John the Baptist I. (JOH 1:6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. A. His name was by divine order, the first so named in that family line. LUK 1:13, 59-63. B. His name in Greek was Ioannes (SRN G2491), which, according to Thayer, means, “Jehovah is a gracious giver.” 1. That Greek word, according to Brown-Driver-Biggs Hebrew Dictionary, is from the Hebrew Yochanan (SRN H3110), which mea...
V. Consider the parentage, generation and nativity of John. LUK 1:5-80. A. The time was the reign of Herod the Great, the monster who ordered the slaughter of all children of two years and under. v. 5 c/w MAT 2:16. 1. John would be born during a time when rising to prominence was dangerous. 2. John would, though, be raised in privacy in the deserts. LUK 1:80. B. John’s parents are of note. v. 5. 1. Zacharias (from ...
C. Zacharias was offering the appointed incense when an angel appeared unto him in the temple. LUK 1:8-11. 1. This was one of the hours of prayer. Note the association of incense and prayer. PSA 141:2; REV 8:3-4. 2. Mind that duty is not a substitute for prayer, nor prayer a substitute for duty. The people who may be most expected to receive blessing are a people who respect the service of God’s house and that His house is a house of prayer. MA...
e. As a Nazarite, John would have been “different” and “separate” and under other restrictions. NUM 6:1-8. (1) He would have been restricted from contact with dead bodies. (2) He would have had long hair, the exception to the rule for men (1CO 11:7, 14), which, if ignored, erases the distinction of the Nazarite’s hair. (3) Jesus Christ, Whose Spirit authored 1CO 11:7, 14 would not have ...
E. Zacharias was doubtful about the promise and was struck dumb in judgment. vs. 18-25. 1. His doubt concerned perceived human limitations. a. Often, our moments of weakness of faith follow this pattern and hinder us from living freely and fully by the promises of God. b. Our inadequacies and limitations are the very instruments of God bringing glory to Himself. 2CO 12:9-10. c. Believers need help with ...
VI. John “...waxed strong in spirit, and was in the deserts until the day of his shewing unto Israel” (LUK 1:80). A. That day came at a notably identified time. LUK 3:1-2. 1. The sceptre had departed from Judah: they were a subjugated nation under Gentile dominion. Therefore the time of Shiloh/Messiah was at hand. GEN 49:10. 2. The seventy weeks of Daniel’s prophecy of Messiah’s anointing could be generally ...
IX. The apex of John’s ministry was his baptism of Jesus Christ. MAT 3:13-17; MAR 1:9-11; LUK 3:21-23. A. The sinless Jesus submitted Himself to this ordinance of a temporary figurative death, burial and resurrection which spoke of His own work to save us. 1. Whereas John’s baptism was of repentance for the remission of sins, Jesus had no sin and therefore nothing to repent of and have remitted. 2. Jesus was/is flawlessly ...
E. NOTE: The sinless Jesus submitted to this ordinance administered by a sinner. Behold this great condescension of Almighty God which shows us that obedience in godly things is not absolutely conditioned upon the flawlessness of the one in authority. 1. As a child, he subjected Himself to sinful parents. LUK 2:51. 2. To qualify as a brother of the new spiritual kingdom, He subjected Himself to sinner John’s baptism. 3. As a civilian, He subjected Hi...