Was John the Baptist dead in Elizabeth's womb when Mary visited her?

Answer 1

The Bible doesn't say, specifically, but his body was taken by his disciples to be buried. this probably means he had no living relatives, as in Jewish custom it was the responsibility of the relatives to bury their own. Mark 6:25 And she came in straightway with haste unto the king, and asked, saying, I will that thou give me by and by in a charger the head of John the Baptist.... 27 And immediately the king sent an executioner, and commanded his head to be brought: and he went and beheaded him in the prison, .... 29 And when his disciples heard of it, they came and took up his corpse, and laid it in a tomb.

Answer 2

No. First of all, if he was dead, how did he baptize Jesus and set the way for Him? Also, when Mary went to visit her Holy cousin Elizabeth, the child in Elizabeth's womb leaped for joy when he heard the sound of Mary's voice.

Answer 3

A:

Information about Elizabeth is not found outside Luke's Gospel, which does not mention her old age or her death. The majority of New Testament scholars dismiss the story of Elizabeth giving birth to John the Baptist as unhistorical, with Uta Ranke-Heinemann (Putting Away Childish Things) saying that Elizabeth was a literary creation by the author of Luke's Gospel. So, on the scholarly view, when she died is unanswerable.

Answer 4

John the baptist was beheaded by the order of Herod as he promised Herodites.