READER COMMENT

A reader objects to suggestions that Jesus was inferior to John the Baptist. He writes:

These quotes are from the NET Bible translation (http://net.bible.org/). Other English translations are similar.

In those days John the Baptist came into the wilderness of Judea proclaiming, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." (Matthew 3:1)

Then Jesus came from Galilee to John to be baptized by him in the Jordan River. But John tried to prevent him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?" So Jesus replied to him, "Let it happen now, for it is right for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then John yielded to him. (Matthew 3:13-15)

After this, Jesus and his disciples came into Judean territory, and there he spent time with them and was baptizing. John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because water was plentiful there, and people were coming to him and being baptized. (For John had not yet been thrown into prison.) Now a dispute came about between some of John's disciples and a certain Jew concerning ceremonial washing. So they came to John and said to him, "Rabbi, the one who was with you on the other side of the Jordan River, about whom you testified - see, he is baptizing, and everyone is flocking to him!" John replied, "No one can receive anything unless it has been given to him from heaven. You yourselves can testify that I said, 'I am not the Christ,' but rather, "I have been sent before him." The one who has the bride is the bridegroom. The friend of the bridegroom, who stands by and listens for him, rejoices greatly when he hears the bridegroom's voice. This then is my joy, and it is complete. He must become more important while I become less important." (John 3:22-30).

These quotes suggest to me that John saw himself as a prophet preparing the way for Jesus whom he saw both as much greater than him and as the expected Jewish Messiah. I see no suggestion from any of these quotes that Jesus saw John as a superior.

Joel

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