John the Baptist had but one mission: to proclaim the coming of another. That is why Jesus called him the greatest. What, then, does this mean for us today in how we profess our faith?
“Among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist” (Matthew 11: 11). This is what Jesus said about John. This was an astonishing assessment of a man whom many remember above all as a doubter, one who ended up in prison before the story even reached its climax. Who was this man whom the Saviour held in such high esteem? The trail begins long before the wilderness—with a prayer that had long since fallen silent.
A prayer answered, a father silenced
Zacharias was serving in the temple. He and his wife, Elizabeth, longed for a child, but grew old and remained childless; they had prayed for years, and had presumably long given up hope. One day, the angel Gabriel appeared to him: “Your prayer is heard” (Luke 1: 13). Now that there was no longer any hope from a human perspective, God granted their request. Zacharias responded to this promise with scepticism and was struck mute (Luke 1: 20)—a consequence of his unbelief, as the angel himself said. Yet this period served as a lesson for him: nine months to come to terms with the extent of God’s will. It says that from the womb, their child would be filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1: 15).
The parallel with Abraham and Sarah is striking. They too were blessed with a son in their old age. The promise was fulfilled precisely when all human possibility seemed exhausted ( Genesis 18: 1–15; Romans 4: 18–21).
A name chosen against tradition
At the circumcision, the relatives wanted the boy named after his father. Elizabeth insisted on John; and when the mute Zacharias was asked, he wrote on a tablet: “His name is John” (Luke 1: 63). At that very moment, his tongue was loosened and, filled with the Holy Spirit, he called his son “the prophet of the Highest” (Luke 1: 76). The name was chosen by God, not by the family. John means “God is gracious”. It was this name that the future preacher of repentance—who would speak unflinchingly of judgement and repentance—bore.
Son of the wilderness and second Elijah
John grew up in a family of priests, and yet he did not choose the temple. Instead, he went into the wilderness, where he lived on locusts and wild honey. There, he revived an old hope: Malachi had foretold a messenger who would prepare the way before the Lord (Malachi 3: 1). John appeared in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1: 17). Jesus later confirmed this unequivocally: that He is the Elijah who was to come (Matthew 11: 14). In Jewish tradition, Elijah was regarded as the forerunner of the Messiah. So, anyone appearing in the spirit of Elijah was signifying: this is the beginning of something new. This is exactly what John did, and the whole of Judea flocked to him on the banks of the Jordan.
On the banks of the Jordan: three voices, one witness
Then Jesus Himself came to the Jordan to be baptised. What John saw there is recorded in the gospels in just a few sentences: the Son in the water, the Spirit like a dove, the voice of the Father from heaven (Matthew 3: 16–17). Father, Son, and Holy Spirit all appeared together in this very moment. It is in moments such as these that the New Testament does not merely explain the Trinitarian reality of God but rather reveals it. John then said that he did not know Him at all; it was only through the sign of the Spirit descending that he recognised the Messiah (John 1: 33). It was through this sign that he recognised Jesus as the Messiah—and in doing so, he joins many others who have never seen Him and yet bear witness to Him. His own baptism remained a baptism of repentance; it pointed to the One who was mightier, who would baptise with the Holy Spirit (Matthew 3: 11). The Catechism clearly distinguishes this baptism of repentance from Holy Sealing, which alone bestows the Holy Spirit (CNAC 8.1.8).
A pioneer to the very end
And yet Jesus said, “He who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he” (Matthew 11: 11). That sounds harsh. However, this was not meant to be diminish John. It was simply stating the facts. John lived and died without having witnessed the crucifixion, the resurrection, or Pentecost. The gifts which every Christian has been able to receive ever since were still denied to him: the full grace of salvation made available through Christ’s completed sacrifice, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, and the resulting possibility of being reborn out of water and Spirit. In salvation history, John stood on the threshold of the new covenant. He heralded its coming but was unable to witness its fulfilment himself. Since then, believers have been able to receive what lies behind that door and thus share in Jesus’ victory over death and sin. This is also how we can understand the question John asked from prison: “Are You the Coming One?” (Matthew 11: 3) This is not a sign of failure. Rather, it is the sincere struggle of a man who had preached judgement and then discovered that what this Jesus brought above all was mercy. The Catechism simply refers to him as the forerunner of Jesus (CNAC-QA 96). His journey came to a premature end: John was arrested and executed on Herod’s orders (Mark 6: 17–29) – see also the article “A sceptic as an example”.
What John left behind
June 24th, Nativity of John the Baptist—one of the oldest Christian festivals, once celebrated in many places with St John’s fires, but now barely noticed—commemorates him. What is striking is that the church is celebrating a birth; ordinarily, it does so only for Christ. This speaks volumes about the status this man once had.
And what about us today? John could easily have become the focal point, as crowds were streaming out to him at the Jordan. However, he deflected the limelight and even let his own disciples go to Jesus. It was not he who was to be seen, but the One to whom he was pointing. This is a quiet, almost awkward question for every congregation that thrives on the service of the many members: who are the quiet ones today who make things happen without seeking the limelight?
His parents had already set an example in this regard. Zacharias and Elizabeth had prayed for years and had undoubtedly, at some point, given up hope of ever receiving an answer. Yet it came. This is not a promise that all our wishes will come true; but it is the assurance that God hears even the prayers we ourselves have long since given up on. He answers them in His own time—often in a way quite different from what we had imagined.
The pointing finger
What mattered most, however, was the direction in which he was pointing. John did not point to himself but towards someone else: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3: 30). Even a busy schedule and a lot of talk can, in the end, go round in circles rather than pave the way for Christ. That is precisely what believers are called to do today: to speak less about themselves and more about Him. Those who step back in this way do not become smaller. Perhaps it is precisely in this attitude that we find part of the greatness that Jesus highlights in John.