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John

Prophet living at the time of the New Testament

John the Baptist was a prophet who preached repentance and baptized many, including Jesus, preparing the way for the Messiah.

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John the Baptist was a significant figure in the New Testament who played a crucial role in preparing the way for Jesus Christ. He was the son of Zechariah and Elizabeth, born miraculously in their old age (Luk.1.13,60,63). John lived an ascetic life in the wilderness, wearing camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey (Mat.3.4; Mrk.1.6).

As a prophet, John preached a message of repentance and baptized people in the Jordan River (Mat.3.1; Mrk.1.4; Luk.3.2). He emphasized the importance of bearing fruit worthy of repentance (Mat.3.8) and warned of the coming judgment (Mat.3.10). Many people, including tax collectors and soldiers, came to be baptized by him (Luk.3.12,14).

John's ministry reached its climax when Jesus came to be baptized by him (Mat.3.13-14; Mrk.1.9). John initially hesitated, recognizing Jesus' superiority, but Jesus insisted, and John baptized Him. This event marked the beginning of Jesus' public ministry.

Later, John was imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticizing Herod's marriage to his brother's wife (Mat.4.12; 14.3-4; Mrk.6.17-18; Luk.3.20). While in prison, John sent his disciples to ask Jesus if He was the Messiah (Mat.11.2-3; Luk.7.18-19). Jesus responded by pointing to His miracles and teachings, affirming His identity (Mat.11.4-6; Luk.7.22-23).

Tragically, John was beheaded at the request of Herodias' daughter (Mat.14.8-10; Mrk.6.24-28). Jesus praised John as a great prophet and more than a prophet, the one who prepared the way for the Messiah (Mat.11.7-14; Luk.7.24-28).

John's disciples continued to follow some of his practices even after his death, such as fasting (Mat.9.14; Mrk.2.18; Luk.5.33). Jesus spoke of John's greatness and his role in salvation history (Mat.11.11-13; Luk.16.16). The early Church recognized John as the forerunner of Christ, fulfilling the prophecies of Isaiah and Malachi (Mat.3.3; 11.10; Mrk.1.2; Luk.3.4-6; 7.27).

Family

Father
Zechariah
Mother
Elizabeth

Connections

Part of: The Herods · John the Baptist's Circle · Jesus and His Family Circle

Antipas imprisons and kills John

RoleStated in the text

Antipas arrested John over Herodias, feared and listened to him, and then had him beheaded after Salome's dance and a rash oath. Josephus gives a political motive (fear of unrest) rather than a marital one.

Where the text shows it: Mark 6:17-29 — Imprisonment and beheadingLuke 3:19-20 — John shut up in prison

Sources: Scripture · Josephus, Antiquities of the Jews

John and Jesus as cousins

FamilyChurch tradition

Because Mary and Elizabeth are relatives, John and Jesus are commonly called cousins. Luke says only that they were kin, and Luke 1:36 uses a general term that could cover several degrees of relationship.

Where the text shows it: Luke 1:36 — RelativeJohn 1:31 — John says "I did not know him"
Ways people read this (3)
  • Cousins (traditional).
  • Some propose a looser kin tie, e.g. through the priestly tribe (Mary might be of a Levitical family, which is not stated).
  • John 1:31 "I did not know him" is often reconciled with their family tie as meaning he did not know him as Messiah.

Sources: Scripture

John baptizes Jesus

RoleStated in the text

Jesus came to John at the Jordan and was baptized. John identified him as the Lamb of God and testified to the descent of the Spirit. The two were in parallel ministries for a time.

Where the text shows it: Matthew 3:13-17 — BaptismJohn 1:29-34 — John testifiesJohn 3:22-30 — Parallel baptizing

Sources: Scripture

Andrew: a disciple of John who followed Jesus

Teacher & studentStated in the text

John 1 has two disciples of John leave him after John says "Behold the Lamb of God" and follow Jesus. One is Andrew, who then brings his brother Simon. The fishermen of the Twelve thus include at least one who began with John.

Where the text shows it: John 1:35-40 — Two of John's disciples follow Jesus; Andrew namedJohn 1:41-42 — Andrew brings Simon

Sources: Scripture

The unnamed second disciple in John 1

FriendsChurch tradition

Andrew is named but his companion in John 1:35-40 is not. Tradition identifies the unnamed disciple as John son of Zebedee, consistent with the Gospel's habit of not naming its likely author.

Where the text shows it: John 1:35-40 — Andrew and another discipleJohn 21:2 — Sons of Zebedee present among disciples
Ways people read this (3)
  • John son of Zebedee (traditional and common reading).
  • Another disciple, perhaps Philip or an otherwise unknown figure.
  • The text leaves the companion unnamed.

Sources: Scripture

Andrew first followed John the Baptist

Teacher & studentStated in the text

John's Gospel says two disciples of John the Baptist followed Jesus after he was pointed out; one is Andrew. The other is unnamed.

Where the text shows it: John 1:35-40 — Two of John's disciples follow Jesus; one is Andrew.John 1:41-42 — Andrew then finds Simon.

Sources: John 1:35-42

Jesus and John the Baptist as cousins

FamilyWidely accepted

Luke makes their mothers relatives. Tradition calls the two "cousins", though the word in Luke is general, and Elizabeth is a descendant of Aaron while Mary is associated with David's line.

Where the text shows it: Luke 1:36 — Elizabeth is Mary's relative.Luke 1:5 — Elizabeth is of the daughters of Aaron.John 1:31 — John says he did not know Jesus.
Ways people read this (2)
  • "Cousins" is the traditional term; Luke says only "relative".
  • John 1:31 may refer to John not knowing Jesus' role, not his identity.

Sources: Luke 1:36

Bible dictionary

John Hastings Hastings’ Dictionary of the Bible (1898)

JOHN, identical with JOHA'NAN (whom Jehovah loves; comp. the German Gottlieb). One of the high priest's kindred. Acts 4:6. The Hebrew name of Mark the evangelist. Acts 12:25; Josh 13:5; Acts 15:37. John the Baptist, more properly "the Baptizer." Matt 3:1. The son of a priestly family on both sides, his father, Zacharias, being a priest of the course of Abiah, and his mother, Elisabeth, being of the daughters of Aaron, the prophet and forerunner of our Saviour, and the Elias of the N.T. His parents were old when they received the promise of his birth. Luke 1:18. See Zechariah. He was born about six months before Christ. His birth and work were predicted by the angel Gabriel, Luke 1:5-15, and by Isaiah, Isa 40:3, and Malachi. Mal 4:5. He grew up in solitude, and when about 30 years of age began to preach in the wilderness of Judaea, and to call men to repentance and reformation. By divine direction he baptized with the baptism of repentance all who came unto him confessing their sins, Luke 3:8; and many supposed he might be "the Christ." John 1:19-28. His manner of life was solitary, and even austere; for he seems to have shunned the habitations of men and to have subsisted on locusts and wild honey, while his dress was made of the coarse hair of camels, and a leathern girdle was about his loins. John, moreover, announced to the Jews the near approach of the Messiah's kingdom, called the "kingdom of heaven." Matt 3:2. Multitudes flocked to hear him, and to be baptized of him, from every part of the land; and among the rest came Jesus of Nazareth, and applied for baptism John at first hesitated on account of the dignity of the person and his own un worthiness; but when Jesus told him that it was necessary, John acquiesced; heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended…

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John Schaff Schaff’s Dictionary of the Bible

JOHN, identical with JOHA'NAN (whom Jehovah loves; comp. the German Gottlieb). One of the high priest's kindred. Acts 4:6. The Hebrew name of Mark the evangelist. Acts 12:25; Josh 13:5; Acts 15:37. John the Baptist, more properly "the Baptizer." Matt 3:1. The son of a priestly family on both sides, his father, Zacharias, being a priest of the course of Abiah, and his mother, Elisabeth, being of the daughters of Aaron, the prophet and forerunner of our Saviour, and the Elias of the N.T. His parents were old when they received the promise of his birth. Luke 1:18. See Zechariah. He was born about six months before Christ. His birth and work were predicted by the angel Gabriel, Luke 1:5-15, and by Isaiah, Isa 40:3, and Malachi. Mal 4:5. He grew up in solitude, and when about 30 years of age began to preach in the wilderness of Judaea, and to call men to repentance and reformation. By divine direction he baptized with the baptism of repentance all who came unto him confessing their sins, Luke 3:8; and many supposed he might be "the Christ." John 1:19-28. His manner of life was solitary, and even austere; for he seems to have shunned the habitations of men and to have subsisted on locusts and wild honey, while his dress was made of the coarse hair of camels, and a leathern girdle was about his loins. John, moreover, announced to the Jews the near approach of the Messiah's kingdom, called the "kingdom of heaven." Matt 3:2. Multitudes flocked to hear him, and to be baptized of him, from every part of the land; and among the rest came Jesus of Nazareth, and applied for baptism John at first hesitated on account of the dignity of the person and his own un worthiness; but when Jesus told him that it was necessary, John acquiesced; heaven was opened, and the Holy Ghost descended…

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Easton (1897), Smith (1863), Hitchcock (1869), Hastings (1898) and Schaff are in the public domain. Parsed text: neuu-org/bible-dictionary-dataset (CC BY 4.0). Headwords and whitespace normalised for this site.

Where John appears

89 verses in 5 books · English text: BSB (change it from the menu at the top) · Strong’s G2491

Matthew23
Mark15
Luke23
John19
Acts9

Names, family links and references: STEPBible TIPNR (Tyndale House Cambridge, CC BY 4.0). Short descriptions were drafted with AI assistance by STEPBible. Family links follow STEPBible’s scholarly decisions where genealogies are ambiguous.