Is John the Baptist a Nazarene?

Answer 1

It would appear so based on this scripture. Luke 1:15

"For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his mother's womb.

The Old Testament states characteristics of a Nazarite which are noted in Numbers 6. Verse 2 says:

"He shall separate himself from wine and strong drink, and shall drink no vinegar of wine, or vinegar of strong drink, neither shall he drink any liquor of grapes, nor eat moist grapes, or dried."

Answer 2

It is unlikely that John the Baptist was a Zealot, but some say he may have been an Essene, a member of the sect commonly associated with the Dead Sea Scrolls.

The Mandaeans, a small sect of which only about 20,000 followers remain in southern Iraq and in a worldwide diaspora, believe that John the Baptist founded their religion.They say that John never really supported Jesus.

Answer 3

No, he was the farthest person from them (except Christ) at that time.

Matthew 3:1-7New International Version (NIV) Matthew 3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near." 3This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

"A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

'Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.'"[a]

4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

Answer 4

Yes he was from Nazareth as Mary told Elizabeth after the visit by the angel Gabriel.

Answer 5

Yes (Matthew 2:23).