The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders

The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders

Author: Roberto Martinez

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2011-01-03

Total Pages: 247

ISBN-13: 1608994597

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Since the time of Jerome, scholars have tried to explain why John the Baptist asks Jesus if he is "the one who is to come" (Matt 11:2-6; Luke 7:18-23) after he had apparently identified him as "the lamb of God" (John 1:29-34). The puzzling question is part of one of the longest fragments of traditional material in the New Testament dealing with the Baptist and Jesus. The present study critically examines the Lukan version of this double tradition normally attributed to Q, which includes John's question as well as Jesus' testimony about the Baptist (7:24-28) and his reproach of the religious leaders (7:29-35). Martinez investigates the narrative elements of the passage and shows how Luke 7:18-35 is part of a literary pattern within a section whose main goal is to clarify the identity of Jesus. The study argues that the tradition in Matthew 11:2-19 and Luke 7:18-35 deserves to be interpreted differently in the Gospel of Luke and explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into his literary scheme. Finally, Martinez shows how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christological perspectives and offers an alternative explanation to the prevailing interpretation of John's question.


Book Synopsis The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders by : Roberto Martinez

Download or read book The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders written by Roberto Martinez and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2011-01-03 with total page 247 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the time of Jerome, scholars have tried to explain why John the Baptist asks Jesus if he is "the one who is to come" (Matt 11:2-6; Luke 7:18-23) after he had apparently identified him as "the lamb of God" (John 1:29-34). The puzzling question is part of one of the longest fragments of traditional material in the New Testament dealing with the Baptist and Jesus. The present study critically examines the Lukan version of this double tradition normally attributed to Q, which includes John's question as well as Jesus' testimony about the Baptist (7:24-28) and his reproach of the religious leaders (7:29-35). Martinez investigates the narrative elements of the passage and shows how Luke 7:18-35 is part of a literary pattern within a section whose main goal is to clarify the identity of Jesus. The study argues that the tradition in Matthew 11:2-19 and Luke 7:18-35 deserves to be interpreted differently in the Gospel of Luke and explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into his literary scheme. Finally, Martinez shows how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christological perspectives and offers an alternative explanation to the prevailing interpretation of John's question.


The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders

The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders

Author: Roberto Martinez

Publisher: James Clarke & Company

Published: 2012-08-30

Total Pages: 219

ISBN-13: 022790110X

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The study argues that the tradition in Matthew 11:2-19 and Luke 7:18-35 deserves to be interpreted differently in the Gospel of Luke and explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into his literary scheme. Finally, Martinez shows how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christological perspectives and offers an alternative explanation to the prevailing interpretation of John's question.


Book Synopsis The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders by : Roberto Martinez

Download or read book The Question of John the Baptist and Jesus' Indictment of the Religious Leaders written by Roberto Martinez and published by James Clarke & Company. This book was released on 2012-08-30 with total page 219 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The study argues that the tradition in Matthew 11:2-19 and Luke 7:18-35 deserves to be interpreted differently in the Gospel of Luke and explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into his literary scheme. Finally, Martinez shows how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christological perspectives and offers an alternative explanation to the prevailing interpretation of John's question.


John the Baptist in History and Theology

John the Baptist in History and Theology

Author: Joel Marcus

Publisher: Univ of South Carolina Press

Published: 2018-11-16

Total Pages: 289

ISBN-13: 1611179017

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An analysis that challenges the conventional Christian hierarchy of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth While the Christian tradition has subordinated John the Baptist to Jesus of Nazareth, John himself would likely have disagreed with that ranking. In this eye-opening new book, John the Baptist in History and Theology, Joel Marcus makes a powerful case that John saw himself, not Jesus, as the proclaimer and initiator of the kingdom of God and his own ministry as the center of God's saving action in history. Although the Fourth Gospel has the Baptist saying, "He must increase, but I must decrease," Marcus contends that this and other biblical and extrabiblical evidence reveal a continuing competition between the two men that early Christians sought to muffle. Like Jesus, John was an apocalyptic prophet who looked forward to the imminent end of the world and the establishment of God's rule on earth. Originally a member of the Dead Sea Sect, an apocalyptic community within Judaism, John broke with the group over his growing conviction that he himself was Elijah, the end-time prophet who would inaugurate God's kingdom on earth. Through his ministry of baptism, he ushered all who came to him—Jews and non-Jews alike—into this dawning new age. Jesus began his career as a follower of the Baptist, but, like other successor figures in religious history, he parted ways from his predecessor as he became convinced of his own centrality in God's purposes. Meanwhile John's mass following and apocalyptic message became political threats to Herod Antipas, who had John executed to abort any revolutionary movement. Based on close critical-historical readings of early texts—including the accounts of John in the Gospels and in Josephus's Antiquities—as well as parallels from later religious movements, John the Baptist in History and Theology situates the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism and compares him to other apocalyptic thinkers from ancient and modern times. It concludes with thoughtful reflections on how its revisionist interpretations might be incorporated into the Christian faith.


Book Synopsis John the Baptist in History and Theology by : Joel Marcus

Download or read book John the Baptist in History and Theology written by Joel Marcus and published by Univ of South Carolina Press. This book was released on 2018-11-16 with total page 289 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An analysis that challenges the conventional Christian hierarchy of John the Baptist and Jesus of Nazareth While the Christian tradition has subordinated John the Baptist to Jesus of Nazareth, John himself would likely have disagreed with that ranking. In this eye-opening new book, John the Baptist in History and Theology, Joel Marcus makes a powerful case that John saw himself, not Jesus, as the proclaimer and initiator of the kingdom of God and his own ministry as the center of God's saving action in history. Although the Fourth Gospel has the Baptist saying, "He must increase, but I must decrease," Marcus contends that this and other biblical and extrabiblical evidence reveal a continuing competition between the two men that early Christians sought to muffle. Like Jesus, John was an apocalyptic prophet who looked forward to the imminent end of the world and the establishment of God's rule on earth. Originally a member of the Dead Sea Sect, an apocalyptic community within Judaism, John broke with the group over his growing conviction that he himself was Elijah, the end-time prophet who would inaugurate God's kingdom on earth. Through his ministry of baptism, he ushered all who came to him—Jews and non-Jews alike—into this dawning new age. Jesus began his career as a follower of the Baptist, but, like other successor figures in religious history, he parted ways from his predecessor as he became convinced of his own centrality in God's purposes. Meanwhile John's mass following and apocalyptic message became political threats to Herod Antipas, who had John executed to abort any revolutionary movement. Based on close critical-historical readings of early texts—including the accounts of John in the Gospels and in Josephus's Antiquities—as well as parallels from later religious movements, John the Baptist in History and Theology situates the Baptist within Second Temple Judaism and compares him to other apocalyptic thinkers from ancient and modern times. It concludes with thoughtful reflections on how its revisionist interpretations might be incorporated into the Christian faith.


The Relationship Between The Ministry of JESUS and That of JOHN the BAPTIST Recorded in The Four Gospels

The Relationship Between The Ministry of JESUS and That of JOHN the BAPTIST Recorded in The Four Gospels

Author: Rev. Paul C. Jong

Publisher: Hephzibah Publishing House

Published:

Total Pages: 370

ISBN-13:

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Table of Contents 1. You Must Know and Believe in the Ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-2) 2. John the Baptist Was Not a Failure (Matthew 11:1-14) 3. John the Baptist, Who Came in the Way of Righteousness (Matthew 17:1-13) 4. Look at the Ministry of John the Baptist! (Luke 1:17-23) 5. Let Us Gladly Enjoy the Glory of God (John 1:1-14) 6. Do You Know the Ministries of Two Servants of God? (John 1:30-36) 7. Why Did Jesus Have to Receive the Baptism? (John 3:22-36) 8. Spread the True Gospel and Jesus’ Righteous Deed (Matthew 3:1-17) 9. The Relationship between the Work of John the Baptist and the Gospel of Atonement for Our Sins (Matthew 21:32) 10. Jesus Who Came to Blot Out Your Sins (Matthew 3:13-17) 11. “Behold, I Send My Messenger” (Mark 1:1-5) 12. Let’s Believe in Jesus with the Understanding of John the Baptist (Luke 1:1-17) The New Testament begins with the Four Gospels, that is, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All of the Four Gospels dealt with and completely recorded the ministry of John the Baptist. It is because his ministry is so important. Without the understanding of the ministry of John the Baptist, we cannot claim to know the ministry of Jesus Christ. If so, we can ask ourselves, "Was the ministry of John the Baptist recorded in the Four Gospels of that much importance?" Pointing out John the Baptist, even Jesus said, "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come" (Matthew 11:14). Hence, John the Baptist was a man born on this earth to carry out a special ministry. Jesus also said, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12). This is true because John the Baptist was born on this earth, and when he baptized Jesus Christ, the sins of this world were passed on to Him. Thus, Jesus was able to take on the sins of this world at once. By having allowed this to be so, the Lord has allowed those who believe in the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus to enter Heaven by receiving the cleansing of sins. This is the meaning inherent in the Scripture passage from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 11, verses 12-14. Do you believe that the gospel of the water and the Spirit is the Truth? If you do, it means that you know the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus completely. However, many Christians who do not understand the ministry of John the Baptist do not know the gospel Truth of the water and the Spirit, and they lead their life of faith only with the fervors of their flesh. Though ignorance, such people do not even try to know the ministry of John the Baptist written in the Four Gospels. Hence, the ministry of John the Baptist has all too long been coming under disregard even among Christians who claim to believe in Jesus. Perhaps for this reason, I find there isn't that many people who have interest in the ministry of John the Baptist these days. Thus, people are prone to look strangely at those who have interest on this topic. It is because many people have been looking away from the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus reluctantly for all too long. The New Life Mission https://www.bjnewlife.org


Book Synopsis The Relationship Between The Ministry of JESUS and That of JOHN the BAPTIST Recorded in The Four Gospels by : Rev. Paul C. Jong

Download or read book The Relationship Between The Ministry of JESUS and That of JOHN the BAPTIST Recorded in The Four Gospels written by Rev. Paul C. Jong and published by Hephzibah Publishing House. This book was released on with total page 370 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Table of Contents 1. You Must Know and Believe in the Ministry of John the Baptist (Mark 1:1-2) 2. John the Baptist Was Not a Failure (Matthew 11:1-14) 3. John the Baptist, Who Came in the Way of Righteousness (Matthew 17:1-13) 4. Look at the Ministry of John the Baptist! (Luke 1:17-23) 5. Let Us Gladly Enjoy the Glory of God (John 1:1-14) 6. Do You Know the Ministries of Two Servants of God? (John 1:30-36) 7. Why Did Jesus Have to Receive the Baptism? (John 3:22-36) 8. Spread the True Gospel and Jesus’ Righteous Deed (Matthew 3:1-17) 9. The Relationship between the Work of John the Baptist and the Gospel of Atonement for Our Sins (Matthew 21:32) 10. Jesus Who Came to Blot Out Your Sins (Matthew 3:13-17) 11. “Behold, I Send My Messenger” (Mark 1:1-5) 12. Let’s Believe in Jesus with the Understanding of John the Baptist (Luke 1:1-17) The New Testament begins with the Four Gospels, that is, the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. All of the Four Gospels dealt with and completely recorded the ministry of John the Baptist. It is because his ministry is so important. Without the understanding of the ministry of John the Baptist, we cannot claim to know the ministry of Jesus Christ. If so, we can ask ourselves, "Was the ministry of John the Baptist recorded in the Four Gospels of that much importance?" Pointing out John the Baptist, even Jesus said, "And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come" (Matthew 11:14). Hence, John the Baptist was a man born on this earth to carry out a special ministry. Jesus also said, "And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force" (Matthew 11:12). This is true because John the Baptist was born on this earth, and when he baptized Jesus Christ, the sins of this world were passed on to Him. Thus, Jesus was able to take on the sins of this world at once. By having allowed this to be so, the Lord has allowed those who believe in the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus to enter Heaven by receiving the cleansing of sins. This is the meaning inherent in the Scripture passage from the Gospel of Matthew chapter 11, verses 12-14. Do you believe that the gospel of the water and the Spirit is the Truth? If you do, it means that you know the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus completely. However, many Christians who do not understand the ministry of John the Baptist do not know the gospel Truth of the water and the Spirit, and they lead their life of faith only with the fervors of their flesh. Though ignorance, such people do not even try to know the ministry of John the Baptist written in the Four Gospels. Hence, the ministry of John the Baptist has all too long been coming under disregard even among Christians who claim to believe in Jesus. Perhaps for this reason, I find there isn't that many people who have interest in the ministry of John the Baptist these days. Thus, people are prone to look strangely at those who have interest on this topic. It is because many people have been looking away from the ministry of John the Baptist and the ministry of Jesus reluctantly for all too long. The New Life Mission https://www.bjnewlife.org


The Question of John the Baptist and the Testimony of Jesus

The Question of John the Baptist and the Testimony of Jesus

Author: Roberto Martinez

Publisher:

Published: 2010

Total Pages: 257

ISBN-13: 9781109633047

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This work examines Luke 7:18-35, one of the longest fragments of traditional material dealing with John the Baptist in the New Testament, from a narrative-critical perspective. In doing so, it investigates the literary aspects of the Baptist's question about whether Jesus is "the one who is to come" (7:18-23), the testimony of Jesus about the Baptist (7:24-28), and Jesus' reproach of the religious leaders (7:29-35). This study investigates elements such as setting, character, and plot within the passage to show how they function within the whole of Luke-Acts. It argues that Luke 7:18-35 is part of a literary pattern within a section whose main goal is to clarify the identity of Jesus and show how the passage supports this compositional aim. Finally, this dissertation explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into this literary scheme and how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christologocial perspectives.


Book Synopsis The Question of John the Baptist and the Testimony of Jesus by : Roberto Martinez

Download or read book The Question of John the Baptist and the Testimony of Jesus written by Roberto Martinez and published by . This book was released on 2010 with total page 257 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This work examines Luke 7:18-35, one of the longest fragments of traditional material dealing with John the Baptist in the New Testament, from a narrative-critical perspective. In doing so, it investigates the literary aspects of the Baptist's question about whether Jesus is "the one who is to come" (7:18-23), the testimony of Jesus about the Baptist (7:24-28), and Jesus' reproach of the religious leaders (7:29-35). This study investigates elements such as setting, character, and plot within the passage to show how they function within the whole of Luke-Acts. It argues that Luke 7:18-35 is part of a literary pattern within a section whose main goal is to clarify the identity of Jesus and show how the passage supports this compositional aim. Finally, this dissertation explains how Luke integrates John's apparent ignorance of Jesus as well as Jesus' indictment of the religious leaders into this literary scheme and how Luke puts this tradition about John and Jesus at the service of his theocentric and christologocial perspectives.


John the Baptist in Life and Death

John the Baptist in Life and Death

Author: Gary Yamasaki

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 1998-11-01

Total Pages: 179

ISBN-13: 0567286371

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In a narrative about Jesus, a character like John the Baptist would not be expected to play a role much beyond that of providing a baptism for Jesus. Yet the Matthaean narrator finds several other uses for John in the development of the narrative, not only while he is still alive, but also after he is dead. In examining John's role, Yamasaki deploys an audience-oriented critical methodology, an approach that chronicles the narrator's efforts to influence first-time readers' experience of the narrative as they proceed sequentially through the text. He traces John's characterization as 'forerunner', from a glowing introduction in ch. 3-albeit with a slight flaw in his ideological point of view on Jesus-through a progressive exacerbation of this flaw, to a rehabilitation of John in ch. 11. As a result of this rehabilitation, the narrator is able to continue to use John in his role as forerunner in the second half of the narrative, even after John's death has removed him from the story-line.


Book Synopsis John the Baptist in Life and Death by : Gary Yamasaki

Download or read book John the Baptist in Life and Death written by Gary Yamasaki and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 1998-11-01 with total page 179 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In a narrative about Jesus, a character like John the Baptist would not be expected to play a role much beyond that of providing a baptism for Jesus. Yet the Matthaean narrator finds several other uses for John in the development of the narrative, not only while he is still alive, but also after he is dead. In examining John's role, Yamasaki deploys an audience-oriented critical methodology, an approach that chronicles the narrator's efforts to influence first-time readers' experience of the narrative as they proceed sequentially through the text. He traces John's characterization as 'forerunner', from a glowing introduction in ch. 3-albeit with a slight flaw in his ideological point of view on Jesus-through a progressive exacerbation of this flaw, to a rehabilitation of John in ch. 11. As a result of this rehabilitation, the narrator is able to continue to use John in his role as forerunner in the second half of the narrative, even after John's death has removed him from the story-line.


John Baptist and His Relation to Jesus

John Baptist and His Relation to Jesus

Author: Alban Blakiston

Publisher:

Published: 1912

Total Pages: 286

ISBN-13:

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Book Synopsis John Baptist and His Relation to Jesus by : Alban Blakiston

Download or read book John Baptist and His Relation to Jesus written by Alban Blakiston and published by . This book was released on 1912 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:


John The Baptist in the Gospel Tradition

John The Baptist in the Gospel Tradition

Author: Walter Wink

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2000-10-27

Total Pages: 145

ISBN-13: 1579105297

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Examines the treatment of John the Baptist within the synoptic gospels and Acts, as well as how the early church envisioned his role in God's redemptive mission.


Book Synopsis John The Baptist in the Gospel Tradition by : Walter Wink

Download or read book John The Baptist in the Gospel Tradition written by Walter Wink and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2000-10-27 with total page 145 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the treatment of John the Baptist within the synoptic gospels and Acts, as well as how the early church envisioned his role in God's redemptive mission.


Jesus Research

Jesus Research

Author: James H. Charlesworth

Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing

Published: 2019-02-07

Total Pages: 392

ISBN-13: 0567681351

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Most experts who seek to understand the historical Jesus focus only on the Synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke. However, the contributors of this volume come to an important consensus: that the Gospel of John preserves traditions that are independent of the Synoptics, and which are often as reliable as any known traditions for understanding the historical Jesus. As such, the contributors argue for the use of John's Gospel in Jesus research. The volume contains various critical approaches to historical inquiry in the Gospel of John, including new evaluations of the relationship between John and the Synoptics, literary and rhetorical approaches, comparative analysis of other early traditions, the judicious use of archaeological data, and historical interpretation of John's theological tendencies. Contributing scholars include Dale C. Allison, Jr., Paul N. Anderson, Harold W. Attridge, James H. Charlesworth, R. Alan Culpepper, Michael A. Daise, Craig S. Keener, George L. Parsenios, Petr Pokorný, Jan Roskovec, and Urban C. von Wahlde, who help to reassess fully the historical study of John's gospel, particularly with respect to the person of Jesus.


Book Synopsis Jesus Research by : James H. Charlesworth

Download or read book Jesus Research written by James H. Charlesworth and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-02-07 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Most experts who seek to understand the historical Jesus focus only on the Synoptic Gospels of Mark, Matthew and Luke. However, the contributors of this volume come to an important consensus: that the Gospel of John preserves traditions that are independent of the Synoptics, and which are often as reliable as any known traditions for understanding the historical Jesus. As such, the contributors argue for the use of John's Gospel in Jesus research. The volume contains various critical approaches to historical inquiry in the Gospel of John, including new evaluations of the relationship between John and the Synoptics, literary and rhetorical approaches, comparative analysis of other early traditions, the judicious use of archaeological data, and historical interpretation of John's theological tendencies. Contributing scholars include Dale C. Allison, Jr., Paul N. Anderson, Harold W. Attridge, James H. Charlesworth, R. Alan Culpepper, Michael A. Daise, Craig S. Keener, George L. Parsenios, Petr Pokorný, Jan Roskovec, and Urban C. von Wahlde, who help to reassess fully the historical study of John's gospel, particularly with respect to the person of Jesus.


John the Baptizer and Prophet

John the Baptizer and Prophet

Author: Robert L. Webb

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2006-10-01

Total Pages: 444

ISBN-13: 1725217716

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This volume, a revised version of a doctoral dissertation submitted to the University of Sheffield in 1990, places John the Baptist within his first-century Jewish context by exploring his public roles and activities as a baptizer and a prophet as they would have been understood within the sociohistorical context of Second Temple Judaism. After surveying the relevant traditions concerning John the Baptist (in particular, Josephus, canonical Gospels, and extracanonical sources), the volume turns to the use of ablutions and immersions in the Hebrew Bible, in Second Temple Jewish literature, and especially in the Qumran literature. In light of this context, several functions of John's baptism are proposed both in continuity with his context and in distinction from it. Then, Webb explores John's role as a prophet in two respects. First, after surveying the expectation of eschatological figures of judgment and restoration in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Jewish literature, John's own proclamation of a coming one is understood as describing Yahweh's coming to judge and restore, but through an unspecified human agent. Second, in light of the varieties of prophetic figures in the Second Temple period, John is best understood as a popular prophet who uses the symbolic event of the people's baptism in the Jordan River and their return home to symbolize not only their entrance into the true remnant Israel but also their entrance into the Promised Land. When this symbolic activity is placed alongside John's prophetic critique of Herod Antipas and of Herod's marriage, the social and political implications of this critique become evident. The symbolic activity and strong critique led to the Baptist's death under Herod Antipas.


Book Synopsis John the Baptizer and Prophet by : Robert L. Webb

Download or read book John the Baptizer and Prophet written by Robert L. Webb and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2006-10-01 with total page 444 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume, a revised version of a doctoral dissertation submitted to the University of Sheffield in 1990, places John the Baptist within his first-century Jewish context by exploring his public roles and activities as a baptizer and a prophet as they would have been understood within the sociohistorical context of Second Temple Judaism. After surveying the relevant traditions concerning John the Baptist (in particular, Josephus, canonical Gospels, and extracanonical sources), the volume turns to the use of ablutions and immersions in the Hebrew Bible, in Second Temple Jewish literature, and especially in the Qumran literature. In light of this context, several functions of John's baptism are proposed both in continuity with his context and in distinction from it. Then, Webb explores John's role as a prophet in two respects. First, after surveying the expectation of eschatological figures of judgment and restoration in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Jewish literature, John's own proclamation of a coming one is understood as describing Yahweh's coming to judge and restore, but through an unspecified human agent. Second, in light of the varieties of prophetic figures in the Second Temple period, John is best understood as a popular prophet who uses the symbolic event of the people's baptism in the Jordan River and their return home to symbolize not only their entrance into the true remnant Israel but also their entrance into the Promised Land. When this symbolic activity is placed alongside John's prophetic critique of Herod Antipas and of Herod's marriage, the social and political implications of this critique become evident. The symbolic activity and strong critique led to the Baptist's death under Herod Antipas.