Was John the Baptist a Levite?

Answer 1

John the Baptist was a layperson in that he was not a priest like his father but more important John was a prophet (Luke 7:26) who prepared the way for the coming of the Messiah (Luke 1:17).

Both of John's parents Zechariah and Elizabeth were from the priestly line of Aaron so John the Baptist was also a Levite.

Answer 2

A:

Elisabeth (or Elizabeth) appears in Luke's Gospel where she is a cousin of Mary. Since Mary is described as descended from King David, this makes it unlikely that Elisabeth was a Levite. Furthermore, Uta Ranke-Heinemann (Putting Away Childish Things) believes that Elisabeth and Zechariah were literary creations by the gospel author and, on this view, we can not assign ancestry to her.

Answer 3

Yes, John was a Levite - a priest. His father, Zechariah, was from the tribe of Levi and a priest in the temple. In Jewish tradition, Jewish Kings were typically anointed by a Levite when they started their reign. Jesus, the King of the Jews, was, in a sense, anointed by John the Baptist when he underwent a baptism by him just before he began his public ministry

Answer 4

Yes. Both John's parents were descendants from the priestly line of Aaron.