Myspace Layouts at Pimp-My-Profile.com / The cross
Myspace Layouts at Pimp-My-Profile.com / The cross
John, whose name means "Yahweh has shown favor," an indication of John's role in salvation history, is known as "the Baptist" from his practice of preaching and baptizing Jews in the River Jordan. Most notably he is the one who recognized Jesus as the Messiah, and, on Jesus' request, baptised him. The baptism marked the beginning of Jesus' life as a teacher.John's imprisonment and beheading According to the Canonical Gospels, John the Baptist's public ministry was suddenly brought to a close, probably about six months after he had baptized Jesus. According to these Gospel narratives, Herod Antipas jailed him, with the Gospel of Luke and the Gospel of Mark arguing that Herod was punishing John for condemning Herod's marriage to Herodias, the former wife of Herod Philip I, Herod's own brother (Luke 3:19). Some academics have argued that John was imprisoned in the Machaerus fortress on the southern extremity of Peraea, nine miles east of the Dead Sea. {Josephus Jewish Antiquities XVIII:5:1–2}Josephus states that Herod deliberately killed John to quell a possible uprising in around 36. According to some, Herod Antipas did not marry his brother's wife until his brother Herod Philip I died in 34, so as to make Josephus' dating plausible for the biblical account of John's death. His disciples, after consigning his headless body to the grave, told Jesus all that had occurred (Matthew 14:3-12). But John's death came just before the third and last Passover of Jesus' ministry, placed no later than 33.[citation needed]According to (Matthew 14:6-8) Salome, the daughter of Herodias danced for King Herod and delighted him so much that he vowed to give her anything she wanted: after consulting with her mother she requested the head of John the Baptist.Neither Josephus nor the Gospels state where John was buried, though the Gospels state that John's disciples took his body and placed it in a tomb. In the time of Julian the Apostate, however, his tomb was shown at Samaria, where the inhabitants opened it and burned part of his bones. The rest of the alleged remains were saved by some Christians, who carried them to an abbot of Jerusalem named Philip
The birth of John The Baptist
Prophecies Christians believe that John the Baptist had a specific role ordained by God which was to be the forerunner or precursor to the Messiah, whom they believe to be Jesus. Luke 1:17 and also Luke 1:75:And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest, for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways. There are several passages within the Old Testament which are generally interpreted by Christians as being prophetic of John the Baptist in this role.These include a passage in the Book of Malachi that refers to a prophet who would prepare the way of the Lord:Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts. - Malachi 3:1 Though the interpretation of this passage as referring to a forerunner of the Messiah was uncommon amongst Jews prior to the 2nd century BCE, it became significantly more common under Hellenic, and later Christian, influences.Isaiah 40:3-5 is interpreted by Christians as referring prophetically to John, based on John's own statement as written in John 1:22-23:He said "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias"
John the Baptist 2 Matthew, Chapter 14 141At that time Herod the tetrarch heard the reports about Jesus, 2and he said to his attendants, "This is John the Baptist; he has risen from the dead! That is why miraculous powers are at work in him." 3Now Herod had arrested John and bound him and put him in prison because of Herodias, his brother Philip's wife, 4for John had been saying to him: "It is not lawful for you to have her." 5Herod wanted to kill John, but he was afraid of the people, because they considered him a prophet. 6On Herod's birthday the daughter of Herodias danced for them and pleased Herod so much 7that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she asked. 8Prompted by her mother, she said, "Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist." 9The king was distressed, but because of his oaths and his dinner guests, he ordered that her request be granted 10and had John beheaded in the prison. 11His head was brought in on a platter and given to the girl, who carried it to her mother. 12John's disciples came and took his body and buried it. Then they went and told Jesus.------------------------------------------------------ --------------------------SALOME was The daughter of Herodias, and the grandniece of Herod Antipas. As a reward for her dancing she was given the head of John the Baptist (Matt 14:3-11; Mark 6:17-28). Her name is not given in the Gospels (but see Josephus, Antiq. 17.5.4).