The Early Life of John and The Unusual Circumstances of His Birth
A Series of Visions. The story surrounding the life of John begins with a series of visions and appearances. First, there was the vision to Zacharias. Zacharias was an aged priest of blameless life. While engaged in his duties in the temple, the angel Gabriel, who had revealed to Daniel (Dan. 9:21-23) the advent of the Messiah, appeared to him and announced that their prayers would be answered in the birth of a son to his wife Elisabeth. As a sign and seal of the promise, he was to be dumb until its fulfillment. Then, there was the vision to Mary. Mary was a cousin to Elisabeth, who was of the lineage of David. The scripture reveals that she was unmarried, though betrothed to a man named Joseph. To her the same angel went with the glad message that she, too, should bear a son; that, as the progeny of the Holy Spirit, he should be called the Son of God and be the Savior of men. Overwhelmed with joy at the news of this, she journeyed from her home at Nazareth, in Galilee, to the hill country of Judea to visit her cousin. Third, there is the vision to Joseph, as well as, the appearance of the angels to the shepherds who were tending their flocks out in the field. The angels brought their glad tidings and sang their song of "Peace on earth." Even before John is born, one can see that these circumstances involving his parents, along with the series of visions given in the Bible, make it clear that one is not dealing with just the ordinary, but, rather, with the special matters that God had divinely arranged. In addition to this one can see that these matters were interrelated, that is, one had a bearing on the other, showing that they were not mere happenstance, but rather a part of God's overall divine plan for man.
His Name Is John -- Luke 1:57-66. When Elizabeth's time to bear the child was completed, she brought forth a son. When her neighbors and kinsfolk heard that the Lord had shown great mercy to her, they rejoiced with her. On the eighth day they went to circumcise the child, and it was their intention to call him Zacharias after his father. But his mother said, "No; he must be called John." They said to her, "There is no one in your family who is called by this name." They asked his father by signs by what name he wished him to be called. He asked for a writing tablet and wrote, "John is his name." Immediately his mouth was opened and his tongue was loosed, and he continued to praise God. These events filled all the neighbors with a sense of wonder and awe. No doubt these events were talked about in all the hill country of Judaea; and all those who heard them kept them in their hearts and said, "What will this child turn out to be, for the hand of the Lord is with him?"
John's Purpose Given In Prophecy -- Luke 1:67-80. The text tells us that Zacharias prophesied about the role his son John would play in behalf of God's people. He tells of John becoming a prophet, being the forerunner who would prepare the way of the Lord, John would make God's people know that they can be saved and receive forgiveness (vs. 77). Due to God's mercy a new day will come, a day in which salvation will be possible for every individual. The text then goes on to say that John grew and became stronger in spirit. He lived in the desert away from other people, until the time when he came out to preach God's message.
The Emergence of John - Matt. 3: 1-6. In those days when John arrived on the scene, he came preaching in the wilderness of Judaea. His message was "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew tells us that this was the one, who had been spoken of by Isaiah the prophet when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight" (Matt. 3:3, a quotation from Isaiah 40:3-5). John himself wore a garment made from camel's hair and he had a leather belt round his waist; his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan went out to him. The Bible tells us that they were baptized in the river Jordan, and as they were baptized, they confessed their sins.
The emergence of John must have been like the sudden sounding of the voice of God. At this time the Jews were sadly conscious of the fact that the voice of the prophets had not been heard for many years. In fact, there had not been a prophet from God in over four hundred years. Throughout those long centuries the voice of prophecy had been silent. Therefore, when John came upon the scene, he no doubt created a great deal of excitement among the people. Closely related to this was the fact that the Jews believed that Elijah would return before the Messiah came, and that he would be the herald of the coming King. The Old Testament prophet stated,
"Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord" (Mal. 4:5).
As the text states, John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, which was the very description of the raiment, which Elijah had worn (2 Kgs. 1:8). Obviously then, there was a great deal of excitement, as the prophetic voice spoke once again; this time through John. As Mark states,
"As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger Before thy face, which shall prepare the way before thee. The Voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare ye the way of the lord, make his paths straight." John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:2, 3, 4).
John's great popularity with the people would be understandable. He was recognized as the prophet that was spoken of in the Old Testament, as the Jews had been looking for the return of the fiery prophet Elijah. Elijah lived in caves and the hills and by the side of the brook; he came and delivered his message; then disappeared into the wilderness again. John appears wearing a garment of camel's hair and a leather girdle around his waist, living on a diet of locust and wild honey (Matt. 3:4). This no doubt was one reason, among others, that made John so very popular in his preaching. The text states, "And there went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins" (Mark 1:5). The text says that "all the land of Judea and of Jerusalem came to hear John preach, but this certainly does not mean that everyone submitted to John's preaching. The Hebrew idiom "all" refers to the greater part. Therefore, we see John was very popular, even though it is not to be understood that every single person in Judea or Jerusalem heard him nor responded by repenting and being baptized.
The Preaching of John
John accomplished more in two years than what most preachers do in a lifetime. As the text says, John did not perform miracles (John 10:41), but soon the nation would hear him preach. It was not a message that would busy itself with the quibbles of the day, but rather, to call the nation back to spiritual realities. He rebuked the violence of soldiers, the extortion of publicans, the hypocrisy of Pharisees, and the selfishness of all (Luke 3:10-14).
The work of John was preparatory in nature. He disclaimed that he was the Christ, but he said, he was the preparatory for him (John 1:19-23). It was the custom of the day for a forerunner to precede one of great importance to herald his coming. By doing so the people would be prepared for the message to be given. Matthew describes him as the one who came to prepare the way of the Lord (Mat. 3:3). Matthew uses the term "way" in a figurative sense. In a physical sense, for one to prepare "the way" one would be leading, so as to make another's journey more rapid and less laborious. Spiritually speaking, this is what John did as the forerunner of the Christ. This is reflected in his message. John went preaching "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" (Matt. 3:3). John's proclamation was a needed one. The people needed to turn back to God and His divine will. During this time they were still under the Old Testament dispensation of time, that is, they were still subject to the Law of Moses. However, when the people were guilty of violating the old law, as they were, they were not going to be of a mind to accept the New, until they repented. Repentance was needed, for as John states, the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
A Closer Look At John's Message. The message of John is an important consideration, which the text gives. It would have to be an important element in explaining John's great popularity, as well as, revealing to all the important role that God was having him accomplish in His divine plan for man. What then can be said of John and his message?
John preached of one that was mightier than he. The text states that John, "preached, saying, there cometh one mightier than I Ö" (Mark 1:7). There is no doubt that this was one important element that contributed to his great success, both in the sight of God and man. John did not preach himself; he preached of another, the Messiah. Notice, "then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him saying I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me" (Matt 3:13, 14)? John understood that he had a certain mission. He knew that it was his task to prepare the way of Jesus by preaching (See Mark 1:7, 8; Matt. 3:11; Luke 3:15-18). John had made it clear that he was not the Christ that the people had been expecting. "And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptized you with water, but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire (Luke 3:15, 16). John made the people realize that he was not the Christ. It is said of John, "and he confessed, and denied not, but confessed, I am not the Christ" (John 1:20). It was John who recognized Jesus as the Son of God. "The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).
John loved the people to which he preached. This is demonstrated for us in a number of ways. It is seen in his sacrificial attitude. He was willing to give up many material comforts in order to preach God's message. The way the Bible describes John in the way he dressed and the way he lived attests to the fact that he was a man, who forsook all the pleasures of the world, because of his desire to preach God's message. It has been pointed out that John never claimed to be the Christ (John 1:20). Had John's motivation been other than his love for God and for others, it is unlikely that he would have chosen to live in such poverty. The fact that he chose the life he did, proves that he did not seek after riches, but, rather, to tell others what they needed to do to be pleasing in the sight of God.
John's love for man is, also, seen in the way he preached to them. He told his listeners what they needed to hear, rather than what they wanted to hear. This is always a characteristic of any man of God that desires to proclaim faithfully God's word. John was just such a man. John preached the truth about men; he called certain ones who had come to hear him "vipers" in that they were wrong religiously. They had become poisoned and were poisonous to others (Luke 3:7). John preached the wrath of God, which was to come (Luke 3:8, 17). John preached repentance, in fact, the text says that he came preaching the "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins (Mark 1:4). It was described in just such a fashion, because the only ones acceptable to receive such a baptism, were those who were willing to repent. He preached against the sin of pride (Luke 3:8). The Jews believed that they were acceptable to God simply on the basis of being Jews, that is, because they were the children of Abraham. However, John made clear that God demands a righteous life for one to be pleasing to Him. John preached about the judgment (Luke 3:9). He made clear to the people that God was the divine woodsman and his axe was already laid at the roots of the trees. When the people asked what God expected of them, then John told them. He told them that they were to love others to the point that if needed, they would share their material goods with those who were in need (Luke 3:11). When the publicans (despised tax collectors) came asking what was God's desire for their lives, he told them to be honest in their business dealings, to stop cheating the people. Soldiers were told not to be violent, they were to charge no man falsely, and they were to be content with their wages (Luke 3:14). In other words, soldiers were to respect and love others, they were to be truthful and honest, contented and responsible. John's message was a hard one for these people. If John's basic aim had been no higher than merely gaining favor of the majority of his audience, he would have said things more pleasing to them. The truth is that his love and concern for the souls of men drove him to preach what his audience needed to hear. The scriptures give no hint that John received any money for his services, which is yet another indication of his strong desire to do God's well acceptably.
It can be seen that John loved the word of God. He was plain with the people and told them what God wanted them to do, because he loved them. However, it is, also, equally true that John loved God's word by the way he preached and by what he preached. In essence, John preached only God's message. "And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then" (Luke 3:10)? John answered them in an effective way. His answer was so plain and straightforward that the people at times mistook John for the Christ. "And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not" (Luke 2:15). They thought at times that he was the Christ, because he gave them God's word. He told them what God expected of them; he told them that God would save them if they would repent. "And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire" (Matt. 3:10). The message, which John gave, was not his own, but, rather, the message of God. The people came and heard John preach and because of it many confessed their sins and were baptized. However, even though he preached against sin in the lives of the people so plainly, there could not be a greater test of John's resolve in serving God, rather than men, than the test of preaching the truth, even in the face of death. John's love for truth can be seen by the fact that he was willing to do so. "For Herod had laid hold on John and bound him, and put him in prison for Herodias' sake, his brother Phillip's wife. For John said unto him, "It is not lawful for thee to have her. And when he would have put him to death, he feared the multitude, because they counted him a prophet Ö and he sent, and beheaded John in prison"(Matt. 14:3, 4, 5, 10).
John was willing to sacrifice his freedom, even his life if need be, so that Herod could be brought face to face with his sin. John had nothing to gain by rebuking the conduct of Herod. Surely, only love could have prompted this man of God to do all that he did for the Lord. If John did not have the well-being of King Herod foremost in his mind, he could have said nothing about Herod's sin. But the truth is that John, even in the face of death, did not allow his own safety to become the primary thought in his life. He felt the greater need to warn Herod of his sinful actions. Herod was a wicked man. He lived an immoral life (Matt. 14:3,4), he loved the world and was extremely ambitious; consequently, his mind was set on the things of this life, rather than the next. He was a foolish man, as indicated by the fact that he would make such an oath to his stepdaughter. Having made a reckless promise as he did, it was the sin of pride that kept him from confessing his mistake and doing what was right. Herod demonstrated a savage type of cruelty (Matt. 14:10-11). He unjustly arrested John and had left John in prison. Then, the fact of John's execution by Herod, as well as, the way Herod executed John betrays the wickedness of the man. This was the kind of man that that Herod was. Yet, this did not stop John from telling Herod what he needed to hear.
The Kingdom at Hand. John's ministry did not terminate in itself. It was preparatory. The burden of it was, "Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Included in this message was his emphasis that they be baptized with the baptism "of repentance" and "for remission;" at the same time calling men to believe on "him who was to come," and who was to baptize with the Holy Spirit (Mark 1:7,8; Acts 19:4). This message was a plain and simple one. When John told them to repent, they understood what he meant. Simply because they were the fleshly descendants of Abraham, did not mean that they would escape God's wrath. Pharisees and Sadducees were included as those, who needed to repent, as well. All those, who would not repent, would be cast into the fire. His message about the kingdom would arouse the slumbering nation and quicken its conscience. John kindled into a flame the messianic expectation of the people. His message was one, where he urged them to repent and turn back to God for the King is coming and his kingdom is soon to follow. This was the aim and result of his brief ministry.
The foregoing warrants the conclusion that John had little regard for anyone above the word of God itself. He did not fear the Pharisees and their reputation, nor did he fear Herod with his power and influence. He knew the influential position, which these men had, yet, he still rebuked them by preaching God's message. The reason for such conviction would have to be due to his love for God, for God's word, and for the souls of those, who needed to hear him.
Lessons To Remember
To study the life of John carefully will reveal a number of important lessons for the child of God today.
First, it was said of John, "He shall be great in the sight of the Lord." It would be a valuable question for each individual to ask himself, "In whose sight do you prefer to be great?" One may be great in the eyes of mankind or of the world and not before God. As the scriptures state before God, "the inhabitants" of the earth are as grasshoppers;" "Behold the nations are as a drop of a bucket, and are accounted as the small dust of the earth Ö All the nations are as dust before him; they are accounted by him as less than nothing, and vanity" (Read Isa. 40:12-26). The scriptures state, "All flesh is as grass, and all the glory thereof as the flower of grass. The grass withereth, and the flower falleth: But the word of the Lord abideth forever" (1 Peter 1:24,25). It is clear, when we compare ourselves to the greatness of God, that the one, who is poor in spirit, having a contrite heart, is great in God's sight. Our history books are filled with what history considers great men. However, before God the servant of all is the greatest (Luke 22:24-30). This was the kind of man that John was, and that is one reason, among others, why he was great in the sight of the Lord.
Second, John was a godly man, both in word and in deed. John's mission and work, as well as, his life made him great before God. He was to drink neither "wine nor strong drink." "Strong drink" was intoxicating liquor, which was different from mere wine itself. John, when grown, drank neither of these, and ate the simple food of locust and wild honey. Priests were forbidden to drink wine or any strong drink, while serving in the tabernacle or temple (Lev. 10:9; Ezek. 44:21). The Nazarite, so long as his vow was upon him, was not only forbidden to drink wine and strong drink, but also "vinegar of wine," "vinegar of strong drink," or "grape juice." He was not to eat fresh or dried grapes, or any thing made of grapes, from kernel to husk (Num. 6:1-4). Obviously then, John was a man of great self-denial, effort, struggle, and obedience to God. Though John lived and died under the Mosaic dispensation of time, still, we as Christians living under the last will and Testament of Christ, have the same obligation to live righteous lives. Paul's admonition to us all is to "keep thy self pure, " (1 Tim. 5:22). "As he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy (1 Peter 1:15,16). We, as children of God, must "cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God" (2 Cor. 7:1). John was great, because he lived a humble, submissive, obedient life, and so must we, if we are to be pleasing in God's sight. John lived a life of sacrifice, denying himself the pleasures of sin, so as to be holy and blameless in the sight of God. His moral life serves as an example for us all.
Third, the picture of John compared to Herod reveals a vivid distinction between a godly man, living according to the will of God, and ungodly one living for himself. Humanly the picture shows the ungodly man triumphing over the godly, however, when one sees the truth of the matter as revealed in the Bible, one sees the godly man (John) ultimately being victorious. John was a righteous man compared to Herod and his immoral live (Matt. 14:3,4). John devoted himself to the proper proclamation of the word of God, while Herod and those like him are filled with a worldly ambition (Matt. 14:5). The scriptures portray a man, who denied himself the pleasures of the world (John), in contrast to one, who was filled with foolishness and selfishness (Matt. 14:6-8). John came to a courageous end, while Herod was filled with savage cruelty (Matt. 14:10-11), and would one day face his own doom. John, the scripture says, was buried (Matt. 14:12), and when Jesus heard of it, he went into a deserted place to be alone (vs. 13). Jesus would say of John, "Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there has not risen a greater than John the Baptist" (Matt. 11:11).
Fourth, John was a man who could take second place graciously. John's heart was filled with doing the will of God. He had a special role to fulfill in God's divine plan to save man from sin. It could have been an easy thing for John to be filled with pride and assume more than what was his rightful place. However, John makes it clear that he was not that one to come (John 1:8). He was contented to be called the friend of the bridegroom (John 3:29). He was able to predict the increase of Jesus and his own decrease without embarrassment or animosity. He freely admitted that Jesus was greater than he was (Mark 1:7). Had John been jealous of Christ, he would not have been so complimentary in his description of Jesus.
"And John bare record, saying I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. And I saw and bare record that this is the Son of God"(John 1:32-34).
In fact, John himself implies that his own disciples should follow Jesus. "Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; and looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus" (John 1:35-37). John understood that his words would drive many of his disciples away from him. He did this, because he was truly a humble man, who could take second place gracefully.
There is a great lesson in this for us all. As we strive to serve Christ, may we do so with humble hearts toward others and a submissive mind toward God. May we have the attitude that rejoices, when the work of others in the kingdom is successful. May we so grow in our concern for the other that we pray for the success of their work. May we always maintain a proper focus, as did John, to put the kingdom of God first in our lives (Matt. 6:33), and that we will let our light shine that He might receive the glory (Matt. 5:16).
Fifth, the preaching of John is a lesson for us today. It is the truth and only the truth that is to be preached and defended (1 Peter 3:15, 2 Tim. 4:1, 2; Jude 3), and, conversely, anyone who preaches a message, which is not found in the Bible, cannot and will not be pleasing in the sight of God. Many religious writers have not understood, either the message, or the proper method of preaching. Consequently, religious leaders of our time have lead many astray in the matter of what God's word actually teaches, as well as, in their false view of how God's word should be proclaimed. It is in this that we need to take a lesson from John. In fact, one would be hard pressed, indeed, to find anyone, save Christ himself, that would be a better example of the preacher and his work, than that of John. John in his presentation of God's message made it clear that anyone, who involves himself in sin and does not repent, will be lost. We need to give the same emphasis by stressing the need for all to obey the gospel by repenting and being baptized (Matt. 7:21; Luke 13:3; Mark 16:15, 16; Acts 2:38; 17:30). Jesus made clear that it is the truth that makes one free from sin, and not error (John 8:32). Christians are warned to preach only the gospel (Gal. 1:6-9). There simply is no spiritual value in preaching a message that is incomplete, inaccurate; one that does not address the matter of salvation from sin and living the Christ centered life. All those, who fail to discharge their responsibility in the matter, will be held accountable for their deeds (2 John 9-11).
To Summarize
John's mission was a great one. Just as the angel had said, he would turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God (Luke 1:16-17). He was to go before the face of the Lord "in the spirit and power of Elijah;" he was "to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the just;" he was to make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him." John did all this. John made clear that he was not Elijah in person, (John 1:21) but, rather, he came "in the spirit and power of Elijah," so that he was the "Elijah to come" (Matt. 17:10-13). In his zeal and manner of life, and bold reproof of sin to the rulers of earth, he resembled Elijah. Elijah reproved frequently Ahab and Jezebel (1 Kings 18:17-46, 21), and John reproved Herod Antipas and Herodias Matt. 14:1-5). John was a most unique individual, and he was used in a powerful, but, yet, wonderful way to usher in the greatest one of all, Jesus the Christ.
End Notes
1. Alexander Campbell, "John the Harbinger or the Character of a Reformer." The Millennial Harbinger vol. 1, no. 2 (February 1830): 50.
2. There are a number of helpful works that the reader is referred to in studying the life and importance of John the Baptist. For instance, helpful commentaries were Albert Barnes, Notes on the New Testament, Matthew and Mark. Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1964; also consider William Barclay's The Daily Study Bible. The Gospel of John, as well as, The Gospel of Luke, The Gospel of Mark and vol. 1 of The Gospel of Matthew. Philadelphia: Westminster Press, 1958. The reader is referred to the commentary by J. W. McGarvey, Commentary on Matthew-Mark. Delight, Ark.: Gospel Light Publishing Co., 1875.This item originally appeared in LawsPublishing.com
