Did John the Baptizer Prepare Anything?

[Stegley]

• 

Baptizer John cited Isaiah and Malachi when he said, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord," and "Make straight paths."

Who exactly was the "ye" to whom John was speaking?  And, what did they actually do to facilitate "they way of The Lord" which Jesus needed to have done for Him?

Why was John so supernaturally and unequivocally able to recognize Jesus in John 1:39-34, yet strangely in Matthew 11:3 John sends his personal disciples tasked to authenticate Jesus by asking, "Are you He that should come, or do we look for another?"  Being the Greatest of Prophets and the first to have beheld and recognized Jesus as The Lamb of God, John certainly was either illinformed by The Holy Spirit, or was dim witted.

It is also strange and unclear why John was baptizing people at all without the Text specifying why.  Remember, it is God's Word which interprets Itself, and not the imaginations and prognostications of Believers.

[Hal]

• 

Baptizer John cited Isaiah and Malachi when he said, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord," and "Make straight paths."

Who exactly was the "ye" to whom John was speaking?  And, what did they actually do to facilitate "they way of The Lord" which Jesus needed to have done for Him?

Why was John so supernaturally and unequivocally able to recognize Jesus in John 1:39-34, yet strangely in Matthew 11:3 John sends his personal disciples tasked to authenticate Jesus by asking, "Are you He that should come, or do we look for another?"  Being the Greatest of Prophets and the first to have beheld and recognized Jesus as The Lamb of God, John certainly was either illinformed by The Holy Spirit, or was dim witted.

It is also strange and unclear why John was baptizing people at all without the Text specifying why.  Remember, it is God's Word which interprets Itself, and not the imaginations and prognostications of Believers.

John the Baptist and Christ were cousins, and I'm sure that his mother must've mentioned the fact of Jesus deity. John and Jesus met even before either one of them were born. luke 1:34-44

John was present when the spirit of the Lord descended upon Jesus and he heard the Lord call out declaring from the heavens that Jesus was a son of God. So the question is did John send his disciples to Jesus to gain information for himself, or was this a lesson for John's disciples so they would understand and realize that Jesus was the Messiah.

prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway
for our God:
by whom is meant the Messiah to whose proper deity a noble testimony is here bore, being called "Jehovah" and "our God": whose way John prepared himself, by preaching the doctrine of repentance, administering the ordinance of baptism, pointing at the Messiah, and exhorting the people to believe in him; and he called upon them likewise to prepare the way, and make a plain path to meet him in, by repenting of their sins, amending their ways, and cordially embracing him when come, laying aside all those sentiments which were contrary to him, his Gospel, and kingdom. The sense of this text is sadly perverted by the Targum, and seems to be, done on purpose, thus,
``prepare the way before the people of the Lord, cast up ways before the congregation of our God;''
whereas it is before the Lord himself. The allusion is to pioneers, sent before some great personage to remove all obstructions out of his way, to cut down trees, level the way, and clear all before him, as in the following verse.

Being the Greatest of Prophets and the first to have beheld and recognized Jesus as The Lamb of God, John certainly was either illinformed by The Holy Spirit, or was dim witted.

You believe that the greatest profit that ever lived would be more worried about his life on earth than he would about eternity? Or maybe I misunderstand your statement, maybe you are trying to infer that anyone who gives up their earthly life for the glory of God is a dimwit.

[Stegley]

• 

John's familial connection and knowledge of Jesus' Divine identity is not germane to the stated topic of this thread.  It need not be reviewed because that information is simple to grasp and remember.

Jesus said to John's disciples, "Go and show John."  That means John was seeking the identity of Jesus, not John's disciples.  It is best to read the context before wasting time with imaginary notions and bright little speculations.

Did someone here try to say that Baptizer John was worried about his life here on Earth?  That strange notion was not in the original post.  Strange. 

(Hint:  Baptizer John was a Prophet, not a "profit."  Okay?)

[JB Horn]

• 

You don't mind if I answer for Hal do you?


A wise man once said:

It is also strange and unclear why John was baptizing people at all without the Text specifying why.  Remember, it is God's Word which interprets Itself, and not the imaginations and prognostications of Believers.

Unclear but it interprets itself, unclear who? Do you even have an understanding of why John the Baptist baptized, and what his baptism was about?

[Stegley]

• 

Please go ahead and give a Scriptural review of John's Baptism, and how it made straight the way for Jesus who had been prepared from The Foundation of The Earth, yet was supposed by some to need help from Baptizer John.  Do you "even" have an answer without divergence or speculation?

Thanks for making yourself available here, and helping the previous Grasshopper.

[JB Horn]

• 

Please go ahead and give a Scriptural review of John's Baptism, and how it made straight the way for Jesus who had been prepared from The Foundation of The Earth, yet was supposed by some to need help from Baptizer John.  Do you "even" have an answer without divergence or speculation?

Thanks for making yourself available here, and helping the previous Grasshopper.

[Stegley]

• 

(Just curious here, did you forget something, Mr. Horn ... ?)

[JB Horn]

• 

(Just curious here, did you forget something, Mr. Horn ... ?)

Sorry the wife called that The Mentalist was starting and I ran off not meaning to post.

[JB Horn]

• 

Please go ahead and give a Scriptural review of John's Baptism, and how it made straight the way for Jesus who had been prepared from The Foundation of The Earth, yet was supposed by some to need help from Baptizer John.  Do you "even" have an answer without divergence or speculation?

Thanks for making yourself available here, and helping the previous Grasshopper.

Matthew 3:13-15

Do you believe Jesus to have been both God and Man?
Do you believe Jesus was a Jew?
Do you believe Jesus was Circumcised?

[Bob]

• 

Please go ahead and give a Scriptural review of John's Baptism, and how it made straight the way for Jesus who had been prepared from The Foundation of The Earth, yet was supposed by some to need help from Baptizer John.  Do you "even" have an answer without divergence or speculation?

Thanks for making yourself available here, and helping the previous Grasshopper.

Here from the kiddie bible, "The Message"

isaiah 40:3 Thunder in the desert! "Prepare for God's arrival! Make the road straight and smooth, a highway fit for our God.

malachi 3:1 "Look! I'm sending my messenger on ahead to clear the way for me. Suddenly, out of the blue, the Leader you've been looking for will enter his Temple - yes, the Messenger of the Covenant, the one you've been waiting for. Look! He's on his way!" A Message from the mouth of God-of-the-Angel-Armies.


John prepared the way by preaching repentance (Mark 1:4) as did Christ (luke 24:47) but the Pharisees did not (Matthew 12:2 Matthew 23:13) they preached the Law. As the scriptures show John's following was vary large and it made it easier for Christ to get His message out during His three years. But the real purpose of the baptism was to make the public anointing, it's what you do with Kings.

Do you think the prophecy was to have John build a physical road for Christ walk-on?
 
You're not a believer nor interested in what the message of the bible is, so what exactly are you doing here?

[Hal]

• 

Matthew 3:13-15

Do you believe Jesus to have been both God and Man?
Do you believe Jesus was a Jew?
Do you believe Jesus was Circumcised?

JB it you're going to get into Jewish customs and law, I think you are going to lose this guy. IMHO
I think we're far away from being able to understand the Trinity here also.

[Stegley]

• 

Matthew 3:13-15

Do you believe Jesus to have been both God and Man?
Do you believe Jesus was a Jew?
Do you believe Jesus was Circumcised?

Yes, these three essential questions are indeed piercing and wonderful, yet really should not be employed to usurp the topic of a thread
  May I invite you to at your convenience and leisure to elevate them into another thread? Thanks.

Now, as I recall you indicated you might know why Baptiser John was baptising.  Need you to feel encouraged to post that information?

[Stegley]

• 

JB it you're going to get into Jewish customs and law, I think you are going to lose this guy. IMHO
I think we're far away from being able to understand the Trinity here also.

No, "This Guy" has no risk of getting lost on simple issues of Jewish Custom, Jewish Law, and The Trinity.  Lol.  Try to contribute to this discission instead of bossing other people around in between episodes of The Mentalist.

Of course, I am sure you are quite practiced at doing so, Correct?  "Father, I humbly ask you to use Believer Horn here to be marvelously blessed in his desire for Kingdom Leadership over other men.  Thank you Father for your desire to some day place your mind and wisdom in Believer Horn.  In The Precious Name of Jesus."   (Remember, Jesus never prayed the Amen word.)

[JB Horn]

• 

Yes, these three essential questions are indeed piercing and wonderful, yet really should not be employed to usurp the topic of a thread
  May I invite you to at your convenience and leisure to elevate them into another thread? Thanks.

Now, as I recall you indicated you might know why Baptiser John was baptising.  Need you to feel encouraged to post that information?

They are essential to question of the baptism of Jesus.

I see that you are not really interested in answers only suppling questions.

You have a nice day Stegley.

[Stegley]

• 

The Baptism of Jesus is not the topic of this Thread.  Did you need it to be?

I have noticed with many "knowledgeable" Christians that they compulsively need to spout their canned answers, even when the question for their answer has mot been asked by anyone.  Are you doing that here, as you try to toot your own horn, Mr. Horn ... ?

(Lol.  A pun.)