John the Baptist was a preacher who plays a major part in Christianity as well as Islam.
John began the practice of baptising for the forgiveness of sins. It was John who baptised Jesus. Some of Jesus' early followers had been followers of John.
John already knew that the Messiah was soon to appear, and Jesus was the one whose coming John foretold.
It was John who recognised Him when He came to be baptised.
The ministry of Jesus begins with His baptism by John.
The most important part of the life of Jesus is concerned with his teachings. This is called His ministry. Jesus did not teach until after His baptism, so baptism was one of the most important events in His story.
Jesus grew up during unsettled times for Judea. There was often violence as people rebelled against Roman rule and the Romans fought back. With so much turmoil and upheaval, many people were looking for a Saviour and believed in the prophecies that said a Saviour, or Messiah, would be coming soon. As a result of all this, there were many preachers around.
John was born about six months before Jesus. On the surface, John the Baptist seemed to be just another preacher. However, he had been sent by God to prepare people for the coming of Jesus.
John preached in the land around Judea. He lived a simple life. He wore simple clothing made up of a tunic of rough camel hair. He only ate foods that could be gathered from the desert, such as locusts and wild honey. He told people to ask God's forgiveness for their sins. He also baptised people in the River Jordan – saying prayers over them while immersing them in water. The water symbolised the washing away of past sins and a rebirth. It was not, of course, a symbol of Christianity at that time, but what Jews did to people when they converted to the Jewish faith.
John was not an easy man to have around. He followed the example of early Hebrew prophets, challenging sinful rulers, calling for repentance, and promising God’s justice. Because of this, some people began to think that John might be a prophet, whose role was to announce the coming of the Messiah (Jesus). When people asked him, “Who are you?”, he replied, “I am not the Christ.” So they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah? Why then do you baptise, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?”
John’s reply was, “I baptise in water, but among you stands one whom you don’t know. He is the one who comes after me, who is preferred before me, whose sandal strap I’m not worthy to loosen.
