Did John the Baptist Know Jesus?

[@bernadinesolomon5601]

Thank you Dr.Pitre for sharing this beautiful explanation. This was a question that had come to my mind when I read the words from the Bible that John the Baptist did not know Jesus even though they were cousins. Thank you for this reflection and helping me to understand this through the teachings of the church fathers.

[@jen9774]

Wow, you have clarified a question that no-one has ever been able to answer for me. Thank you.

[@edgarvictoria1983]

Happy New Year 2020 Dr. Pitre and to all the admin & staff of Catholic Production. Thank God for the 1st Luminous Mystery. Amen!

[@F3z07]

I am in the middle of reading Bergsma's fabulous book! I was so excited to see your endorsement on the back. Thanks so much for making these videos!

[@josephjude1290]

Can you do a video on Saint Joseph? Just curious what the readings say and the ancient church. It's his feast day coming up in March. Thanks

[@paulgerard4503]

John's knowledge of Jesus John's knowledge of Jesus varies across gospels. In the Gospel of Mark, John preaches of a coming leader, but shows no signs of recognizing that Jesus is this leader. In Matthew, however, John immediately recognizes Jesus and John questions his own worthiness to baptize Jesus. In both Matthew and Luke, John later dispatches disciples to question Jesus about his status, asking "Are you he who is to come, or shall we look for another?" In Luke, John is a familial relative of Jesus whose birth was foretold by Gabriel. In the Gospel of John, John the Baptist himself sees the spirit descend like a dove and he explicitly preaches that Jesus is the Son of God.

[@Subeffulgent]

Very good keep up the good work!

[@helenlopes2262]

Thank you Dr.Pitre. Your explanations are so clear and easy to understand. Would be very grateful if you would explain 1 John 5: 14-21. It is both confusing and alarming. Thank you once again and God bless.

[@abc5456]

Dr Pitre I agree with you in almost everything. But please consider this one hint. St Ann Catherine Emmerich in her private revelations mentions that John the Baptist recognized Jesus in the moment when Mother of God visits Elizabeth. In other words when they “meet each other” at the first time. The Bible said that John moved in her mother’s womb. That would be the confirmation of Anna’s hint. She also said that John recognized Jesus completely at that moment.

[@paulhandsome1691]

nice explanation God Bless you

[@jb50m]

Thank you for explaining very clearly.

[@MarcMercier1971]

Glad he mentioned John having been with the Essenes. Dr. Bergsma (another great convert theologian) went into detail in a YT video stating he was so most likely kicked out for being too enthusiastically outspoken.

[@MarcMercier1971]

@@Dannyboy0202 Seen them here and on that guy's channel with thumbnail of beat up bandaged face. Can't think of name.

[@1960ARC]

Thank you!!!

[@alephtav4254]

I believe in that Holy Spirit can tell Lead, and advice About a person

[@490Believer]

When John rolled over in the womb, I consider that meeting Christ, his and our God.

[@seekerstead8331]

What’s more interesting is that although John tells us that God said he would know him by the Spirit of God descending on him. He did know who he was before that when he saw him walking and said “ behold the lamb of God…” so this must have been divine revelation. So then, why was it important that God would give him the sign of the Spirit descending on him if he was going to give him a divine revelation anyway?

[@jimmcintyre4390]

Like you read my mind. Just wondering about this.

[@billrussell569]

Thank you!

[@diegopass21]

Thank you for this exegesis, it is very good. However, it does not say why John the Baptist, right after the baptism, says that Jesus Christ is "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." The reason is that He is anointed Messiah not on a throne, but on a sacrificial altar.

[@christinegruber3533]

Thank you, it explains to me where John and his family might have been hiding when Herod ordered to kill the children (when Jesus and his family fled to Egypt)

[@michaelhaywood8262]

John was born in Ein Kerem, just outside Jerusalem. Herod ordered the murder of the children in Bethlehem, which is the opposite side Of Jerusalem.

[@rosiegirl2485]

I thought that John was hidden behind one of the loose stones in his home.

[@raymondmartin318]

Good and interesting points. Another possibility is that in description of John did not Know Jesus a less literal understanding need be adopted? John may know Jesus the man his cousin .. . indeed it would be odd indeed if Mary had not frequently visited Elizabeth's friendly house with Our Lord? - that aside Johns description is perhaps/possibly in relation to The Divinity not yet revealed publically. Jesus has not started his public ministry and until the descent of the Holy Spirit etc, little reason for John to know him as Angus dei. Also the point of the Wilderness where John grew up may itself be non literal. That is John grew up unaware of his Mission until God revealed it. In this way he lived in the Wilderness or desert as many growing up may do until they grow in reason etc. Both these ideas are equal possibilities to Holy Writ as they do not compromise the truth of the relationship between the characters involved. Just a counter thought thereby.

[@paulmiller3469]

Yeah, actually, I suppose that might be right. One caveat is the Nazareth-to-hill country distance was a little farther in those days (be foot), and there is some possibility the Holy Family only got up that way (altitude, not direction) for major festivals, when it may have been difficult to locate kinfolk because of all the pilgrims. Even if not raised by Essenes, it's not outlandish that John wouldn't see Jesus for the first 30 years of their lives (after leaping for joy in the womb, that is).

[@ianrobinson8974]

A nice summary R M, BUT Mary Joseph and Jesus left Judea shortly after His birth and did not return until he was a more mature age. By that time Elizabeth and Zachariah were decease and John was "in the wilderness". Jesus was aware of His precursor, even though John was sometimes believed to be the Messiah; by his followers etc. It was only after the Baptism and the words of The Father heard by John the Baptist and John the Apostle (amongst others) was Jesus recognised at The Messiah. The revelations to the mystic Maria Valtorta give a very close overview of events during the life of Jesus. A very good read really!

[@raymondmartin318]

@@ianrobinson8974 I appreciate your reply and another "possibility" to the story and events. It remains contested just when Jesus was born and when he left Bethlehem and fled to Egypt and when he returned. All these events are historically not certain and there are competing ideas and suggestions for what happened when. The deaths of Elizabeth and Zachariah etc as with the childhood of John and even Jesus in history are obscure to us today. Whilst possibilities and even charming tales suggest spiritual growth etc these remain historically at least quite uncertain. The only thing we know is that Jesus returns after Herods death in 4BC but we are not given any time limit, be it days, months or even years. Obviously Private revelation and mystic vision is a matter of individual concern and does not necessarily hold historical or even grave theological gravity. Nonetheless it can help devotional appreciation of the Gospels and further the religious experience.

[@raymondmartin318]

@@paulmiller3469 Thank you for that observation. You are right to note that most interesting yet often over looked appreciation of the Scriptures, namely Geography. Often the Gospels in a single sentence suggest something akin to Jesus went from here to there as if it were a country promenade.The truth being it must have taken days and would have been more than dangerous. Travel was often both hazardous and uncomfortable. We are often presented in art and even film of pretty rural scenes that hold little understanding of the physical slog in uneven dusty roads that were subject to bandits or dangers from nature etc. In this context there would have been great rejoicing at the arrival of a family member/s? Typically longer stays would have resulted. We do not know whether Jesus knew John personally or not. It is one other gaping hole in the Gospel and is most annoying! Ultimately we can only try and surmise the various possibilities both of events and of those that were actually recorded in Scripture.

[@dartin537]

Pretty cool! thank you.

[@billyhomeyer7414]

St Gertrude and her little sister - she was 5 and her sister was younger - so I understand why John the Baptist was sent to the desert/wilderness monastery. Zachariah and Elizabeth were too old to raise John. (Zachariah was so pissed he was having a child God blinded and muted him for ‘his objection’

[@sharlaigneleo639]

Wow you make a point there

[@zacshifler]

Except John was probably prepared to meet Jesus from an early age. When Jesus came to him, it was a moment he was prepared for his entire life, which is why the moment had such gravity for both of them

[@bwoutchannel6356]

So what was it that prompted John the Baptist, prior to the decent of the Holy Spirit, to recognize Jesus as the One?

[@alNange]

This is an interesting discussion because as. Catholic we always thought that Elizabeth and Mary were cousins, which technically doesn’t make Jesus and John the Baptist “cousins”, right? Also, this is the one time in the Bible where the word “cousin” is used, right? If so, then I don’t understand why James and John are described as Jesus’ brothers. My beliefs in our blessed mother aren’t moved but it certainly confuses things, and could give cause to others from other beliefs to raise their eyebrows, right?

[@billbillinness4742]

More conjecture. Look deeper into it from the beginning. Then maybe believe in Angels. Moses and before. The Pharaohs and back to the Sumerians. Just who were they, who made the decision to end the line as it had got out of hand.

[@WimWorldWide]

Thank you, nice explanation about John living in the desert. Makes a lot of sense. Question is: did the parents of John have contact with him during that period? Did they tell him about Jesus? After all, they were in contact wing Joseph and Mary and they had gone though amazing and prophetic things...

[@F3z07]

John Bergsma wrote a book called "Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls" that speculates on the possibilities of the Jewish ascetic communities at the time of Jesus. He speculates that, due to the old age of the parents of John the Baptist, they may not only have given him to the Essene community (a not uncommon practice), but also may have passed away during that time. If that's the case, it's reasonable to speculate that a situation like that might be compared to how families would have kept in contact with children given to monastic communities since then, such as in the medieval era. I'm not sure of any contact with Joseph and Mary of which you are thinking, though.

[@josephjude1290]

@@F3z07 it's a great read. Highly recommended.

[@johntaleyratne1353]

If John the Baptist did not know Jesus as Messiah when Jesus approached for Baptism why did he say it is me need baptism from you than from me?

[@prayershelp5715]

Thank you my fav Dr Brant. But didn't Zechariah got persecuted and Elizabeth had to run into the wilderness with John ? She died shortly after their escape and left St John the Baptist to fend for himself from an early age. Correct?!

[@munenex]

John the Baptist was taken to the wilderness to escape death by Herod soldiers after the decree after Jesus birth that all boys aged two and below to be killed.

[@prayershelp5715]

@@munenex Thanks. I read somewhere too.

[@magaman6353]

Thomas Aquinas in his Gospel Commentary on the passage says something similar with respect to their separation [Paragraph 263]: "Next, he precludes an erroneous conjecture from his testimony, at 'and I did not know him.' For someone might say that John bore witness to Christ because of the affection of an especial friendship which he had for him. And so, excluding this, John says, and I did not know him; for John had lived in the desert from boyhood. And although many miracles happened during the birth of Christ, such as the Magi and the star and others, they were not known to John: both because he was an infant at the time, and because, after withdrawing to the desert, he had no association with Christ. In the interim between his birth and baptism, Christ did not perform any miracles, but led a life similar to any other person, and his power remained unknown to all." aquinas.cc/la/en/~Ioan.C1.L14.n262.2 Nevertheless, it remains difficult to reconcile this mystery since the Holy Spirit revealed Our Lord's identity to both Elizabeth and John himself when he was only 3 months in the womb. Surely, John's mother wouldn't have concealed such a colossal event from him had he been with her until the age of reason. Unless she'd been directed by the Holy Spirit to say nothing and give him to the Essenes while an infant, John would have wondered why he had been orphaned. Moreover, an order of contemplative monks in the harsh desert would need more than locusts and honey to nurse their infant charges.

[@bobcarp1239]

So what really happened is that Peter, Paul and a few other guys were watching Mary Magdalene and her friends take their weekly baths in the river. After they left they saw Jesus and John up river and they were playing some kind of naked dunking game. So Peter says, "Hey, what are you guys doing?" Jesus and John were caught off guard so John says, "Oh... um.... I'm dunking Jesus in the river like that story we heard in school about Achilles. You know, make him immortal." So the guys kinda say, "Oh, ok, whatever." As they are walking away Peter says, "Those two are always playing grab ass somewhere while the rest of us men are spying on the ladies." Then Paul says, "That John guy is Batshit Crazy, and now he's playing some naked dunking game with Jesus. I mean.... not that there's anything wrong with that." So from then on they referred to John as "John the Batshit". Move ahead a few centuries, several different language translations of the story, and "Batshit" became "Baptist". So basically the Baptist religion is based on some Baptist, aka "Batshit", naked guys dunking each other in a river.

[@gabbystreet103]

No this makes sense

[@nicsmada]

🤔 PRETTY GOOD.

[@Kitiwake]

They were cousins. His mother Elizabeth would have told him.

[@39knights]

Today many families have 1 to 3 children. Perhaps those children might have 1 to 3 children. At that level it would seem incredible not to know your cousin. My Father comes from a family of 9, my mother also 9 siblings. Most of them had 6 to 9 kids each. Even with phones, pictures, facebook, etc. I currently have 1st cousins I would not recognize if I bumped into them on the street. Imagine in the time of Jesus how many cousins they might have had; even though Jesus and John came from one child homes :-)

[@josephjackson1956]

39knights I don't have many cousins and I hardly know them. 😅

[@Tommy-vo1qq]

I'm pretty sure John was Jesus .. I mean He was the first Baptizing.. He even baptized "Jesus" . Was He Baptized away from the Hebrew religion?

[@RoseSharon7777]

You need to read Isaiah 40:3 in hebrew. Also John IS Jesus! Jesus is simply the NEW NAME John received when when he put on the NEW MAN by the miracle NEQ BIRTH. Isaiah 62:2, Phillipians 2:9-10. The same NEW name all very elect sons receive Rev 3:12. When we are exalted to the Fathers right hand.

[@nhartigan72]

We don't actually know that John the Baptist didn't grow up with his family. What we know is that at some point in his life he went & lived in the wilderness. He would've been just barely older than Jesus, a man around 30 at the time that Jesus came to him. Much could've happened in those 30 years. Personally I don't believe that God made an old lady give birth & then instantly took away her son. I like to believe they raised him & perhaps in his mid teens to twenty he was a man & headed to the dessert.

[@cbooth151]

The person in the video says that John the Baptist knew who Jesus was by divine revelation? If that's true what did that divine revelation reveal to John? Did it tell John that Jesus was God? No, it didn't. Instead, it revealed that Jesus is the Son of God. As John the Baptist said about Jesus: "Now I have seen and testified that he is the Son of God." (John 1:34 [NAB]) This is not what Catholics believe about Jesus. To them, Jesus is God. As the Catholic Athanasian Creed says: "[Jesus] is God." Catholics can't get anything right.

[@defendusinbattle7777]

Of course Jesus is the Son of God. It’s his very nature that is shared with the father that makes him God. If you believe the Catholic Church is incorrect in their understanding of who Jesus is, perhaps you can give your understanding on the subject. If he is not in fact God, then who exactly is he?

[@cbooth151]

@@defendusinbattle7777 "If you believe the Catholic Church is incorrect in their understanding of who Jesus is, perhaps you can give your understanding on the subject." Maybe you didn't see what I posted, so I will highlight it so you can see it better. As I said: *"To [Catholics], Jesus is God."* Can you read it now?

[@edwardgilmore1563]

Did John the Baptist know Jesus? Of course he did ! John 1:29 The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said: Look the Lamb ( sacrifice ) of God ( Jehovah ) who takes away the sin of the world! John 1:32 The John gave this testimony: I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. Zechariah 4:6 by my Spirit, says the Lord Almighty. John 4:24 God ( Jehovah ) is Spirit... ( And he can rest that Spirit on any man he chooses ) 1Timothy 2:5-6 For there is one God ( Jehovah ) and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all men - the testimony given in its proper time! Isaiah 45:5 I am YHWH and there is no one else, and beside Me there is no God.... Matthew 22:31 have you not read what God said to you.... WORSHIP ONE GOD JEHOVAH

[@hulksmash5467]

You didn't hear a word what he said

[@PreacherT]

My ☝️is that your right abt a few thinga but wrong in a few ☝️s. Biggest thing, u said, in the greek, wildness means dessert... Do we really need the greek or the hebrew to get that? Kjv is the only True word of God. Luke 1:80 in Kjv makes it clear. Believe on Jesus for salvation tho. No repentance needed

[@lavander961]

May God forgive you.

[@anthonybui4622]

This is actually a brain dead comment oh my ..

[@Updateyourbiblenow]

You better watch out You better not cry Better not pout Im telling you why! *JOHN THE RAPIST IS GOING TO HELL!!!!!!!*

[@bobcarp1239]

So what really happened is that Peter, Paul and a few other guys were watching Mary Magdalene and her friends take their weekly baths in the river. After they left they saw Jesus and John up river and they were playing some kind of naked dunking game. So Peter says, "Hey, what are you guys doing?" Jesus and John were caught off guard so John says, "Oh... um.... I'm dunking Jesus in the river like that story we heard in school about Achilles. You know, make him immortal." So the guys kinda say, "Oh, ok, whatever." As they are walking away Peter says, "Those two are always playing grab ass somewhere while the rest of us men are spying on the ladies." Then Paul says, "That John guy is Batshit Crazy, and now he's playing some naked dunking game with Jesus. I mean.... not that there's anything wrong with that." So from then on they referred to John as "John the Batshit". Move ahead a few centuries, several different language translations of the story, and "Batshit" became "Baptist". So basically the Baptism is based on some Baptist, aka "Batshit", naked gay guys dunking each other in a river.