Question on John the Baptist

[jjzwak]

So John the Baptist baptizes Jesus and he clearly knows that he’s the Messiah because he says that he’s unworthy to baptize him. My question is two parts:
a) Why didn’t he follow Jesus rather than continuing his own ministry?
b) Why does he send his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one who is to come?

Thanks!

 

[bmullins]

A) John was sent to prepare the way. He was still preparing the way for Jesus by going ahead and witnessing to others of things to come.

B) In one word: doubt. Things didn’t seem to be getting better. He was scared. He worried that maybe he was wrong. He was human like the rest of them. So Jesus responded with a quote from Isaiah 35 that John (and every Jew who heard it) would recognize as Jesus saying “Yes, I am the Messiah.”

 

[puzzleannie]

So John the Baptist baptizes Jesus and he clearly knows that he’s the Messiah because he says that he’s unworthy to baptize him. My question is two parts:
a) Why didn’t he follow Jesus rather than continuing his own ministry?
b) Why does he send his disciples to ask Jesus if he is the one who is to come?

Thanks!

a-because he was not called to follow Jesus, he was called to his own ministry to which he remained faithful even unto death
b–because he wants the disciples to hear the invitation from Christ himself, and to judge for themselves, because in so doing they will also be validating John’s own ministry and message

 

[Joe_Kelley]

Note the necessity of John’s baptism -

29* (When they heard this all the people and the tax collectors justified God, having been baptized with the baptism of John; 30 but the Pharisees and the lawyers rejected the purpose of God for themselves, not having been baptized by him.)

Luke 7:29-30

 

[NotWorthy]

A) John was sent to prepare the way. He was still preparing the way for Jesus by going ahead and witnessing to others of things to come.

I agree with your first answer 100%. However…

B) In one word: doubt. Things didn’t seem to be getting better. He was scared. He worried that maybe he was wrong. He was human like the rest of them. So Jesus responded with a quote from Isaiah 35 that John (and every Jew who heard it) would recognize as Jesus saying “Yes, I am the Messiah.”

John KNEW Jesus was the Messiah, but he wanted his disciples to follow Jesus instead of John, who was fixing to die anyway. Remember John said, “He must increase while I must decrease”.

John sent his disciple to see for themselves that Jesus is the Messiah that they had all been waiting for!

 

[PrayRosary]

Im so proud to have him as my patron saint.

 

[bmullins]

John KNEW Jesus was the Messiah, but he wanted his disciples to follow Jesus instead of John, who was fixing to die anyway. Remember John said, “He must increase while I must decrease”.

John sent his disciple to see for themselves that Jesus is the Messiah that they had all been waiting for!

This is very plausible. I’ve always interpreted it to be a moment of doubt and humanity for John simply because Jesus said specifically go and tell John what you see.

[bibledrb]Luke 7:20-22[/bibledrb]

The Ignatius study bible says it this way:

John knows the Messiah is coming (3:16) but is uncertain whether Jesus fits the description. He may have been influenced by popular views that the Messiah would reign as king in Jerusalem and conquer the Romans. Jesus makes no moves in this direction, and John naturally wants reassurance.

 

[steve53]

But you can also argue that they had competing ministries.

At one point in one of the Gospels, the disciples are angry that Jesus’ disciples are baptizing folks, which they thought was exclusively John’s territory.

 

[TimothyH]

But you can also argue that they had competing ministries.

At one point in one of the Gospels, the disciples are angry that Jesus’ disciples are baptizing folks, which they thought was exclusively John’s territory.

The disciples did not know of John’s role and how he fit into God’s plan. Jesus had to explain things to the disciples.

John the Baptist is a bridge between the Old Testament and the New Testament, between the Holiness Code of Moses and the Law of Love of Jesus, between the Old Covenant and the New Covenant, and between the old kingdom of Israel and the new Kingdom of Jesus.

John is the last of the Old Testament Prophets. Scripture stated that Elijiah would come again before the Messiah came. Jesus explains that John is Elijiah and that he is the greatest of all the prophets. John is in fact the last of the Old Testament prophets. Jesus goes further in telling the disciples that although noone is greater than John the Baptists, those under the New Covenant will be infinitely greater than he.

As an Old Testament prophet, being a disciple of Jesus was not part of God’s plan. In saying that he must decrease, John is anouncing the end of the Old Testament prophets. Many of the Old Testament prophets were killed for what they said, and as the greatest of the Old Testeamnt prophets, John will be no different. But in saying that Jesus must increase while he himself decreases, John is opeing up the way for the New Covenant, “Making straight the way of the Lord” as it were.

What John says is profound. I must decrease - the Old Covenant and old nation of Israel is going away. He must increase - the New Covenant is about to be introduced and a new Kingdom established. And the new kingdom will be small, hidden, like the mustard seed in Matthew 13, but it will grow into a large srub and a tree (mighty nation) and the birds (Gentiles) will make nests in it.

It was not in God’s plan that John “increase” or be an apostle. John is the very last of the OT prophets, the end of the age of the Old Covenant, and so he must decrease at the advent of Christ.

-Tim-