John the Baptist

Definition and Meaning

John the Baptist was a Jewish prophet active shortly before Jesus Christ began his public ministry. He is called "the Baptist" because he administered baptism with water. He is a different person from the apostle John, one of the Twelve.

Biblical and Historical Background

According to Luke 1, he was the son of Zacharias, a priest, and Elisabeth. Elisabeth is described as a relative of Mary. The Gospels present him as "the voice of him that crieth in the wilderness" spoken of in Isaiah 40:3, and they also connect him with the Elijah foretold by Malachi (Matthew 11:14).

Clothed in camel's hair and eating locusts and wild honey, he preached repentance (turning away from sin) in the wilderness of Judea (Matthew 3:4). He baptized crowds in the Jordan River, and Jesus was also baptized by him (Matthew 3:13-17). The Gospel of John reports that he pointed to Jesus and called him "the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" (John 1:29).

When Herod Antipas married Herodias, his brother's wife, John denounced the marriage. For this he was imprisoned and later beheaded (Mark 6:17-29). The first-century Jewish historian Josephus also records his ministry and execution in his Antiquities of the Jews.

In Korean Churches

• Names: Korean Bible translations render his name differently. The Korean Revised Version (New Edition) uses the equivalent of "John the Baptist," while the New Korean Standard Version and the Common Translation Bible use the equivalent of "John the Baptizer." Korean Baptist churches, which emphasize full immersion in water, commonly call him "John the Immerser" (Chimnye Yohan). This difference is tied to differing understandings of baptism and immersion.
• Preaching and the church calendar: In Korean churches, his cry "Prepare ye the way of the Lord" is frequently used as a sermon text during Advent, the season of awaiting Christ's coming. In preaching on repentance and humility, his words "He must increase, but I must decrease" (John 3:30) are often quoted.
• Feast days: The liturgical calendars of the Catholic Church and the Anglican Church of Korea include the Nativity of John the Baptist on June 24. Most Protestant denominations in Korea do not keep a separate commemoration for him.