John the Baptist

[[File:Leonardo da Vinci - Saint John the Baptist C2RMF retouched.jpg|thumb|right|165px|"Saint John the Baptist" by Leonardo da Vinci]]
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'''John the Baptist''' is a figure in the [[New Testament]] of the [[Christian]] [[Bible]], and is considered a [[prophet]] in the [[Bible]] as well as the [[Qur'an]]. He is also briefly mentioned in [[Josephus]]' ''Antiquities of the Jews'', so was apparently a real person.<ref name="Josephus-Antiquities">[[wikisource:en:The Antiquities of the Jews/Book XVIII#Chapter 5|''The Antiquities of the Jews'', Book XVIII, Chapter 5]], paragraph 2.</ref> His biblical appearance is most famous for its description of his execution, and for his [[baptism]] of [[Jesus]]. He should not be confused with the disciple John, the [[Gospel of John]], or the author of the [[Book of Revelation]], John of Patmos.

Despite the name, he was not in fact a [[Baptist]]; he just did [[baptism]]s.  

==In the Bible==
John the Baptist is mentioned in all four canonical [[gospels]]. The [[Gospel of Luke]] alleges that John's mother Elizabeth was the cousin of Jesus' mother [[Mary]],({{bible|Luke|1|36}}) and that his birth was also heralded by the [[angel]] Gabriel ({{bible|Luke|1|11}}, {{bible|Luke|1|19}}), but no other gospel makes this claim.

John baptised people in the river Jordan, but warned that "one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose," and who would baptise with [[Holy Spirit|fire]] instead of [[water]] ({{bible|Luke|3|16}}). John thus primarily plays the role of Elijah (see below), heralding the coming of Christ. John also preached repentance for [[sin]] ({{bible|Matthew|3|2}}, {{bible|Luke|3|3}}), as opposed to forgiveness.

==Baptism of Jesus==
[[File:Guido Reni 063.jpg|thumb|right|165px|John (right) baptises Jesus beneath a dove, while running at him or about to lose his balance and fall on him. Don't ask me who all those other people are supposed to be.]]
{{cquote|<bible book="Matthew" chapter=3 verse1=13 verse2=15/>}}
In a number of biblical accounts (e.g. {{bible|Matthew|3|13}}-17, {{bible|Mark|1|9}}-11), Jesus was baptised by John, following which "[[heaven]] was opened" ({{bible|Luke|3|21}}, {{bible|Matthew|3|16}}) and God spoke ''etc etc''. Following this, Jesus travels into the wilderness and the whole saga begins.

==Execution==
[[File:La decapitación de San Juan Bautista, por Caravaggio.jpg|thumb|left|165px|Caravaggio's "The Beheading of St John the Baptist" (1608)]]
King Herod{{efn|Specifically Herod Antipas, and not the Herod the Great of the [[Jesus#Birth|nativity]].}} [[divorce]]d his first wife and married Herodias, who was both the wife of his late brother (Herod Archelaus) and his niece. The Bible claims that John condemned this marriage as unlawful, provoking a quarrel with Herodias. Herod imprisoned John, but wouldn't kill him.{{efn|Apparently Herod "feared John, knowing that he was a just man and holy, and observed him; and when he heard him, he did many things, and heard him gladly." ({{bible|Mark|6|20}})}} The story runs that the daughter of Herodias danced for Herod on his birthday, after which Herod promised her whatever she wanted.{{efn|Up to half his kingdom, according to {{bible|Mark|6|23}}.}} The unnamed daughter conferred with her mother, and asked for John's head. Herod was reluctant to do so, but as he had made an oath to honour any request she made, he carried it out.{{efn|See {{bible|Mark|6|14}}-29 for the story.}}

Josephus presents a different account of events.<ref name="Josephus-Antiquities"/> According to him, Herod feared John's power and influence over his followers. Worrying about the potential for rebellion that this devotion presented, Herod had John executed. This account excludes reference to a conflict with Herodias or her daughter, along with any reluctance on the part of Herod to do the deed due to his respect for the man. While Josephus thus appears to confirm the existence of John, his record contradicts the biblical narrative.

Josephus mentions John in the context of [[Jewish]] opinion of his [[death]]. Some time after the execution, Herod had been soundly defeated in battle by a neighbouring king (part of a quarrel involving both Herodias and a previous wife). The perception was that this was the judgement of God for John's execution. The order of events here (Josephus has Herod marrying Herodias ''after'' John's death) is further contradictory of the biblical account.

==Fate of his several heads==
{{main|Relic}}
[[File:St johns head.jpg|thumb|right|165px|One of John the Baptist's heads on display at the Basilica of St. Sylvester the First, in Rome.]]
A spectacular relic like the severed head of John the Baptist was a sure temptation to [[Ten_Commandments#Tenth Commandment: Jealousy|covetousness]].  As such, his head was miraculously multiplied, and instances of his noggin can be 
[[idolatry|worshipped]]
 revered at several locations.
*There's one at the church of {{wpl|San Silvestro in Capite}} in [[Rome]].  This one has the endorsement of [[Pope]] [[Benedict XVI]].<ref>[http://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/audiences/2012/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20120829.html General Audience], Aug. 29, 2012</ref>
*Some Muslims believe that the head is at the former Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Damascus, [[Syria]], which is now the {{wpl|Great_Mosque_of_Aleppo|}}.
*The [[Knights Templar]] were supposed to have gotten ahold of one in the [[Middle Ages]]. This is connected with a fringe theory that the Templars worshipped John rather than Jesus, and used his head in rituals.<ref>[http://www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/secrets-knights-templar-knights-john-baptist-005088 Secrets of the Knights Templar: The Knights of John the Baptist], Ancient Origins</ref> Where the head ended up, who knows? When the Templars were suppressed by the French in 1307 their possessions were scattered, supposedly to destinations such as [[Rosslyn Chapel]] in Scotland.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/historical-notes-is-the-head-of-christ-buried-in-scotland-1171696.html Historical Notes: Is the head of Christ buried in Scotland?], Keith Laidler, The Independent, 15 Aug 1998</ref>
*{{wpl|Amiens Cathedral}} has one that it got from Wallon de Sarton. He picked his up in Constantinople during the Fourth [[Crusade]].
*{{wpl|Prodromos (Mount Athos)|Romanian monks}} at Mount Athos say they have one, too.  
*Another one was found on a small island in the Black Sea off [[Bulgaria]].<ref>[http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/12/bulgaria.john.baptist.relics/index.html Are these the bones of John the Baptist?], CNN, Aug. 30 2010.</ref>
*There is one in Germany without the meat.<ref>http://www.cnn.com/2010/WORLD/europe/08/12/bulgaria.john.baptist.relics/index.html</ref>

With {{bible|Revelation|13|1}}, John may have been the beast John of Patmos described:

<bible book=Revelation chapter=13 verse1=1/>
<gallery>
File:Burial john baptist.jpeg|Russian Orthodox painting of John's burial by his students. The left head shows Herodias admiring it, and the left head shows Herodias' maid hiding it in a cave.
File:Obretenie glavi03.jpg|Removing a head from Constantinople for safekeeping
File:CaravaggioSalomeLondon.jpg|Caravaggio's painting of the head
File:Le chef de Saint Jean le Baptiste à Amiens.jpg|The head at Amiens Cathedral
File:StJohnInUmmayad.jpg|Inside the Ummayad Mosque, where a head is located
</gallery>

==Reincarnation of Elijah==
{{cquote|And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.|||{{bible|John|1|21}}}}

A number of biblical passages maintain that John the Baptist was Elijah or "Elias" ({{bible|Matthew|11|13|14}}, {{bible|Matthew|17|12|13}}, {{bible|Mark|9|13}}). This is necessary as part of a [[prophecy]] in [[Books of the Minor Prophets|Malachi]] that claims that [[God]] would send Elijah to prepare the way for the [[Messiah]] ({{bible|Malachi|3|1}}, {{bible|Malachi|4|5|6}}). However, {{bible|John|1|21}} presents the question directly, with John the Baptist denying the charge.

Nevertheless, as the references to the contrary are supposed to have been spoken by Jesus himself, John's own opinion on the matter is irrelevant.<ref>"[http://skepticsannotatedbible.com/contra/elijah.html Was John the Baptist Elijah?]", ''[[Skeptic's Annotated Bible]]''.</ref>

==Patron saint==
John the Baptist was proclaimed the patron [[saint]] of [[French]] [[Canada|Canadians]] in 1908 by [[Pope]] Pius X. St. John the Baptist Day (June 24) has long been celebrated as a public holiday in the province of [[Quebec]].

==Better than Jesus?==
{{wpl|Mandaeism||,}} an obscure gnostic religion practiced in southern [[Iraq]], holds John the Baptist as its greatest prophet, while rejecting Jesus.

==See also==
*[[St. John's wort]] — an herb that was named after him

==Notes==
{{reflist|group=note}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

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[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:New Testament]]
[[Category:Qur'an]]
[[Category:Prophets]]
[[Category:Saints]]

Categories: Christianity, Islam, New Testament, Qur'an, Prophets, Saints