NT Characters: John the Baptist

<p>For additional notes and resources check out Douglas’ <a href="https://www.douglasjacoby.com/jnb/">website</a>.</p><p><strong>Background information</strong><br /> </p><ul><li>This NT podcast but could just as easily be put into the OT category, since our character appears in both testaments. He lived under the tail end of the old covenant, as the kingdom of God was dawning.</li><li>Family: married? father? how distant a cousin of Jesus?</li><li>Levite (Exodus-Deuteronomy) - priestly class, charged with bringing God to the people and the people to God</li><li>Nazirite (Numbers 6) -- special calling and devotion</li><li>The long-awaited resumption of prophecy (Malachi 3). Explains his adoption of the dress and demeanor of Elijah.</li><li>Perhaps so credible and effective because he did not stand on his position as a Levite. He certainly didn't tape into the great wealth of the priestly establishment.</li><li>John is often compared unfairly to Jesus, who seems to be a cousin. Perhaps, frightened by his rough, untamed preaching, we comfort ourselves by dismissing his words as extremist.</li></ul><p><strong>Transitional figure </strong>(Malachi 3:1-3, 4:4-6)</p><ul><li>Last O.T. prophet and Elijah figure.</li><li>Herald of the Messiah (Though a man of the old covenant, Jesus exalts him (Matthew 11:2-15).</li><li>Knew that to prepare people for the coming of the Lord they must first get right with their fellow men: a ministry of reconciliation.</li><li>Moses received the Law for the Jewish people at Horeb (Sinai). The prophets called all back to the letter and Spirit of the Law, which entailed righteous relationships with others. See 1 John 4:19-21.</li><li>What made him so great? I would like to offer four reasons.</li></ul><p><strong>I. Profound sense of divine calling</strong></p><ul><li>Luke 1:13-17 -- divine plan. God's plan was revealed even before John's birth.</li><li>Luke 3:2 - start of ministry. John begins only once the word of God came to him.</li><li>Resumption of prophecy - (see the intertestamental b