John the Baptist, forerunner of Jesus, son of Zacharias and Elizabeth""both of priestly descent""lived as a Nazarite in the desert, began his ministry beyond Jordan in the fifteenth year of Tiberias Caesar, preached baptism of repentance in preparation of the coming of the messiah, baptized Jesus, bore witness to Jesus as the Messiah, and was imprisoned and then to death by Herod Antipas.

Jesus said of John, "Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist." He was the last and greatest of the prophets (Matt. 11:13""14). Nevertheless, he stood, like Moses, on the threshold of the Promised Land. His garment was rolled in blood.

--James Shumaker

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