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John, the Immerser.

Have you ever seen religious Jews at the corners of some streets, inviting others Jewish passers-by do done Tephillin? I mean, Philacteries. Many still do this as an occupation with the purpose to cause other Jews to perform a mitzvah. I mean, a commandment.

That was John's occupation: To immerse Jews in the Jordan River, over and over again everyday. Many Jews used to and still do it daily, others weekly before the Shabbat, others only before a festival, and almost all before a happy event in life, like a wedding, bar-mitzvah, or anything uncommon.

The point is that many Jews would do this as an occupation, but they had their own lives to live. It means that John could very well have been a married man, which would neutralize the Christian claim that John was an Essene, and of those who observed celibacy. These kind of Essenes would live their lives "indoors;" I mean, in their claustro-like style of life. John and Jesus, on the contrary, were men of the outside; mingling with the crowds. Ambulant Teachers or Rabbis.

Now, why Jonh the Immerser and not John the Baptist? I was asked once. Simply because Baptist was never a Jewish term. It had become common with the rise of Christianity. (Mat. 28:19; Acts 19:5) Then, John and Jesus were Jewish. And what John did could never be compared with baptism, because this is something done once for life; and what John did, it could be done even every single day with the same prospects. (Mat.3:7)

Ben

Baptize is a Greek term that means something like immerse.  How certain Christian groups use the term baptize or immerse is completely beside the point.  Again I ask you forget all of this and concentrate on what the Bible says.

THough incorrect, Ben gives a good context for where John the Baptist came from.

WIthout Christ maybe he would have been a Mikvah Rabbi or whatever you call it.

Yes, Jesus and John were Jewish, and John an Immerser, but this does not take away the right of a reformer to change the meaning of a rite.

Gabriel the angel of the Lord who goes before God revealed to Zacharias the Priest that his son would be as Elijah. Luke chapter 1
Now not many claim he was an Essenes, He was a man alone with God like the Prophets of old.
John lived a very tough life in the wilderness eating wild honey and locust so he wasn't married. M't:3:4:
John was the one spoken of in Isaiah M't 3:3: M'r:1:1-8
Jesus said John was Elijah, in spirit which means that was God's anointing for John.
He was to bring Israel to repentance, prepare the way for the Lord Jesus.
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M't:3:1: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
M't:3:2: And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
M't:3:3: For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
M't:3:4: And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
M't:3:5: Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
M't:3:6: And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
M't:3:7: But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
M't:3:8: Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
M't:3:9: And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
M't:3:10: And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
M't:3:11: I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
M't:3:12: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
M't:3:13: Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

You are right, as far I see it. But don't you ask: why did Jesus let Himself be babtized/immersed by John? Jesus was without sin, so why did He undergo this ritual aimed at confession of sin and conversion (teshuva)?

-because by doing that while praying, He brought all sins of mankind before the Father, took the sins with Him to be washed away: and by doing that He changed the ritual into a 'christian' ritual/symbol of death and ressurection. Jesus' whole life and ministry is recapitulated in this event.

I found this beautiful exegese in the book "Jesus" written by Pope Benedictius XVI.

Aad

Well, Christians are mistaken. The very few
among the Essenes who adopted celibacy would seclude themselves in clautro-style hermits. John and Jesus were ambulant workers of faith. John as an Immerser and Jesus as a Teacher or Rabbi.

So, who change the rite, the Church?

[quote=Ben Masada]
[quote=Chad]
THough incorrect, Ben gives a good context for where John the Baptist came from.

WIthout Christ maybe he would have been a Mikvah Rabbi or whatever you call it.

Yes, Jesus and John were Jewish, and John an Immerser, but this does not take away the right of a reformer to change the meaning of a rite.
[/quote=Robert][John 1:29-34]

This is proof that even the Pope errs by not knowing the Scriptures.
How did Jesus take the sins with him to be washed away, by dying on the cross? It's written, "Only for his own guilt shall a man be put to death." Read Deuteronomy 24:16; II Kings 14:6; Jeremiah 31:30; Ezekiel 18:4)