NEW TESTAMENT

John the Baptist. The voice crying in the wilderness: he preached repentance, baptized in Jordan, and pointed to the one coming after him.

SCRIPTURE SAYS

“The prophet of the Highest” (Luke 1:76); in Jesus’ words, “a prophet … and more than a prophet” (Matthew 11:9)

ERA

New Testament AD 1–60

IN THE DAYS OF

Herod the Great · Tiberius · Pontius Pilate · Philip the tetrarch · Lysanias · Herod Antipas

BOOK

None bears the name

HOW THE WORD CAME

Luke 1 · Promised before his birth

THE CALL

Called, as four accounts tell it

“thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.”

Luke 1:13 (KJV) →

HOW THE WORD KEPT COMING

  • From the textLuke tells the call in words like those that open the books of the old prophets: “the word of God came unto John”, as “the word of the LORD came” to Jeremiah and to Hosea. Luke 3:2 Jeremiah 1:2 Hosea 1:1
  • From the textMatthew and Mark tell no call; their accounts of John open with him already preaching in the wilderness. Matthew 3:1–2 Mark 1:4
  • Before his birth he was to be “filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb”; when Mary greeted Elisabeth, “the babe leaped in her womb”. Luke 1:15 Luke 1:41–44
  • He “was in the deserts till the day of his shewing unto Israel.” Luke 1:80
  • Matthew says he wore “raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins” and ate “locusts and wild honey”; Mark has “a girdle of a skin”. Jesus said John came “neither eating bread nor drinking wine”; before his birth the angel had said he would “drink neither wine nor strong drink”. Matthew 3:4 Mark 1:6 Luke 7:33 Luke 1:15
  • From the textKings describes Elijah as “an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins”. The Gospels do not draw this comparison with John’s girdle themselves. 2 Kings 1:8 Matthew 3:4
  • Scholars' viewEllicott’s commentary holds that the dress “was probably deliberately adopted by the Baptist as reviving the outward appearance of Elijah”; Jamieson, Fausset and Brown call the girdle “the prophetic dress of Elijah”. Matthew 3:4 [10][11]
  • He preached and baptized; people came out from Jerusalem, Judaea and the region round about Jordan “and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Matthew 3:5–6 Mark 1:4–5
  • He had disciples: they “used to fast”, he taught them to pray, and some of them carried his question to Jesus. Mark 2:18 Luke 11:1 Matthew 11:2–3
  • The people held him to be a prophet: Herod “feared the multitude, because they counted him as a prophet”, and the chief priests feared the people, “for all hold John as a prophet.” Jesus said of him, “He was a burning and a shining light”. Matthew 14:5 Matthew 21:25–26 John 5:35
  • Beyond Jordan, where John had first baptized, many said: “John did no miracle: but all things that John spake of this man were true.” John 10:40–42

BEFORE THE RULERS

Before six rulers

KING OF JUDAEA, UNDER ROME

Herod the Great

“There was in the days of Herod, the king of Judæa, a certain priest named Zacharias”

Luke 1:5 (KJV) →

ROMAN EMPEROR

Tiberius

“Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar”

Luke 3:1 (KJV) →

GOVERNOR OF JUDAEA

Pontius Pilate

TETRARCH OF ITURAEA AND TRACHONITIS, UNDER ROME

Philip the tetrarch

TETRARCH OF ABILENE

Lysanias

TETRARCH OF GALILEE AND PEREA, UNDER ROME

Herod Antipas

“It is not lawful for thee to have her.”

Matthew 14:4 (KJV) →

THE MESSAGE

The word in its main themes

In Matthew: “Repent ye”

“Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

Matthew 3:2 (KJV) →

“he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:”

Matthew 3:11 (KJV) →

In Mark: the baptism of repentance

“There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.”

Mark 1:7 (KJV) →

In Luke: “What shall we do then?”

“He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.”

Luke 3:11 (KJV) →

In John: “Behold the Lamb of God”

“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.”

John 1:29 (KJV) →

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30 (KJV) →

The one who comes after him, in four tellings

THE WORD TO …

To whom the word was spoken

Dashed pins are places known only from later tradition, not from Scripture.

TO THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES (MATTHEW); THE MULTITUDE (LUKE)

“O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

Matthew 3:7 (KJV) →

TO THE PUBLICANS

“Exact no more than that which is appointed you.”

Luke 3:13 (KJV) →

TO THE SOLDIERS

“Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.”

Luke 3:14 (KJV) →

TO JESUS, AT THE JORDAN

“I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”

Matthew 3:14 (KJV) →

TO THE PRIESTS AND LEVITES SENT FROM JERUSALEM

“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.”

John 1:23 (KJV) →

TO TWO OF HIS DISCIPLES

“Behold the Lamb of God!”

John 1:36 (KJV) →

TO HIS DISCIPLES, AT ÆNON

“He must increase, but I must decrease.”

John 3:30 (KJV) →

TO HEROD THE TETRARCH

“It is not lawful for thee to have her.”

Matthew 14:4 (KJV) →

TO JESUS, FROM PRISON

“Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?”

Matthew 11:3 (KJV) →

SIGNS

Signs and wonders

WONDER

Zacharias struck dumb

SIGN

The babe leaped in the womb

WONDER

“His name is John”

WONDER

The baptism of Jesus · Matthew

WONDER

The baptism of Jesus · Mark

WONDER

The baptism of Jesus · Luke

VISION

The sign John was given · John’s Gospel

WHAT CAME OF THE WORD

As Scripture reports it

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE REPORTS

COMPANIONS AND OPPONENTS

Who stood with him, and against him

Zacharias, his father

Elisabeth, his mother

Mary

Jesus

Andrew

His disciples

Herodias

The Pharisees and lawyers

Apollos

HOW THE STORY ENDS

Scripture says, tradition says

SCRIPTURE SAYS

  • Herod laid hold on John, bound him and put him in prison “for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife”. Matthew 14:3 Mark 6:17 Luke 3:19–20
  • Matthew and Mark tell that he was beheaded in the prison at Herod’s command, after Herod’s birthday oath to the daughter of Herodias (told on Herod Antipas’s page). Matthew 14:6–11 Mark 6:21–28
  • From the textLuke does not tell the death; he has Herod say, “John have I beheaded”. Luke 9:7–9
  • His disciples took up the body and buried it. Matthew adds that they “went and told Jesus”; Mark that they “laid it in a tomb”. Matthew 14:12 Mark 6:29
  • Hearing of Jesus, Herod said, “It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead.” Mark 6:14–16 Matthew 14:1–2

TRADITION SAYS

  • Of Paula’s visit to Samaria, which Herod had renamed Sebaste: “There lie the prophets Elisha and Obadiah and John the Baptist”.[5] Who says so: Jerome, Letter 108.13, AD 404
  • Under the emperor Julian, “At Sebaste … the coffin of John the Baptist was opened, his bones burnt, and the ashes scattered abroad.”[6] Who says so: Theodoret, Ecclesiastical History 3.3, 5th century, of events under Julian

OPEN QUESTIONS

Where readers have differed

Not Elijah in person, but the Elijah Malachi meant

Albert Barnes (1832–1851); John Gill (1746–1748); H. A. W. Meyer (English 1874–1875); A. Plummer (Cambridge Bible, 1880)

John denied being Elijah returned in person, the sense in which he was asked; he came “in the spirit and power of Elias” (Luke 1:17). Plummer: “Christ is there speaking figuratively … John is here speaking literally.” John 1:21 Matthew 11:14 Luke 1:17 [37][38][39][40]

Elijah himself is still to come, before the second coming

Hilary, Chrysostom, Augustine and Theophylact (as reported by Meyer, 1879); the Pulpit Commentary on Matthew

Matthew 17:11 (“Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things”) is read as a coming still future: the Pulpit Commentary holds that the second coming “shall be preceded by the appearance of Elijah in person”. Ellicott reports that the words have been taken so “by very many both in earlier and later times”, before weighing that reading against the next verse. Matthew 17:11–12 [19][20][18]

IN SCRIPTURE

Every passage

CHAPTERS · 25

Malachi 3 Malachi 4 Isaiah 40 Luke 1 Matthew 3 Mark 1 Luke 3 John 1 John 3 Matthew 9 Matthew 11 Luke 7 Matthew 14 Mark 6 Luke 9 Matthew 17 Mark 9 Matthew 21 Luke 16 John 5 John 10 Acts 1 Acts 13 Acts 18 Acts 19

PASSAGES · 28

Malachi 3:1 Malachi 4:5–6 Isaiah 40:3–5 Luke 1:5–25 Luke 1:39–45 Luke 1:57–80 Matthew 3:1–17 Mark 1:1–14 Luke 3:1–22 John 1:6–42 John 3:22–36 Matthew 9:14–15 Matthew 11:2–19 Luke 7:18–35 Matthew 14:1–13 Mark 6:14–29 Luke 9:7–9 Matthew 17:10–13 Mark 9:11–13 Matthew 21:23–32 Luke 16:16 John 5:33–36 John 10:40–42 Acts 1:5 Acts 1:21–22 Acts 13:24–25 Acts 18:24–26 Acts 19:1–7

WHAT SCRIPTURE DOES NOT SAY

  • Scripture names his parents’ home only as “a city of Juda” in the hill country (Luke 1:39).
  • Scripture does not say how old John was when the word of God came to him.
  • Luke calls Elisabeth Mary’s “cousin” (Luke 1:36); Scripture does not say more exactly how they were related.
  • Scripture records no miracle by John; the people beyond Jordan said, “John did no miracle” (John 10:41).
  • The Gospels do not name the prison where he was held and killed.
  • Scripture does not say where his disciples buried him.

SOURCES

Where this page comes from

  • A. Plummer, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Gospel according to S. Luke (International Critical Commentary) (1896), on Luke 3:1, pp. 81-84.
  • W. M. Ramsay, Was Christ Born at Bethlehem? A Study on the Credibility of St. Luke (1898), ch. XI, pp. 227-245.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Notes on Luke 2:2 and 3:1 (about 1880), read on Bible Hub.
  • Origen, tr. Allan Menzies, Commentary on the Gospel of John, book 6 (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 9) (1896), 6.24.
  • Jerome, tr. W. H. Fremantle, G. Lewis and W. G. Martley, Letter 108, to Eustochium (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 6) (1893), 108.13; the translators date the letter to AD 404.
  • Theodoret, tr. Blomfield Jackson, Ecclesiastical History, book 3 (Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, series 2, vol. 3) (1892), 3.3.
  • tr. Alexander Walker, The Protevangelium of James (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 8) (1886), chs. 22–24.
  • The Catholic Encyclopedia, "Apocrypha", vol. 1 (1907), section on the Protoevangelium Jacobi.
  • tr. J. H. MacMahon, "The Same Hippolytus on the Seventy Apostles", in the appendix of "dubious and spurious pieces" printed with the works of Hippolytus (Ante-Nicene Fathers, vol. 5) (1886), nos. 32 and 44 (New Advent titles its page "Pseudo-Hippolytus").
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 3:4 (about 1878), note on Matthew 3:4; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Matthew 3:4; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 11:3 (about 1878), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. B. Bruce, The Expositor's Greek Testament: Matthew (1897), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Carr, The Gospel according to St Matthew (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1878), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Matthew (1880–1897), note on Matthew 11:3; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Matthew 17:11 (about 1878), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of Matthew (English translation) (1879), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Matthew (1880–1897), note on Matthew 17:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Mark 1:2 (about 1878), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St Mark (1880–1897), note on Mark 1:2; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Luke 2:25 (about 1878), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospels of Mark and Luke (English translation) (1880), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • F. W. Farrar, The Gospel according to St Luke (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • Joseph Benson, Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1811–1818), note on Luke 2:25; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Luke 2:37 (about 1878), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. B. Bruce, The Expositor's Greek Testament: Luke (1897), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Luke 2:37; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 1:21; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. W. Watkins, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on John 1:28 (about 1879), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on John 1:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 1:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Gospel of John (English translation) (1874–1875), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. Plummer, The Gospel according to St John (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1880), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. D. M. Spence and J. S. Exell (eds.), The Pulpit Commentary: St John (1880–1897), note on John 3:31; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 11:28; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Acts 13:1 (about 1880), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • A. C. Hervey, Acts (Pulpit Commentary) (1884), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 13:1; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • M. R. Vincent, Word Studies in the New Testament (1887), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. A. Bengel, Gnomon of the New Testament (Latin 1742; English translation) (1742), note on Acts 13:8; read on Bible Hub.
  • E. H. Plumptre, in C. J. Ellicott (ed.), A New Testament Commentary for English Readers, Note on Acts 15:22 (about 1880), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Matthew Poole, Annotations upon the Holy Bible (1683–1685), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. J. Knowling, The Acts of the Apostles (Expositor's Greek Testament, vol. 2) (1900), note on Acts 15:22; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 15:34; read on Bible Hub.
  • J. R. Lumby, The Acts of the Apostles (Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges) (1885), note on Acts 15:34; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • H. A. W. Meyer, Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Acts of the Apostles (English translation) (1877–1879), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 21:10; read on Bible Hub.
  • R. Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and D. Brown, A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Whole Bible (1871), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • John Gill, An Exposition of the New Testament (1746–1748), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.
  • Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament (1832–1851), note on Acts 21:11; read on Bible Hub.

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