Research Paper:

The Relationship of John the Baptist and Jesus

Presented to

Dr. Jonathan W. Lo

Ambrose University

In Partial Fulfilment

of the Requirements for NT 502

by

Jamila Johnson

Student ID: 026915

Date Submitted: March 18, 2022

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The Relationship of the John the Baptist and Jesus

Introduction

The New Testament begins with the four gospels, and all these gospels record the John the

Baptist. John the Baptist was a man born on this earth to carry out a unique ministry. He

remains theologically significant for Christian doctrines of baptism and historically significant

as a forerunner to Jesus of Nazareth. But since the dawn of the nineteenth century, an

important development in the quest for the historical John is the interest in the relationship

between John the Baptist and Jesus.

This paper begins with the origin of John and his formative years followed by his relationship

to Jesus.

1. The Origin and Formative years of John the Baptist

Among the canonical Gospels, the birth of John is recounted only by Luke. According to

Luke, John was born to a pious elderly priestly father, Zechariah, and mother, Elizabeth,

during the reign of Herod the Great (Luke 1:5-7). After his birth and dedication in the Temple

(Luke 1:8-25, 57-66), Luke indicates that John grew up in the wilderness until his public

appearance as a forerunner, Baptizer, and prophet (Luke 1:80).1

John is portrayed as an ascetic prophet (Mt 3:4–6; Mk 1:5–6). His clothing of camel's hair and

a leather belt evoke the distinctive dress of OT prophets (e.g., Zech 13:4; Heb 11:37), perhaps

Elijah in particular (2 Kings 1:8), and further intimate prophetic rebuke of ungodly rule and a

call for repentance and restoration. The locusts and wild honey diet likely underscore John's

austerity and self-denial.2

With the discovery of the Qumran documents, a hypothesis has become popular that ties John

with the Essene community. Perhaps John, the son of aged parents, was left an orphan and
1
Daniel S. Dapaah, The Relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth: A critical Study (Lanham:
University of America, 2005), 40.
2
S. A. Cummins. “John the Baptist,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 2nd ed. Joel B. Green, Jeannine K.
Brown, Nicholas Perrin (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2013), 439.
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adopted by the Essene community.3 The Essenes retired to the wilderness to live a communal

life guided by strict moral principles. 4 Whereas John can be differentiated from the Qumran

community as he occupied a very public profile as a prophetic figure, and his baptism had

dimensions different from immersions at Qumran.5

Also, Josephus is among our most important witnesses to Judaism and Judean history in the

pre-70 CE period. In book 18 of the Antiquities of the Jews, Josephus mentions John the

Baptist in a parenthetical remark about the defeat of Herod Antipas' army by the Nabatean

king Aretas IV. From Josephus, we have the following observations about the John the

Baptist:

 John was regarded as a Judean holy man, popular with the masses, and he attracted

large crowds.

 He was known for and named after his activity as a "baptizer."6

 John extorted people to live uprightly, and practice just acts toward others and piety

toward God. And he baptized people who responded to his exhortations.7

 Herod Antipas imprisoned John because he feared the influence of John over the

masses, who might be led into rebellion.8

 Accordingly, he was put to death out of Herod's suspicious temper. Now the Jews had

an opinion that the destruction of this army was sent as a punishment upon Herod and

a mark of God's displeasure against him.9

2. Relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus

3
C.H. Pinnock, “John the Baptist,” in Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, ed. Merril C. Tenney and Moises
Silva (Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 2009), 3:763.
4
Dapaah, The Relationship, 37-38.
5
Cummins, John the Baptist, 438.
6
Michael F. Bird, “John the Baptist,” Jesus Among Friends and Enemies: A Historical and Literary
Introduction to Jesus in the Gospels, ed. Chris Keith and Larry W. Hurtado (Michigan, Baker Academic, 2011),
62-63.
7
P. W. Hollenbach, “John the Baptist” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, 3:888.
8
Bird, John the Baptist, 63.
9
Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews, trans. William Whiston, 118: 109-119.
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A significant development in the quest for the historical John in recent years is the scholarly

interest in the relationship of John and Jesus. Following are a few points that consider the

relationship of John the Baptist and Jesus:

a) Blood Relative: In the Lukan account, the Baptizer first appears as a relative of Jesus

(Luke 1:36). In the birth narrative, John leaps for joy in Elizabeth's womb at the presence

of Jesus, who is in utero in Mary (Luke 1: 41-44). 10 The parents of John recognized from

the outset the relative greatness of Jesus over John. And because Mary was related to

Elizabeth, Jesus had a tie with the house of David through Joseph (Luke 1:27; 2:4) and the

line of Aaron through both Zechariah and Elizabeth (Luke 1:5).11

b) Forerunner of Jesus: Jesus held the ministry of John to be of the highest importance

because John was a part of the messianic complex of events that form the grand object of

prophecy. He was called to be the great eschatological pioneer, the forerunner of the

Messiah himself. Although he exercised his ministry just before Jesus did and belonged to

the time of promise, in another sense, he also belonged to the time of fulfillment. John

was the line of demarcation in the history of salvation. In him, the future predictions of the

OT began to find fulfillment (Matt 11:10-15). Jesus strongly endorsed John's ministry,

indicating close solidarity with John's calling. Although Jesus stated, "he who is least in

the kingdom of heaven is greater than John" (Matt 11:11), he did not intend to depreciate

the greatness of John, who was foremost among the revered OT worthies, but rather to

exalt the superb opportunities to the one who will partake of the messianic promises in

Christ himself (cf. matt. 13:17).12 So, both John and Jesus played an important role within

the providence of a covenant-keeping and immeasurably beneficent of God.13

10
Bird, John the Baptist, 75.
11
Pinnock, John the Baptist, 762.
12
Pinnock, John the Baptist, 762.
13
Cummins, John the Baptist, 440.
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c) Witness of the Word: In the fourth Gospel, John is never called the "Baptist" but is

known simply as "John." In the prologue, John is said to be "sent from God" and to have

come "as a witness to testify the light" even though "he himself was not the light" (John

1:6-8). John also attests that pre-existent being of the Word, who comes and dwells among

Israel. This captures the primary function of John in the fourth Gospel: he is principally a

witness to the messianic identity and esoteric task of Jesus rather than a prophetic

contemporary of Jesus. (John 1:14-15).14 But it is insufficient to suggest that John is here

depicted as inferior; instead, he is represented as having a unique initial and supporting

role in the Jesus-centred diving drama now underway.15

d) Baptizer: The four canonical Gospels attest that Jesus was baptized by John (Mark 1:9-

11; Matt 3:13-17; Luke 3:21-22; cf. John 1:31-34). Most scholars agree that one of the

most verifiable occurrences of Jesus' life was his baptism by John. 16 After the baptism, the

Spirit descends on Jesus, and a heavenly voice acclaim him as God's Son; thus, the

baptismal account displays Jesus' messiahship in symbolic form. 17 But Jesus was baptized

by John has been a problem from the beginning of Christianity, and not only because he's

being baptized indicates that he might have been subordinate to John. Jesus apparently

turned away from sin and, as Michael Grant notes, this "set the theologians of subsequent

centuries a conundrum. For how Jesus could have been baptized for the forgiveness of his

sins, he was divine and therefore sinless?" Often the solution is given that he wished to

humble himself by participating with the sinful in this important ritual. A. M Hunter stated

that "He (Jesus) discerned the hand of God in John's mission, and by acceptance of John's

baptism identified Himself with the people whom He came to save."18

14
Bird, John the Baptist, 78.
15
Cummins, John the Baptist, 442.
16
Dapaah, John the Baptist, 85.
17
Joel Marcus, John the Baptist in History and Theology (South Carolina: The University of South Carolina
Press, 2018), 83.
18
Joan E. Taylor, The Immerser: John the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism (Michigan: William B.
Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997), 262.
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e) Message: John's great importance lies in the fact that he bridged the old era and the new

and the link between the two. Neither Jesus, not John came preaching something new.

Theirs was a word of fulfillment: "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near" (Matt. 3:2:

4:17).19 Thus, both John and Jesus delivered the message of repentance.

f) Ministry: Whereas the Synoptic Gospels suggest that Jesus began his ministry after

John's arrest (Matt. 4:12; Mark 1:14; Luke 4:14), the fourth Gospel describes overlapping

ministries, with Jesus, John, and their disciples active in the Judean countryside and at

Aeron Salim respectively, both baptizing (John 3:22-23; cf. John 4:1-2). Although John

still draws crowds, his role is receding even if increasingly at risk (John 3:24). John

differentiates his supporting role vis-à-vis, Jesus, as the one sent ahead of the Messiah,

and as the bridegroom's friend who rejoices at his ministry (John 3:27-29). 20 But,

according to Joan E. Taylor, the overlap between John and Jesus' activities in Galilee

cannot have been very long. By the time Jesus was well known, John was dead since there

were rumours that Jesus was John resurrected. Some people said, "John the Baptist has

been raised from the dead."21

g) Followers: As the prophets of the old, John and Jesus both gathered a band of disciples

(Isaiah 8:14). Some of John's disciples came to Jesus and joined his group (John 1:35-

42).22 An issue arose during Jesus' Galilean ministry that why John's disciples fast (Luke

5:33), but Jesus; disciples do not. In response, Jesus offers three brief illustrations

involving a bridegroom, a garment, and wineskins. In this way, he intimates the abundant,

irresponsible, and celebratory nature of the kingdom of God, which was announced by

John and is now disclosed and activated in His own life and ministry. From this

19
Pinnock, John the Baptist, 761.
20
Cummins, John the Baptist, 443
21
Taylor, The Immerser, 294.
22
Pinnock, John the Baptist, 767
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standpoint, it may be affirmed that John's ministry provided an essential initial and

overlapping context for that of Jesus.23

The influence and memory of John did not die quickly. John evidently, had disciples

(Luke7:18-19//Matt.11:2; Luke11:1; John 1:35; 3:25-26), and in Acts, John's followers

were found as far as Ephesus, where persons still esteemed John's preaching and practice

of baptism (Acts 18:25; 19:1). Luke's description of early Christian preaching highlights

the role of the Baptizer as a forerunner of Jesus and thereby ensures Christian

appropriation of John's memory (Acts 1:5, 21-22; 10:37-38; 11:16; 13:24-25; 19:4-5).24

h) John and Jesus: Elijah/Elisha Typology: When considering Jesus' relationship to John,

one thinks of Elisha's relationship to Elijah. The very early disciples of Jesus may have

thought that the pattern of the relationship between Elijah and Elisha was being repeated

in John and Jesus, for certain miracles of Jesus appear to be deliberately designed to recall

Elisha's miracles, the cure of a leper (2 Kings 5:1-14 cf. Mark 1: 40-55) and the raising of

a dead child (2 Kings 4: 32-37 cf. Mark 5:21-43).25

i) Martyrdom: John is not only the precursor to Jesus, the messianic Son of Man, but both

suffer and die at the hands of those who do not recognize their respective roles as prophet

and Savior within God's restoration of all things.26 The fact that Jesus went to Galilee,

despite the risk that he might suffer the same fate as John, indicates that he felt he had no

choice. According to the first two Gospels, Galilee was inspired by the news of John's

arrest (Mark 1:14; Matt. 4:12). The immediate impression is that Jesus was taking up

where John had left off. As John's senior disciple, Jesus felt it incumbent on him to carry

on the ministry of his master. His disciples could continue in Judaea, where there was yet

no opposition. But where there was a real danger, Jesus himself had to go. He had

23
Cummins, John the Baptist, 68.
24
Ibid.
25
Taylor, The Immerser, 281.
26
Cummins, John the Baptist, 442.
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precedent for such a decision. When John had a choice between preaching in Judaea and

Samaria, he took the more difficult task for himself and confided the less difficult one to

Jesus (John 3: 22-24).27 Thus, John's martyrdom highlights the link between God's

kingdom and suffering since those who announce God's saving reign can expect hostility

in this life, as John and Jesus did.28

Conclusion: In summary, we can say that John the Baptist plays an essential role in his

relationship with Jesus. He was not only a blood relative of Jesus, but he was the fulfillment

of the OT prophecies and the beginning of the Gospel who announced, "the way of the Lord."

John is also par excellence to Jesus' messianic mission and heavenly origins. John’s

significance is perhaps best summarized with a paraphrase from the fourth Gospel that John

performed no sign, but everything that John said about this man was true (John 10: 41).

Bibliography

27
Jerome Murphy-O’ Corner, “John the Baptist and Jesus: History and Hypothesis”, New Testament Studies, vol.
36, 1990, 371.
28
Bird, John the Baptist, 79.
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Bird, Michael F. “John the Baptist,” Jesus Among Friends and Enemies: A Historical and
Literary Introduction to Jesus in the Gospels, edited by Chris Keith and Larry W. Hurtado,
61-80. Michigan, Baker Academic, 2011.

Cummins, S. A. “John the Baptist,” in Dictionary of Jesus and the Gospels, 2nd edited by Joel
B. Green, Jeannine K. Brown, 436-44. Nicholas Perrin. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity
Press, 2013.

Dapaah, Daniel S. The Relationship between John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth: A
Critical Study. Lanham: University of America, 2005.

Hollenbach, P. W. “John the Baptist” in Anchor Bible Dictionary, 3:887-99.

Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews. Translated by William Whiston, 118: 109-119.

Marcus, Joel. John the Baptist in History and Theology. South Carolina: The University of
South Carolina Press, 2018.

Murphy-O’ Corner, Jerome. “John the Baptist and Jesus: History and Hypothesis”. New
Testament Studies, vol. 36, 359-74. 1990.

Pinnock, C. H. “John the Baptist,” in Zondervan Encyclopedia of the Bible, edited by Merril
C. Tenney and Moises Silva, 3:761-68. Grand Rapids, MI, Zondervan, 2009.

Taylor, Joan E. The Immerser: John the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism. Michigan:
William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1997.