John the Baptist

John the Baptist (Ancient Greek: -

Ioanns ho baptists or Ioan-
ns ho baptizn [5][6][7][8][9] ) was an itinerant preacher[10]
and a major religious gure[11] in Christianity, Islam, the
Bah' Faith,[12] and Mandaeism.
John is described as having the unique practice of baptism
for the forgiveness of sins.[13] Most scholars agree that
John baptized Jesus.[14][15] Scholars generally believe Je-
sus was a follower or disciple of John[16][17][18] and sev-
eral New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus
early followers had previously been followers of John.[19] The Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Pieter Bruegel the Elder
John the Baptist is also mentioned by the Jewish histo-
rian Josephus.[20] Some scholars maintain that John was
inuenced by the semi-ascetic Essenes, who expected an
apocalypse and practiced rituals corresponding strongly Jesus comes to John, and is baptized by him in the river
with baptism,[21] although no direct evidence substanti- Jordan. The account describes how; as he emerges from
ates this.[22] the water, the heavens are 'torn apart' and the Holy Spirit
descends on him 'like a dove'. A voice from heaven then
According to the New Testament, John anticipated a
[23] says, You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well
messianic gure greater than himself, and Jesus was
pleased. (Mark 1:1-8)
the one whose coming John foretold. Christians com-
monly refer to John as the precursor or forerunner of Later in the gospel there is an account of Johns death.
Jesus,[24] since John announces Jesus coming. John is It is introduced by an incident where the Tetrarch Herod
also identied with the prophet Elijah.[19] Antipas, hearing stories about Jesus, imagines that this is
John the Baptist raised from the dead. It then explains
that John had condemned Herod for marrying Herodias,
the ex-wife of his brother (named here as Philip). Hero-
1 Gospel narratives dias demands his execution, but Herod, who 'liked to lis-
ten' to John, is reluctant to do so because he fears him,
See also: Baptism of Jesus and Beheading of St. John knowing he is a 'righteous and holy man'.
the Baptist The account then describes how Herods daughter Hero-
dias (NRSV; other translations refer to the girl as the
John the Baptist is mentioned in all four canonical daughter of Herodias) dances before Herod, who is
Gospels and the non-canonical Gospel of the Nazarenes. pleased and oers her anything she asks for in return.
The Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew, and Luke) de- When the girl asks her mother what she should request,
scribe John baptising Jesus; in the Gospel of John it is she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Re-
implied. luctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his
head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. Johns
disciples take the body away and bury it in a tomb.(Mark
1.1 In Mark 6:1729)
There are a number of diculties with this passage. The
The Gospel of Mark introduces John as a fullment of a Gospel wrongly identies Antipas as 'King'[26] and the
prophecy from the Book of Isaiah (in fact, a conation of ex-husband of Herodias is named as Philip, but he is
texts from Isaiah, Micah and Exodus)[25] about a messen- known to have been called Herod.[27] Although the word-
ger being sent ahead, and a voice crying out in the wilder- ing clearly implies the girl was the daughter of Herodias,
ness. John is described as wearing clothes of camels hair, many texts describe her as Herods daughter, Herodias.
living on locusts and wild honey. John proclaims baptism Since these texts are early and signicant and the read-
of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, and says another ing is 'dicult', many scholars see this as the original
will come after him who will not baptize with water, but version, corrected in later versions and in Matthew and
with the Holy Spirit. Luke.[27][28][29] Josephus says that Herodias had a daugh-

1
2 1 GOSPEL NARRATIVES

ter by the name of Salome. and the leading men of Galilee. For when Herodiass
Scholars have speculated about the origins of the story. daughter came in and danced, she pleased Herod and his
Since it shows signs of having been composed in Ara- guests. And the king said to the girl, Ask me for what-
maic, which Mark apparently did not speak, he is likely ever you wish, and I will give it to you. And he vowed to
to have got it from a Palestinian source.[30] There is a vari- her, Whatever you ask me, I will give you, up to half of
ety of opinions about how much actual historical material my kingdom. And she went out and said to her mother,
it contains, especially given the factual errors.[31] Many For what should I ask?" And she said, The head of John
scholars have seen the story of John arrested, executed, the Baptist. And she came in immediately with haste to
the king and asked, saying, I want you to give me at once
and buried in a tomb as a conscious foreshadowing of the
fate of Jesus.[32] the head of John the Baptist on a platter. And the king
was exceedingly sorry, but because of his oaths and his
John the Baptist in The Gospel of Mark guests he did not want to break his word to her. And
immediately the king sent an executioner with orders to
bring Johns head. He went and beheaded him in the
John and his baptism of Jesus (Mark 1) prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to
the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his dis-
As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my
ciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid
messenger before your face, who will prepare your way,
it in a tomb.
the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight," (English Standard Version)
John appeared, baptizing in the wilderness and proclaim-
ing a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.
And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were go- 1.2 In Matthew
ing out to him and were being baptized by him in the
river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed
with camels hair and wore a leather belt around his waist
and ate locusts and wild honey. And he preached, saying,
After me comes he who is mightier than I, the strap of
whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie.
I have baptized you with water, but he will baptize you
with the Holy Spirit.
In those days Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee and
was baptized by John in the Jordan. And when he came
up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being
torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
And a voice came from heaven, You are my beloved Son,
with you I am well pleased.

Death of John (Mark 6)

King Herod heard of it, for Jesus name had become

known. Some said, John the Baptist has been raised
from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are
at work in him. But others said, He is Elijah. And oth-
ers said, He is a prophet, like one of the prophets of old.
But when Herod heard of it, he said, John, whom I be-
headed, has been raised. For it was Herod who had sent
and seized John and bound him in prison for the sake of
Herodias, his brother Philips wife, because he had mar- St. John the Baptist Preaching, c. 1665, by Mattia Preti
ried her. For John had been saying to Herod, It is not
lawful for you to have your brothers wife. And Hero-The Gospel of Matthew account begins with the same
dias had a grudge against him and wanted to put him tomodied quotation from Isaiah,[33] moving the Micah and
death. But she could not, for Herod feared John, know-Exodus material to later in the text, where it is attributed
ing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him
to Jesus.[34] The description of John is taken directly from
safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, andMark (clothing of camels hair with a leather belt around
yet he heard him gladly. his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey), along
But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday with the proclamation that one was coming who would
gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders baptise with the Holy Spirit and re.(Matthew 3:1-12)
1.2 In Matthew 3

Unlike Mark, Matthew describes John as critical of Phar- Now when John heard in prison about the deeds of the
isees and Sadducees and as preaching the kingdom of Christ, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, Are
heaven is at hand and a coming judgment. you the one who is to come, or shall we look for another?"
Matthew shortens the account of the beheading of John, And Jesus answered them, Go and tell John what you
and adds two elements: that Herod Antipas wants John hear and see: the blind receive their sight and the lame
dead, and that the death is reported to Jesus by his walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead
disciples.[35] Matthews approach is to shift the focus are raised up, and the poor have good news preached to
away from Herod and onto John as a prototype of Jesus. them. And blessed is the one who is not oended by me.
Where Mark has Herod killing John reluctantly and at As they went away, Jesus began to speak to the crowds
Herodias insistence, Matthew describes him as wanting concerning John: What did you go out into the wilder-
John dead.[36] ness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? What then did
John the Baptist in the Gospel of Matthew you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Be-
hold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings houses.
What then did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell
you, and more than a prophet. This is he of whom it is
John and his baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3)
written,

In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the "Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will
wilderness of Judea, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven prepare your way before you.
is at hand. For this is he who was spoken of by the Truly, I say to you, among those born of women there has
prophet Isaiah when he said, arisen no one greater than John the Baptist. Yet the one
The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
way of the Lord; make his paths straight." From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom
of heaven has suered violence, and the violent take it by
Now John wore a garment of camels hair and a leather force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until
belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who
honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear.
about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were
baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But to what shall I compare this generation? It is like
children sitting in the marketplaces and calling to their
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees playmates,
coming to his baptism, he said to them, You brood of
vipers! Who warned you to ee from the wrath to come? "We played the ute for you, and you did not dance; we
Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not pre- sang a dirge, and you did not mourn.
sume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our fa- For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say,
ther, for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise He has a demon. The Son of Man came eating and drink-
up children for Abraham. Even now the axe is laid to the ing, and they say, Look at him! A glutton and a drunk-
root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear ard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! Yet wisdom is
good fruit is cut down and thrown into the re. justied by her deeds.
I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is
coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am Death of John (Matthew 14)
not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and re. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of
will clear his threshing oor and gather his wheat into the Jesus, and he said to his servants, This is John the Bap-
barn, but the cha he will burn with unquenchable re. tist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these
miraculous powers are at work in him. For Herod had
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the
baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, sake of Herodias, his brother Philips wife, because John
I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" had been saying to him, It is not lawful for you to have
But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for thus it her. And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared
is tting for us to fulll all righteousness. Then he con- the people, because they held him to be a prophet. But
sented. And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he when Herods birthday came, the daughter of Herodias
went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were danced before the company and pleased Herod, so that
opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might
like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice ask. Prompted by her mother, she said, Give me the
from heaven said, This is my beloved Son, with whom I head of John the Baptist here on a platter. And the king
am well pleased. was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he com-
manded it to be given. He sent and had John beheaded
John questions Jesus (Matthew 11) in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and
4 1 GOSPEL NARRATIVES

given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. And The text briey mentions that John is imprisoned and later
his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and beheaded by Herod, but the Gospel of Luke lacks the
they went and told Jesus. story of a step-daughter dancing for Herod and requesting
(English Standard Version) Johns head.
The Book of Acts portrays some disciples of John be-
coming followers of Jesus Acts 18:24-19:6 a development
1.3 In Luke and Acts not reported by the gospels except for the early case of
Andrew, Simon Peters brother John 1:35-42
Main article: Nativity of St. John the Baptist
The Gospel of Luke adds an account of Johns infancy, John the Baptist in the Gospel of Luke and Acts

Nativity of John (Luke 1)

In the reign of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest

John the Baptist (right) with child Jesus, painting by Bartolom
Esteban Perez Murillo
introducing him as the miraculous son of Zechariah,
an old man, and his wife Elizabeth, who was past the
menopause and therefore unable to have children.[37][38]
According to this account, the birth of John was foretold
by the angel Gabriel to Zechariah, while he was perform-
ing his functions as a priest in the temple of Jerusalem.
Since he is described as a priest of the course of Abijah
and Elizabeth as one of the daughters of Aaron,[39] this
would make John a descendant of Aaron on both his
fathers and mothers side.[40] On the basis of this ac-
count, the Catholic calendar placed the feast of the Na-
tivity of John the Baptist on June 24, six months before
Christmas.[41]
named Zechariah, who belonged to the division called af-
ter Abijah. His wife, whose name was Elizabeth, was
also a descendant of Aaron. They were both righteous
people, who lived blameless lives, guiding their steps by
all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. But
they had no child, Elizabeth being barren; and both of
them were advanced in years.
One day, when Zechariah was ociating as priest before
God, during the turn of his division, it fell to him by lot, in
accordance with the practice among the priests, to go into
the Temple of the Lord and burn incense; and, as it was
the Hour of Incense, the people were all praying outside.
And an angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing on
the right of the Altar of Incense. Zechariah was startled
at the sight and was awe-struck. But the angel said to him:
Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard,
and your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, whom you
will call by the name John. He will be to you a joy and a
delight; and many will rejoice over his birth. For he will
be great in the sight of the Lord; he will not drink any
wine or strong drink, and he will be lled with the Holy
Spirit from the very hour of his birth, and will reconcile
many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. He will go
before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, to
reconcile fathers to their children and the disobedient to
the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the
Lord a people prepared for him.

There is no mention of a family relationship between How can I be sure of this?" Zechariah asked the angel.
John and Jesus in the other Gospels, and Raymond E. For I am an old man and my wife is advanced in years.
Brown has described it as of dubious historicity.[42] I am Gabriel, the angel answered, who stand in the
Gza Vermes has called it articial and undoubtedly presence of God, and I have been sent to speak to you
Lukes creation.[43] The many similarities between the and to bring you this good news. And now you will be
Gospel of Luke story of the birth of John and the Old Tes- silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes
tament account of the birth of Samuel suggest that Lukes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my
account of the annunciation and birth of Jesus are mod- words will be fullled in due course.
eled on that of Samuel.[44]
Meanwhile, the people were watching for Zechariah,
wondering at his remaining so long in the Temple. When
Post-nativity he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they
perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah
Unique to the Gospel of Luke, John the Baptist explic- kept making signs to them, and remained dumb. And,
itly teaches charity, baptizes tax-collectors, and advises as soon as his term of service was nished, he returned
soldiers. home. After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant
1.3 In Luke and Acts 5

and lived in seclusion for ve months. The Lord has He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, Ever
done this for me, she said, he has shown me kindness mindful of his mercy (As he promised to our forefathers)
and taken away the public disgrace of childlessness under For Abraham and his race for ever.
which I have been living. Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months, and then
Six months later the angel Gabriel was sent from God to returned to her home. When Elizabeths time came, she
a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a maiden there who gave birth to a son; and her neighbors and relations, hear-
was engaged to a man named Joseph, a descendant of ing of the great goodness of the Lord to her, came to share
David. Her name was Mary. Gabriel came into her pres- her joy. A week later they met to circumcise the child,
ence and greeted her, saying: You have been shown great and were about to call him Zechariah after his father,
favor the Lord is with you. when his mother spoke up: No, he is to be called John.
Mary was much disturbed at his words, and was wonder- You have no relation of that name!" they exclaimed; and
ing to herself what such a greeting could mean, when thethey made signs to the childs father, to nd out what he
angel spoke again: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you havewished the child to be called. Asking for a writing-tablet,
found favor with God. And now, you will conceive and he wrote the words His name is John. Everyone was
give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus.
surprised; and immediately Zechariah recovered his voice
The child will be great and will be called Son of the Most
and the use of his tongue, and began to bless God. All
High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of his their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout
ancestor David, and he will reign over the descendants of
the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked
Jacob for ever; And to his kingdom there will be no end.
about; and all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one
How can this be?" Mary asked the angel. For I have no another What can this child be destined to become?"
husband. For the Power of the Lord was with him.

The Holy Spirit will descend on you, answered the an- Then his father Zechariah was lled with the Holy Spirit,
gel, and the Power of the Most High will overshadow and, speaking under inspiration, said:
you; and therefore the child will be called holy, and Son Blessed is the Lord, the God of Israel, Who has visited
of God. And Elizabeth, your cousin, is herself also ex- his people and wrought their deliverance, and has raised
pecting a son in her old age; and it is now the sixth month up for us the Strength of our salvation In the house of his
with her, though she is called barren; for no promise from servant David
God will fail to be fullled. As he promised by the lips of his holy prophets of old
I am the servant of the Lord, exclaimed Mary; let it be salvation from our enemies and from the hands of all who
with me as you have said. Then the angel left her. hate us, showing mercy to our forefathers, And mindful
of his sacred covenant.
Soon after this Mary set out, and made her way quickly
into the hill-country, to a town in Judah; and there she This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abra-
went into Zechariahs house and greeted Elizabeth. When ham That we should be rescued from the hands of our
Elizabeth heard Marys greeting, the child moved within enemies, and should serve him without fear in holiness
her, and Elizabeth herself was lled with the Holy Spirit, and righteousness, In his presence all our days.
and cried aloud: Blessed are you among women, and And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High,
blessed is your unborn child! But how have I this honor, For you will go before the Lord to make ready his way,
that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, as to give his people the knowledge of salvation In the for-
soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved giveness of their sins,
within me with delight! Happy indeed is she who believed
that the promise which she received from the Lord would through the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn
be fullled. will break on us from heaven, to give light to those who
live in darkness and the shadow of death, And guide our
And Mary said: feet into the way of peace.
My soul exalts the Lord, my spirit delights in God my The child grew and became strong in spirit; and he lived
Savior; for he has remembered his humble servant girl; in the Wilds until the time came for his appearance before
And from this hour all ages will count me happy! Israel.
Great things has the Almighty done for me; And holy is
his name. From age to age his mercy rests On those who John and his baptism of Jesus, Death of John (Luke 3)
honor him.
Mighty are the deeds of his arm; He scatters the proud
with their own devices, he casts down princes from their In the fteenth year of the reign of the Emperor Tiberius,
thrones, and the humble he uplifts, the hungry he loads when Pontius Pilate was Governor of Judea, Herod Ruler
with gifts, and the rich he sends empty away. of Galilee, his brother Philip Ruler of the territory
comprising Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias Ruler
6 1 GOSPEL NARRATIVES

of Abilene, and when Annas and Caiaphas were high Johns disciples, they said to Jesus, Often fast and say
priests, a command from God came to John, the son of prayers, and so do the disciples of the Pharisees, while
Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness. And John went yours are eating and drinking!"
through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming bap-
tism on repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. This was John questions Jesus (Luke 7)
in fulllment of what is said in the writings of the prophet
Isaiah
All these events were reported to John by his disciples. So
The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: Make he summoned two of them, and sent them to the Master
ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. Every to ask Are you the coming one, or are we to look for
chasm will be lled, Every mountain and hill will be lev- some one else?"
eled, The winding ways will be straightened, The rough
roads made smooth, and everyone will see the salvation When these men found Jesus, they said: John the Bap-
of God." tist has sent us to you to ask Are you the coming
one, or are we to look for somebody else?" At that very
And John said to the crowds that went to be baptized time Jesus had cured many people of diseases, aictions,
by him: You children of snakes! Who has prompted and wicked spirits, and had given many blind people their
you to seek refuge from the coming judgment? Let your sight. So his answer to the question was: Go and report
lives, then, prove your repentance; and do not begin to say to John what you have witnessed and heard the blind
among yourselves Abraham is our ancestor, for I tell you recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made
that out of these stones God is able to raise descendants clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the
for Abraham! Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root good news is told to the poor. And blessed is the person
of the trees. Therefore, every tree that fails to bear good who nds no hindrance in me.
fruit will be cut down and thrown into the re.
When Johns messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the
What are we to do then?" the people asked. Let any- crowds, began to say with reference to John: What did
one who has two coats, answered John, share with the you go out into the wilderness to look at? A reed waving
person who has none; and anyone who has food do the in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man
same. dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed
Even tax-gatherers came to be baptized, and said to John: to ne clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. What then
Teacher, what are we to do?" did you go to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far
more than a prophet. This is the man of whom scripture
Do not collect more than you have authority to demand,
says
John answered. And when some soldiers on active service
asked And we what are we to do?" he said: Never I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will
use violence, or exact anything by false accusation; and prepare your way before you.
be content with your pay. There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater
Then, while the people were in suspense, and were all de- than John; and yet the least in the kingdom of God is
bating with themselves whether John could be the Christ, greater than he.
John, addressing them all, said: I, indeed, baptize you (All the people, when they heard this, and even the tax-
with water; but there is coming one more powerful than gatherers, having accepted Johns baptism, acknowledged
I, and I am not t even to unfasten his sandals. He the justice of God. But the Pharisees and the students of
will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with re. His the law, having rejected Johns baptism, frustrated Gods
winnowing-fan is in his hand so that he may clear his purpose in regard to them.)
threshing-oor, and store the grain in his barn, but the
cha he will burn with a re that cannot be put out.
And so with many dierent appeals John told his good 1.4 In the Gospel of John
news to the people. But Prince Herod, being rebuked by
John respecting Herodias, the wife of Herods brother, The fourth gospel describes the Baptist as a man sent
and for all the evil things that he had done, crowned them from God [...] to bear witness to the light so that
all by shutting John up in prison. Now after the baptism through him everyone might believe. Upon literary anal-
of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and ysis, it is clear that John is the testier and confessor par
was still praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit excellence", particularly when compared to gures like
came down on him in the form of a dove, and from the Nicodemus.[45]
heavens came a voice You are my dearly loved son; John directly denies being the Christ or Elijah or 'the
you bring me great joy. prophet', instead describing himself as the voice of one
crying in the wilderness.
Jesuss baptism is implied but not depicted. Unlike the
Johns disciples and fast (Luke 5 33) other gospels, it is John himself who testies to seeing
1.4 In the Gospel of John 7

The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness

make a straight road for the Lord", as the prophet Isaiah
said. These men had been sent from the Pharisees; and
their next question was: Why then do you baptize, if you
are not the Christ or Elijah or the prophet?" Johns an-
swer was I baptize with water, but among you stands
one whom you do not know; he is coming after me, yet
I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal. This hap-
pened at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was bap-
tizing.
The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and
exclaimed: Here is the Lamb of God, who takes away
the sin of the world! I was taking about him when I said
After me there is coming a man who ranks ahead of me,
because before I was born he already was. I did not know
who he was, but I have come baptizing with water to make
him known to Israel.
John also said: I saw the Spirit come down from heaven
like a dove and rest on him. I myself did not know him,
but he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me
He on whom you see the Spirit descending, and remain-
ing on him he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
Matthias Grnewald, detail of the Isenheim Altarpiece
This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief
that he is the Son of God. The next day, when John was
the Spirit come down from heaven like a dove and rest standing with two of his disciples, he looked at Jesus as
on him. John explicitly announces that Jesus is the one he passed and exclaimed: There is the Lamb of God!"
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and John even pro- The two disciples heard him say this, and followed Jesus.
fesses a belief that he is the Son of God and the Lamb
of God. John 3
The Gospel of John reports that Jesus disciples were bap-
tizing and that a debate broke out between some of the John, also, was baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because
disciples of John and another Jew about purication.[46] there were many streams there; and people were con-
In this debate John argued that Jesus must become stantly coming and being baptized. (For John had not
greater, while he (John) must become less.[47] yet been imprisoned). Now a discussion arose between
some of Johns disciples and a fellow Jew on the subject
The Gospel of John then points out that Jesus disci-
of purication; and the disciples came to John and said:
ples were baptizing more people than John.[48] Later, the
Rabbi, the man who was with you on the other side of
Gospel relates that Jesus regarded John as a burning and
the Jordan, and to whom you have yourself borne testi-
shining lamp, and you were willing to rejoice for a while
mony he, also, is baptizing, and everybody is going to
in his light.[49]
him. Johns answer was A person can gain nothing
John the Baptist in the Gospel of John but what is given them from heaven. You are yourselves
witnesses that I said I am not the Christ, but I have been
sent before him as a messenger. It is the groom who has
John 1 the bride; but the grooms friend, who stands by and lis-
tens to him, is lled with joy when he hears the grooms
There appeared a man sent from God, whose name was voice. This joy I have felt to the full. He must become
John; he came as a witness to bear witness to the light greater, and I less.
so that through him everyone might believe. He was not
the light, but he came to bear witness to the light. He who comes from above is above all others; but a child
of earth is earthly, and his teaching is earthly, too. He
When the religious authorities in Jerusalem sent some who comes from heaven is above all others. He states
Priests and Levites to ask John Who are you?", he what he has seen and what he heard, and yet no one ac-
told them clearly and simply: I am not the Christ. cepts his statement. They who did accept his statement
What then?" they asked. Are you Elijah?" No, he conrm the fact that God is true. For he whom God sent
said, I am not. Are you the prophet?" He answered, as his messenger gives us Gods own teaching, for God
No. Who then are you?" they continued; tell us so does not limit the gift of the Spirit. The Father loves his
that we have an answer to give to those who have sent us. Son, and has put everything in his hands. The person who
What do you say about yourself?" I, he answered, am believes in the Son has eternal life, while a person who re-
8 2 IN JOSEPHUSS ANTIQUITIES OF THE JEWS
jects the Son will not even see that life, but remains under was to come (Matt. 11:14 see also Matt. 17:1113);
Gods displeasure. many Christian theologians have taken this to mean that
1.5 Comparative analysis
The prophecy of Isaiah
Although Marks Gospel implies that the arrival of John 17).
the Baptist is the fullment of a prophecy from the Book
of Isaiah, the words quoted (I will send my messenger
ahead of you, who will prepare your way a voice of one 2 In Josephuss Antiquities of the
calling in the wilderness, Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.") are actually a composite
of texts from Second Isaiah, the Book of Malachi and the
Book of Exodus. Matthew and Luke drop the rst part of An account of John the Baptist is found in all extant
the reference.[25]
Baptism of Jesus
The gospels dier on the details of the Baptism. In Mark
and Luke, Jesus himself sees the heavens open and hears a
voice address him personally, saying, You are my dearly
loved son; you bring me great joy. They do not clarify
whether others saw and heard these things.
In Matthew, the voice from heaven does not address Je-
sus personally, saying instead This is my beloved son, in
whom I am well pleased.
In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist himself sees the
spirit descend as a dove, testifying about the experience
as evidence of Jesuss status.
Johns knowledge of Jesus
Johns knowledge of Jesus varies across gospels. In the
Gospel of Mark, John preaches of a coming leader, but
shows no signs of recognizing that Jesus is this leader.
In Matthew, however, John immediately recognizes Jesus
and John questions his own worthiness to baptize Jesus.
In both Matthew and Luke, John later dispatches disciples
to question Jesus about his status, asking Are you he who
is to come, or shall we look for another?" In Luke, John
is a familial relative of Jesus whose birth was foretold by
Gabriel. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist him-
self sees the spirit descend like a dove and he explicitly
preaches that Jesus is the Son of God.
John and Elijah
See also: Matthew 3:4
The Gospels vary in their depiction of Johns relationship
to Elijah. Matthew and Mark describe Johns attire in a
way reminiscent of the description of Elijah in 2 Kings
1:8, who also wore a garment of hair and a leather belt. In
Matthew, Jesus explicitly teaches that John is Elijah who
John was Elijahs successor. In the Gospel of John, John
the Baptist explicitly denies being Elijah.[50] In the annun-
ciation narrative in Luke, an angel appears to Zechariah,
Johns father, and tells him that John will turn many of
the sons of Israel to the Lord their God, and that he will
go forth in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:16
Jews
manuscripts of the Antiquities of the Jews (book 18, chap-
ter 5, 2) by Flavius Josephus (37100):[51]
Now some of the Jews thought that the de-
struction of Herods army came from God, and
that very justly, as a punishment of what he
did against John, that was called the Baptist:
for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and
commanded the Jews irate, both as to righ-
teousness towards one another, and piety to-
wards God, and so to come to baptism; for
that the washing [with water] would be accept-
able 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 purication
of the body; supposing still that the soul was
thoroughly puried beforehand by righteous-
ness. Now when [many] others came in crowds
about him, for they were very greatly moved
[or pleased] by hearing his words, Herod, who
feared lest the great inuence John had over the
people might put it into his power and inclina-
tion to raise a rebellion, (for they seemed ready
to do any thing he should advise,) thought it
best, by putting him to death, to prevent any
mischief he might cause, and not bring himself
into diculties, by sparing a man who might
make him repent of it when it would be too
late. Accordingly he was sent a prisoner, out
of Herods 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 punish-
ment upon Herod, and a mark of Gods displea-
sure to him.[52]
The earliest known reference to this passage can be found
in the early third century when it is quoted by Origen in
Contra Celsum. According to this passage, the execution
of John was blamed for a defeat Herod suered c. 36 CE.
Divergences between the passages presentation and the
biblical accounts of John include baptism for those whose
 9

souls have already been puried beforehand by righ-

teousness is for purication of the body, not general re-
pentance of sin (Mark 1:4).[53] Biblical scholar John Do-
minic Crossan dierentiates between Josephuss account
of John and Jesus, saying, John had a monopoly, but
Jesus had a franchise. To get baptized, Crossan writes,
you went only to John; to stop the movement one only
needed to stop John (therefore his movement ended with
his death). Jesus invited all to come and see how he and
his companions had already accepted the government of
God, entered it and were living it. Such a communal
praxis was not just for himself, but could survive with-
out him, unlike Johns movement.[54]
A Calcutta Armenian kisses the hand of a priest of St. John the
Baptist, Chinsurah

3 Relics
(in accordance with Josephus). Other writers say that it
See also: Beheading of St. John the Baptist Relics was interred in Herods palace at Jerusalem; there it was
The burial-place of John the Baptist was traditionally said found during the reign of Constantine I, and thence se-
cretly taken to Emesa where it was concealed, the place
remaining unknown for years, until it was manifested by
revelation in 453. However, the decapitation cloth of St.
John is kept at the Aachen Cathedral. The Coptic Chris-
tian Orthodox Church also claim to hold the relics of St.
John the Baptist. These are to be found in a monastery in
Lower Egypt between Cairo and Alexandria. It is possi-
ble, with permission from the monks, to see the original
tomb where the remains were found. An obscure and sur-
prising claim relates to the town of Halifax in West York-
shire, United Kingdom, where the Baptists head appears
on the ocial coat-of-arms. A legend rst recorded in
the late 16th century and reported in William Camden's
Britannia accounts for the towns place-name, as 'halig'
(holy) and 'fax' (face), by stating that the rst religious
settlers of the district brought the 'face' of John the Bap-
tist with them.[56]
Several dierent locations claim to possess the severed
head of John the Baptist. Among them: Umayyad
Mosque in Damascus;[57] San Silvestro in Capite in
Rome;[58] and the Residenz Museum in Munich, Ger-
Nabi Yahya Mosque in Sebastia, near Nablus, West Bank, the many (ocial residence of the Wittelsbach rulers of
traditional burial site Bavaria from 1385 to 1918).[58] Other heads were once
said to be held by the Knights Templar at Amiens Cathe-
to be at Sebaste in Samaria, and mention is made of his dral in France (brought home by Wallon de Sarton from
relics being honored there around the middle of the 4th the Fourth Crusade in Constantinople), at Antioch in
century. The historians Runus and Theodoretus record Turkey (fate uncertain), and the parish church at Tenter-
that the shrine was desecrated under Julian the Apostate den in Kent, where it was preserved up until the Refor-
around 362, the bones being partly burned. A portion mation.
of the rescued relics were carried to Jerusalem, then to The saints right hand, with which he baptised Jesus, is
Alexandria, where on 27 May 395, they were laid in the claimed to be in the Serbian Orthodox Cetinje monastery
basilica newly dedicated to the Forerunner on the former in Montenegro; Topkapi Palace in Istanbul;[58] and also in
site of the temple of Serapis. The tomb at Sebaste con- the Romanian skete of the Forerunner on Mount Athos.
tinued, nevertheless, to be visited by pious pilgrims, andThe saints left hand is allegedly preserved in the Arme-
St. Jerome bears witness to miracles being worked there. nian Apostolic Church of St. John at Chinsurah, West
What became of the head of John the Baptist is dicult to Bengal, where each year on Chinsurah Day in January
determine. Nicephorus[55] and Symeon Metaphrastes say it blesses the Armenians of Calcutta.[59] A crypt and relics
that Herodias had it buried in the fortress of Machaerus said to be Johns and mentioned in 11th- and 16th-century
10
manuscripts, were discovered in 1969 during restoration
of the Church of St. Macarius at the Monastery of Saint
Macarius the Great in Scetes, Egypt;[60] Additional relics
are claimed to reside in Gandzasar Monastery's Cathedral
of St. John the Baptist, in Nagorno Karabakh;
Cristofano Allori's John the Baptist in the desert
In 2010, bones were discovered in the ruins of a Bul-
garian church in the St. John the Forerunner Monastery
(4th17th centuries) on the Black Sea island of St. Ivan,
and two years later, after DNA and radio carbon testing
proved the bones belonged to a Middle Eastern man who
lived in the 1st century CE, scientists said that the remains
could conceivably have belonged to John the Baptist.[61]
The remains, found in a reliquarium, include six hu-
man bones: a knucklebone from the right hand, a tooth,
part of a cranium, a rib, and an ulna, or forearm bone,
presently kept in the Sts. Cyril and Methodius Cathedral
in Sozopol.[61][62]
4 Religious views
4.1 Bah' view
There are numerous quotations in the writings of
Bah'u'llh, Founder of the Bah' Faith mentioning John
the Baptist. He is regarded by Bah's as a lesser
Prophet.[12] Bah'u'llh claimed that his Forerunner, the
Bb, was the spiritual return of John the Baptist. In his
letter to Pope Pius IX, Bah'u'llh wrote:
4 RELIGIOUS VIEWS
O followers of the Son! We have once
again sent John unto you, and He, verily, hath
cried out in the wilderness of the Bayn: O
peoples of the world! Cleanse your eyes! The
Day whereon ye can behold the Promised One
and attain unto Him hath drawn nigh! O fol-
lowers of the Gospel! Prepare the way! The
Day of the advent of the Glorious Lord is at
hand! Make ready to enter the Kingdom. Thus
hath it been ordained by God, He Who causeth
the dawn to break.[63]
However, Bah's consider the Bb to be a greater Prophet
(Manifestation of God) and thus possessed of a far greater
station than John the Baptist.
4.2 Christianity
John the Baptist, by Juan de Juanes, c. 1560
Christians believe that John the Baptist had a specic role
ordained by God as forerunner or precursor of Jesus, who
was the foretold Messiah. The New Testament Gospels
speak of this role. In Luke 1:17 the role of John is re-
ferred to as being to turn the hearts of the fathers to
the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the
4.2 Christianity
John the Baptist, by Andrea del Sarto, 1528
John the Baptist, Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, Rome
just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. In
Luke 1:76 as "...thou shalt go before the face of the Lord
to prepare his ways and in Luke 1:77 as being To give
knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission
of their sins.
There are several passages within the Old Testament
11
which are interpreted by Christians as being prophetic
of John the Baptist in this role. These include a passage
in the Book of Malachi 3:1 that refers to a prophet who
would prepare the way of the Lord:
Behold, I will send my messenger, and he
shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord,
whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his tem-
ple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom
ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the
LORD of hosts. Malachi 3:1[64]
and also at the end of the next chapter in Malachi 4:56
where it says,
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet
before the coming of the great and dreadful day
of the LORD: And he shall turn the heart of
the fathers to the children, and the heart of the
children to their fathers, lest I come and smite
the earth with a curse.
The Jews of Jesus day expected Elijah to come before the
Messiah; indeed, some modern Jews continue to await
Elijahs coming as well, as in the Cup of Elijah the
Prophet in the Passover Seder. This is why the disciples
ask Jesus in Matthew 17:10, 'Why then say the scribes
that Elias must rst come?.' The disciples are then told
by Jesus that Elijah came in the person of John the Bap-
tist,
Jesus replied, To be sure, Elijah comes
and will restore all things. But I tell you, Eli-
jah has already come, and they did not recog-
nize him, but have done to him everything they
wished. In the same way the Son of Man is go-
ing to suer at their hands. Then the disciples
understood that he was talking to them about
John the Baptist. Matthew 17:1113
(see also 11:14: "...if you are willing to accept it, he is
Elijah who was to come.)
These passages are applied to John in the Synoptic
Gospels.[65][66][67] But where Matthew specically identi-
es John the Baptist as Elijahs spiritual successor (11.14,
17.13), the gospels of Mark and Luke are silent on the
matter. The Gospel of John states that John the Baptist
denied that he was Elijah.
Now this was Johns testimony when the
Jews of Jerusalem sent priests and Levites to
ask him who he was. He did not deny, but con-
fessed freely, I am not the Christ. They asked
him, Then who are you? Are you Elijah?" He
said, I am not. Are you the Prophet?" He
answered, No. John 1:1921
12 4 RELIGIOUS VIEWS

4.2.1 Early Jewish Christian sects

Among the early Judaistic (or Gnostic, according to

Epiphanius in Panarion, part 30) Christian groups
the Ebionites held that John, along with Jesus and
James the Justall of whom they reveredwere
vegetarians.[68][69][70][71][72][73] Epiphanius of Salamis
records that this group had amended their Gospel of
Matthew, known today as the Gospel of the Ebionites, to
change where John eats locusts to read honey cakes
or "manna".[74][75]

4.2.2 Catholic Church

Tomb of St. John the Baptist at a Coptic monastery in Lower
Egypt. The bones of St. John the Baptist were said to have been
found here.

...humiliation of yourself, and you an-

swered the Devil with these words: 'Wretch
that I am! John the Baptist never sinned and
was sanctied in his mothers womb. And I
have committed so many sins...
Catherine of Siena, , A Treatise of Prayer,
1370.[76][77]

4.2.3 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day

Saints (Mormon)

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints teaches

that modern revelation conrms the biblical account of
John and also makes known additional events in his min-
istry. According to this belief, John was ordained by the
angel of God when he was eight days old to overthrow
the kingdom of the Jews and to prepare a people for the
Lord. Mormons also believe that he was baptized while
yet in his childhood.[78]
A 'Head of St John', in Rome
Joseph Smith said: Let us come into New Testament
timesso many are ever praising the Lord and His apos-
The Roman Catholic Church commemorates St. John the tles. We will commence with John the Baptist. When
Baptist on two feast days: Herods edict went forth to destroy the young children,
John was about six months older than Jesus, and came
June 24 Nativity of St. John the Baptist under this hellish edict, and Zacharias caused his mother
to take him into the mountains, where he was raised on
August 29 Beheading of St. John the Baptist locusts and wild honey. When his father refused to dis-
close his hiding place, and being the ociating high priest
Some Catholics have held to a belief that John the Baptist at the Temple that year, was slain by Herods order, be-
[79][80]
never sinned, though this has never been a point of doc- tween the porch and the altar, as Jesus said.
trine and is not binding in belief upon any adherent as is The LDS Church teaches that John the Baptist appeared
the sinlessness of Mary. In her Treatise of Prayer, Saint on the banks of the Susquehanna River near Harmony
Catherine of Siena includes a brief altercation with the Township, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania as a res-
Devil regarding her ght due to the Devil attempting to urrected being to Joseph Smith and Oliver Cowdery on
lure her with vanity and attery. Speaking in the rst per- May 15, 1829, and ordained them to the Aaronic Priest-
son, Saint Catherine of Siena responds to the Devil with hood.[81][82] According to LDS doctrine, Johns ministry
the following words: has operated in three dispensations: he was the last of the
4.3 Gnostic and anthroposophic views 13

prophets under the law of Moses; he was the rst of the
New Testament prophets; and he was sent to conrm the
Aaronic Priesthood in our day (the dispensation of the
fulness of times). Mormons believe Johns ministry was
foretold by two prophets whose teachings are included in
the Book of Mormon: Lehi[83] and his son Nephi.[84][85]
4.2.4 Eastern Orthodox Church
John the Baptist from Antioch to Constantinople in
956)
February 24 First and Second Finding of the
Head of St. John the Forerunner
25 May Third Finding of the Head of St. John
the Forerunner
June 24 Nativity of St. John the Forerunner

August 29 The Beheading of St. John the Fore-

runner

In addition to the above, September 5 is the commem-

oration of Zechariah and Elizabeth, St. Johns parents.
The Russian Orthodox Church observes October 12 as
the Transfer of the Right Hand of the Forerunner from
Malta to Gatchina (1799).

4.3 Gnostic and anthroposophic views

In Gnosticism, John the Baptist was a personication
of the Old Testament prophet Elijah. Elijah did not
know the True God (as opposed to the Abrahamic God),
and thus had to be reincarnated in Gnostic theology. As
predicted by the Old Testament prophet Malachi, Elijah
must come rst to herald the coming of Jesus Christ.
Modern anthroposophy concurs with the idea that the
Baptist was a reincarnation of Elijah, (cf. Mark 9:11
13,[87] Matthew 11:1314,[88] Luke 7:27[89] ) although the
Gospel of John explicitly denies this (John 1:21).[90][91]
Eastern Orthodox icon John the Baptist the Angel of the
Desert (Stroganov School, 1620s) Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow.
4.4 Islam
The Eastern Orthodox faithful believe that John was the
last of the Old Testament prophets, thus serving as a
bridge between that period of revelation and the New
Covenant. They also teach that, following his death, John
descended into Hades and there once more preached that
Jesus the Messiah was coming, so he was the Forerun-
ner of Christ in death as he had been in life. Orthodox
churches will often have an icon of St. John the Baptist in
a place of honor on the iconostasis, and he is frequently
mentioned during the Divine Services. Every Tuesday
throughout the year is dedicated to his memory.
The Eastern Orthodox Church remembers Saint John the
Forerunner on six separate feast days, listed here in order
in which they occur during the church year (which begins
on September 1): Tomb of Yahya Nabi, Umayyad Mosque, Damascus.

September 23 Conception of St. John the Yahya redirects here. For other persons, see Yahya
Forerunner[86] (name).
January 7 The Synaxis of St. John the Forerun-
ner. This is his main feast day, immediately after John is also honored as a prophet in Islam as Yay
Theophany on January 6 (January 7 also commem- ibn Zakary (Arabic: ) , or John, son of
orates the transfer of the relic of the right hand of Zechariah. He is believed by Muslims to have been a
14
witness to the word of God, and a prophet who would
herald the coming of Jesus.[92] His father Zechariah was
also an Islamic prophet. Islamic tradition maintains that
John was one of the prophets whom Muhammad met on
the night of the Mi'raj,[93] his ascension through the Seven
Heavens. It is said that he met John and Jesus in the sec-
ond heaven, where Muhammad greeted his two 'broth-
ers before ascending with archangel Gabriel to the third
heaven. Johns story was also told to the Abyssinian king
during the Muslim refugees Migration to Abyssinia.[94]
According to the Qur'an, John was one on whom God
sent peace on the day that he was born and the day that
he died.[95]
4.4.1 In the Qur'an
In the Qur'an, God frequently mentions Zechariahs con-
tinuous praying for the birth of a son. Zechariahs wife,
mentioned in the New Testament as Elizabeth, was barren
and therefore the birth of a child seemed impossible.[96]
As a gift from God, Zechariah (or Zakariya) was given a
son by the name of Yaya, a name specially chosen for
this child alone. In accordance with Zechariahs prayer,
God made John and Jesus, who according to exegesis
was born six months later,[97] renew the message of God,
which had been corrupted and lost by the Israelites. As
the Qur'an says:
(His prayer was answered): O Zakariya!
We give thee good news of a son: His name
shall be Yahya: on none by that name have We
conferred distinction before.
He said: O my Lord! How shall I have a son,
when my wife is barren and I have grown quite
decrepit from old age?"
He said: So (it will be) thy Lord saith, 'that is
easy for Me: I did indeed create thee before,
when thou hadst been nothing!'"
(Zakarya) said: O my Lord! give me a Sign.
Thy Sign, was the answer, Shall be that
thou shalt speak to no man for three nights.
Qur'an, sura 19 (Maryam), verse 7[98]
John was exhorted to hold fast to the Scripture and was
given wisdom by God while still a child.[99] He was pure
and devout, and walked well in the presence of God. He
was dutiful towards his parents and he was not arrogant
or rebellious. Johns reading and understanding of the
scriptures, when only a child, surpassed even that of the
greatest scholars of the time.[96] Muslim exegesis nar-
rates that Jesus sent John out with twelve disciples,[100]
who preached the message before Jesus called his own
disciples.[97] The Qur'an says:
O Yaya! take hold of the Book with
might": and We gave him Wisdom even as a
4 RELIGIOUS VIEWS
youth,
Qur'an, sura 19 (Maryam), ayah 12[99]
John was a classical prophet,[101] who was exalted high by
God, for his bold denouncing of all things sinful. Further-
more, the Qur'an speaks of Johns gentle pity and love and
his humble attitude towards life, for which he was granted
the Purity of Life:
And piety as from Us, and purity: He was
devout,
And kind to his parents, and he was not
overbearing or rebellious.
So Peace on him the day he was born, the day
that he dies, and the day that he will be raised
up to life (again)!
Qur'an, sura 19 (Maryam), ayah 1315[95]
John is also honored highly in Susm as well as Islamic
mysticism, primarily because of the Qur'an's description
of Johns chastity and kindness.[102] Sus have frequently
applied commentaries on the passages on John in the
Qur'an, primarily concerning the God-given gift of Wis-
dom which he acquired in youth as well as his parallels
with Jesus. Although several phrases used to describe
John and Jesus are virtually identical in the Qur'an, the
manner in which they are expressed is dierent.[103]
Name It has been claimed that the Qur'an is mistaken
in saying that John the Baptist was the rst to receive this
name (Quran 19:710), since the name Yoanan occurs
many times before John the Baptist.[104] However, ac-
cording to Islamic scholars, Yay" is not the same name
as Yoanan.[105]
The exegetes frequently connected the name with the
meaning of to quicken or to make alive in reference
to Johns mothers barrenness, which was cured by God,
as well as Johns preaching, which, as Muslims believe,
made alive the faith of Israel.[106]
The usage of the name Yuanna is well attested in the
western Arabian peninsula. In the well-documented
Najran Pact one of the fourteen chiefs was Yuannas.
Therefore, it is highly unlikely that any Arab Christian
would have used the name Yahya prior to the Qurans us-
age of it.
However, the Qur'an also mentions a root used in the He-
brew version of the name, 'Yohanan' ( Yahweh is gra-
cious). Sura Maryam: 1213 describes the virtues of
Yahya: ( And We
gave him judgement, while yet a boy And aection
from Us, and purity.) Here 'ann' (, Aection) is
an Arabic word corresponding to the same root used in
the Hebrew/Aramaic 'Yohanan'. It is also the only time
this word is used in the Qur'an.it.
 15

4.5 Mandaeans

John the Baptist is considered the chief prophet of the

Mandaeans, and plays a large part in some of their
writings,[107] including the Ginza Rba and the Draa D-
Iahia (The Mandaean Book of John). They view John
as the only true Messiah, and are opposed to Jesus. The
Mandaean scriptures state: If the carpenter [Jesus] has
joined together the god, who then has joined together the
carpenter?"[108]

4.6 Unication church Christ in the House of His Parents by John Everett Millais, 1849
50
The Unication Church teaches that God intended John
to help Jesus during his public ministry in Judea. In par-
ticular, John should have done everything in his power to
persuade the Jewish people that Jesus was the Messiah.
He was to become Jesus main disciple and Johns disci-
ples were to become Jesus disciples. Unfortunately John
didn't follow Jesus and continued his own way baptizing
people. Johns failure to follow Jesus became the chief
obstacle to the fulllment of Jesus mission.[109]

5 In art

Wood Sculpture of John The Baptists Head by Santiago Martinez

Delgado.

Christian times, when the apostles generally have trim

Puvis de Chavannes, The Beheading of St John the Baptist, c.
1869
The beheading of St. John the Baptist is a standard theme
in Christian art,[9] in which Johns head is often depicted
on a platter, which represents the request of Herods step-
daughter, Salome.[110] He is also depicted as an ascetic
wearing camel hair, with a sta and scroll inscribed Ecce
Agnus Dei, or bearing a book or dish with a lamb on it.[10]
In Orthodox icons, he often has angels wings, since Mark
1:2 describes him as a messenger.[111]
The Baptism of Christ was one of the earliest scenes from
the Life of Christ to be frequently depicted in Early Chris-
tian art, and Johns tall, thin, even gaunt, and bearded g-
ure is already established by the 5th century. Only he and
Jesus are consistently shown with long hair from Early A number of narrative scenes from his life were often
classical cuts; in fact John is more consistently depicted in
this way than Jesus. In Byzantine art the composition of
the Deesis came to be included in every Eastern Orthodox
church, as remains the case to this day. Here John and the
Theotokos (Mary) ank a Christ Pantocrator and inter-
cede for humanity; in many ways this is the equivalent of
Western Crucixions on roods and elsewhere, where John
the Evangelist takes the place of John the Baptist (except
in the idiosyncratic Isenheim Altarpiece). John the Baptist
is very often shown on altarpieces designed for churches
dedicated to him, or where the donor patron was named
for him or there was some other connection of patron-
age John was the patron saint of Florence, among many
other cities, which means he features among the support-
ing saints in many important works.
16 5 IN ART

St John the Baptist, from a medieval book of hours

Sculpture of St John the Baptist by Alonso Cano

in Prato Cathedral. These include the typical scenes:[112]

the Annunciation to Zechariah, Johns birth, his nam-
ing by his father, the Visitation, Johns departure for the
desert, his preaching in the desert, the Baptism of Christ,
John before Herod, the dance of Salome, and his behead-
ing.
His birth, which unlike the Nativity of Jesus allowed
a relatively wealthy domestic interior to be shown, be-
came increasingly popular as a subject in the late Middle
Ages, with depictions by Jan van Eyck in the Turin-Milan
Hours and Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel being
among the best known. His execution, a church feast-
day, was often shown, and by the 15th-century scenes
such as the dance of Salome became popular, sometimes,
as in an engraving by Israhel van Meckenem, the inter-
est of the artist is clearly in showing the life of Herods
court, given contemporary dress, as much as the mar-
tyrdom of the saint.[113] Salome bearing Johns head on
a platter equally became a subject for the Northern Re-
naissance taste for images of glamorous but dangerous
women (Delilah, Judith and others),[114] and was often
Many famous artists have depicted John. This particular painting painted by Lucas Cranach the Elder and engraved by the
is by Leonardo da Vinci. Little Masters. These images remained popular into the
Baroque, with Carlo Dolci painting at least three versions.
shown on the predella of altarpieces dedicated to John, John preaching, in a landscape setting, was a popular sub-
and other settings, notably the large series in grisaille ject in Dutch art from Pieter Brueghel the Elder and his
fresco in the Chiostro dello Scalzo, which was Andrea del successors.
Sarto's largest work, and the frescoed Life by Domenico As a child (of varying age), he is sometimes shown from
Ghirlandaio in the Tornabuoni Chapel, both in Florence. the 15th century in family scenes from the life of Christ
There is another important fresco cycle by Filippo Lippi such as the Presentation of Christ, the Marriage of the Vir-
5.1 In poetry
Statue of St John carved out of a blackberry tree by Pietro Paolo
Azzopardi - 1845. Xewkija
gin and the Holy Kinship. Leonardo da Vinci's versions
of the Virgin of the Rocks were inuential in establish-
ing a Renaissance fashion for variations on the Madonna
and Child that included John, probably intended to depict
the relatives reunion in Egypt, when after Jesus Flight to
Egypt John was believed to have been carried to join him
by an angel. Raphael in particular painted many composi-
tions of the subject, such as the Alba Madonna, La belle
jardinire, Aldobrandini Madonna, Madonna della seg-
giola, Madonna dell'Impannata, which were among his
best-known works. John was also often shown by himself
as an older child or adolescent, usually already wearing his
distinctive dress and carrying a long thin wooden cross
another theme inuenced by Leonardo, whose equivocal
composition, reintroducing the camel-skin dress, was de-
veloped by Raphael Titian and Guido Reni among many
others. Often he is accompanied by a lamb, especially
in the many Early Netherlandish paintings which needed
this attribute as he wore normal clothes. Caravaggio
painted an especially large number of works including
John, from at least ve largely nude youths attributed to
him, to three late works on his death the great Execution
in Malta, and two sombre Salomes with his head, one in
Madrid, and one in London.
Amiens cathedral, which holds one of the alleged heads
of the Baptist, has a biographical sequence in polychrome
relief, dating from the 16th century. This stresses the ex- 6.1 As a patron saint
ecution and the disposal of the saints remains.
A remarkable Pre-Raphaelite portrayal is Christ in the Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of Jordan, his
House of His Parents by John Everett Millais. Here the beheading is said to have taken place in Machaerus in
Baptist is shown as a child, wearing a loin covering of an- central Jordan.
imal skins, hurrying to bring a bowl of water to soothe
the injured hand of Jesus. Artistic interest enjoyed a
considerable revival at the end of the 19th century with
Symbolist painters such as Gustave Moreau and Puvis de
Chavannes (National Gallery, London). Oscar Wilde's
play Salome was illustrated by Aubrey Beardsley, giving
rise to some of his most memorable images.
17
5.1 In poetry
The Italian Renaissance poet Lucrezia Tornabuoni chose
John the Baptist as one of biblical gures on which she
wrote poetry.[115]
5.2 In music
This Is the Record of John, by English Tudor com-
poser Orlando Gibbons is a well-known part-setting
of the Gospel of John for solo voice, choir and organ
or viol accompaniment.
The reformer Martin Luther wrote a hymn based
on biblical accounts about the Baptist, "Christ unser
Herr zum Jordan kam" (1541), base for a cantata by
Johann Sebastian Bach for the feast day on 24 June,
Christ unser Herr zum Jordan kam, BWV 7 (1724).
In popular music, the song John the Baptist (Holy
John) by Al Kooper on his album New York City
(You're a Woman) is about John the Baptist. The
song John the Baptist (Holy John) was also recorded
by Blood, Sweat & Tears for their album Blood,
Sweat & Tears 4.
5.3 In lm and television
John the Baptist has appeared in a number of screen
adaptations of the life of Jesus. Actors who have
played John include Robert Ryan in King of Kings
(1961),[116] Mario Socrate in The Gospel According to
St. Matthew (1964),[117] Charlton Heston in The Greatest
Story Ever Told (1973), Ted Neeley Jesus Christ Super-
star (1965),[118] David Haskell in Godspell (1973),[119]
Michael York in Jesus of Nazareth (1977),[120] and Andre
Gregory in The Last Temptation of Christ (1988).[121]
6 Commemoration
See also: Nativity of St. John the Baptist
Saint John the Baptist is the patron saint of the
Commonwealth of Puerto Rico and its capital city, San
Juan. In 1521, the island was given its formal name, "San
Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico", following the custom of
christening a town with its formal name and the name
which Christopher Columbus had originally given the is-
land. The names "San Juan Bautista" and "Puerto Rico"
18
Marble sculpture of St. John the Baptist by Igor Mitoraj at Santa
Maria degli Angeli e dei Martiri in Rome.
The Coat of arms of the City of Wrocaw features the severed
head of John the Baptist, the citys patron saint.
were eventually used in reference to both city and island,
leading to a reversal in terminology by most inhabitants
largely due to a cartographic error. By 1746, the citys
name ("Puerto Rico") had become that of the entire is-
land, while the name for the island ("San Juan Bautista")
had become that of the city. The ocial motto of Puerto
Rico also references the saint: Joannes Est Nomen Eius
(Latin for his name is John, from Luke 1:63).
He is also a patron saint of French Canada, and
Newfoundland. The Canadian cities of St. Johns, New-
foundland (1497) and Saint John, New Brunswick (1604)
were both named in his honor. In the United Kingdom,
Saint John is the patron of Penzance, Cornwall. His feast
day of June 24, celebrated in Quebec as the Fte Na-
tionale du Qubec, and in Newfoundland as Discovery
6 COMMEMORATION
Day.
In Scotland, he is the patron saint of Perth which used to
be known as St. Johns Toun of Perth. The main church in
the city is still the medieval Kirk of St. John the Baptist.
Also, on the night of June 23 on to the 24th, Saint John
is celebrated as the patron saint of Porto, the second
largest city in Portugal. An article from June 2004 in The
Guardian remarked that Portos Festa de So Joo is one
of Europes liveliest street festivals, yet it is relatively un-
known outside the country.[122]
He is also patron of the Knights Hospitaller of Jerusalem,
Malta, Florence, and Genoa, Italy. John is patron saint of
Xewkija-Gozo, Malta, which remember him with a great
feast on the Sunday nearest to June 24.
Calamba City, Laguna, Calumpit, Bulacan, Balayan and
Lian in Batangas, and San Juan, Metro Manila are among
several places in the Philippines that venerate John as the
town or city patron. A common practise of many Filipino
estas in his honour is bathing and the dousing of people
in memory of Johns iconic act. The custom is similar in
form to Songkran and Holi, and serves as a playful respite
from the intense tropical heat. While famed for the Black
Nazarene it enshrines, Quiapo Church in Manila is actu-
ally dedicated to Saint John.
He also patron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of
Charleston, which covers the whole of South Carolina in
the United States.
The Baptistines are the name given to a number of
religious orders dedicated to the memory of John the
Baptist.
Along with John the Evangelist, John the Baptist is
claimed as a patron saint by the fraternal society
of Free and Accepted Masons (better known as the
Freemasons).[123]
6.2 Festivity
See also: St. Johns Eve
In many Mediterranean countries, the summer solstice is
dedicated to St. John. The associated ritual is very similar
to Midsummer celebrations in the Anglo-Saxon tradition.
See also: Fte St-Jean-Baptiste, Festival of San Juan,
Saint Jonas Day, St Johns Day (Estonia), Ivan Kupala
Day and Golowan
6.3 Locations, churches, and other estab-
lishments in his name
See also: Church of St. John the Baptist (disambigua-
tion), St. John Baptist Church (disambiguation) and St.
John the Baptist Church (disambiguation)
6.3 Locations, churches, and other establishments in his name
According to Armenian tradition, the remains of John the Baptist
were laid to rest by Gregory the Illuminator at the Saint Karapet
Monastery.[124][125]
The Catholic Church in Ein Kerem on the site where John the
Baptist is said to have been born
St John the Baptist (Greek Orthodox) Located on Ha-Notsrim
street in the Christian Quarter, Old Jerusalem
Armenian Apostolic Monastery of Gandzasar,
Nagorno Karabakh
Monastery of Saint John the Baptist, a 4th-century
Armenian monastery in the Taron province of his-
toric Armenia that contained the relics of Saint John
the Baptist (which were moved there from Caeserea)
19
Maronite Catholic Monastery of Saint John the Bap-
tist, Beit Mery, Lebanon
Romanian Skete Prodromos (the name is the Greek
for The Forerunner) on Mount Athos, holding
relics believed to be of John the Baptist
St Johns College of The University of Oxford, Ox-
ford, England
San Juan del Ro, Quertaro, Mexico, was founded
on June 24, 1531
St. Johns, Newfoundland, was founded on June 24,
1497.
Saint John, New Brunswick, was named after the
Saint John River which was named by Samuel de
Champlain
Fte nationale du Qubec (also known as la St- Jean-
Baptiste) is the provincial holiday of Quebec, cele-
brated on June 24 of every year
Perth, Scotland was originally called Saint John-
stoun after Saint John the Baptist, the citys patron
Prince Edward Island, a Canadian province, was
originally called le de St-Jean or St. Johns Island
St. Johns University located in Queens, New York;
St. Johns is the second largest Roman Catholic uni-
versity in the United States
Mission San Juan Bautista, one of the original 18th-
century missions in northern California
San Juan, Metro Manila, the Philippines (also
known as San Juan del Monte), the citys
Pinaglabanan Church is dedicated to this saint
The main parish church of Calamba City, Laguna,
the Philippines; established in 1859, national hero
Dr. Jos Rizal was christened there in 1861
12th-century cathedral in Kamie Pomorski,
Poland, with a famous 17th-century organ
St. John Ambulance and the Venerable Order of St.
John
Sovereign Military Hospitaller Order of St. John of
Jerusalem, of Rhodes and of Malta (commonly re-
ferred to as the Sovereign Military Order of Malta)
The College of Saint Benedict and Saint Johns Uni-
versity and Saint Johns Abbey in Collegeville, MN
The city of Sveti Ivan Zelina and the village of Sveti
Ivan abno in Croatia were named after John the
Baptist; both have churches dedicated to him
20
St. John the Baptist Catholic Parish in Beloit,
Kansas, includes St. John the Baptist Catholic
Church, St. John the Baptist Catholic Grade
School, and St. Johns Catholic High School (Be-
loit, Kansas).
St. Johns Lutheran Church Montebello, California
7 See also
Biblical and Quranic narratives
Chronology of Jesus
Historical background of the New Testament
Legends and the Quran
Matthew 3:1
Messengers from John the Baptist
Prophets in Islam
Qisas Al-Anbiya Stories of The Prophets
8 References
[1] Metzger, Bruce Manning (1993). The Oxford Companion
to the Bible. Oxford University Press. p. 283. Herod
beheaded John at Machaerus in 31 or 32 CE.
[2] Metzger, Bruce M.; Michael D. Coogan (2004). The Ox-
ford Guide to People & Places of the Bible. Oxford Uni-
versity Press. p. 103. Herod beheaded John at Machaerus
in 31 or 32 CE.
[3] Kokkinos, The Herodian Dynasty, pp. 268, 277.
[4] Goldberg, G. J (2001) John the Baptist and Josephus
Having said that, it does appear that Josephus is giving
Johns death as occurring in 36 CE, which is at least 6 years
later than what is expected from the New Testament, and
after the crucixion of Jesus.
[5] Lang, Bernhard (2009) International Review of Biblical
Studies Brill Academic Pub ISBN 9004172548 Page 380
33/34 CE Herod Antipass marriage to Herodias (and
beginning of the ministry of Jesus in a sabbatical year); 35
CE death of John the Baptist
[6] " :: Marginal Jew: Rethinking the Historical Jesus, Vol. 2) 2.
()". Saint.gr. Anchor Bible. ISBN 0-385-46992-6.
September 23, 2012. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
[7] H : gelist (Liturgical Press, 1996) page 31.
". Ecclesia.gr. [26] John R. Donahue, Daniel J. Harrington, The Gospel of
Retrieved October 20, 2012.
8 REFERENCES
[8] (January 26, 2012).
":
,
(7 )". Pgdor-
bas.blogspot.com. Retrieved October 20, 2012.
[9] Wetterau, Bruce. World history. New York: Henry Holt
and company. 1994.
[10] Cross, F. L. (ed.) (2005) Oxford Dictionary of the Chris-
tian Church, 3rd ed. Oxford University Press ISBN 978-
0-19-280290-3, article John the Baptist, St
[11] Funk, Robert W. & the Jesus Seminar (1998). The Acts
of Jesus: the search for the authentic deeds of Jesus. San
Francisco: Harper; John the Baptist cameo, p. 268
[12] Compilations (1983). Hornby, Helen, ed. Lights of Guid-
ance: A Bah' Reference File. Bah' Publishing Trust,
New Delhi, India. p. 475. ISBN 81-85091-46-3.
[13] Crossan, John Dominic (1998). The Essential Jesus. Edi-
son: Castle Books; p. 146
[14] Charles M. Sennott, The body and the blood, Public Af-
fairs Pub, 2003. p 234 Google Link
[15] Jesus as a gure in history: how modern historians view
the man from Galilee. Mark Allan Powell, published by
Westminster John Knox Press, page 47 Few would doubt
the basic fact...Jesus was baptized by John
[16] Sanders, E.P. (1985) Jesus and Judaism. Philadelphia:
Fortress Press; p. 91
[17] James D. G. Dunn, Jesus Remembered (Eerdmans, 2003)
page 350.
[18] Robert L. Webb, 'John the Baptist and his relationship to
Jesus, in Bruce David Chilton, Craig Alan Evans, Study-
ing the Historical Jesus: Evaluations of the State of Cur-
rent Research (BRILL, 1998) page 219.
[19] Harris, Stephen L. (1985) Understanding the Bible. Palo
Alto: Mayeld John 1:3640
[20] Flavius Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews 18.5.2
[21] Harris, Stephen L. (1985) Understanding the Bible. Palo
Alto: Mayeld; p. 382
[22] Marshall, I. H.; Millard, A. R.; Packer, J. I. (eds.). John
the Baptist. New Bible Dictionary (Third ed.). IVP ref-
erence collection. ISBN 0-85110-636-6.
[23] Funk, Robert W. & the Jesus Seminar (1998). The Acts
of Jesus: the search for the authentic deeds of Jesus.San
Francisco: Harper; Mark, pp. 51161.
[24] Meier, John (1994). Mentor, Message, and Miracles (A
[25] Carl R. Kazmierski, John the Baptist: Prophet and Evan-
Mark (Liturgical Press, 2005) page 195.

[27] Florence Morgan Gillman (2003). Herodias: At Home in
that Foxs Den. Liturgical Press. pp. 5455. ISBN 978-
0-8146-5108-7.
[28] Geo R. Webb, Mark at the Threshold: Apply-
ing Bakhtinian Categories to Markan Characterisation,
(BRILL, 2008) page 110-111.
[29] John R. Donahue, Daniel J. Harrington, The Gospel of
Mark (Liturgical Press, 2005) page 198.
[30] Florence Morgan Gillman, Herodias: At Home in that
Foxs Den (Liturgical Press, 2003) page 80.
[31] Florence Morgan Gillman, Herodias: At Home in that
Foxs Den (Liturgical Press, 2003) pages 81-83.
[32] Geo R. Webb, Mark at the Threshold: Apply-
ing Bakhtinian Categories to Markan Characterisation,
(BRILL, 2008) page 107.
[33] Isaiah 40.3 NRSV - A voice cries out: In the wilderness
- Bible Gateway. Bible Gateway.
[34] Steve Moyise (September 1, 2011). Jesus and Scripture:
Studying the New Testament Use of the Old Testament.
Baker Books. p. 40. ISBN 978-1-4412-3749-1.
[35] Walter Wink (November 2006). John the Baptist in the
Gospel Tradition. Cambridge University Press. p. 27.
ISBN 978-0-521-03130-1.
[36] Robert Horton Gundry, Matthew: A Commentary on His
Handbook for a Mixed Church Under Persecution (Eerd-
mans, 1994) page 286.
[37] Libby Ahluwalia, Understanding Philosophy of Religion
(Folens, 2008), page 180.
[38] Just, Arthur A.; Oden, Thomas C. (2003), Ancient Chris-
tian Commentary on Scripture Luke: New Testament III,
InterVarsity Press; p. 10. ISBN 978-0830814886 Luke
1:7
[39] Luke 1:5
[40] 'Aaron', In: Mills, Watson E. (ed.) (1998) Mercer Dictio-
nary of the Bible, Vol. 5, Macon GA: Mercer University
Press, ISBN 0-86554-299-6; page 1
[41] Englebert, Omer (1951). The Lives of the Saints. New
York: Barnes & Noble. p. 529. ISBN 978-1-56619-516-
4.
[42] Brown, Raymond Edward (1973), The Virginal Concep-
tion and Bodily Resurrection of Jesus, Paulist Press, p. 54
[43] Vermes, Geza. The Nativity, p. 143.
[44] Freed, Edwin D. (2001), The Stories of Jesus Birth: a Crit-
ical Introduction Continuum International, pp. 8790.
[45] Vande Vrede, Keith (December 2014), Kostenberger, An-
dreas, ed., A Contrast Between Nicodemus and John the
Baptist in the Gospel of John, Journal of the Evangelical
Theological Society (Louisville: Evangelical Theological
Society) 57 (4): 715726, ISSN 0360-8808
[46] John 3:2236
21
[47] John 3:30
[48] John 4:2
[49] John 5:35
[50] Was John the Baptist really Elijah? | Christian Apologet-
ics and Research Ministry. Carm.org. March 15, 2013.
Retrieved January 26, 2014.
[51] Josephus, Flavius. In: Cross, F. L. (ed.) (2005) The
Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church, 3rd ed. Oxford
University Press
[52] Flavius Josephus, Jewish Antiqities 18. 5. 2. (Translation
by William Whiston). Original Greek.
[53] Mark 1:4
[54] Crossan, John Dominic (2007), God and Empire, Lon-
don: HarperCollins, p. 117
[55] Nicephorus, Ecclesiastical History I, ix. See Patrologia
Graeca, cxlv.cxlvii.
[56] Clucas, W. Early Halifax, Hull Quarterly & East Rid-
ing Portfolio, reprinted Barnwell, Hull, 1885, pp. 24;
Watson, Rev. John. The History of the Town and Parish
of Halifax, Milner, Halifax, 1789, pp. 9092
[57] Lost Worlds: Knights Templar, July 10, 2006 video docu-
mentary on The History Channel, directed and written by
Stuart Elliott
[58] Hooper, Simon (August 30, 2010). Are these the bones
of John the Baptist?". Cable News Network. Turner
Broadcasting System, Inc. Retrieved August 31, 2011.
[59] Hetq Online " Pilgrimage to the oldest Armenian Apos-
tolic Church in India. Hetq.am. January 10, 2010. Re-
trieved February 14, 2010.
[60] The Monastery of St. Macarius the Great. Stmacarius-
monastery.org. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
[61] Ker Than (June 19, 2012). John the Baptists Bones
Found?". National Geographic.
[62] Old Town Sozopol Bulgarias 'Rescued' Miracle and Its
Modern Day Saviors. Soa News Agency, October 10,
2011.
[63] Bah'u'llh (2002). The Summons of the Lord of Hosts.
Haifa, Israel: Bah' World Centre. p. 63. ISBN 0-85398-
976-1.
[64] Malachi 3:1
[65] Mat 3:3 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.
[66] Mar 1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send
my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy
way before thee. Mar 1:3 The voice of one crying in the
wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths
straight.
22
[67] Luk 1:1617 And many of the children of Israel shall he
turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him
in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the
fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom
of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.
[68] J Verheyden, Epiphanius on the Ebionites, in The image of
the Judaeo-Christians in ancient Jewish and Christian lit-
erature, eds Peter J. Tomson, Doris Lambers-Petry, ISBN
3-16-148094-5, p. 188 The vegetarianism of John the
Baptist and of Jesus is an important issue too in the Ebion-
ite interpretation of the Christian life. "
[69] Robert Eisenman (1997), James the Brother of Jesus, p.
240 John (unlike Jesus) was both a Rechabite or
Nazarite and vegetarian, p. 264 One suggestion is
that John ate 'carobs; there have been others. Epipha-
nius, in preserving what he calls 'the Ebionite Gospel',
rails against the passage there claiming that John ate 'wild
honey' and 'manna-like vegetarian cakes dipped in oil. ...
John would have been one of those wilderness-dwelling,
vegetable-eating persons, p. 326 They [the Nazerini]
ate nothing but wild fruit milk and honey probably the
same food that John the Baptist also ate., p. 367 We [78] Doctrine and Covenants 84:2728. Scriptures.lds.org.
have already seen how in some traditions 'carobs were
said to have been the true composition of Johns food., p.
403 his [Johns] diet was stems, roots and fruits. Like
James and the other Nazirites/Rechabites, he is presented
as a vegetarian ...
[70] James Tabor, The Jesus Dynasty p. 134 and footnotes p.
335, p. 134 The Greek New Testament gospels says
Johns diet consisted of locusts and wild honey but an [82] Joseph Smith History 1:6872
ancient Hebrew version of Matthew insists that locusts is
a mistake in Greek for a related Hebrew word that means
a cake of some type, made from a desert plant, similar to
the manna that the ancient Israelites ate in the desert on
the days of Moses.(ref 9) Jesus describes John as neither
eating nor drinking, or neither eating bread nor drink-
ing wine. Such phrases indicate the lifestyle of one who
is strictly vegetarian, avoids even bread since it has to be
processed from grain, and shuns all alcohol.(ref 10) The
idea is that one would eat only what grows naturally.(ref
11) It was a way of avoiding all renements of civiliza-
tion.
[71] Bart D. Ehrman (2003). Lost Christianities: The Battles
for Scripture and the Faiths We Never Knew. Oxford Uni-
versity Press. pp. 102, 103. ISBN 0-19-514183-0. p.
102 Probably the most interesting of the changes from
the familiar New Testament accounts of Jesus comes in
the Gospel of the Ebionites description of John the Bap-
tist, who, evidently, like his successor Jesus, maintained a
strictly vegetarian cuisine.
[72] James A. Kelhoer, The Diet of John the Baptist, ISBN
978-3-16-148460-5, pp. 1921
[73] G.R.S. Mead (2007). Gnostic John the Baptizer: Selections
from the Mandan John-Book. Forgotten Books. p. 104.
ISBN 978-1-60506-210-5. p. 104 And when he had
been brought to Archelaus and the doctors of the Law had
assembled, they asked him who he is and where he has
been until then. And to this he made answer and spake: I
am pure; [for] the Spirit of God hath led me on, and [I live
on] cane and roots and tree-food."
8 REFERENCES
[74] Tabor (2006) Jesus Dynasty p. 334 (note 9) "The
Gospel of the Ebionites as quoted by the 4th-century writer
Epiphanius. The Greek word for locusts (akris) is very
similar to the Greek word for honey cake (ekris) that is
used for the manna that the Israelites ate in the desert
in the days of Moses (Exodus 16:32)" & p. 335 (note
11) There is an old Russian (Slavic) version of Jose-
phuss Antiquities that describes John the Baptizer as liv-
ing on 'roots and fruits of the tree' and insists that he never
touches bread, even at Passover.
[75] Bart D. Ehrman (2003). Lost Scriptures: Books that Did
Not Make It into the New Testament. Oxford University
Press. p. 13. ISBN 0-19-514182-2. p. 13 Referring
to Epiphanius quotation from the Gospel of the Ebionites
in Panarion 30.13, And his food, it says, was wild honey
whose taste was of manna, as cake in oil.
[76] Treatise of Prayer. Retrieved 1-15-2012.
[77] The Dialogue of Saint Catherine of Siena. Retrieved 1-
15-2012
Retrieved February 14, 2010.
[79] Section Five: 18421843. Retrieved May 15, 2014.
[80] Teaching of The Prophet Joseph Smith Section Five
184243, p. 261
[81] [D&C 13]; D&C 27:78
[83] 1 Nephi 10:710.
[84] 1 Nephi 11:27
[85] 2 Nephi 31:4-18
[86] In late antiquity this feast in some churches marked the
beginning of the Ecclesiastical Year; see Archbishop Pe-
ter (L'Huiller) of New York and New Jersey, "Liturgical
Matters: The Lukan Jump", in: Newspaper of the Dio-
cese of New York and New Jersey, Fall 1992.
[87] Mark 9:1113
[88] Matthew 11:1314
[89] Luke 7:27
[90] John 1:21
[91] Sergei Prokoe, The Mystery of John the Baptist and
John the Evangelist Turning Point of Time: An Esoteric
Study, Temple Lodge Publishing 2005, ISBN 1-902636-
67-8
[92] Yahya, Encyclopedia of Islam
[93] Ibn Ishaq, Sirat Rasul Allah, Mi'raj
[94] Muhammad, Martin Lings, Abysinnia. etc.
[95] Quran 19:1315
[96] Lives of the Prophets, Leila Azzam, John and Zechariah

[97] AZ of Prophets in Islam and Judaism, B. M. Wheeler, [117]
John the Baptist
[98] Quran 19:710
[99] Quran 19:12
[100] Tabari, i, 712
[101] Abdullah Yusuf Ali, The Holy Qur'an: Text, Translation
and Commentary, Note. 905: The third group consists [122]
not of men of action, but Preachers of Truth, who led soli-
tary lives. Their epithet is: the Righteous. They form a
connected group round Jesus. Zachariah was the father of
John the Baptist, who is referenced as Elias, which was
for to come (Matt 11:14); and Elias is said to have been
present and talked to Jesus at the Transguration on the [124]
Mount (Matt. 17:3).
[102] Encyclopedia of Islam, Yahya ibn Zakkariya, Online web.
[103] Whereas the Qur'an itself gives blessings of peace to John
(Quran 19: 15), Jesus, in contrast, gives himself the bless-
ings of peace. (Qur'an 19: 1633)
[104] A. Geiger, Judaism And Islam (English translation of Was
hat Mohammed aus dem Judenthume aufgenommen?),
1970, Ktav Publishing House Inc.: New York, p. 19.
[105] And No One Had The Name Yahya (= John?) Before:
A Linguistic & Exegetical Enquiry Into Qur'an 19:7.
Islamic-awareness.org. Retrieved October 20, 2012. [125] Avetisyan, Kamsar (1979). "
[106] A. Jerey, Foreign Vocab. of the Qur'an, Baroda 1938,
2901
[107] Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church (Oxford Uni-
versity Press 2005 ISBN 978-0-19-280290-3), article
Mandaeans
[108] Baptisms of Yeshu in ancient Mandaic scrolls The Or-
der of Nazorean Essenes. Essenes.net. Retrieved Octo-
ber 20, 2012.
[109] Divine Principle Chapter 4, Section 2. Webcitation.org.
Retrieved January 26, 2014.
[110] The story appears in Matthew 14:8 and Mark 6:25, with-
out the name Salome
[111] John the Baptist, St. Cross, F. L., ed. The Oxford dic-
tionary of the Christian church. New York: Oxford Uni-
versity Press. 2005
[112] See Tornabuoni Chapel for further information on these
scenes
[113] Engraving by Israhel van Meckenem. Artsmia.org. Re-
trieved February 14, 2010.
[114] On this see Chapter V, The Power of Women, in H Di-
ane Russell;Eva/Ave; Women in Renaissance and Baroque
Prints; National Gallery of Art, Washington, 1990; ISBN
1-55861-039-1
[115] Robin, Larsen and Levin, p. 368
[116] King of Kings, cast and crew
23
The Gospel According to St. Matthew, cast and crew
[118] The Greatest Story Ever Told, cast and crew
[119] Godspell, cast and crew
[120] Jesus of Nazareth, cast and crew
[121] The Last Temptation of Christ, cast and crew
Matthew Hancock (June 12, 2004). Theres only one So
Joo. The Guardian (London). Retrieved February 14,
2010.
[123] Pietre-Stones Review of Freemasonry. Freemasons-
freemasonry.com. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
Kharatyan, Lusine; Keskin, Ismail; Keshishyan, Avetis;
Ozturk, S. Aykut; Khachatryan, Nane; Albayrak, Nihal;
Hakobyan, Karen (2013). Moush, sweet Moush: Mapping
Memories from Armenia and Turkey (PDF). The Institute
for International Cooperation Of the German Adult Ed-
ucation Association (dvv international). p. 69. ISBN
978-3-942755-12-2. Archived from the original (PDF)
on January 3, 2015. The Saint Karapet Monastery is one
of the oldest Armenian monasteries in Moush Valley, dat-
ing back to the 4th century when Gregory the Illuminator,
founder of the Armenian Apostolic Church, is believed to
have buried the relics of Saint John the Baptist (Karapet)
here.
[Historical monuments of Taron]".
[Armenian stud-
ies sketches] (in Armenian). Yerevan: Sovetakan
Grogh. p. 204. ... ,
.
9 Sources
9.1 Books on John the Baptist
Brooks Hansen (2009) John the Baptizer: A Novel.
New York: W. W. Norton. ISBN 978-0-393-
06947-1
Murphy, Catherine M. (2003) John the Baptist:
Prophet of Purity for a New Age. Collegeville: Litur-
gical Press. ISBN 0-8146-5933-0
Taylor, Joan E. (1997) The Immerser: John the Bap-
tist within Second Temple Judaism. Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans. ISBN 0-8028-4236-4
W. Barnes Tatum (1994) John the Baptist and Jesus:
A Report of the Jesus Seminar., Sonoma, California:
Polebridge Press, 1994, ISBN 0-944344-42-9
Webb, Robert L. (1991) John the Baptizer and
Prophet: a Socio-Historical Study. Wipf and Stock
Publishers. ISBN 978-1-59752-986-0 (rst pub-
lished Sheeld: JSOT Press, 1991)
24 10 EXTERNAL LINKS

9.2 Islamic view

Rippin, A. Yahya b. Zakariya. In P.J. Bearman,
Th. Bianquis, C.E. Bosworth, E. van Donzel, W.P.
Heinrichs. Encyclopaedia of Islam Online. Brill
Academic Publishers. ISSN 1573-3912.

J.C.L Gibson, John the Baptist in Muslim writings, in

MW, xlv (1955), 334345

9.3 Passages in the Qur'an

Appraisals for Yahya: 6:85, 19:7, 19:12, 19:13,
19:14, 19:15

Yahyas prophecy: 3:39, 6:85, 19:12

10 External links
Media related to John the Baptist at Wikimedia
Commons

Catholic Encyclopedia: St. John the Baptist

Jewish Encyclopedia: John the Baptist

Prophet John (Yahya)

Mandaean Book of John translation project

"John the Baptist". The American Cyclopdia.

1879.

St. John the Baptist at the Christian Iconography

web site

Caxtons translation of the Golden Legend chapters

on The Decollation of John the Baptist and The Na-
tivity of St. John Baptist
 25

11 Text and image sources, contributors, and licenses

11.1 Text
John the Baptist Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_the_Baptist?oldid=688784970 Contributors: Damian Yerrick, Tbc~enwiki,
Wesley, Bryan Derksen, Slrubenstein, Ed Poor, Amillar, Andre Engels, Shsilver, Christian List, SimonP, Heron, Montrealais, Olivier,
Stevertigo, Michael Hardy, Llywrch, Menchi, Dcljr, IZAK, Bjpremore~enwiki, Ejrh, Ihcoyc, Theresa knott, Lupinoid, Kwekubo, Evercat,
Cherkash, Csernica, JASpencer, Uriber, Disdero, Charles Matthews, EALacey, Dcoetzee, Jwrosenzweig, StAkAr Karnak, Selket, DJ Clay-
worth, Tpbradbury, Jlavezzo, Indefatigable, Kenatipo, Wetman, Trmurrell, Flockmeal, Carbuncle, Dimadick, AlexPlank, Robbot, Josh
Cherry, Pigsonthewing, Altenmann, Modulatum, COGDEN, Amgine, Desmay, Rorro, Osjknights, UtherSRG, Profoss, DigiBullet, Jor,
Elf, Herr Klugbeisser, Tom harrison, Everyking, Alison, Varlaam, Jdavidb, Beardo, Alensha, Kpalion, Eequor, Wmahan, Andycjp, Alexf,
SarekOfVulcan, Jonel, Litalex, Antandrus, Loremaster, Noirum, DNewhall, JimWae, Rlquall, Mysidia, WpZurp, Creidieki, Neutrality,
Jcw69, Ukexpat, Vsb, Adashiel, Hadj, Flex, Mike Rosoft, D6, Sdrawkcab, Venu62, Mindspillage, Discospinster, Rich Farmbrough, Guan-
abot, Francis Schonken, Sunborn, Djordjes, Brian0918, Aranel, Naqshbandi, El C, Carlon, Lankiveil, Spearhead, C1k3, Lima, Bookofjude,
Just zis Guy, you know?, Bobo192, Smalljim, John Vandenberg, Brim, Darwinpolice, I9Q79oL78KiL0QTFHgyc, Giraedata, Rockhop-
per10r, Sriram sh, Caeruleancentaur, Ogress, Ranveig, Storm Rider, Kuratowskis Ghost, Alansohn, Gary, Sherurcij, Richard Harvey,
Eric Kvaalen, Wiki-uk, CheeseDreams, Echuck215, Ynhockey, XLR8TION, SeanDuggan, Wtmitchell, Bucephalus, Velella, ElderKorean,
Bsadowski1, GabrielF, Ghirlandajo, Tainter, Ceyockey, Tintin1107, Tariqabjotu, Michael Gbler, Angr, Richard Arthur Norton (1958-
), Woohookitty, FeanorStar7, Merlinme, WadeSimMiser, Je3000, Mpatel, Kelisi, Grace Note, Striver, JRHorse, GregorB, Scm83x,
Pictureuploader, Eltinw, KHM03, Mandarax, RichardWeiss, WBardwin, Cuchullain, Melesse, Sj, Wikix, Rjwilmsi, Tizio, Angusmclel-
lan, Koavf, Ian Lancaster, Jebgavin, AwkwardSocks, Captmondo, Afterwriting, Yamamoto Ichiro, Kyle.Mullaney, FayssalF, FlaBot, Doc
glasgow, Merecat, Fischersc, Alhutch, CarolGray, Shadow007, RexNL, Gurch, Acyso, TheDJ, Str1977, Vilcxjo, Jeremygbyrne, Phat-
cat68, Atif.hussain, Alphachimp, CJLL Wright, Chobot, DVdm, Bgwhite, Digitalme, Roboto de Ajvol, Sceptre, Jachin, Blackworm,
Red Slash, Zaroblue05, CambridgeBayWeather, NawlinWiki, Wiki alf, Snek01, Grafen, Eric Sellars, Julien Deveraux, Pgehr, Derex,
Lexicon, Hogne, Sekelsenmat, Ari89, Moe Epsilon, Tbook~enwiki, Bucketsofg, NicholasJB, Roy Brumback, Psy guy, Bota47, Evrik,
Botteville, Arch o median, Nlu, Wknight94, PetriFB~enwiki, Show no mercy, 21655, Outsidethewall, Saranghae honey, Peter Kirby,
IvanP~enwiki, E Wing, Pb30, Reyk, Vdegroot, Cybjorg, JuJube, Shyam, Rearden9, Reedgunner, Curpsbot-unicodify, Gorgan almighty,
MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, Stratocastermagic, PaxEquilibrium, Katieh5584, Psychiker, RG2, Bibliomaniac15, Jackturner3, At-
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stinct, Ccrashh, Reign of Toads, Semioli, PhilKnight, Xact, Acroterion, Queenofthewilis, , Magioladitis, Bongwarrior, VoABot
II, Wikidudeman, Nyttend, Jvhertum, Dilane, Yarjka, Iammichelle, Cyktsui, EagleFan, ArthurWeasley, KoosJaspers, Mike Searson, All-
starecho, Mellow honey, Skrooball, Baristarim, Robert O'Brien, Joezasada, FisherQueen, Isabellaorentine, MartinBot, STBot, Wikisoul,
Ugajin, Linaduliban, Nikpapag, Anaxial, Keith D, Kostisl, AlexiusHoratius, AgarwalSumeet, Jarhed, PrestonH, Boston, Brain Rodeo,
Zeete, J.delanoy, Pharaoh of the Wizards, BuraqRider, 72Dino, Nigholith, Farshaft, JohnShep, Ian.thomson, Maproom, Anecdotesarecool,
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Matthardingu, SJP, Robertgreer, Lanternix, JohnnyRush10, BrettAllen, Sigmundur, KylieTastic, Juliancolton, STBotD, RB972, Jameson-
tai, YoavD, Donmike10, Treisijs, Sjwk, MishaPan, Leeanderson2000, Andy Marchbanks, Useight, Random Passer-by, Xiahou, Squids and
Chips, Pietru, Funandtrvl, Ottershrew, VolkovBot, Tourbillon, Icarus4586, Johan1298~enwiki, ABF, Alpha774, Erehe, Mattsuzie, Mouerj,
MikeJParks, Je G., Tesscass, Ticklemygrits, Majoreditor, Alan B25, Barneca, Philip Trueman, Drunkenmonkey, TXiKiBoT, Zidonuke,
Zamphuor, Java7837, Dickstracke, Pullarius1, GcSwRhIc, Bmhabr, Someguy1221, Retiono Virginian, Fghhytwehg, John Carter, Cal-
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Sjwells53, Shakko, Oxymoron83, Faradayplank, Ptolemy Caesarion, Jc3schmi, Bagatelle, Ramilvillafranca, Lightmouse, Tombomp, Ho-
bartimus, BenoniBot~enwiki, IdreamofJeanie, OKBot, LordGorval, LonelyMarble, Spartan-James, Envirocorrector, Vanished user ew-
sn2348tui2f8n2o2utjfeoi210r39jf, Mojoworker, Philly jawn, Amit300, Chimidan, Sci-GOD2k7, Denisarona, Sitush, Escape Orbit,
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Scog, Orlando098, Elizium23, Fudmonkey, SchreiberBike, Deftmac01, Friedlibend und tapfer, Thingg, Aitias, 7, Mattissa, DerBorg, Ver-
sus22, RebelzGang, Visceraeyes, Burner0718, Toddroeske, Yozer1, Editor2020, Alexspyk, DumZiBoT, Alex Zivoder, BarretB, XLinkBot,
Qae, Ksynadinos, Stickee, Ost316, Nepenthes, Skarebo, Earthlymusic, ChristopherBanbury, Noctibus, ZooFari, Good Olfactory, Kb-
dankbot, Felix Folio Secundus, Addbot, Jgoed6, Some jerk on the Internet, Uruk2008, Elazeez, Grunowsftball13, DougsTech, Emerylus,
Ronhjones, Ron B. Thomson, Metsavend, Scottwmtits69, CanadianLinuxUser, Fluernutter, Damiens.rf, Newkmoon, Musdan77, Down-
load, Carsonlee2688, CarsracBot, ShepBot, T J Haigh, Skelter25, Glane23, Lihaas, Bahamut Star, AnnaFrance, Bu 3alwa, Green Squares,
26 11 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

AtheWeatherman, West.andrew.g, Organic Cabbage, Moroderen, Tide rolls, Lubdhaka, Kiril Simeonovski, Krano, Abjiklam, Ramsis II,
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Rsquire3, Kan8eDie, Yngvadottir, Washburnmav, AnakngAraw, Hairyholebutt, Samtar, Roltz, Daniel 1992, AnomieBOT, Marauder40,
Mauro Lanari, NathanoNL, Jim1138, Tavrian, Piano non troppo, Zagreber~enwiki, AdjustShift, Ulric1313, Flewis, Djampa, Materi-
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Amit6, E2eamon, Twiceuponatime, Bob Burkhardt, Maxis ftw, Gabes1337, LovesMacs, Danny.mcmillan, LilHelpa, Xqbot, Jayarathina,
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Tmrdean, L Kensington, MCSKY, Qmtead, Donner60, Awesome1111, Willthacheerleader18, Credit Risk, Chewings72, Zavatter, Ego
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bot, Roypeter347, Signalizing, ClueBot NG, XXxIrmaLeighXxX, Yaphehm'odh, Tanbircdq, LutherVinci, Grace196111, Adamrce, Un-
scintillating, Hjvesey, LittleJerry, Cadetgray, Joefromrandb, Yster76, Jeanlucfrancais, Frietjes, Primergrey, Twillisjr, O.Koslowski, Fraytel,
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11.2 Images
File:'De_Gray'_Hours_(f.24.v)_St_John_the_Baptist.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a3/%27De_
Gray%27_Hours_%28f.24.v%29_St_John_the_Baptist.jpg License: CC0 Contributors:
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Original artist: Unknown
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3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: MarkusMark
File:Al-Anbiya.png Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/1a/Al-Anbiya.png License: CC BY 3.0 Contributors:
Own work visit: ==[1]== Original artist: UsmanullahPK
File:Allah-green.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Allah-green.svg License: Public domain Contribu-
tors: Converted to SVG from Image:Islam.png, originally from en:Image:Ift32.gif, uploaded to the English Wikipedia by Mr100percent on
4 February 2003. Originally described as Copied from Public Domain artwork. Original artist: ?
File:Allori_C_San_Giovanni.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/Allori_C_San_Giovanni.jpg License:
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File:Andrea-del-Sarto,-John-the-Baptist.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/Andrea-del-Sarto%
2C-John-the-Baptist.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons., Original uploader was PiCo
at en.wikipedia, 2005-11-30 (original upload date), From Web gallery of Art. Web Gallery of Art has given permission for use of images
on Wikipedia. Artist has been dead over 100 years Original artist: Andrea del Sarto
File:Anton_Raphael_Mengs_-_St._John_the_Baptist_Preaching_in_the_Wilderness_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg Source:
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/45/Anton_Raphael_Mengs_-_St._John_the_Baptist_Preaching_in_the_
Wilderness_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: ngHjvgNHHmV4zA at Google Cultural Institute,
zoom level maximum Original artist: Anton Raphael Mengs
File:Armenian_Chinsurah_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Armenian_Chinsurah_2.jpg License:
CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Rangan Datta Wiki
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Original artist: ?
File:Brueghel_l'Ancien_-_La_Prdication_de_Saint_Jean-Baptiste.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
c/ce/Brueghel_l%27Ancien_-_La_Pr%C3%A9dication_de_Saint_Jean-Baptiste.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work
Yelkrokoyade Taken in 20/07/2013 Original artist: Pieter Brueghel the Elder (1526/15301569)
File:Commons-logo.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/4/4a/Commons-logo.svg License: ? Contributors: ? Original
artist: ?
11.2 Images 27

File:Ein_Kerem_Church_of_St_John_the_Baptist_by_David_Shankbone.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/

commons/8/89/Ein_Kerem_Church_of_St_John_the_Baptist_by_David_Shankbone.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Own
work Original artist: David Shankbone (attribution required)
File:Gloriole_blur.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/48/Gloriole_blur.svg License: Public domain Con-
tributors: Own work Original artist: Eubulides
File:Grave_of_Yahya_Nabi.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dc/Grave_of_Yahya_Nabi.JPG License:
CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia; transferred to Commons by User:Chowbok using CommonsHelper.
Original artist: Md iet (talk). Original uploader was Md iet at en.wikipedia
File:Herb_wroclaw.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/07/Herb_wroclaw.svg License: Public domain Con-
tributors: http://www.wroclaw.pl/74617.dhtml Original artist: This vector image was created with Inkscape by Bastianowa (Bastiana.
File:InfantJesus_JohnBaptist.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/85/InfantJesus_
JohnBaptist.JPG License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.1st-art-gallery.com/Bartolome-Esteban-Murillo/
Infant-Christ-Offering-A-Drink-Of-Water-To-St-John-1675-80.html Original artist: Bartolom Esteban Murillo
File:Jerusalem_Christian_Quarter_Church_St_John_the_Baptist.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/
b/b9/Jerusalem_Christian_Quarter_Church_St_John_the_Baptist.JPG License: GFDL Contributors: Own work Original artist: Utilisateur:
Djampa - User:Djampa
File:John_Everett_Millais_-_Christ_in_the_House_of_His_Parents_(`The_Carpenter{}s_Shop')_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg
Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7b/John_Everett_Millais_-_Christ_in_the_House_of_His_Parents_%28%
60The_Carpenter%27s_Shop%27%29_-_Google_Art_Project.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: KgHTjZxC7spFMQ at Google
Cultural Institute, zoom level maximum Tate Images (http://www.tate-images.com/results.asp?image=N03584&wwwflag=3&imagepos=
1) Original artist: John Everett Millais
File:John_the_Baptist_by_Prokopiy_Chirin_(1620s,_GTG).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/db/
John_the_Baptist_by_Prokopiy_Chirin_%281620s%2C_GTG%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: from en:Image:Chirin.jpg,
uploaded by User:Ghirlandajo Original artist: Prokopiy Chirin
File:Kirchenfenster_Bckweiler.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/02/Kirchenfenster_B%C3%
B6ckweiler.jpg License: CC BY-SA 2.0 Contributors: http://www.flickr.com/photos/11596438@N00/2435169073/sizes/o/in/
photostream/ Original artist: tiegeltuf
File:Mathis_Gothart_Grnewald_024.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Mathis_Gothart_Gr%C3%
BCnewald_024.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: The Yorck Project: 10.000 Meisterwerke der Malerei. DVD-ROM, 2002. ISBN
3936122202. Distributed by DIRECTMEDIA Publishing GmbH. Original artist: Matthias Grnewald
File:Mattia_Preti_-_San_Giovanni_Battista_Predicazione.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/8/89/
Mattia_Preti_-_San_Giovanni_Battista_Predicazione.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: The AMICA Library Original artist:
Mattia Preti
File:Nabi_Yahya_Mosque,_Sebastia,_c._1920.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/Nabi_Yahya_
Mosque%2C_Sebastia%2C_c._1920.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: www.documentarist.com: Nabi Yahya Mosque Original
artist: Anonymous; uploaded by Chesdovi
File:P_christianity.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/79/P_christianity.svg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Con-
tributors: ? Original artist: ?
File:Puvis_de_Chavannes,_Pierre-Ccile_-_The_Beheading_of_St_John_the_Baptist_-_c._1869.jpg Source: https://upload.
wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4e/Puvis_de_Chavannes%2C_Pierre-C%C3%A9cile_-_The_Beheading_of_St_John_the_
Baptist_-_c._1869.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: Web Gallery of Art: <a href='http://www.wga.hu/art/p/puvis/beheadin.jpg'
data-x-rel='nofollow'><img alt='Inkscape.svg' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Inkscape.svg/
20px-Inkscape.svg.png' width='20' height='20' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Inkscape.svg/
30px-Inkscape.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/6/6f/Inkscape.svg/40px-Inkscape.svg.png
2x' data-le-width='60' data-le-height='60' /></a> Image <a href='http://www.wga.hu/html/p/puvis/beheadin.html' data-x-
rel='nofollow'><img alt='Information icon.svg' src='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Information_
icon.svg/20px-Information_icon.svg.png' width='20' height='20' srcset='https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/
Information_icon.svg/30px-Information_icon.svg.png 1.5x, https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/3/35/Information_
icon.svg/40px-Information_icon.svg.png 2x' data-le-width='620' data-le-height='620' /></a> Info about artwork Original artist: Pierre
Puvis de Chavannes
File:Question_book-new.svg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/9/99/Question_book-new.svg License: Cc-by-sa-3.0
Contributors:
Created from scratch in Adobe Illustrator. Based on Image:Question book.png created by User:Equazcion Original artist:
Tkgd2007
File:Rom,_Basilika_San_Giovanni_in_Laterano,_Hl._Johannes_der_Tufer_2.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/
wikipedia/commons/e/e4/Rom%2C_Basilika_San_Giovanni_in_Laterano%2C_Hl._Johannes_der_T%C3%A4ufer_2.jpg License: CC
BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: Own work Original artist: Dnalor 01
File:RomMitoraj.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/RomMitoraj.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 de Con-
tributors: Self-photographed Original artist: Hans Weingartz
File:San_Juan_Bautista_por_Joan_de_Joanes.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/San_Juan_
Bautista_por_Joan_de_Joanes.jpg License: CC BY 3.0 Contributors: Coleccin Joan J. Gavara (Valencia), Noulas Original artist: Joan de
Joanes
File:San_juan_Wood_Sculture_By_Santiago_Martinez.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b8/San_
juan_Wood_Sculture_By_Santiago_Martinez.jpg License: CC-BY-SA-3.0 Contributors: Museo Nacional de Bogota Colombia Original
artist: Santiago Martinez Delgado
28 11 TEXT AND IMAGE SOURCES, CONTRIBUTORS, AND LICENSES

File:StJohnInUmmayad.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/26/StJohnInUmmayad.jpg License: Public

domain Contributors: Own work Original artist: User:Disdero
File:St_John_the_Baptist_Titular_Statue_of_Xewkija_Gozo,_Malta.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/0/09/St_John_the_Baptist_Titular_Statue_of_Xewkija_Gozo%2C_Malta.jpg License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: This
photo was taken by me during the feast celebrated at Xewkija on June 2013 and added the background on a computer.
Previously published: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=554901377882253&set=a.553430561362668.1073741832.
111990055506723&type=1&theater Original artist: Tcvella
File:St_John_the_Baptists_tomb.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/66/St_John_the_Baptists_tomb.
JPG License: CC BY-SA 3.0 Contributors: No machine-readable source provided. Own work assumed (based on copyright claims). Original
artist: No machine-readable author provided. Lollylolly78~commonswiki assumed (based on copyright claims).
File:St_John_the_baptist_-_Leonardo_Da_Vinci.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fc/St_John_
the_baptist_-_Leonardo_Da_Vinci.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://www.artworkonly.com/artreproductions/
st-john-the-baptist.html Original artist: Leonardo da Vinci
File:St_johns_head.jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/25/St_johns_head.jpg License: Public domain
Contributors: Transferred from en.wikipedia to Commons. Original artist: Queenofthewilis at English Wikipedia
File:Surp_Garabed_Vank_(Hampikian,_1923).jpg Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a9/Surp_Garabed_
Vank_%28Hampikian%2C_1923%29.jpg License: Public domain Contributors: http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3b33345 Original artist:
Vartan A. Hampikian, New York
File:Valladolid_museo_escultura_San_Juan_Bautista_Alonso_Cano_ni.JPG Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/
commons/d/d6/Valladolid_museo_escultura_San_Juan_Bautista_Alonso_Cano_ni.JPG License: CC BY 3.0 Contributors: Own work
Original artist: Nicols Prez
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Contributors: ? Original artist: ?
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Contributors: Rei-artur Original artist: Nicholas Moreau
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domain Contributors: Vector version of Image:Wiktionary-logo-en.png. Original artist: Vectorized by Fvasconcellos (talk contribs),
based on original logo tossed together by Brion Vibber

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