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1 Chapter 1 : Baptism of Jesus Location, River Jordan - Bennachti b 9 And {a 13 Then} b it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came {a cometh} b from Nazareth of Galilee, a to the Jordan [Tradition fixes upon a ford of Jordan east of Jericho as the place where Jesus was baptized. People are baptized to show they are turning away from sin. Bibles, marker board, markers, pictures of signs stop sign, deer crossing, railroad crossing, and someone being baptized Lesson Opening Ask: What are some ways that we use water at home or school? What about at church? Today we will be learning about baptism. Does anyone know what baptism is? Have you ever seen someone get baptized? Baptism is an outward demonstration of an internal decision to follow Jesus. But baptism is a way for someone to publically declare that they are a follower of Jesus. Tell the Story Hold up pictures of the various signs stop sign, railroad crossing, etc. Have the kids tell you what the various signs mean. We see lots of signs every day that give us information. Show the picture of the person being baptized. Has anyone ever seen someone get baptized? Baptism is a way for someone to show that they are unified with Jesus. Everything about baptism is symbolic. Coming out of the water symbolizes the new life that they have in Christ. Our story today comes from the books Matthew and John. These are two of the four gospels. Matthew, Mark, Luke, John. Last week we learned about a man named John the Baptist. John was a messenger who lived in the wilderness and preached to the people who came out to see him. Does anyone remember what he taught the people about? John taught that they must prepare their hearts for Jesus by repenting of their sin. John also baptized people in the Jordan River. Why were the people baptized? John told them that he baptized them with water, but someone would come after him who would baptize them with the Holy Spirit! Who do you think he was talking about? Jesus Tell the Story: At that time Jesus had not yet started his ministry. He had been working as a carpenter in the town of Nazareth. The people were still waiting for the Messiah to be revealed: One day Jesus came to see John as he was preaching to the people. What did John call Jesus? The Lamb of God. That might sound really strange to us, but being referred to as the Lamb of God was actually really important. By calling Jesus the Lamb of God John was saying that Jesus was the Messiah who would die for the sins of all the people, and that anyone who believed in Him would be forgiven. Jesus came to John asking to be baptized. As Jesus came up out of the water John saw something incredible. He saw the Holy Spirit descend on Jesus in the form of a dove. If People are baptized to show they are turning away from sin, why do you think it was important for Jesus to be baptized? He was absolutely perfect so there was no sin in His life for him to turn away from! Jesus was baptized in order to identify with the sinful people He came to save and to give us a model for obedience to God. Just because someone is baptized, does that mean they are saved and their sins are forgiven? When people are baptized they have an opportunity to tell their story of how they came to know and love Jesus. This is always such an encouraging time for everyone in the church! Baptism is always a celebration! Pray Dear God thank you for the gift of baptism as a way to show that we are connected to Christ. We thank you for what an encouraging celebration it is to witness someone being baptized. We also thank you for sending your Son Jesus to die for our sins so we could be united with Him and be welcomed into your kingdom. Review Questions What was the main point from our lesson? What two books of the Bible did our story come from? Matthew, John What is the purpose of baptism? Water, Spirit What type of bird did John see come down from Heaven? Dove How are the three members of the Trinity represented in this story? Jesus is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and God the Father speaks from heaven. Act Out That Verse! Explain that baptism is a symbol. It is an outward sign of an inward reality that we have decided to follow Christ. Going into the water represents being buried with Christ. Our old sinful self is dead. Coming up out of the water represents being made alive in Christ. When we trust in Christ we are freed from the bondage of sin. While we do still sin this side of eternity, we trust and know that we are forgiven because Christ died for us. You the teacher may want to share the story of how you were baptized and how you came to make the decision to be baptized. Give the kids a chance to ask questions about baptism. Encourage the kids to work in their groups to come up with a way to act out the verse. Talk through some of the key words in the verse and if they need it help them think of actions that might go along with those words. Baptism, Unified with Christ, Page 1

2 Jordan River, etc. Use this time to review the key words and phrases and give the kids an opportunity to ask questions. Page 2

3 Chapter 2 : Jesus Baptized Sermon by John Lowe, Matthew - blog.quintoapp.com The baptism of Jesus is described in the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke. John's gospel does not directly describe Jesus' baptism.. Most modern theologians view the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist as a historical event to which a high degree of certainty can be assigned. Baptism of Jesus Jesus is baptized by His cousin John. This lesson includes a one-page slider for review. Scripture for lesson is found in Mathew 3: Jesus grew up working with His earthly father, Joseph, being a carpenter. They lived in Nazareth, a small town in Galilee. When He was 30 years old, He left home and went to see his cousin John. Remember that we studied about the birth of John. His father is Zacharias and his mother is Elizabeth. Remember that they were older. Jesus went to meet John at the Jordan River. He wanted to be baptized. And Jesus wanted John to baptize Him. John ate locusts and wild honey. People came to him from all Judea. John baptized the people in the Jordan River with water and said that the One coming was mightier than him. He did what God wanted and taught people about Jesus. Point out words of Jesus in red in most Bibles. But Jesus was baptized to show us an example of what we need to do. Baptism is for people that know right from wrong, believe that Jesus is the Son of God and they want to go to Heaven. When you repent you have a change of heart, and change how you live your life. Baptism washes away sin and then if you live the way God wants, you will go to Heaven. As you are telling the Bible lesson, the kids can slide from picture to the next. The left is what it looks like when you print it and the above right is the finished slider. You use a craft knife to make the slits for the picture strip to slide in. You can print it here. These are available to print in color or in black and white to use as a picture to color. Page 3

4 Chapter 3 : Jesusâ Baptism-Matt (Sunday School Lesson) â blog.quintoapp.com The place where Jesus was baptized As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him " (Matthew ). But a project now underway plans to rid the West Bank site of the explosive devices, clearing away the relics of war that have blemished the sacred place for nearly five decades. Land mines still speckle many parts of Israeli war-won territory. Many modern-day visitors don white robes and immerse themselves in the sacred waters in a show of faith. Churches were built in the area as early as the 4th century. By the s, Greek, Coptic, Syrian and Catholic churches, among others, all had plots in the river valley, erecting golden-domed shrines and other structures. Israel captured the West Bank in the Mideast war. Shortly after that, clergy fled their plots and Israel began planting land mines both on church land and in the surrounding area to fend off enemies. Unexploded ordnances also litter the area. In, the site was officially opened to the public after Israel cleared a narrow road leading to the Jordan River. Today, buses ferry hundreds of thousands of visitors along that road each year, with the surrounding area remaining off limits. Bulldozers sifted through the mine-laden earth. Within the church compound, an armored vehicle dug into the earth, hoisting up a chunk of soil and then straining it through a sifter, searching for anti-personnel mines the size of a block of Camembert cheese. Mounds of soil were heaped in piles around the area, each marked cleared from mines or still hazardous. In the distance, a string of anti-tank mines, each slightly larger than a centimeter inch pizza, protruded from the ground. To detect the mines, experts have had to look at historical records, interview former Israeli soldiers and survey old maps. Anti-tank mines, with heavier charges, are embedded to the west of an access road while anti-personnel mines and booby traps are located within the church plots. Painstaking hard work fills in the gaps, with drones, dogs, metal detectors and bulldozers used to sniff out and snuff out the leftover mines. Eight churches are scattered across the nearly acre expanse of land that borders the baptism site. The churches share custodianship of many sites in the Holy Land and often butt heads over how to manage them. It took about four years to get all denominations to agree to the terms of the project, a process that saw Cowan, The HALO Trust director, meet church leaders, including Pope Francis. HALO also waded into the Mideast conflict, seeking approval to work on the site from Israel, which controls the area, and getting a green light from the Palestinians who claim the West Bank as part of their future state. Majid Fityani, the Palestinian governor of the nearby city of Jericho, welcomed the de-mining. Page 4

5 Chapter 4 : Jesus is Baptized in the Jordan by John Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. Contemporary English Version Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. The archaeological sites discovered and the associated studies carried out recently show the remains of five churches uniquely designed and built since the 5th century as memorials of Jesus baptism. In addition, the mosaic map of the Holy Land where the site is depicted. Finally, all this is crowned by the official letters sent to the Royal Commission by many heads of churches around the world. This church was considered the most notable memorial church of St. John the Baptist on the east bank of the Jordan River. John the Baptist, which the Emperor Anastasius built: D Antoninus Martyr of Piacenza said: The marble steps actually descend eastward and the waters of the arrive at the lowest parts of the marble steps from the southwest when the river overflows. D gave important notes, saying: We can see the 2 northern piers while only the foundations of the southern piers where discovered recently at the end of, and symmetrical with, the marble steps. Hence, in plan we have a huge cruciform baptismal pool, where pilgrims would descend through the marble steps and be baptized. It had a minimum length of 27meters and a width of Since the basilica was built over the remains of earlier structures the lower basilica and John the Baptist Church, its construction made use of these remains as foundations, especially for its northern and southern walls. The clear width of the nave is 5. Features in the central aisle include the sandstone foundations of the chancel screen, a rectangular apse measuring 7. West of the altar are the remains of a mosaic floor of medium size, colored tesserae among its motifs a vase with two handles, flowers and three palm leaves can be noted. On the northeast corner of the vase a rosette is depicted. It had a marble floor of various geometric shapes and colors and a gate to the east in line with the staircase that leads to the lower uniquely designed cruciform baptismal pool. Epiphanius in the second half of the 8th century carefully described the site. Among the things he mentioned was that John the Baptist dwelled in a cave with a spring, about a mile beyond the, and added: The existing remains of the chapel show that it was built using materials similar to all the churches mentioned above. There is one course of sandstone wall remaining in the northern and northeastern parts, however, the remains are enough to assume a chapel 3m wide and 5m long. In the midst of the northern wall an entrance, 1. The apse is incorporated within the rectangular external walls and is almost semicircular, its floor is about 15 cm higher than the floor of the nave. There is a little chapel with an altar. The chapel was recently restored and a shelter was added to protect its fragile remains. Page 5

6 Chapter 5 : John the Baptist John was atremble with emotion as he made ready to baptize Jesus of Nazareth in the Jordan at noon on Monday, January 14, A.D. Thus did John baptize Jesus and his two brothers James and Jude. Thus did John baptize Jesus and his two brothers James and Jude. Yet no one doubts the historical event. For it implies, on the face of things, that Jesus needed purification through the good graces of the Baptist. To Josephus, John was the better known of the two. It is likely that the Church preserved his works because of the following passage: 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 influence John had over the people might put it into his power and inclination 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 difficulties, by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Matthew and Mark set the baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River near the wilderness at a site accessible from Jerusalem. Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. In line with these two evangelists, tradition has recognized the baptism in the River Jordan east of Jericho. This area in the wilderness of Judea would have been most accessible to people from Jerusalem. But where was the river years ago? It changes course unpredictably. In a monk named Francesco Suriano wrote: We cannot know, therefore, where Jesus stood â near the east bank, near the west bank? Some of the sites that are today shown on the east bank might have been on the west or hovering on arches above the river at floodtime! Compounding the problem, our sources are Byzantine except for Origen, who is not helpful here. Byzantine traditions are not reliable unless supported by further considerations. The pilgrim mentions going five Roman miles upstream from the Dead Sea to the baptismal site of Jesus. And then we have a pilgrim named Theodosius, visiting the land between and At the place where my Lord was baptized is a marble column, and on top of it has been set an iron cross. It stands on great vaults which are high enough for when the Jordan is in flood. Theodosius, De Situ Terrae Sanctae, Like the Bordeaux pilgrim, Theodosius locates the hill from which Elijah was taken up, which he calls Little Mount Hermon, across the river from the baptismal site. A pilgrim named Arculf, around, also mentions a church on vaults. He gives this description speaking of himself in the third person: The holy, venerable spot at which the Lord was baptized by John is permanently covered by the water of the River Jordan. Arculf, who reached the place, and swam across the river both ways, says that a tall wooden cross has been set up on the holy place The position of this cross where, as we have said, the Lord was baptized, is on the near side of the river bed. A strong man using a sling can throw a stone from there to the far bank on the Arabian side. From this cross a stone causeway supported on arches stretches to the bank, and people approaching the cross go down a ramp and return up by it to reach the bank. The fact that it is supported on four stone vaults, makes it usable, since the water, which comes in from all sides, is underneath it. It has a tiled roof. This remarkable church is supported, as we have said, by arches and vaults, and stands in the lower part of the valley through which the Jordan flows. But in the upper part there is a great monastery for monks, which has been built on the brow of a small hill nearby, overlooking the church. There is also a church built there in honour of Saint John Baptist which, together with the monastery, is enclosed in a single masonry wall. It was built near the remains of two earlier churches, the earliest of which was set on vaults. Micah Key describes the setting: All around, flies buzz incessantly and the white clay-like soil softly crunches underfoot. Down by the banks of the muddy river grows a lush thicket of reeds, tough tamarisk and willows. This is the kind of setting alluded to in Zechariah In that part of the Jordan is the spring where Saint John used to baptize, and which is two miles from the Jordan, and Elijah was in that valley when the raven brought him bread and meat. The whole valley is full of hermits. Next to the laura is large pool built with courses of sandstone. The wadi continues past two caves, both containing prayer niches for the use of hermits and monks. These caves figure in a 7th-century account by Johannes Moschus called the Spiritual Meadow. He tells of a monk who had started on a pilgrimage to Page 6

7 Mount Sinai but had become feverish after crossing the Jordan. Our Lord Jesus Christ himself has come here to pay me a visit. Sapsas means willow in Arabic. At the head of Wadi al-kharrar are five or six springs. On the Madaba map, this place is called "Ainon, where now is Sapsaphas" place of willows. Ainon or Aenon means "springs" in Aramaic. But there is another Ainon on the Madaba map just south of Scythopolis; it is called Ainon near Salem, which corresponds to John 3: After these things, Jesus came with his disciples into the land of Judea. He stayed there with them, and baptized. John also was baptizing in Ainon near Salim, because there was much water there. They came, and were baptized. For John was not yet thrown into prison. Or were there two Ainons? He saw that a few later versions of the text gave the name as Bethabara. Origen wrote, "Near the Jordan river there is no site of the same name of Bethany; it seems, however, that near the river of Jordan they show Bethabara, where John is said to have baptized. Yet despite John and Origen, by the Bordeaux pilgrim found the baptismal site near the west bank, as did Theodosius around and the maker of the Madaba map. Perhaps the Jordan had shifted. Let us try to emerge from the thicket! We return to the springs at the head of Wadi al-kharrar. Nearby, to the south, are ruins of a village which, to judge from the pottery, was inhabited in Roman and Byzantine times. The area includes a walled monastery which at one time had four churches. One of these has a freestanding arch, recently built, over the foundations of a 4th or 5th century church; here the late Pope John Paul II celebrated mass on his pilgrimage in the year One would think that this small village would have had enough water from the springs in the nearby wadi. Yet archaeologists found ceramic pipes that conveyed water several miles from other wadis. Perhaps the pools and abundant water were used to baptize pilgrims. Could this village have been Bethany beyond the Jordan? The possibility is intriguing. There remain, however, nagging questions: Yet he found no trace of a Bethany near the Jordan in the area indicated by Matthew and Mark. Perhaps the name had been changed. But the village had a significant Christian community in the Byzantine period, as indicated by the monastery and churches. It seems reasonable, on the other hand, to connect the springs at the head of Wadi al-kharrar with another passage in John. Let us look at the passage in context They [the Jews of Jerusalem] sought again to seize him, and he went out of their hand. He went away again beyond the Jordan into the place where John was baptizing at first, and there he stayed. Many came to him. He stays at the place beyond the Jordan for another two days. This would fit well with the springs at Wadi al-kharrar and the nearby village. However, the place "where John had baptized at first" should not be conflated with Bethany-beyond-the-Jordan, where John baptized Jesus. The phrase "at first" could not have served to distinguish the place if John had continued baptizing there throughout his mission. He worked throughout the region of the Jordan Luke 3: It was about the tenth hour" 1: The tenth hour would have been 4 p. John is following time very closely. One of the two was Andrew, who fetched his brother Simon. Jesus gives Simon the name Cephas, meaning Peter. On the next day, he was determined to go out into Galilee, and he found Philip. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph. It is 70 miles as the crow flies, but at least 85 with the roads. To make such a journey within three days, even on a very cooperative donkey, seems a bit of a stretch. It is difficult, therefore, to reconcile his account with those in Matthew and Mark. Steven Notley in The Sacred Bridge, pp. The Baptist is seen not as the leader of his own movement, but rather as the prophesied "voice in the wilderness" preparing the way for Jesus. Page 7

8 Chapter 6 : John the Baptist - Wikipedia Baptism in Jordan River, Israel, is practiced by many sects and in different formats. At the newly opened baptism site at the Jordan River, Israel, Qasr El Yehud, where the distance between Israel and Jordan is a mere 8 meters, clergy from the Armenian Church aid the high priest Elia to immerse in the Jordan River for baptism. While organizing my photographs a few days ago, I came across an old tattered post card and nearly tossed it into the miscellaneous pile. Then I took another look and discovered this could be a photo of the exact location of the baptism of Jesus! The post card came from Israel â and the person who sent it said this could be the exact site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. River Jordan where Jesus was baptized Text of postcard: Dear Friends and Neighbors â Just arrived in Jerusalem! This is the place, we are told, where Jesus was Baptized by John the Baptist! Miss our Church and its people very much, and our kids even more â Grateful, however for this Holy privilege which is ours! It is impossible to read the date on the post card but it could be The house was built in James and Henrietta Kelly? There is no remembrance of former things, Nor will there be any remembrance of things that are to come By those who will come after. How long could this postcard last? Maybe until it disintegrates or is destroyed by fire or water. And how long will this web page last? Maybe until I pass away and my dear loved ones decide not to pay the hosting fee. So these things are not easily made permanent â even if I tried, by uploading to Facebook, Google, Pinterest, and Reddit! Even those sites can go down. Ask Goliath how quickly the mighty can crumble. Yet â I think of how long the story of the baptism of Jesus has lasted. I think this is one of the great proofs of the legitimacy of the Word of God, the Holy Bible. Look how long the texts have been preserved, and how the Bible is now in almost every household worldwide. And sometimes, two or three, or more. I had quite a few Bibles in my home over the years, and that was before I was saved in Everyone knows the Bible is a book of great power, and Christians know it is the Word that sanctifies us for the Lord. Baptism Site â which includes letters of authentication. Baptism of Jesus site, Bethany Beyond the Jordan This archeological site on the Jordanian side of the river is believed to be the actual site of the baptism of Jesus. Mohammad Waheeb discovered this ancient site, Bethany Beyond the Jordan, in Waheeb works as an archeologist for the Department of Antiquities in Jordan. The three baptismal pools discovered at the site date back to the late Early Roman Byzantine Period, according to Dr. See 2 Kings, chapter 2 for that story. Either way is correct. Page 8

9 Chapter 7 : Where was Jesus baptized? - NET AL-MAGHTAS, Jordan â For years, Christian pilgrims have waded into the Jordan River from both its eastern and western banks to connect with a core event of their faith â the baptism of Jesus. I dip, submerge, but specifically of ceremonial dipping; I baptize. A primary preposition; under, i. He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons. Why did the Lord Jesus come to the baptism of John? The Sinless One had no sin to confess, no need of repentance. We cannot even ascribe to Him that consciousness of evil which weighs upon the hearts of the saints of God almost in exact proportion to their holiness; yet we must believe that His righteousness was essentially human, and therefore capable of increase, even as He increased in wisdom and stature. Holy as He was at every stage of life in proportion to its capacities, there yet rose before Him height upon height of holiness as yet unattained, and after which we may say with reverence He "hungered and thirsted. It was meet that He should fill up the full measure of righteousness in all its forms by accepting a divine ordinance, even, perhaps, because it seemed to place Him in fellowship with sinners. Pulpit Commentary Verses When John was preaching and baptizing. Mark adds, "from Nazareth of Galilee" for this is his first historical mention of our Lord, thereby implying that our Lord had lived in Nazareth since our Matthew 2: In contrast to the representative teachers from Jerusalem, and the crowds both from there and from the Jordan valley ver. It is hard to see why the Revised Version inserts "the" here and leaves the Authorized Version unaltered in ver. By him; and no other. He would link his own work on to that of John vide infra. Matthew Henry Commentary 3: And those who have much of the Spirit of God while here, see that they need to apply to Christ for more. Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized of him, yet declares he will now be baptized of John. Christ is now in a state of humiliation. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. This descent of the Spirit upon Christ, showed that he was endued with his sacred influences without measure. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. The Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on him, to be through his mediation communicated to his people. In Him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that sanctifies every gift, 1Pe 2: Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace. Page 9

10 Chapter 8 : Matthew At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. Jesus seeks out John the Baptist and is baptized in order to fulfill all righteousness. Matthew 3: 13 Â Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. All four of the Gospels tell about His baptism. Jesus sought out John and traveled a good distance for no other purpose than to be baptized. So why did Jesus want to be baptized? Because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. He did not need to repent. He was holy, harmless, undefiled and separate from sinners. He was baptized to completely identify Himself with mankind. The second reason for His baptism is that water baptism is symbolic of His death. He entered into death for you and for me. Let me give a little more explanation. Our sin is put on Him, not in Him. That is an important distinction. Being identified with Him saves you and me. He identified Himself with us in baptism. To be saved is to be in Christ, and how do we get in Christ-by the baptism of the Holy Spirit. We must recognize that we have to be identified with Christ, and that is accomplished by the Holy Spirit. Our water baptism is a testimony to this. Now let me back up a step. We are saved by faith in Jesus Christ, but at that moment the Holy Spirit baptizes us into the body of Christ. There are a lot of arguments going on today concerning baptism; such as what is the proper mode and what is its relevance. As soon as Jesus was baptized, He went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. The Holy Spirit rests upon Him and the Father speaks from heaven. What a wonderful Savior and King He is! His baptism once again showed His humility and obedience to His Father. His first coming was wonderful, because He came to save. But when He comes the second time it will not be to save, but to judge the world and to establish His kingdom. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: And as he was praying, heaven was opened and the Holy Spirit descended on him in bodily form like a dove. Page 10

11 Chapter 9 : Johnâ s Gospel: The Baptism of Jesus, Part 1 One In Jesus John baptized the people in the Jordan River with water and said that the One coming was mightier than him. () John was preparing the way for Jesus to come. He did what God wanted and taught people about Jesus. The Preaching of St. John the Baptist by Pieter Bruegel the Elder The Gospel of Mark introduces John as a fulfilment of a prophecy from the Book of Isaiah in fact, a conflation of texts from Isaiah, Malachi and Exodus [34] about a messenger being sent ahead, and a voice crying out in the wilderness. John proclaims baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin, and says another will come after him who will not baptize with water, but with the Holy Spirit. Jesus comes to John, and is baptized by him in the river Jordan. A voice from heaven then says, "You are my Son, the Beloved; with you I am well pleased. It is introduced by an incident where the Tetrarch Herod Antipas, hearing stories about Jesus, imagines that this is John the Baptist raised from the dead. It then explains that John had rebuked Herod for marrying Herodias, the ex-wife of his brother named here as Philip. When the girl asks her mother what she should request, she is told to demand the head of John the Baptist. Reluctantly, Herod orders the beheading of John, and his head is delivered to her, at her request, on a plate. Scholars have speculated about the origins of the story. Since it shows signs of having been composed in Aramaic, which Mark apparently did not speak, he is likely to have got it from a Palestinian source. And all the country of Judea and all Jerusalem were going out to him and were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 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. 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. Some said, "John the Baptist has been raised from the dead. That is why these miraculous powers are at work in him. But she could not, for Herod feared John, knowing that he was a righteous and holy man, and he kept him safe. When he heard him, he was greatly perplexed, and yet he heard him gladly. But an opportunity came when Herod on his birthday gave a banquet for his nobles and military commanders and the leading men of Galilee. And the king said to the girl, "Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will give it to you. He went and beheaded him in the prison and brought his head on a platter and gave it to the girl, and the girl gave it to her mother. When his disciples heard of it, they came and took his body and laid it in a tomb. In Matthew[ edit ] St. John the Baptist Preaching, c. Matthew shortens the account of the beheading of John, and adds two elements: Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. And blessed is the one who is not offended by me. A reed shaken by the wind? What then did you go out to see? A man dressed in soft clothing? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. Yet the one who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. From the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven has suffered violence, and the violent take it by force. For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come. He who has ears to hear, let him hear. A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners! He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him. Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter. He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her Page 11

12 mother. And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus. English Standard Version Main article: There is no mention of a family relationship between John and Jesus in the other Gospels, and Raymond E. Brown has described it as "of dubious historicity". 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 officiating 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: 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 filled with the Holy Spirit from the very hour of his birth, and will reconcile many of the Israelites to the Lord their God. And now you will be silent and unable to speak until the day when this takes place, because you did not believe what I said, though my words will be fulfilled in due course. When he came out, he was unable to speak to them, and they perceived that he had seen a vision there. But Zechariah kept making signs to them, and remained dumb. And, as soon as his term of service was finished, he returned home. After this his wife, Elizabeth, became pregnant and lived in seclusion for five months. Her name was Mary. Gabriel came into her presence and greeted her, saying: And now, you will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will give him the name Jesus. But how have I this honor, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For, as soon as your greeting reached my ears, the child moved within me with delight! Happy indeed is she who believed that the promise which she received from the Lord would be fulfilled. Great things has the Almighty done for me; And holy is his name. From age to age his mercy rests On those who honor him. Mighty are the deeds of his arm; He scatters the proud with their own devices, he casts down princes from their thrones, and the humble he uplifts, the hungry he loads with gifts, and the rich he sends empty away. He has stretched out his hand to his servant Israel, Ever mindful of his mercy As he promised to our forefathers For Abraham and his race for ever. All their neighbors were awe-struck at this; and throughout the hill-country of Judea the whole story was much talked about; and all who heard it kept it in mind, asking one another â "What can this child be destined to become? Then his father Zechariah was filled with the Holy Spirit, and, speaking under inspiration, said: This was the oath which he swore to our forefather Abraham â That we should be rescued from the hands of our enemies, and should serve him without fear in holiness and righteousness, In his presence all our days. And you, child, will be called prophet of the Most High, For you will go before the Lord to make ready his way, to give his people the knowledge of salvation In the forgiveness of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God, Whereby the Dawn will break on us from heaven, to give light to those who live in darkness and the shadow of death, And guide our feet into the way of peace. And John went through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming baptism on repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. Every chasm will be filled, Every mountain and hill will be leveled, The winding ways will be straightened, The rough roads made smooth, and everyone will see the salvation of God. Who has prompted you to seek refuge from the coming judgment? Already, indeed, the axe is lying at the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree that fails to bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. And when some soldiers on active service asked "And we â what are we to do? He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing-fan is in his hand so that he may clear his threshing-floor, and store the grain in his barn, but the chaff he will burn with a fire that cannot be put out. Now after the baptism of all the people, and when Jesus had been baptized and was still praying, the heavens opened, and the Holy Spirit came down on him in the form of a dove, and from the heavens came a voice â "You are my dearly loved son; you bring me great joy. So his answer to the question was: And blessed is the person who finds no hindrance in me. A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. What then did you go to see? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a prophet. Page 12