Bible Men: John the Baptist, His Ministry

John the Baptist - His Ministry

Matthew 3,  Mark 1,  Luke 3,  John 1

In the previous study of John the Baptist, his birth,(to read go here)  we ended with John growing in the spirit, and living in the desert until the day when the word of God came to John when he was in the wilderness. (Luke 3:2).. the book of Matthew gives more detailed description of this time: Matthew 3:1-3 "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.  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."  A physical description of John follows; V4 "...John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey." (Matthew 3:4) Surely this time of separation and austerity must have made John physically a very strong person.

The gospel of John presents the deity of the Lord Jesus, and so when we first hear of John in that gospel, he is presented thus: John 1:6-8 "There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.  The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light."  How clear is this?  John the Baptist was a man sent by God to be a witness of the true Light, the Lord Jesus Christ.  "  John is the promised forerunner of Malachi 3:1 "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 temple..."

And so John began his ministry of preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying "Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matthew 3:2) this, according to Mark 1:4 was the "baptism of repentance for the remission of sins."  This is completely different from the baptism we know today, which is the believers identification with the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ, which is baptism by immersion, upon a confession of faith. Believing the gospel, accepting that we are sinners, and on our way to a lost eternity, repenting - turning from that sin and towards the Saviour, receiving by grace through faith the Lord Jesus as our Saviour. Ephesians 3:8-9 "For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast"  (and say that they saved themselves.) The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins preached by John is also different from the baptism of the Holy Spirit which indwells us upon our receiving the Lord Jesus as our Saviour.  Ephesians 1:13-14 "In whom ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation: in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory." Those taking part in John's baptism of repentance for the remission of sins were preparing themselves by acknowledging their sins and repenting of them in preparation for the "kingdom of heaven" which John announced was "at hand"

John was very bold as he preached to the multitude that came forth be baptised "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?" (Luke 3:7)   There were those who wondered whether or not John was the Christ, but John was very quick to confess 3:16-18 "I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:..and many other things preached he.." John 1:15 further tells us that John "bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me." What a marvelous statement that is, "he was before me".  Colossians 1:17 tells us "And he is before all things, and by him all things consist."  John 1:17 "For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ."

 

They also asked John if he was Elijah, but he said V21  "I am not."

And then that marvelous day came when the Lord Jesus came from Galilee to Jordan unto John to be baptized of him...let the bible speak:

"Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.  But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?  And Jesus answering said unto him, 'Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.'  Then he suffered him.  And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.  (Matthew 3:13-17)  John, knowing that Jesus was the promised redeemer, the Saviour of the world, was stunned that Jesus would request baptism by him, but Jesus told him that it was to fulfill all righteousness. 

John's gospel adds to this wonderful event by telling us that when John the Baptist saw Jesus approaching him, he said "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world." (John 1:29)  John also said V30 "This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me." thus telling the people gathered, that this man was the one John was preaching the baptism of repentance for, this was the one for whom John went before, this was the one whom was "before me"...  And V32-34 "John bare record saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.  And I saw and bear record that this is the Son of God." John is telling us that God, who sent him, told him that he would know the Lord Jesus by the appearance of the Spirit descending in the form of a dove."  And John confesses that Jesus is the Son of God.

After this, John was baptizing near to Salin 3:23 "And John also was baptizing in AEnon near to Salim,  because there was much water there"..  and Jesus and his disciples were also there, and the disciples were baptizing. John 4:2 "(Though Jesus himself baptized not, but his disciples.)" and so some came to John and told him that "he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him." (John 3:26) No doubt they had trouble understanding why the disciples of Jesus were now baptizing as well as John.

But John told them V27-28 "A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven. Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.."  and John likened the Lord Jesus as the bridegroom V29 "but the friend of the bridegroom (John the Baptist) which standeth and heareth him rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled." and then these very important words V30 "He must increase, but I must decrease."  John knows that his ministry is nearing its completion, but that the Lord Jesus' ministry is just beginning and must greatly increase.

John further confesses to the deity of the Lord Jesus "He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.  And what he hath seen and hard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony. He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.  For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.  He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him." (John 3:31-36)

And so John's ministry is almost completed, according to Luke 3:19-20 "But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him (John) for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, added yet this above all, that he  shut up John in prison."  And after a time of being held in prison,  John was beheaded at the request of Salome, the daughter of Herodias, when she danced for Herod..  and his body was claimed by the disciples, and buried. (Matthew 14:1-12)  The Lord Jesus had this to say about John.  John 5:32-35 "There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true.  Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth....He was a burning and a  shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light."...

I wonder, would the Lord refer to you as a shining light who bears witness to the truth of the Lord Jesus Christ? a question worth pondering.

vcg/August 2015