John the Baptist

John the Baptist (died c.30 CE) was the seal of the Jewish prophets and the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was the son of Zechariah, a Jewish rabbi, and Elizabeth, the relative of Mary, mother of God. The Synoptic Gospels (Mark, Matthew and Luke) describe John baptising Jesus; in the Gospel of John this event is mentioned in John 1:32. He is also prophesied in the Book of Malachi.

He may have been trained by the Qumran-based mystic Jewish sect known as the Essenes and he lived an ascetic life, described in the Gospel of Matthew as wearing "raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his (food) was locusts and wild honey". He was critical of Pharisees and Sadducees and he was known for preaching "the kingdom of heaven is at hand" and of a "coming judgment".

Eventually he was arrested for criticising Herod's marital practices and locked away. When Herod's step-daughter danced at his birthday party, she was promised anything that she wanted. His step-daughter, after being commanded by her mother, asked for John's head on a silver platter, causing Herod to command John's execution.

He is not the same John as John the Apostle or John the Divine.