Jesus and the Ministry of John

MATTHEW 3—John the Baptist’s ministry was preparatory to that of Jesus. It was a partial fulfillment of Malachi 4:5,6, where we learn that his work was to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to the fathers—in other words, a work of repentance and reformation. It was an attempt to prepare Israel as a nation to receive her promised Messiah; but it failed, being successful only in preparing the hearts of a limited number of individual members of the nation to receive Jesus. Thus we read concerning Jesus, that “he came unto his own, and his own received him not; but as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God.—John 1:11

Matthew states that John’s work was also in fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy (40:3) which tells of a voice that would cry in the wilderness calling upon the people to prepare the way of the Lord. Isaiah’s prophecy describes the reformation of the people as an exalting of the valleys, and the making low of hills. But this too became true only to a limited degree as a result of John’s ministry. The real Elijah work, and the complete work of that great Messenger, will be accomplished by Christ and the church during the millennial age.

John carried on his ministry in the wilderness, and the account says that “all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan” came to hear him. This in itself was unusual, even though not many from among these were led to actual repentance. One observer has very aptly said that today there are many preachers who plant themselves in a spacious and attractive church in the center of a large city, and soon after they start to preach that church becomes a wilderness through lack of attendance.

However, the size of audiences, and the degree to which they are favorably influenced, is not a criterion of the Lord’s blessing. The circumstances which prevailed in Israel at the time John began his ministry were favorable to attracting the crowds. Crowds followed Jesus also, but neither John nor Jesus made many genuine converts. John’s ministry was one of repentance, and the people were not ready for genuine repentance. His baptism—an immersion in water—was unto repentance, hence unlike Jesus’ baptism, which is a symbol of being buried in death, and we are said to be buried with him.—Rom. 6:1-3

In speaking of Jesus, John said that he would baptize “with the Holy Spirit, and with fire.” This foretold baptism of the Holy Spirit occurred at Pentecost, and the fire baptism came upon the nation in A.D. 70-73, when Jerusalem was destroyed, and the people scattered. Thus the ones whose hearts were prepared by John’s ministry to accept Jesus later received the Holy Spirit, while the nation was destroyed.

John hesitated to baptize Jesus, but did so when the Master explained that it was essential “to fulfill all righteousness.” Peter speaks of the flood as a symbol of Christian baptism, and Paul tells of Israel being baptized into Moses in the sea and in the cloud. (I Pet. 3:20,21; I Cor. 10:1,2) Doubtless Jesus also understood these symbols, and saw in them an indication that he should symbolize the burial of his will into God’s will by immersion in water, and by so doing set an example for his followers. It was when Jesus “fulfilled all righteousness” that he heard those reassuring words, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

JOHN 1:19-34—In addition to the other account we learn from this one the wonderful way in which John introduced Jesus—“Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.” John steadfastly denied that he was either the Christ or Elijah, or yet “that prophet.” The expression, “that prophet,” seemingly is a reference to the prophecy of Moses recorded in Deuteronomy 18:15, a prophecy to be fulfilled through Jesus during the period of his second presence. (Acts 3:19-23) Jesus later indicated that, in a measure, John did fulfill the Elijah prophecy.—Matt. 11:14; Luke 1:17

LUKE 7:18-35—John was ardent and full of faith when he announced Jesus to be the Lamb of God, and the Christ. But things did not go as he expected. The royal majesty of the heavens had appeared, and it was logical to suppose that he would make his authority felt, but he didn’t. Instead John found himself in prison, and he began to wonder. (Matt. 11:2) So he sent messengers to Jesus to ask if he were really the One who was to come. Jesus’ reply was, “Tell John what things ye have seen and heard.” They had seen miracles of healing, and they had heard the Gospel of the kingdom preached, and these the foretold Messiah was to do.

Jesus then gave a wonderful testimony concerning John, that he was not in reality—although his momentary lack of faith might so indicate—“a reed shaken with the wind.” (Matt. 11:7) Rather, he was a rugged, straightforward prophet of God—none greater had ever been born. But “he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he [John],” Jesus said. John was the last of the Jewish-age prophets, and could not share in the heavenly phase of the kingdom as a joint-heir with Jesus, but this was not due to any lack of faithfulness.

QUESTIONS

Was John in any sense of the word the foretold Elijah?

When will the real Elijah work be done?

Explain the distinction between the baptism of the Holy Spirit and the baptism of fire.

Why did John begin to doubt that Jesus was the Christ?

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