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John the Baptist – Inside and Outside the Bible

Fierce opponents of Christianity treat John the Baptist as a real historical figure as does a Roman Jewish historian. The Gospels feature John the Baptist as a prominent figure in the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

Author of the eyewitness Gospel of John recognizes John the Baptist as the one who testified about the Light whom he identified as Jesus Christ.^[1] Gospel of Mark begins immediately by declaring Jesus to be the Son of God, then declares John the Baptist fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3 preparing the way for the LORD.^[2]

“John the Baptist Preaching” by Giambattista Fontana, 16th Century.

Priests and Levites questioned John the Baptist about his true identity who denied he is the Messiah. Referencing Isaiah 40:3, the Baptist said it was a prophecy about himself as the forerunner of the Messiah:

^{JN 1:23} He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’” as the prophet Isaiah said. _(NSRV)

^{IS 40:3} A voice cries out: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. _(NSRV)

Affirming the existence of John the Baptist is the Muslim religion. John the Baptist aka Yahya is referenced in four different books of the Quran where he is described as respectful and obedient to his parents; a devout, noble and chaste person – a prophet and a witness to the truth of the “Word” of God.^[3]

Gospel of Luke and the Quran both describe the miraculous circumstances of the birth of John the Baptist to the barren, aging Elizabeth. Both tell of her husband, Zachariah (Zakariya), being struck dumb when an angel delivered the message he was to be a father.^[4]

^{Surah: 21:89-90a}“And (remember) Zakariya, when he cried to his Lord… So We listened to him: and We granted him Yahya: We cured his wife’s (Barrenness) for him.”

Another of the four Quran references establishes additional common ground with Judaism and Christianity. John the Baptist is placed in the same echelon of revered Godly Jewish leaders Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Noah, David, Solomon, Job, Joseph, Moses, Aaron and…Jesus.^[5]

Judaism is another passionate opponent of Christianity. Nevertheless, the Jewish Encyclopedia makes references to the life and teachings of both Jesus and John the Baptist:

“The whole picture of John the Baptist and of Jesus as bearers of good tidings to the poor has the stamp of greater truthfulness.”– Jewish Encyclopedia^[6]

Flavius Josephus was a Pharisee member of the Sanhedrin chosen as a general to lead the Jewish military, was then captured by the Romans and became their Jewish historian. In his monumental work, Antiquity of the Jews, he significantly referenced John the Baptist.^[7]

“…John, that was called the Baptist for Herod slew him, who was a good man, and commanded the Jews to exercise virtue, both as to righteousness towards one another, and piety toward God, and so to come to baptism; for that the washing [with water] would be acceptable to him, if they made use of it, not in order to the putting away [or the remission] of some sins [only], but for the purifications of the body; supporting still that the soul was thoroughly purified beforehand by righteousness.” – Josephus

According to Josephus, during a trip to Rome Herod Antipas stayed with his half-brother Herod Philip (their father was the late King Herod) and met Philip’s wife, Herodias, sister of Agrippa the Great.^[8] The two became paramours who conspired to move in together and later marry.

“…Herodius took upon her to confound the laws of our country, and divorced herself from her husband while he was alive, and was married to Herod [Antipas], her husband’s brother of the father’s side; he was tetrarch of Galilee; but her daughter Salome was married to Philip, the son of Herod, and tetrarch of Galilee…” – Josephus ^[9]

Unbeknownst to Herod Antipas, his current wife discovered the affair. In a preemptive move, she requested to be sent to the castle of Macherus near her Arabian King father, Aretas.

Insulted by the treatment of his daughter, Aretas sent his army to do battle with the troops of Herod Antipas allegedly over a border dispute. Aided by secret troop support of Herold Philip, King Aretas defeated the army of Herod Antipas.^[10]

“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 anything 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. Accordingly, he was sent a prisoner, out of Herod’s suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I before mentioned, and was there put to death…” – Josephus ^[11]

Josephus wrote some of the Jews believed the reason for the destruction of Herod Antipas’ army was a punishment from God for killing the Baptist.

“Now, some of the Jews thought that the destructions of Herod’s army came from God, and that very justly, as a punishment of what he did against John, called the Baptist, for Herod slew him, who was a good man…” – Josephus ^[12^]

Using the word “repent,” a word that carries a specific religious meaning, it had special connotations to a Pharisee such as Josephus.^[13] In Judaism, to repent first requires an act against God’s Law followed by the transgressor’s confession, regret and a promise not to repeat it, but Antipas had no desire to do any of this.^[14]

Matthew and Mark attribute the reason for the beheading of John the Baptist to a grudge held by Herodias for being shamed by him for her illicit lifestyle.^[15] Josephus attributed a political reason for his execution to the perception that he was a problematic political threat to Antipas.

Reasons why John the Baptist was executed can are two distinctly different things, yet both can be true. Either way, the problem was solved with the death of John the Baptist.

An insider source may very well have been Joanna of the Gospels, household manager of Herod Antipas.^[16] If not herself, she would have had inside contacts who had knowledge of intimate behaviors in the Herod Antipas’ family.

John the Baptist is established inside and outside the Bible as a real historical figure. Does the existence of John the Baptist lend credibility to the Gospel accounts of the life of Jesus of Nazareth?

Updated May 4, 2025.

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