Did John the Baptist believe that Jesus was the prophesied Messiah?

Answer 1

Yes, he preached about him. He was also his cousin. John the Baptist is still not sure about Jesus (he's in prison and is soon to die). He sends his disciples to ask, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Well, if he isn't sure after seeing and hearing the events at Jesus' baptism, then how can anyone else be? Matthew 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another? I would say in my opinion that the Baptist knew Jesus was the anointed one or the son of God because John like Jesus was concieved from the spirit and not from a biological father and when John baptised Jesus God spoke to John saying "This is my beloved son,in whom Iam well pleased"

Answer 2

Yes. John was a prophet sent to prepare the way for the Messiah. He knew what he was doing and who he was doing it for. His reluctance to baptize Jesus when he knew that he was without sin was evidence of this. Jesus referred to him as a great prophet. == == John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus, "Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?" Matthew 11:2-3 John asked this question presumably to communicate to his discipes the authority of Jesus, because John already knew Jesus to be the Messiah.

Answer 3

John believed that Jesus is the Messiah. I believe due to the pressure of the moment he needed to make contact with Christ in hope that Jesus would come to rescue him from the dungeon.

This would also provide the opportunity to direct his disciples to follow Jesus.

Answer 4

And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

John 1:24-31

Answer 5

John the Baptist is undoubtedly considered a prophet, as Mark 1:1-8 tells us that John was baptising for the remission of sins and prophesying of one to come, greater than he.

In Mark 1:9, Jesus comes and is baptised, so we are left in no doubt that Jesus is the one of whom John prophesied. When John baptises Jesus, the voice of God from heaven says to Jesus, "Thou art my beloved son." The sense of prophecy continues when the Holy Spirit takes Jesus into the wilderness for forty days, ministered by angels just as Elijah was ministered by an angel and in the wilderness forty days (1 Kings 19:5-7). Those familiar with the story of Elijah are likely to have assumed he fasted for the forty days, which brings into play another allusion, to Moses when (Exodus 34:28) he fasted for 40 days while he wrote the words of the Ten Commandments on tablets. Thus the gospel message is not only that Jesus was the one of whom John spoke, but also that he is the son of God and that he will continue to mission of Elijah and Moses.

Mark uses an ancient literary technique, called a parallel structure, to emphasise the importance of these events. In this, an opening set of events is mirrored by a second, parallel set in order to emphasise and reinforce the message of each event. The event that matches and emphasises the baptism of Jesus is the Transfiguration (event B'). Once again, the voice of God from heaven reinforces this message from the baptism:

A . John explains the coming of Jesus (Mark 1:1-8)

B .The baptism of Jesus (1:9)

C . The voice of God from heaven, "Thou art my beloved son" (1:11)

D . The forty days in the wilderness as an allusion to Elijah and Moses (1:13)

E . The people were astonished at what Jesus taught (1:22)

F . Jesus casts out an unclean spirit (1:23-26)

G . Pharisees took counsel with the Herodians how they might destroy Jesus (3:6)

H . Demons, whenever they see Jesus, fall down and say that he is the Son of God.

-- Jesus commands that they tell no one of this (3:11-12)

I .. Jesus calls the 12 disciples (3:13-19)

J .. Jesus rejects his own family: he has a new family, his followers (3:31-35)

K . Jesus rebukes the wind (4:36-41)

L . The demoniac, wearing no clothes (5:15), cries out that Jesus not torment him and Jesus sends out the demons (5:1-20)

M . Jesus comes into his own country (6:1)
-- Where he was brought up

N . The people misunderstand Jesus and he can do no mighty work (6:2-6)

O . Jesus sends out the disciples and curses those who will not receive them (6:7-11)
-- in sending the disciples with authority and expecting all to receive them, Jesus is asserting his own authority

P . Herod thinks that Jesus is John the Baptist risen from the dead (6:14)

Q . Herodias and her daughter conspire to kill John the Baptist (6:16-29)

R . Feeding the thousands, and related miracles and discourses (6:33-8:21)

S . Who do people say that I am (8:27)

T . Peter affirms faith in Jesus as the Christ (8:29)

U . Whosoever shall be ashamed of me: of him also shall the Son of man be ashamed (8:38)

V . The Son of Man must suffer many things and be rejected by the elders, chief priests and scribes (8:31a)

W . Be killed and after three days rise again (8:31b)

X . Prophecy of second coming (9:1)- Jesus tells the disciples that some of them would not taste death until they saw the kingdom of God coming with power.

B' .The Transfiguration of Jesus (9:2-3)

C' .The voice of God from heaven, "This is my beloved son" (9:7)

D' . Jesus talks to Elijah and Moses then to the disciples about Elijah (9:4-13)

E' .A great multitude was amazed at Jesus (9:15)

F' .Jesus cast out a dumb spirit (9:17-27)

G' .They shall kill the Son of man and he shall rise on the third day (9:31)

H' .Jesus clarifies his divine status, saying that he is not God: "Why call me good? There is none good but God" (10:18)

I' . Peter says the disciples have left all and followed Jesus (10:28)

J' . Those who have left their family for Jesus have a new family: all Jesus' followers (10:29-30)

K'. Jesus rebukes the 'sons of thunder', James and John (10:35-45 - cf 3:17)

L' .Blind Bartimaeus cries out for mercy and casts off his clothes, then Jesus heals him (10:46-52)

M' .Jesus comes into Jerusalem (11:1-10)
-- Where he will die

N' .Jesus misunderstands the fig tree that can provide no fruit (11:13-14)

O' .Jesus casts out them that sold and bought in the Temple and curses them for making the Temple a den of thieves (11:15-17)
-- Jesus is asserting his authority

P' .Jesus asks whether the baptism of John is from heaven or of men, and the priests, scribes and elders can not answer (11:30-33)

Q' .Parable of husbandmen who conspire to kill the vineyard owner's son (12:1-9)

X' .Prophecy of second coming (chapter 13)

-- on clouds of glory, within the lifetimes of some of those to whom he was speaking

R' .The Last Supper (14:17-25)

S' .Art thou the Christ, Son of God (14:61)

T' .Peter denies Jesus three times (14:66-72a)

U' .And when he thought thereon, Peter wept (14:72b)

V' .The chief priests, elders and scribes delivered Jesus to Pontius Pilate (15:1)

-- Delivering Jesus is a similar concept to rejecting him.
-- Both parts of the pair involve chief priests, elders and scribes

W' .Jesus dies and on the third day rises again (15:37, 16:6)

A' .The young man explains the departure of Jesus(16:6-8)

Just as the message of John is about the coming of Jesus, so the young man in the tomb tells the women of the departure of Jesus, at the end of the gospel (event A'). Mark's Gospel originally ended at this verse (16:8) and the 'Long Ending' (verses 16:9-20) was added much later.

Answer 6

John the Baptizer is once addressed as Rabbi. (John 3:26)

Answer 7

John wanted to know if Jesus was the Messiah or should he wait for another.

Answer 8

As the Jews were waiting for the Messiah to arrive for years, so John was not sure if Jesus to was not the Messiah

Answer 9

Most certainly. John 1:29-35, Matthew 3:13-16, Mark 1:9, and Luke 3:21 all prove that John the Baptist, Jesus's cousin, at least met and recognized Jesus when he was on earth.

Answer 10

Yes, John knew who Jesus was.