213 John the Baptist
From Faith Futures
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Data
(1a) Mark 1:4-6 = Matt 3:1,4-6 = Luke 3:1-3
(1b) GEb 2-3a
(2) John 1:19-23
Crossan analysis:
Item: 213
Stratum: II (60-80 CE)
Attestation: Single
Historicity: +
Texts
(1a) Mark 1:4-6
/1:4/ John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. /5/ And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. /6/ Now John was clothed with camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey.
=Matt 3:1,4-6
/3:1/ In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, /2/ "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." /3/ This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, "The voice of one crying out in the wilderness: 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.'" /4/ Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. /5/ Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, /6/ and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
=Luke 3:1-3
/3:1/ In the fifteenth year of the reign of Emperor Tiberius, when Pontius Pilate was governor of Judea, and Herod was ruler of Galilee, and his brother Philip ruler of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias ruler of Abilene, /2/ during the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John son of Zechariah in the wilderness. /3/ He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,
(1b) GEb 2-3a
Now the beginning of their gospel goes like this:
/1/ In the days of Herod, king of Judea, John appeared in the Jordan river baptizing with a baptism that changed people's hearts. /2/He was said to be a descendant of Aaron the priest, a son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. /3/And everybody went out to him.
By mutilating Matthew's genealogy, they make the beginning say, as we have already stated:
In the days of Herod, king of Judea, during the high-priesthood of Caiaphas, they say, this man named John appeared in the Jordan river baptizing with a baptism that changed people's hearts, and so on.
/1/ It so happened that John was baptizing, and Pharisees and all Jerusalem went out to him and got baptized. /2/And John wore clothes made of camel hair and had a leather belt around his waist. /3/His food, it says, consisted of raw honey that tasted like manna, like a pancake cooked with oil.
Thus they change the word of truth into a lie and instead of "locusts" they put "pancake cooked with honey." [Complete Gospels]
(2) John 1:19-23
/1:19/ This is the testimony given by John when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, "Who are you?" /20/ He confessed and did not deny it, but confessed, "I am not the Messiah." /21/ And they asked him, "What then? Are you Elijah?" He said, "I am not." "Are you the prophet?" He answered, "No." /22/ Then they said to him, "Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?" /23/ He said, "I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way of the Lord,'" as the prophet Isaiah said.
Literature
Parallels
See especially:
Josephus
Now, some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, that was called the Baptist; (18.5.2.117) for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety towards God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purification of the body; supposing still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness. (18.5.2.118) Now, when [many] others came in crowds about him, for they were greatly moved [or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who feared lest the great influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best, by putting him to death, to prevent any mischief he might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it should be too late. (18.5.2.119) Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death. 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. (Antiquities 18:116–119)
Commentary
Jesus Seminar
The voting of the Seminar on various questions relating to John the Baptist was as follows:
- JBap baptized with water
- JBap preached
- JBap's characteristic activities took place in the wilderness
- JBap preached baptism
- JBap's baptism was a form of Jewish immersion rite
- JBap administered baptism himself
- JBap's baptism was done in flowing water
- JBap's baptism was understood to express repentance
- JBap's baptism was understood to mediate God's forgiveness
- JBap's baptism was understood to be a protest against the temple establishment
- JBap's baptism was understood to purify from uncleanness
- JBap's baptism was understood as an initiation into a Jewish sectarian movement
- JBap's baptism was understood to foreshadow an expected figure's baptism.
- JBap taught repentance
- JBap taught repentance apart from baptism
- Mark 1:4 and Matt 3:2 summarize the message of JBap
- JBap spoke the words in Mark 1:7, Luke 3:16b and Matt 3:11b
- JBap spoke the words in Mark 1:8, Luke 3:16a,c and Matt 3:11a,c
- JBap spoke the words in Luke 3:17 and Matt 3:12
- JBap spoke the words in Luke 3:7-9 and Matt 3:7-10
- JBap spoke the words in Luke 3:11
- JBap spoke the words in Luke 3:13
- JBap spoke the words in Luke 3:14
- JBap spoke the words reported in John 1:15
- JBap spoke the words reported in John 1:23
- JBap spoke the words reported in John 1:29
- JBap spoke the words reported in John 1:32-34
- JBap spoke the words reported in John 3:27-30
- JBap's exhortations and activities had a widespread appeal.
- In response, people repented
- In response, people were baptized
- JBap had disciples
- Pharisees came to hear JBap
- Sadducees came to hear JBap
- Toll collectors came to hear JBap
- Soldiers came to hear JBap
- JBap was part of a broader baptizing phenomenon or movement
- JBap was an Essene
- JBap was a member (or former member) of the Qumran community
- JBap was a former Essene
- JBap was a lone Jewish sage or holy man (like Bannus)
- JBap imitated Elijah
- JBap acted as a prophet
- JBap was an apocalyptic preacher
- JBap was perceived as a hellenistic moralist
- JBap's locale overlaps that of Jesus
- JBap's time overlaps that of Jesus
- Jesus began his public ministry at the time JBap was imprisoned
