Chris Wallis REL102 - New Testament 25 May 1998 John the Baptist: Founder of Christianity John the Baptist

seems to have been an eschatological Jewish prophet, probably one of many such figures in the early first century C.E. John was particularly charismatic, however, and though he lived in the wilderness (probably near the Dead Sea), he attracted many followers with his preaching of a radical interim ethic of morality and repentance. Jesus relationship with the John the Baptist is enigmatic, interesting, and challenging. Each of the synoptic gospels presents a different view of that relationship, emphasising1 different concerns and perspectives. John is variously depicted as Jesus prophet, paving his way; as an eschatological doomsayer; and as a messianic preacher. I will argue that in actuality, John was simply Jesus teacher, and that the most significant key teachings of Jesus ministry are drawn directly from his teacher John. The first depiction of John to address is, of course, the earliest: Mark 1.2-11. Mark begins his account by establishing that Johns ministry fulfils the words of the prophet Isaiah, specifically in regard to preparing for the coming of Jesus (Mk 1.2-3). Mark then identifies the primary components of Johns teaching as repentance and the forgiveness of sins, within the context of a ritual absolution by water (in the River Jordan). John is also identified with the prophet Elijah (primarily through his clothing), one of the most influential Jewish prophets, whose second coming was eagerly anticipated
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(Mal 4.5). Jesus himself identifies John as Elijah in Mk 9.11-13. Johns other primary function in Mark is to predict Jesus coming as a prophet more powerful than himself, who will baptise with the Holy Spirit as opposed to Johns water (Mk 1.8). Accordingly, when Jesus comes, John baptises him and Jesus has a religious experience of being filled with the Holy Spirit and hearing the voice of God (Mk 1.9-11). So, in essence Johns ministry is a preparatory one, emphasising the key features of Jesus own teaching: repentance and the forgiveness of sins. Matthew fleshes out Johns character and teaching even more fully. Here we encounter John as a primarily eschatological prophet, whose key statement is Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. (Mt 3.2) Upon seeing the Pharisees coming for baptism, John makes a series of highly eschatological statements concerning the wrath to come(Mt 3.7). He advises the interim ethic bear fruit worthy of repentance, i.e., through doing good works (Mt 3.8). He warns that the end is coming soon, and those who do not bear fruit will be condemned (3.10). John also speaks of a coming messianic cosmic judge figure (3.11-12). Matthew obviously identifies Jesus as this figure; however, it is not at all clear that John does. In fact, later John sends a message to Jesus, inquiring whether he is in fact the Messiah (Mt 11.2-3). Changes from Marks baptism account reflects Matthews redactional concerns. When Jesus comes to be baptised by John, Matthew portrays John as hesitant, recognising Jesus superiority and doubting the need for his

baptism (3.13-14). Thus Matthew essentially does away with Marks messianic secret motif (Ehrman 85). Matthew suggests that John realises who Jesus is; hence John suggests that he should be baptised by Jesus. However, Jesus indicates that a formal initiation is proper and necessary for him. Matthew also alters the vision of the Spirit and the voice of God immediately after Jesus baptism. Whereas in Mark this was a personal mystical experience for Jesus, here the voice speaks to onlookers as well, saying This is my beloved son as opposed to You are my beloved son (Mt 3.17 and Mk 1.11). Changes in Matthew also reflect the chronologically developing trend in the Gospels to divinise Jesus more and more. An examination of passages from Mark through John indicates a trend in the christologies of early Christian sects that goes from depicting Jesus as human to Jesus as divine. For example, in Mark we see Jesus as a human servant of God. However, Matthew includes passages such as the infancy narrative to indicate that Jesus had some divine qualities from birth. The way he handles Jesus baptism also divinises him further, by implying that he was sinless (and therefore needed no baptism). Luke follows in the footsteps of both Mark and Matthew, expanding the material on John the Baptist even more by adding an infancy narrative for him. In Luke, John also gives specific teachings to specific groups of people concerning what kind of interim ethic they should in the context of the kingdoms imminence. John again serves the roles of preparatory prophet

and eschatological preacher in the material drawn from Q and shared with Matthew. However, Luke downplays Jesus baptism, mentioning it only in passing. Despite the theological concerns of the Gospel authors (Matthew especially), I believe the evidence supports a reading of John the Baptist as the teacher, master, and inspiration for Jesus teachings. Jesus comes to John in the wilderness to receive his baptism and his teaching. In the earliest Gospel, Mark, there is no indication that either perceives their relationship to be secretly inverted. Next, Jesus begins his ministry immediately upon hearing that John has been arrested and imprisoned (Mk 1.14-15). This implies that he sees himself continuing Johns work in his absence. His first proclamation is The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent . . . It may be that Jesus saw Johns arrest (and execution) as a sign that the end of the age was at hand. In Matthew, Jesus first statement of his ministry, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand echoes word for word Johns key proclamation. In the form of the Greco-Roman biography, opening statements and stories provided the key to understanding the character of the personage written about (Ehrman 105). It would seem here that Jesus core teaching continues unmodified that of his teacher, John. Jesus also (like John) proclaims the coming of the end of the age, the final judgement, and the arrival of the Son of Man in passages like Mt 13.24-30, 13.47-50, and 25.31-46. Jesus teaching of communal living, sharing of excess wealth,

honesty, and non-violence finds its root in Johns teaching of Luke 3.11-14. Finally, we see Jesus openly proclaim the greatness of his teacher in the memorable passage of Mt 11.7-15. Here Jesus calls John more than a prophet and essentially calls him the greatest man who has ever lived on earth!2 He asks people to contemplate who John was, then declares him to be the second coming of the divine prophet Elijah. In the parallel passage in Luke (7.24-35), it is said that they approved of this point of view because they had been baptised by John; it seems clear that they saw Jesus as Johns successor and inheritor of his teachings. Jesus saw himself, and was seen by others, as a disciple of John the Baptist, one who carried his good news to the people after he had been martyred. Jesus may even have understood his own martyrdom to be simply following in the footsteps of his teacher, and hence inevitable. This point of view is not incompatible with the idea that Jesus was greater than John: after all, a student may exceed his master. At any rate, the clear connection between the two continues to be acknowledged every day with baptisms by water in the Christian church, even though nowhere in the New Testament does it say that Jesus himself performed such baptisms. This is one more piece of evidence that Christianity inherited a tradition that had its ultimate source in John the Baptist, the founder of Christianity.

Independent attested in Gospel of Thomas 46.