John the Baptist

"Saint John the Baptist" by Leonardo da Vinci

Light iron-age reading
The Bible

Gabbin' with God

* Old / New Testament
* Apocrypha
* Annotated Bible

Analysis

* Word of God
* Biblical contradictions
* Biblical scientific errors

Woo

* Presidential Prayer Team
* James Ussher
* Creation Week

Figures

* Noah
* Asherah
* Pontius Pilate

v \- t \- e

John the Baptist is a figure in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, and is considered a prophet in the Bible as well as the Qur'an. He is also briefly mentioned in Josephus' Antiquities of the Jews, so was apparently a real person.[1] His biblical appearance is most famous for its description of his execution, and for his baptism of Jesus. He should not be confused with the disciple John, the Gospel of John, or the author of the Book of Revelation, John of Patmos.

Despite the name, he was not in fact a Baptist; he just did baptisms.

## Contents

* 1 In the Bible
* 2 Baptism of Jesus
* 3 Execution
* 4 Fate of his several heads
* 5 Reincarnation of Elijah
* 6 Patron saint
* 7 Better than Jesus?
* 8 See also
* 9 Notes
* 10 References

## In the Bible[edit]

John the Baptist is mentioned in all four canonical gospels. The Gospel of Luke alleges that John's mother Elizabeth was the cousin of Jesus' mother Mary,(Luke 1:36) and that his birth was also heralded by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1:11, Luke 1:19), but no other gospel makes this claim.

John baptised people in the river Jordan, but warned that "one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose," and who would baptise with fire instead of water (Luke 3:16). John thus primarily plays the role of Elijah (see below), heralding the coming of Christ. John also preached repentance for sin (Matthew 3:2, Luke 3:3), as opposed to forgiveness.

## Baptism of Jesus[edit]

John (right) baptises Jesus beneath a dove, while running at him or about to lose his balance and fall on him. Don't ask me who all those other people are supposed to be.

“”Matthew 3:13-15
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

In a number of biblical accounts (e.g. Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11), Jesus was baptised by John, following which "heaven was opened" (Luke 3:21, Matthew 3:16) and God spoke etc etc. Following this, Jesus travels into the wilderness and the whole saga begins.

## Execution[edit]

Caravaggio's "The Beheading of St John the Baptist" (1608)

King Herod[note 1] divorced his first wife and married Herodias, who was both the wife of his late brother (Herod Archelaus) and his niece. The Bible claims that John condemned this marriage as unlawful, provoking a quarrel with Herodias. Herod imprisoned John, but wouldn't kill him.[note 2] The story runs that the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod on his birthday, after which Herod promised her whatever she wanted.[note 3] The unnamed daughter conferred with her mother, and asked for John's head. Herod was reluctant to do so, but as he had made an oath to honour any request she made, he carried it out.[note 4]

Josephus presents a different account of events.[1] According to him, Herod feared John's power and influence over his followers. Worrying about the potential for rebellion that this devotion presented, Herod had John executed. This account excludes reference to a conflict with Herodias or her daughter, along with any reluctance on the part of Herod to do the deed due to his respect for the man. While Josephus thus appears to confirm the existence of John, his record contradicts the biblical narrative.

Josephus mentions John in the context of Jewish opinion of his death. Some time after the execution, Herod had been soundly defeated in battle by a neighbouring king (part of a quarrel involving both Herodias and a previous wife). The perception was that this was the judgement of God for John's execution. The order of events here (Josephus has Herod marrying Herodias after John's death) is further contradictory of the biblical account.

## Fate of his several heads[edit]

See the main article on this topic: Relic

One of John the Baptist's heads on display at the Basilica of St. Sylvester the First, in Rome.

A spectacular relic like the severed head of John the Baptist was a sure temptation to covetousness. As such, his head was miraculously multiplied, and instances of his noggin can be ~~worshipped~~ revered at several locations.

* There's one at the church of San Silvestro in Capite in Rome. This one has the endorsement of Pope Benedict XVI.[2]
* Some Muslims believe that the head is at the former Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Damascus, Syria, which is now the Ummayad Mosque.
* The Knights Templar were supposed to have gotten ahold of one in the Middle Ages. This is connected with a fringe theory that the Templars worshipped John rather than Jesus, and used his head in rituals.[3] Where the head ended up, who knows? When the Templars were suppressed by the French in 1307 their possessions were scattered, supposedly to destinations such as Rosslyn Chapel in Scotland.[4]
* Amiens Cathedral has one that it got from Wallon de Sarton. He picked his up in Constantinople during the Fourth Crusade.
* Romanian monks at Mount Athos say they have one, too.
* Another one was found on a small island in the Black Sea off Bulgaria.[5]
* There is one in Germany without the meat.[6]

With Revelation 13:1, John may have been the beast John of Patmos described:

Revelation 13:1
And I stood upon the sand of the sea, and saw a beast rise up out of the sea, having seven heads and ten horns, and upon his horns ten crowns, and upon his heads the name of blasphemy.

* Russian Orthodox painting of John's burial by his students. The left head shows Herodias admiring it, and the left head shows Herodias' maid hiding it in a cave.

* Removing a head from Constantinople for safekeeping

* Caravaggio's painting of the head

* The head at Amiens Cathedral

* Inside the Ummayad Mosque, where a head is located

## Reincarnation of Elijah[edit]

“”And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

—John 1:21

A number of biblical passages maintain that John the Baptist was Elijah or "Elias" (Matthew 11:13-14, Matthew 17:12-13, Mark 9:13). This is necessary as part of a prophecy in Malachi that claims that God would send Elijah to prepare the way for the Messiah (Malachi 3:1, Malachi 4:5-6). However, John 1:21 presents the question directly, with John the Baptist denying the charge.

Nevertheless, as the references to the contrary are supposed to have been spoken by Jesus himself, John's own opinion on the matter is irrelevant.[7]

## Patron saint[edit]

John the Baptist was proclaimed the patron saint of French Canadians in 1908 by Pope Pius X. St. John the Baptist Day (June 24) has long been celebrated as a public holiday in the province of Quebec.

## Better than Jesus?[edit]

Mandaeism, an obscure gnostic religion practiced in southern Iraq, holds John the Baptist as its greatest prophet, while rejecting Jesus.

## See also[edit]

* St. John's wort — an herb that was named after him

## Notes[edit]

1. ↑ Specifically Herod Antipas, and not the Herod the Great of the nativity.
2. ↑ Apparently Herod "feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." (Mark 6:20)
3. ↑ Up to half his kingdom, according to Mark 6:23.
4. ↑ See Mark 6:14-29 for the story.

## References[edit]

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 The Antiquities of the Jews, Book XVIII, Chapter 5, paragraph 2.
2. ↑ General Audience, Aug. 29, 2012
3. ↑ Secrets of the Knights Templar: The Knights of John the Baptist, Ancient Origins
4. ↑ Historical Notes: Is the head of Christ buried in Scotland?, Keith Laidler, The Independent, 15 Aug 1998
5. ↑ Are these the bones of John the Baptist?, CNN, Aug. 30 2010.
6. ↑ http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/12/bulgaria.john.baptist.relics/index.html
7. ↑ "Was John the Baptist Elijah?", Skeptic's Annotated Bible.

v \- t \- e

Articles about the Bible

Old Testament: |  Goliath • Tamar • Tower of Babel • Abel • Joseph (Old Testament) • Firmament • Baal • Noah • Isaac • Ishmael • Amalekites • Curse of Ham • Jacob • Sodom and Gomorrah • Ezekiel's wheel • Lot • Nephilim • G'Tach • Joseph was Imhotep • Moses • Global flood • Cain • Gibeah • Abraham • Old Testament • Incubus and succubus myths • King David • Serpent seed doctrine • Leviathan • Messiah • Mark of Cain • Asherah • Nimrod • Sirach • Jezebel • Adam and Eve • Moloch • Book of Joel • Garden of Eden • Satan • List of actions prohibited by the Bible •
| Torah: |  Torah • Book of Exodus • Book of Genesis • Book of Leviticus • Book of Numbers • Book of Zechariah • Book of Deuteronomy •
| Old Testament History: |  Book of Esther • Book of Ezra • Book of Judges • Book of Ruth • Books of Chronicles • Books of Kings • Books of Samuel • Book of Joshua •
| Old Testament Wisdom: |  Ecclesiastes • Song of Solomon • Book of Job • Book of Proverbs • Book of Psalms •
| Major and Minor Prophets: |  Book of Daniel • Book of Ezekiel • Book of Isaiah • Book of Lamentations • Book of Jeremiah •
New Testament: |  Mary Magdalene • New Testament • Mary (mother of Jesus) • Joseph of Arimathea • Paul of Tarsus • Good Samaritan • Authorship of the New Testament • Magi • Principalities and powers • Joseph (husband of Mary) • Nag Hammadi library • Messiah • Jesus • Gospel of Barnabas • Peter the Apostle • Pontius Pilate • Judas Iscariot • Book of Revelation •
| Gospels and Acts: |  Acts of the Apostles • Gospels • Q gospel • Gospel of John • Gospel of Mark • Gospel of Luke • Gospel of Matthew •
| Pauline Epistles: |  Corinthians • Galatians • Ephesians • Colossians • Epistle to the Philippians • Epistle to Philemon • Epistle to the Romans • Epistle to Titus • First Epistle to the Thessalonians • Second Epistle to the Thessalonians • Second Epistle to Timothy • First Epistle to Timothy •
| General Epistles: |  Epistle of Jude • Epistle of James • Epistle to the Hebrews • First Epistle of John • First Epistle of Peter • Second Epistle of John • Second Epistle of Peter • Third Epistle of John •
Bible analysis: |  Apocalyptic literature • Authorship of the New Testament • Bible interpolation • Biblical sexism • Bibliolatry • Documentary hypothesis • Evidence for the Exodus • Gospels • Horizontal reading • King James Only • Pesher • Q gospel • Septuagint • Skeptic's Annotated Bible • Ten Commandments • Torah • Bible translation • Word of God • Biblical literalism • Biblical contradictions • List of mistakes made by God • Abomination • Firmament • G'Tach • Arsenokoites • Genealogy of Jesus • Nag Hammadi library • Noah's Ark • Annotated Bible • Slavery in the Bible • Examples of God personally killing people • Herod • The Brick Testament • Evidence against a recent creation • EvilBible.com • List of actions prohibited by the Bible • Biblical scientific errors •
| Bible translations: |  Cockney Bible • Douay-Rheims • Jefferson Bible • King James Only • Septuagint • Vetus Latina • Bible translation • Annotated Bible •
| Apocrypha: |  Didache • Apocrypha • Nag Hammadi library • Book of Judith • 2 Maccabees • 3 Maccabees • 4 Maccabees • Books of Enoch • Books of the Maccabees • Gospel of Judas • Gospel of Mary • Gospel of Philip • Gospel of Thomas • Infancy Gospel of James • Infancy Gospel of Thomas • 1 Maccabees •
Biblical figures: |  Abel • Cain • Ishmael • Jacob • Joseph of Arimathea • Joseph (Old Testament) • Mary (mother of Jesus) • Noah • Paul of Tarsus • Mary Magdalene • Lot • Goliath • Nephilim • Moses • YHWH • Amalekites • Baal • King David • Joseph (husband of Mary) • God • Jesus • Asherah • Nimrod • Habakkuk • Adam and Eve • Herod • Pontius Pilate • Jezebel • Tamar • Judas Iscariot • Satan •
Bible woo: |  Jesus diet • Name it and claim it • Snake handling • Speaking in tongues • Spiritual warfare • The Bible Code • Gematria • Stigmata • Biblical longevity • Hanzi of Genesis • Dr. Bronner's Soap • Presidential Prayer Team • Trinity Broadcasting Network • Zecharia Sitchin • James Ussher • Creation Week • Zion Oil and Gas • The Drama of the Lost Disciples • Roman Piso • Jose Luis de Jesús • Prayer • Black Hebrew Israelites • Jonathan Otto • Benny Hinn • Presents Of God Ministry • Solfeggio frequencies • Ken Ham • Harold Camping • Institute for Creation Research • Steve Quayle • Kabbalah Center • Acharya S • Christian Identity • Peter J. Peters • Ezekiel's wheel • Creation Research • Biblical scientific foreknowledge • British Israelism •
| Scientific foreknowledge: |  Gaps between Science and the Bible • Scientific Facts in the Bible: 100 Reasons to Believe the Bible is Supernatural in Origin • Science Confirms the Bible • Eternal Productions: 101 Scientific Facts and Foreknowledge • Modern Science in the Bible • Biblical scientific foreknowledge •

v \- t \- e

Articles about the Qur'an

Suras: |  The Ant • The Family Of Imran • Women (sura) • The Cow • The Elevated Places •
Analysis: |  List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an • Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge • Qur'anic scientific errors • Qur'anic contradictions • Dhu al-Qarnayn •
| Scientific foreknowledge: |  About the Rain in the Qur'an • From Big Bang to Big Crunch • Water is a must have for having life in any planet in the Universe • Seven Heavens in Quran • A New Astronomical Quranic Method for The Determination Of The Greatest Speed C • A Scientist's Interpretation of References to Embryology in the Qur'an • The Coming of the Universe into Existence • The Conquest of Space • The Expansion of the Universe • The Layers of the Atmosphere • The Miracle of Honey • The miracle of honey as an alternative medicine • The Weight of Clouds • Qur'anic scientific foreknowledge •
Other: |  Satanic Verses • Qur'an • Sharia • Hadith • Jihad • Allah • Burqa • Halal • Dhimmi • Houri • Ishmael • List of actions prohibited by the Qur'an • Qur'anic scientific errors • Sexism in the Qur'an • Qur'anic contradictions • Dhu al-Qarnayn • Satan •