John the Baptist
Forerunner of the Messiah
1st century AD
The wilderness prophet who baptized in the Jordan and pointed to Jesus as the Lamb of God.
“He must increase, but I must decrease.” — John 3:30Talk with John the Baptist
The story of John the Baptist
John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, born in their old age after the angel Gabriel announced his coming. He was a relative of Jesus and was set apart from birth to be a prophet, filled with the Holy Spirit. He lived in the wilderness, wearing camel’s hair and eating locusts and wild honey, as he prepared the way for the Lord by calling people to repentance and baptism.
John’s ministry drew crowds from all over Judea to the Jordan River. He boldly confronted the religious leaders and the common people alike, urging them to produce fruit worthy of repentance. The climax of his ministry was the baptism of Jesus, during which John witnessed the Holy Spirit descend like a dove and heard the voice of the Father. John humbly declared that he must decrease while Jesus must increase, identifying Jesus as the Lamb of God.
His unwavering commitment to God’s truth eventually led to his arrest and execution. John had rebuked King Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias. During a banquet, Herodias’s daughter danced for the king, and he promised her anything she asked; prompted by her mother, she requested John’s head on a platter. John died a martyr, and Jesus later praised him as the greatest among those born of women.
Key passages
Luke 1:5–25, 57–80
The miraculous announcement of John’s birth and his father’s prophetic song.
Matthew 3:1–17
John’s ministry in the wilderness and his baptism of Jesus in the Jordan.
John 1:19–34
John’s testimony that he is not the Christ but the one preparing His way.
Mark 6:14–29
The account of John’s imprisonment and execution by Herod Antipas.
Key books
- Matthew
- Mark
- Luke
- John
Questions you can ask
- “What was your message in the wilderness?”
- “What happened when you baptized Jesus?”
- “Why did you say 'He must increase'?”
Common questions
Was John the Baptist related to Jesus?
Yes, the Gospel of Luke notes that their mothers, Elizabeth and Mary, were relatives. John was born about six months before Jesus and prepared the way for His ministry.
Why did John baptize Jesus?
Jesus told John it was to fulfill all righteousness. Although John felt he should be baptized by Jesus, he obeyed, and the event served as the public start of Jesus's mission.
What was the baptism of repentance?
It was a symbolic washing in the Jordan River that represented a person’s decision to turn away from sin and toward God in preparation for the coming Messiah.