Who is John the Baptist?

Historical note taken from the UVB footnote on Matthew 26:3:

“At this time Rome appointed Israel's high priest. Annas had been the high priest until A.D. 15 when the Romans deposed him and set up his son Eleazar in his place. Eleazar served for about 2 years (A.D. 16-17) until the Romans replaced him with Joseph Caiaphas in A.D. 18. Caiaphas held the office until his death in A.D. 36. His unusually long tenure reflects his political skill and his acceptability to the Roman prefects. The Old Testament regarded the high priest as high priest until his death. Consequently the Jews still viewed Annas as the high priest. This probably explains why Matthew and John spoke of Caiaphas as the high priest (Joh.11:49), but Luke said Annas was the high priest (Luk.3:2; Act.4:6). Annas was Caiaphas' father-in-law and continued to exercise much power even after the Romans forced him out of office. The Jewish leaders plotted to execute an innocent man in the very place where justice should have been strongest. The spiritual leader of Israel, the high priest, took a leading role in this travesty.”

John the Baptist was to be Israel’s last Aaronic High Priest

1.      1. John was a descendent of Aaron from both his mother and father’s family.

2.      2.  John did not use wine.

A.    Abstinence from wine is a command given to the High Priest 

3.      3. One of John’s missions was “to prepare the way of the LORD (YAHWEH).”

A.    What does “prepare” mean? 

4.      4. Malachi’s prophecy has 3 references in it to a messenger.

A.    The state of the priesthood

B.     A reference to John and

C.     “the messenger (Jesus) of the covenant”

a.       “Messenger of the covenant” 

5.     5. Zacharias was a High Priest

6.     6. Aaron’s wife and Zacharias’ wife

7.     7.  High Priest places people into the Priesthood

8.     8.  Aaronic priesthood must decrease for the Melchizadekian priesthood to increase.

9.     9. High priest performs the sacrifice of atonement.

  10. The High Priest identifies the sacrifice.

10.  11. Appointed by GOD (ELOHIM)