Characters: John the Baptist Primary Scriptures: Luke 3 Story Summary: Life of John the Baptist Location: Kingdom of Judea Time: Circa 5 BC - 30 AD John often baptized people in the Jordan River, at least twenty-five miles from Jerusalem. The road from Jerusalem was dangerous, as Jesus illustrated in the parable of the Good Samaritan, so John and his message must have been powerful forces to entice people to come to him from Jerusalem and surrounding areas. Luke says John exhorted the people and that his message was good news. The gospel writers took special care to portray John to be like the Old Testament prophets in both his look and in his message. One reason for that: the prophet Malachi prophesied that Elijah would return before the Day of the Lord. The gospel writers wanted their reads to associate John the Baptist with that prophecy. Though he had a sizable following, John took great care not to be confused with the Messiah, always showing himself as the one preparing the way for someone greater. Although John was quite clear about his criticisms, he was also quite clear about the answers of how to change. His answers were not only clear, but quite practical. That would have endeared him to the general populace that were not able to meet the requirements of their religious leaders. John was not worried about currying favor with the ruling elite—when Herod Antipas married his brother’s former wife, John criticized him publicly. This eventually resulted in John’s death. With John’s immense popularity, it would have been easy for him to resent the rising influence and popularity of Jesus. Instead, John supported Jesus in every way possible, including sending some of his own disciples to follow Jesus. Perhaps John portrayed the ultimate humility when he said about Jesus, “He must become more; I must become less.” The baptism of Jesus by John was the beginning of the end for John. Jesus’ ministry took off like a rocket, while John’s disciples left him for Jesus. John knew that was fine because his ministry was coming to an end in the very near future. Eyewitness Bible Series