Jesus Christ
The Passion
John the Baptist: Annointing the Messiah
by Rhawn Joseph, Ph.D.
According to scripture, the Day of the Lord would not begin and the Messiah could not start his work until the way had been paved by a prophet and messenger from god. Many believed that this prophecy referred to the return and second coming of the prophet Elijah. Elijah, it was believed, would annoit and announce the Messiah to the peoples of Israel and to the world.
As retold by Mark 1: "As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."
Yet, no one knew in what way or form Elijah might reappear. Some thought Elijah, who'd been taken directly to heaven by God, would return in his own body. Others thought he would become a transmigrating or reincarnating spirit which would enter and possess yet another man--a prophet who would emerge from the wilderness calling upon the people to repent, and thus making the way straight for the coming of the Lord.
Enter, John the Baptist, the son of a priest, Zechariah, and Elizabeth, a cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus.
How John spent his early years we do not know. Yet, as prophecied, John the Baptist heard the word of God and then emerged from the Wilderness, crying out to the people to repent.
"In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." -Matthew 3.
As promised by prophecy, "John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."
Moreover, John was baptizing the masses along the banks of the Jordan river, and it was upon the banks of the Jordan that Elijah stood when God took him to Heaven. The prophecies were being fulfilled: "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias." -Matthew 3.
Many were convinced that John was the promised messenger from God, and that the Kingdom of God was near.
Jesus, too declared that John the Baptist was the prophet who would pave the way, as promised by God: "This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist." -Luke 7.
The fame of John quickly spread far and wide. Noblemen, priests, aristocrats, soldiers, peasants, and a constant flow of huge masses of people flocked to the Jordan to be baptised by John:
"Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins." -Matthew 3.
Many, in fact, thought John was the promised Messiah and they sought to worship him. But John declared this was not so. He was but a messenger who had heard the word of God, and God had given him had a divine mission, to pave the way for the establishment of the Kingdom of God, and to annoint the Messiah:
"I baptize you with water unto repentance. But he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." -Matthew 3.
John baptised and preached, condemning sinners, be they man, woman or king. And among those he condemned was King Herod. Herod had divorced his wife, and married the wife of his dead brother. This was a sin, John preached, thus drawing the ire of Herod and his new wife, and amazing the people who flocked to him in even greater numbers.
John the Baptist declared again and again that he was on a mission from God, that he was searching for he who "is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:" the promised Messiah.
Word soon reached him of Jesus and the miracles he performed: And "John calling unto him two of his disciples sent them to Jesus. When the men were come unto Jesus, they said, John Baptist hath sent us unto thee, saying, Art thou he that should come? or look we for another?"
Seeing is believing, and as they watched, Jesus performed miracles, healing the sick and casting out devils: "And in that same hour he cured many of their infirmities and plagues, and of evil spirits; and unto many that were blind he gave sight. Then Jesus answering said unto them, Go your way, and tell John what things ye have seen and heard; how that the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, to the poor the gospel is preached. And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me." -Luke 7.
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