A cousin of Jesus and His prophesied forerunner (Isa 40:3), John the Baptist led a short but intensely significant life. John was set apart as a Nazarite (nazir, נזיר) from birth and lived in the desert where he became “strong in spirit” (Luke 1:80; Num 6:1-21). His ministry was characterized by preaching in the wilderness a baptism “of repentance for the remission of sins” (Mark 1:4). Even though he performed no miracles (John 4:41) as a prophet, Jesus said that John was the greatest of prophets. He baptized Jesus “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:15). Soon afterward, John understood that he “must decrease” in influence so that the Messiah could “increase” (John 3:30). Not afraid to confront authorities, he called the Pharisees a “generation of vipers” (Matt 3:7) and judged Herod Antipas for marrying his brother’s wife, Herodias (Matt 14:4). For this last act John was thrown in prison at Machaerus on the eastern shore of the Dead Sea (Unger, Dictionary, 600). While there John apparently became discouraged and sent his disciples to ask if Jesus was the Messiah. Jesus confirmed this through eyewitness testimony of several miracles and his proclamation of the good news to the poor (Matt 11:2-6). Soon afterwards John the Baptist was beheaded for having offended Herodias about her marital state, even spoken about by the Jewish historian Josephus (Matt 3:1-13; Luke 1:7-39). –JK
1Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2When he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was hungry afterward. 3The tempter came and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.”
4But he answered, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of God’s mouth.’”
5Then the devil took him into the holy city. He set him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down, for it is written,
‘He will command his angels concerning you,’ and,
‘On their hands they will bear you up,
so that you don’t dash your foot against a stone.’”
7Jesus said to him, “Again, it is written, ‘You shall not test the Lord, your God.’”
8Again, the devil took him to an exceedingly high mountain, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9He said to him, “I will give you all of these things, if you will fall down and worship me.”
10Then Jesus said to him, “Get behind me,Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and you shall serve him only.’”
11Then the devil left him, and behold, angels came and served him.
12Now when Jesus heard that John was delivered up, he withdrew into Galilee. 13Leaving Nazareth, he came and lived in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the region of Zebulun and Naphtali, 14that it might be fulfilled which was spoken through Isaiah the prophet, saying,
15“The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali,
toward the sea, beyond the Jordan,
Galilee of the Gentiles,
16the people who sat in darkness saw a great light;
to those who sat in the region and shadow of death,
to them light has dawned.”
17From that time, Jesus began to preach, and to say, “Repent! For the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.”
18Walking by the sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers: Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew, his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. 19He said to them, “Come after me, and I will make you fishers for men.”
20They immediately left their nets and followed him. 21Going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them. 22They immediately left the boat and their father, and followed him.
23Jesus went about in all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Good News of the Kingdom, and healing every disease and every sickness among the people. 24The report about him went out into all Syria. They brought to him all who were sick, afflicted with various diseases and torments, possessed with demons, epileptics, and paralytics; and he healed them. 25Great multitudes from Galilee, Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and from beyond the Jordan followed him.