:5-25The Birth of John the Baptist Foretold
5 When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. 6 Zechariah and Elizabeth were righteous in God's eyes, careful to obey all of the Lord's commandments and regulations. 7 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.8 One day Zechariah was serving God in the Temple, for his order was on duty that week. 9 As was the custom of the priests, he was chosen by lot to enter the sanctuary of the Lord and burn incense. 10 While the incense was being burned, a great crowd stood outside, praying.11 While Zechariah was in the sanctuary, an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the incense altar. 12 Zechariah was shaken and overwhelmed with fear when he saw him. 13 But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John. 14 You will have great joy and gladness, and many will rejoice at his birth, 15 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birth.[a] 16 And he will turn many Israelites to the Lord their God. 17 He will be a man with the spirit and power of Elijah. He will prepare the people for the coming of the Lord. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children,[] and he will cause those who are rebellious to accept the wisdom of the godly."18 Zechariah said to the angel, "How can I be sure this will happen? I'm an old man now, and my wife is also well along in years."19 Then the angel said, "I am Gabriel! I stand in the very presence of God. It was he who sent me to bring you this good news! 20 But now, since you didn't believe what I said, you will be silent and unable to speak until the child is born. For my words will certainly be fulfilled at the proper time."21 Meanwhile, the people were waiting for Zechariah to come out of the sanctuary, wondering why he was taking so long. 22 When he finally did come out, he couldn't speak to them. Then they realized from his gestures and his silence that he must have seen a vision in the sanctuary.23 When Zechariah's week of service in the Temple was over, he returned home. 24 Soon afterward his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and went into seclusion for five months. 25 "How kind the Lord is!" she exclaimed. "He has taken away my disgrace of having no children."
Luke 3:1-20John the Baptist Prepares the Way
3 It was now the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius, the Roman emperor. Pontius Pilate was governor over Judea; Herod Antipas was ruler[a] over Galilee; his brother Philip was ruler[] over Iturea and TraconitisLysanias was ruler over Abilene. 2 Annas and Caiaphas were the high priests. At this time a message from God came to John son of Zechariah, who was living in the wilderness. 3 Then John went from place to place on both sides of the Jordan River, preaching that people should be baptized to show that they had repented of their sins and turned to God to be forgiven. 4 Isaiah had spoken of John when he said,"He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,'Prepare the way for the Lord's coming!Clear the road for him!5 The valleys will be filled,and the mountains and hills made level.The curves will be straightened,and the rough places made smooth.6 And then all people will seethe salvation sent from God.'"[c]7 When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9 Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."10 The crowds asked, "What should we do?"11 John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."12 Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"13 He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."14 "What should we do?" asked some soldiers.John replied, "Don't extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay."15 Everyone was expecting the Messiah to come soon, and they were eager to know whether John might be the Messiah. 16 John answered their questions by saying, "I baptize you with[d] water; but someone is coming soon who is greater than I am-so much greater that I'm not even worthy to be his slave and untie the straps of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.[e] 17 He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire." 18 John used many such warnings as he announced the Good News to the people.19 John also publicly criticized Herod Antipas, the ruler of Galilee,[f] for marrying Herodias, his brother's wife, and for many other wrongs he had done. 20 So Herod put John in prison, adding this sin to his many others.
A Look at the ManPeople in Israel were expecting the Messiah. The prophet Malachi had spoken of a redeemer, saying, “See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes” this long-awaited day of the Lord had melted into years, decades, centuries. Generations had come and gone, and still there was silence. God’s voice was not heard.
But then came John with the clear-cut assignment pronounced centuries earlier by the prophet Isaiah: “A voice of one calling in the desert, 'Prepare the way for the Lord; make straight paths for him.'”John’s voice was so strong and so persistent that it was heard even in the king’s palace. When Herod learned that John had pronounced judgment on his illegal and immoral marriage to his brother’s wife, he threw the prophet in prison.
While imprisoned, John felt the need of reassurance about the one whose way he was preparing. Had he, like so many others, secretly hoped the Messiah would be like other great kings, using military force to overthrow his adversaries? But Jesus had assembled no armies. Perhaps, he may have thought, Jesus would use political force. But civil reform would never prove to be part of Jesus’ agenda.
When John’s messengers questioned Jesus, they found him at work, curing diseases, giving sight to the blind, delivering those who were possessed by evil spirits. Jesus merely replied to their questions with the command: “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard.”
Imagine how John must have been pleased with this message. This is not what I expected in the Messiah,he may have thought. But Jesus must be from God. No one could do these things unless he was the one we have waited for.
A short time later, John was beheaded by Herod. By his life and by his death he prepared the way of the Lord, whose kingdom was not of this earth. Jesus said of John: “I tell you the truth. Among those born of a woman there has not risen anyone greater than John.”
John said of Jesus, “One more powerful than I will come, the thongs of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie…. He must become greater; I must become less.”A perfect summary of what it means to prepare the way of the Lord.
Reflect On:Luke 3:7ÔÇô147 When the crowds came to John for baptism, he said, "You brood of snakes! Who warned you to flee the coming wrath? 8 Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. Don't just say to each other, 'We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.' That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 9 Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire."
10 The crowds asked, "What should we do?"
11 John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
12 Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
13 He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."
14 "What should we do?" asked some soldiers.
John replied, "Don't extort money or make false accusations. And be content with your pay."With the appearance of John the Baptist we have the burial of the Old Dispensation and the emergence of the New. We seem to see his rugged figure standing with arms outstretched, as with one hand he takes the Old Testament, and with the other holds the New, and who, through his ministry, makes the transition from Law to Grace. He was the foreclosure of the old and the forerunner of the new. Perhaps we can helpfully gather the witness of John around these outstanding features:
I. His parentage.John came as the child of promise and was born in a city of Judah when his parents were old, and his mother long past conceptionLuke 1:77 They had no children because Elizabeth was unable to conceive, and they were both very old.Luke 1:1313 But the angel said, "Don't be afraid, Zechariah! God has heard your prayer. Your wife, Elizabeth, will give you a son, and you are to name him John.Luke 1:3939 A few days later Mary hurried to the hill country of Judea, to the town40 where Zechariah lived. She entered the house and greeted Elizabeth.41 At the sound of Mary's greeting, Elizabeth's child leaped within her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.42 Elizabeth gave a glad cry and exclaimed to Mary, "God has blessed you above all women, and your child is blessed.His parents were of priestly descent, his mother being a kinswoman of Mary the mother of our Lord Luke 1:36.36 What's more, your relative Elizabeth has become pregnant in her old age! People used to say she was barren, but she has conceived a son and is now in her sixth month.
II. His severelike-mindedness. John, as a man of the desert, knew what it was to practice self-denial Matt. 3:44 John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey.A Nazarite from his birth, he developed self-reliance and spiritual strength as he communicated with God in the desert solitudes he loved Luke 1:1515 for he will be great in the eyes of the Lord. He must never touch wine or other alcoholic drinks. He will be filled with the Holy Spirit, even before his birthHe was a plain man in every way, akin to Elijah whom many took him for.
He was plain of dress. He dressed simply, his raiment consisting of camel's hair, that is, either a robe of camel's skin or cloth woven from camel's hair. What a humble habit compared with the luxurious robes of soft wool worn by the fashionable and great of his time!
He was plain of food. No sumptuous dishes for this Elijah-like prophet. It was on rough food he thrived. Vegetable honey exuding from fig-trees and palms, and edible locusts, classed among the flying, creeping things the Israelites were allowed to eat formed his dietLev. 11:2222 The insects you are permitted to eat include all kinds of locusts, bald locusts, crickets, and grasshoppers.Matt. 3:44 John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honeyJohn the Baptist could subscribe to the words of a devout Englishman of a past century:I shall be spare of sleep, sparer of diet, and sparest of time that, when the days for eating, drinking, clothing, and sleeping shall be no more, I may eat of my Saviour's hidden manna, drink of the new wine in my Father's kingdom, and inherit that rest which remaineth for the people of my God for ever and ever.
He was plain of speech.Living near to nature, He heard God's voice in solitude as well as in Scripture. Familiar with the Old Testament, he made frequent use of its picturesque language (Luke 3:17Isa. 66:24; with Amos 9:6). After his sojourn in the desert, brooding over the need and peril of his time, he came forth to speak of barren trees fit only for burning-vipers fleeing before the flaming scrub. John saw in his desert surroundings much that symbolized his nation's calamity and which lent color to his solemn warnings of impending doom.
There is a great deal we would like to say about this man sent from God who had the privilege of acting as the forerunner and then as the baptizer of Jesus, who said of him that he was greater than a prophet. Space, however, forbids a full exposition of this mighty character in the Bible's portrait gallery. The preacher might be able to expand the following features: His self-denial (Matt. 3:4)Courage (Matt. 3:714:4)Powerful preaching (Mark 1:5)Humility (Mark 1:7)Holiness (Mark 6:20)Burning zeal (John 5:35)Honour (Matt. 11:11)Ministry of witness (John 10:41)Preparatory work (Matt. 11:10)Testimony (John 1:29-36)Results (Matt. 9:14)Death (Matt. 14:10)Which Spurgeon said, "John was the first Baptist Minister to lose his head through dancing."