Who died first John the Baptist or Jesus?

Answer 1

The gospels very definitely say that John the Baptist died before Jesus. He was imprisoned by Herod Antipas for criticising his marriage to his own brother's former wife and apparently held in Galilee, where Herod's wife tricked Herod into having John beheaded, against Herod's better judgement.

On the other hand, the first-century Jewish historian, Josephus clearly tells us that John the Baptist died well after the year usually attributed to the crucifixion of Jesus. Based on his Antiquities of the Jews, we know that the wedding took place in 34 CE and it can be assumed that John was not imprisoned until at least 35 CE. He was imprisoned and executed on Herod's orders in the castle of Macherus, far away from Galilee. The date of John's death is confirmed by the battle fought between Herod's trops and thos of King Aretas. King Aretas attacked and defeated Antipas in 36 CE in revenge for the slight to his daughter, whom Herod Antipas had divorced. The Jews saw the defeat as God's punishment for his execution of John the Baptist, which must have taken place shortly before this battle.

Another answer

John. All the Gospels which record the execution of John clearly have it occurring first.

Answer 2

John the Baptist died first.

Matthew 14:10-13 And he sent, and beheaded John in the prison.

And his head was brought in a charger, and given to the damsel: and she brought it to her mother.

And his disciples came, and took up the body, and buried it, and went and told Jesus.

When Jesus heard of it, he departed thence by ship into a desert place apart: and when the people had heard thereof, they followed him on foot out of the cities.

Answer 3

There appear to be several similarities between the deaths of John the Baptist and Jesus. Both are recorded as being executed because the authorities feared the effect they could have on the people. Of course, there are also many differences.

The gospels and the Jewish historian, Josephus, agree that Herod Antipas, ruler of Galilee, had John the Baptist arrested because he publicly criticised Herod's marriage to his own brother's former wife, Herodias. The gospel account is that John was executed in Galilee shortly after the beginning of the mission of Jesus, around 29-30 CE, when Herodias and her daughter conspired to have him beheaded. Josephus tells us that the wedding took place in 34 CE, meaning that John's execution took place in 35 or 36 CE, in faraway Macherus. We do not know whether John died by beheading or by other means. The relevant text from Book 18 of Antiquities of the Jews:
"Now many people came in crowds to him, for they were greatly moved by his words. Herod, who feared that the great influence John had over the masses might put them into his power and enable him to raise a rebellion (for they seemed ready to do anything he should advise), thought it best to put him to death. In this way, he might prevent any mischief John might cause, and not bring himself into difficulties by sparing a man who might make him repent of it when it would be too late. Accordingly John was sent as a prisoner, out of Herod's suspicious temper, to Macherus, the castle I already mentioned, and was put to death."

The religious authorities were the ones who sought to have Jesus executed, but they took him to the Roman governor of Judea to be tried and executed by crucifixion. They sought to destroy Jesus and eliminate his influence, but although they killed him they did not destroy him. When we look at the framework parallel structure of Mark's Gospel, in the following table, we can see some of the differences in their deaths and the events leading up to their deaths: 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)

Of particular interest in the above structure:

• Event G says that the Pharisees took counsel to destroy Jesus. In event G', Jesus tells us they will kill him but not destroy him, because he will rise again. This is confirmed in event W, when Jesus prophesies his death and resurrection. In event W', Jesus dies on the cross and rises on the third day.
• Event Q (a retrospective) tells how Herodias and her daughter conspired to kill John the Baptist. This is the gospel version, rather than Josephus' version. Event P tells how Herod fears that John has risen from the dead.

Answer 4

St. John was Beheaded, while Our Lord was Crucified.