Bible character overview - John the Baptist

Written by: My Store Admin

June 3, 2024

Time to read 4 min

Introduction:

Welcome to an insightful character overview of John the Baptist. Here you'll learn about who John the Baptist was, what he did, and his strengths and weaknesses. Also, we have provided questions related to the story of John the Baptist to provoke thought. They can also be used for personal/small-group studies.

Who was John the Baptist from the Bible?

Key facts

When: roughly around 1 B.C - 30 A.D
Where: Jerusalem
Name meaning: 'God is gracious'

Glimpse: John the Baptist is called before birth to prepare the way for the Messiah, Jesus. Luke 1:17 says 'And he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.'

He was a strange man called for a strange time and did not back down to anyone. Although he dies early, he fulfilled the calling upon his life and described as the greatest prophet by Jesus in Matthew 11:11 'Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist, yet whoever is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.'

John is born

John the Baptist lived during the time of Jesus and was actually His cousin, the son of Elizabeth and Zechariah. While Zechariah was performing his duties in the temple, an angel appeared to him, announcing that he and Elizabeth would have a son who would prepare the way for the Lord. However, since Elizabeth and Zechariah were childless and advanced in age, Zechariah doubted the possibility of this prophecy. In response, the angel Gabriel was displeased with Zechariah's lack of faith and sentenced him to silence until the birth of John.

On the day of John's birth, there was a discussion about naming the baby after his father, Zechariah. At that moment, Zechariah's speech was restored, and he exclaimed, "No! He is to be called John."

The John the Baptist card from the bible bumps game

Questions

→ Have you ever doubted like Zechariah?

→ Why do you think his ability to speak was taken away?

"But the angel said to him: “Do not be afraid, Zechariah; your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to call him John."

Luke 1:13

Preparing the way

John was chosen before birth to have a great and supernatural ministry, which would "prepare the way" for the Messiah. He eventually became a wild man, living in the wilderness, wearing clothes made from camel hair, and eating nothing but locusts and honey, in a lifestyle reminiscent of Elijah.

In John 1:29-34, we see John baptizing Jesus in an amazing scene where the Trinity—God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—are all present, and Jesus is declared to be the Lamb of God who would be sacrificed for the sins of the world.

Questions

→ Why do you think John baptized Jesus and not the other way around?

→ Do you ever feel like you're unworthy/not good enough?

"As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.''

Matthew 3:16-17

Death of John the Baptist

In the lead-up to this, John had been causing a stir as he stood by the Jordan River proclaiming the coming of the Messiah, fulfilling the prophecy that he would "prepare the way of the Lord" as a herald. During this time, John was imprisoned by Herod. Herodias, the wife of Herod Antipas, hated John. On her birthday, she asked for the head of John the Baptist. So, John was beheaded, and his head was brought to her on a tray.

Questions

→ Have you ever found it hard to share your faith with others?

→ Why do you think John needed to prepare the way for Jesus?

“ Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me here on a platter the head of John the Baptist.”

Matthew 14:8

Strengths:

Tough: John was a tough and hardy man not only physically but spiritually too
Influence: John prepared the nation for the coming of the Messiah
Boldness: He spoke against the Pharisees, Sadducees, and even the king himself

Weaknesses:

Doubt: Even after baptizing Jesus, John still doubted if He was the Messiah they were looking for

Conclusion

We can learn from John that if we are called to do something, we must do it with full commitment and intentionality. We must live for God in all we do, every area must be committed to Him. But even John had doubts. Matthew 11:2 describes John in prison hearing about Jesus' ministry saying 'Now when John heard in prison what the Christ was doing, he sent a message through his disciples and asked him, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?'. We are all human and have our limitations but if we align ourselves with God, He will direct our paths.

''For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life''

John 3:16

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The Author: OluKoye Williams

Koye Williams is the creator of the international game biblebumps. His mission is to see the people of the Bible brought to life in a new and exciting way whilst also providing opportunities to spend quality time with the family.

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