Why didn't John the Baptist join Jesus in his ministry?

amci

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Why did John the Baptist continue his separate ministry and group of disciples if he recognized Jesus as God incarnate?

In the case where he didn't fully recognize Jesus as the Messiah, why did he have to send messengers to determine this? Was he Jesus's cousin?

Why did his disciples exist as a separate competing sect after Jesus's crucifixion?
 

Mr. M

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Why did John the Baptist continue his separate ministry and group of disciples if he recognized Jesus as God incarnate?

In the case where he didn't fully recognize Jesus as the Messiah, why did he have to send messengers to determine this? Was he Jesus's cousin?

Why did his disciples exist as a separate competing sect after Jesus's crucifixion?
Here is a thorough analysis of the ministry of John the baptist from all four Gospels.
A Parable Of Faithful Ministry

This is a blog post from last year. If you have time, it will answer these and other questions
you may have about him, and ministry in general.
Blessings,
James
 
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Mr. M

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Some quick answers.
Why did John the Baptist continue his separate ministry and group of disciples if he recognized Jesus as God incarnate?

John 3:
29
....Therefore this joy of mine is fulfilled.
30
He must increase, but I must decrease.

In the case where he didn't fully recognize Jesus as the Messiah, why did he have to send messengers to determine this? Was he Jesus's cousin?
John's mother Elizabeth and Mary were cousins. In the reading of all the Gospels,
one thing that becomes quite evident, is that many who were waiting for Messiah
had particular expectations.
In this case, they thought the Messiah would restore the kingdom of Israel...NOW.
Instead, John found himself in prison. When he sent disciples to inquire of Christ,
what he was saying is this, "aren't you the promised one, the Messiah? If so, why
am I in prison? We cannot allow personal expectations to dictate would God alone controls.

Why did his disciples exist as a separate competing sect after Jesus's crucifixion?
Every effort was made to avoid conflict.
John 3:
22
After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea, and there
He remained with them and baptized.
23 Now John also was baptizing in Aenon near Salim, because there was much water there.
And they came and were baptized.
24 For John had not yet been thrown into prison.
25 Then there arose a dispute between some of John’s disciples and the Jews
about purification.
note: Many were still seeking John to repent and be baptized. Apparently this was acceptable
and unopposed by Christ. The dispute was between his disciples and other Jews, not the
disciples of Jesus. They used the opportunity to question why Jesus and his disciples were
also baptizing. Why Not? Jesus did not baptize anyway, he left that to His disciples.

J
ohn 4:
1
Therefore, when the Lord knew that the Pharisees had heard that Jesus made
and baptized more disciples than John.
2 (though Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples),
3 He left Judea and departed again to Galilee.

Back to John 3:
26
And they came to John and said to him, Rabbi, He who was with you beyond the Jordan,
to whom you have testified—behold, He is baptizing, and all are coming to Him!
notice they refer to Jesus as "He who was with you".
LOL, I guess that had that reversed.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing unless it has been given to him from heaven.
28 You yourselves bear me witness, that I said, ‘I am not the Christ,’ but, ‘I have been sent before Him.’
29 He who has the bride is the bridegroom; but the friend of the bridegroom, who
stands and hears him, rejoices greatly because of the bridegroom’s voice.
Therefore, this joy of mine is fulfilled.
It is hard to imagine John and His disciples not becoming followers of Jesus.
John must have realized that he had fulfilled his calling after baptizing
Jesus "to fulfill all righteousness".
There were a few who remained loyal to John, whether or not that was
misguided is only to surmise. After John's death, many may well have joined
with Jesus and His disciples, but that also is speculating,
 
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amci

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To what extent does this affect your acceptance (or rejection) of the Christian religion?

I guess to speaks to the matter of historicity of the gospel accounts. If John was the last of the OT prophets and the forerunner of Jesus and recognized Jesus as the Christ, why didn't he join his movement to Jesus's?

Rather, it looks to me that the gospel writers tried to take ownership of John's movement by presenting it as a preparation for Jesus rather than a related movement that had many similarities.
 
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dóxatotheó

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Why did John the Baptist continue his separate ministry and group of disciples if he recognized Jesus as God incarnate?
It’s unclear exactly when John first consciously knew that Jesus was the Son of God, whose way he had come to prepare. The Apostle John quotes him as saying, “I myself did not know him” (John 1:31) around the time he baptized Jesus. What is clear is that when the revelation came it was an overwhelming experience for John. That day, when Jesus approached him at the Jordan near Bethany, John couldn’t contain the shout: “Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” With awe and trembling hands he had baptized his Lord. And then saw the Spirit descend and remain on him.
That day had also marked the beginning of the end of his ministry. From that point he had joyfully directed people away from himself to follow Jesus. And they had. His time was over after he rebuked the King, he was sent to prison and later executed if he had a choice to appear with Jesus during his conquest, I am sure he would.
In the case where he didn't fully recognize Jesus as the Messiah, why did he have to send messengers to determine this? Was he Jesus's cousin?
There had been false messiahs. What if Jesus was just another? So far Jesus’ ministry wasn’t exactly what John had always imagined the Messiah’s would look like. Could this imprisonment be God’s judgment?
It felt as if God had left him and the devil himself had taken his place. He tried to recall all the prophecies and signs that had seemed so clear to him before. But it was difficult to think straight. Comfort just wouldn’t stick to his soul. Doubts buzzed around his brain like the flies around his face.
The thought of being executed for the sake of righteousness and justice he could bear. But he could not bear the thought that he might have been wrong about Jesus. His one task was to prepare the way of the Lord. If he had gotten that wrong, his ministry, his life, was in vain.
Was he Jesus's cousin?
Although Jesus and John the Baptist were related and their work seems to overlap, the Bible's gospel accounts do not show them together often so I am pretty sure that affected him exquisitely.
Why did his disciples exist as a separate competing sect after Jesus's crucifixion?
John disciples were apart of the old ministry, which some scholars say is based upon water baptism, and repentance the trusted disciples of also the two disciples aren’t named yet, we’re going to find out in a minute that one of them is Andrew, one of them is Simon Peter's brother; the other disciple who is unnamed, scholars have speculated as to his identity; many scholars actually think that this is the first reference to the author of the Gospel of John himself, to the beloved disciple St. John, who will frequently refer to himself in the third person, and will not always identify himself explicitly. Is there any way to prove that? No, we don't know for certain. One of these is an anonymous disciple, the other one is Andrew but, in either case, they point out the fact that John the Baptist had disciples. So in that context then, he's ministering and he sees Jesus and he tells his disciples behold, in other words, “Look…” (ide in Greek) “…Behold the Lamb of God!”
BTW what sect did the disciples follow after Jesus appeared to them after the Crucifixion, im pretty sure they was doing the Great Comission after the appearance of Christ.
 
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Nova2216

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Johns task was to prepare the way for the Messiah.

Like many who serve the Lord Johns life would be cut short. (Mt 14)

It seems he had just about enough time to complete the task and then his head was served up on a platter.

We all should be so devoted to the Lord.
 
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dóxatotheó

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I guess to speaks to the matter of historicity of the gospel accounts. If John was the last of the OT prophets and the forerunner of Jesus and recognized Jesus as the Christ, why didn't he join his movement to Jesus's?
Jesus did not make John a disciple because John was retiring and Jesus was taking over for John. John the Baptist was the forerunner and announced that the Messiah was coming and proclaimed who He was. That was his job.
Rather, it looks to me that the gospel writers tried to take ownership of John's movement by presenting it as a preparation for Jesus rather than a related movement that had many similarities.
As a Jewish prophet, they are to follow God and do what he is commanded to do. He was commanded to baptized his people in water for forgiveness of sins and proclaim the Holy One that who would baptized them with fire. After, all that has come to be he was later executed for rebuking the King, do you think the events would change if that didn't happen.
 
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paul1149

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It seems that John was of the opinion that the Messiah would effect a political solution to Israel's contemporaneous woes, which was the dominant view of Messiah back then. Thus John's focus on government, in calling out Herod's sin with his brother's wife, in his mind fit in perfectly as an auxiliary to Jesus' ministry. It would only be a matter of time before Jesus would turn His attention to politics and clean things up permanently.

But when John languished in prison, and Jesus still had not made any political move, he must have wondered why the delay. So he sends the question, "“Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?” He's basically asking if he understands Jesus' mission correctly, or whether someone else will perhaps handle the political chores. Essentially he's exhorting Jesus to get on with it.
 
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plain jayne

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John's purpose was to get people to repent and turn to God. He prepared the way for Jesus. He baptized people into that commitment, but it was not a believer's baptism. Just a sign or confirmation of a desire to change one's ways.

Jesus' ministry was a ministry that ONLY he could perform. The miracles, the forgiveness of sin, and teachings directly of God via his own mouth as he along with the Father and the Holy Spirit ARE God.

The disciples who continued after Christ were not in competition with John.
 
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I guess to speaks to the matter of historicity of the gospel accounts. If John was the last of the OT prophets and the forerunner of Jesus and recognized Jesus as the Christ, why didn't he join his movement to Jesus's?
Okay. And thank you. However, I do not see that John's actions either prove or disprove the Gospel accounts or that they either validate or debunk Jesus's ministry, teachings, and etc. There may simply be no answer to the question you raised and, if we are candid about it, there are many such questions that could be asked out of a normal human curiosity.

The New Testament does say, though, that not everything Jesus did is recorded there, but that what is made available to us is sufficient for the purpose of this divine revelation, i. e. to show us that Jesus is the Messiah, the Savior of the world, and that faith in him will lead to eternal life.

Rather, it looks to me that the gospel writers tried to take ownership of John's movement by presenting it as a preparation for Jesus rather than a related movement that had many similarities.
Well, even John himself seems to say as much.
 
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Mr. M

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It’s unclear exactly when John first consciously knew that Jesus was the Son of God, whose way he had come to prepare. The Apostle John quotes him as saying, “I myself did not know him” (John 1:31) around the time he baptized Jesus.
It became evident moments after he baptized Him.
John 1:
31
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore
I came baptizing with water.
32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me,
Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.
He continued to proclaim Him the following day:
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
It was on!
 
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dóxatotheó

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It became evident moments after he baptized Him.
John 1:
31
I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore
I came baptizing with water.
32 And John bore witness, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven
like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me,
Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He
who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.
34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.
He continued to proclaim Him the following day:
35 Again, the next day, John stood with two of his disciples.
36 And looking at Jesus as He walked, he said, Behold the Lamb of God!
It was on!
right?
 
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dqhall

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Why did John the Baptist continue his separate ministry and group of disciples if he recognized Jesus as God incarnate?

In the case where he didn't fully recognize Jesus as the Messiah, why did he have to send messengers to determine this? Was he Jesus's cousin?

Why did his disciples exist as a separate competing sect after Jesus's crucifixion?
John the Baptist was sent to baptize. He lived in the wilderness with a single garment of sack cloth - camel’s hair. He ate locusts and wild honey. Some of those taught by John went to follow Jesus. John was soon in jail and executed anyway. Jesus was also arrested and executed.
 
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Rather, it looks to me that the gospel writers tried to take ownership of John's movement by presenting it as a preparation for Jesus rather than a related movement that had many similarities.
You are trying to understand spiritual things naturally and logically but you need the Holy Spirit to help you understand spiritual scriptures.
1 Corinthians 2:14
But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.
 
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mmarco

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I guess to speaks to the matter of historicity of the gospel accounts.

I think you are approaching the christian faith in a totally wrong way. In fact, what you should try to understand are the fundamental teachings of the christian faith about God; once you understand that such teachings are certainly true and may come only from the true God, you understand also that the Gospel accounts have an high degree of historicity.
I think in fact that the strongest argument supporting the divine nature of Christ is that the christian concept of God and of divine love is the highest possible concept. I find that the idea itself that God loves us so much that He chose to assume the human nature and accepted to suffer crucifission in order to save us, expresses such a high concept of God and of divine love that it can comes only from God and it is certainly a truth. This concept is fully convincing for me, it proves itself by itself and makes superfluous any other arguments . I believe that Chirst suffered His Passion to help us to have faith in Him and trust Him, to make us understand that God loves us infinitely, that God is good and merciful, that God is near to us and that we are so precious for Him so that we may totally trust Him, open our heart to Him and let Him change our existence in true life and true love.
The christian faith is unique because it gives a very concrete and unique meaning to the concept of divine love: in fact God’s love actualizes in the acceptance of a terrible physical suffering; the God of the christian faith loves us so much that He is willing to suffer a painful death in order to save us from a sinful existence. In the christian faith, love is not only a theoretical and vague concept; Christ’s Passion is a clear and concrete realization of the concept of divine love which teaches us what the true meaning of love is.
 
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