John the Baptist

1 Nephi 10:7 - 10, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 3


And he spake also concerning a prophet who should come before the Messiah to prepare the way of the Lord. Yea, even he should go forth and cry in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord and make his paths straight! For there standeth one among you whom ye know not; and he is mightier than I, whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose. And much spake my father concerning this thing. And my father said he should baptize in Bethabara beyond Jordan; and he also said he should baptize with water, even that he should baptize the Messiah with water. And after he had baptized the Messiah with water, he should behold and bear record that he had baptized the Lamb of God, who should take away the sins of the world.

In the books of Nephi John the Baptist figures quite prominently.

He is mentioned here by Nephi and again during Nephi's vision.

And the angel said unto me again, Look and behold the condescension of God. And I looked and beheld the Redeemer of the world, of whom my father had spoken; and I also beheld the prophet who should prepare the way before him. And the Lamb of God went forth and was baptized of him; and after he was baptized, I beheld the Heavens open, and the holy ghost came down out of Heaven and abode upon him in the form of a dove. (1 Nephi, NC 1 Nephi 3 par. 11)

He is also mentioned a third time by Nephi as he speaks concerning the Doctrine of Christ.

Wherefore, I would that ye should remember that I have spoken unto you concerning that prophet which the Lord shewed unto me that should baptize the Lamb of God, which should take away the sin of the world. (2 Nephi 32, NC 2 Nephi 13 par. 1)

These references to John the Baptist all deal with two items 1) Preparing the way of the Lord and 2) The event of the baptism of the Lord by John the Baptist.

Considering Nephi's multiple prophetic mentions of John the Baptist, would it be important for us to understand John the Baptist's role in these two events.

What do we need to see and understand about what was done by John the Baptist?

Can we look at things starting from the announcement of his birth?

 There was, in the days of Herod the king of Judea, a certain priest named Zacharias, of the course of Abijah, and his wife — being of the daughters of Aaron, and her name Elizabeth — were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless; and they had no child. Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well-stricken in years.  And while he executed the priest’s office before God in the order of his priesthood, according to the law — his lot was to burn incense when he went into the temple of the Lord — the whole multitude of the people were praying outside at the time of incense. And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense. And when Zacharias saw the angel, he was troubled and fear fell upon him; but the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard, and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name John. You shall have joy and gladness, and many shall rejoice at his birth, for he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the holy ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord. (Luke1:5 - 17, NC Luke 1 pars. 2 - 3) 

Why is it important to specify in the scriptural record that both Zacharias and Elizabeth were well-stricken in years, with no children because Elizabeth was barren?

This situation appears to mirror Abraham and Sarah, doesn't it?

John was a child of promise just like Isaac, wasn't he?

In lecture #5 of the ten talks given on "Priesthood," Denver Snuffer shared the following.

You should take note that there are on a number of occasions, women who conceive and bear children, whose births are miraculous. In the case of Mary, the child was conceived in a miraculous way. So also was Samson. So also was John who baptized Christ. Whether it's infertility and barrenness, whether it's being past the age of menopause, or whether it's not having had intercourse, there are these children who come into the world as a consequence of something other than the normal manner of conception. Yet everything else unfolds biologically the same as a normal birth. Any of these children born through these miraculous means obviously inherit mortality, through the blood from their mother. (40 Years in Mormonism Series, Orem Transcript, Lecture 5, Priesthood, pg. 39)

By showing in the scriptural record that Elizabeth and Zacharias were well advanced in age and without other children it brings our attention to the fact that the Heavens are at work in preparing this birth.

Denver continues with the thought.

Parse that in your own mind, and then take a look at what the Lord says in Abraham chapter 3 about the “souls” in the preexistence who were good. (See Abr. 3: 23.) You should recognize that the definition of the soul given in the Doctrine and Covenants is both the spirit in the body. (D&C 88: 15.) Joseph Smith knew this definition which had been given by revelation in 1832, but when he translated the Book of Abraham he described that among the pre-earth gathering in the council there were “souls” who were good. These good “souls” having both a spirit and a body, were chosen before they were born to come and minister here. They were called “noble and great” before coming to earth. As I explain in my paper on the First Three Words, they do not come here to be “proven” but instead come to “prove” others. I will not repeat that here. However I will merely state that when it comes to the topic of priesthood, there is more going on than you realize from a cursory reading of scriptures. (40 Years in Mormonism Series, Orem Transcript, Lecture 5, Priesthood, pg. 39- 40)

Was John one of the Elohim that we discussed back in the post "Nephi's Reign and Ministry Begins part 1"?

What does it mean that he would be filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mother's womb?

Was the following part of the evidence that John was filled with the Holy Ghost even from his mothers womb?

And in those days, Mary went into the hill country with haste, into a city of Judah, and entered into the house of Zacharias, and saluted Elizabeth. And it came to pass that when Elizabeth heard the salutation of Mary, the babe leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the holy ghost, and she spoke out with a loud voice and said, Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb! And why is it that this blessing is upon me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For behold, as soon as the voice of your salutation sounded in my ears, the babe leaped in my womb for joy. And blessed are you who believed, for those things which were told you of the angel of the Lord shall be fulfilled. (Luke 1:39 - 45, NC Luke 1 par. 7)

Even at the sound of Mary's voice, John leaped in his mother's womb.  He recognized the voice of the Mother of the Son of God even before birth.

The scriptures record the following at the birth of John.

And its father Zacharias was filled with the holy ghost and prophesied, saying, Blessed be the Lord God of Israel, for he has visited and redeemed his people, and has raised up a horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David, as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets ever since the world began, that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all those who hate us, to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant, the oath which he swore to our father Abraham, that he would grant unto us that we, being delivered out of the hand of our enemies, might serve him without fear, in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our lives. And your child shall be called the prophet of the Highest, for you shall go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways, to give knowledge of salvation unto his people by baptism for the remission of their sins, through the tender mercy of our God whereby the daybreak from on high has visited us, to give light to them who sit in darkness and the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.(Luke 1:67 - 79, NC Luke 1 par. 10)

Is it important that both the angel who appeared to Zacharias and Zacharias himself both bore witness of the mission that John would accomplish?

What does it mean concerning what the angel spake when he declared,"And he shall go before the Lord in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,"?

Is the turning of hearts of fathers to children and children to fathers a work that entails turning people to the Lord to make them a people ready for the Lord?

It is obvious that John's work was not family history and temple work for the dead so turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and children to the fathers(the spirit and power of Elijah) must not be family history and temple work for the dead.

Was John sent to prepare a people to receive the original religion their ancient father's possessed? (ie. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, etc.)

Would that mean that a work that possesses the spirit and power of Elijah is a work of repenting and remembering and turning back to the ancient original order?

Was John sent to be a restorer or to begin a restoration in his day?

The scriptures say this about what John accomplished.

There was a man sent from God and his name was John. This man was sent as a witness so that he might testify and identify the Light to give everyone a reason to believe through the Messiah. He, John, was not the Light, but he was sent by Heaven as a witness to testify of the Light, and to end the dispensation of Moses, and baptize to begin a new dispensation. The Light enlightens every man who is progressing upward in the cosmos.(The Testimony of St. John 1 par. 2)

If John was sent to end the old dispensation, the dispensation of Moses, and to begin a new one does that make John a restorer and a dispensation head?

How did John accomplish this restoration?

Where did John receive power to end the previous dispensation and begin a new one?

The scriptures reveal that John received power to do this as a baby.

And the lesser priesthood continued, which priesthood holds the key of the ministering of angels, and the preparatory gospel, which gospel is the gospel of repentance, and of baptism, and the remission of sins, and the law of carnal commandments, which the Lord in his wrath caused to continue with the house of Aaron, among the children of Israel, until John, whom God raised up, being filled with the holy ghost from his mother’s womb. For he was baptized while he was yet in his childhood, and was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord, in whose hand is given all power.(D&C 84:26 - 28, T&C 82 par. 14)

Under the Law of Moses the males in Israel were circumcised when they were eight days old.

We can see this from the account of the Lord's birth.

And when eight days were accomplished for the circumcising of the child, his name was called Jesus, which was so named of the angel before he was conceived. (Luke 2:21 - 24, NC Luke 2 par. 4)

I presume that during this time of circumcision by the word of God John was ordained to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews.

The Prophet Joseph also taught this concerning John's authority.

As touching the Gospel and baptism that John preached, I would say that John came preaching
the Gospel for the remission of sins; he had his authority from God, and the oracles of God were
with him, and the kingdom of God for a season seemed to rest with John alone. The Lord promised
Zacharias that he should have a son who was a descendant of Aaron, the Lord having promised that
the priesthood should continue with Aaron and his seed throughout their generations. Let no man
take this honor upon himself, except he be called of God, as was Aaron; and Aaron received his
call by revelation. An angel of God also appeared unto Zacharias while in the Temple, and told
him that he should have a son, whose name should be John, and he should be filled with the Holy
Ghost. Zacharias was a priest of God, and officiating in the Temple, and John was a priest after his
father, and held the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood, and was called of God to preach the Gospel of
the kingdom of God. The Jews, as a nation, having departed from the law of God and the Gospel
of the Lord, prepared the way for transferring it to the Gentiles. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith pgs. 272 - 273)

Also, from the glossary of terms in the T&C we have the following.

The verb wrest also means to forcibly take something from another’s grasp. Joseph Smith described how John the Baptist “wrested the keys, the kingdoms, the power, the glory from the Jews, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven.” “When Christ came the first time, God took down [or wrested from the Jews] a previously established hierarchy using an orderly process, informing us about His house of order. He ordained John to bring it to an end, which put him on a collision course with the hierarchy. John the Baptist was ordained by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old unto this power: to overthrow the kingdom of the Jews, and to make straight the way of the Lord before the face of his people, to prepare them for the coming of the Lord (T&C 82:14). For His return, we should expect something similar to His first coming. That is, an orderly take down of a competing hierarchy using someone ordained to accomplish that end that is put by God on a collision course with the targeted power structure.” (T&C Glossary of terms, "Wrest")

I have so many questions concerning John.

Joseph declared that John had his authority from God and the oracles of God were with him.

As I understand it the oracles of God are His revelations for His kingdom and to have authority from God means that God has personally given you a message and "sent" you to preach.

Wouldn't that mean that John possessed Melchezidek priesthood as we have defined it as an association with the Father?

John is associated with the Aaronic priesthood because he was a descendant of Aaron holding the keys of the Aaronic Priesthood after that order and also was a priest of God, having received that from his father Zacharias, who officiated in the temple.

Did John, in order to end the previous dispensation, need to possess the authority, Aaronic Priesthood, from that dispensation through his father Zacharias as well as possessing Melchizedek priesthood authority directly from the Father in order to begin a new dispensation?

By this I mean did John have to possess authority passed down through the Jewish institution as well as authority received independent of the Jewish institution in order to end the Jewish institution and begin a new dispensation?

The following is more light from the Prophet Joseph concerning John the baptist that might shed some light even though it deals with a different question.

The question arose from the saying of Jesus—“Among those that are born of women there is

not a greater prophet than John the Baptist; but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than

he.” How is it that John was considered one of the greatest prophets? His miracles could not have

constituted his greatness.

First. He was entrusted with a divine mission of preparing the way before the face of the Lord.

Whoever had such a trust committed to him before or since? No man.

Secondly. He was entrusted with the important mission, and it was required at his hands, to

baptize the Son of Man. Whoever had the honor of doing that? Whoever had so great a privilege and

glory? Whoever led the Son of God into the waters of baptism, and had the privilege of beholding

the Holy Ghost descend in the form of a dove, or rather in the sign of the dove, in witness of that administration? The sign of the dove was instituted before the

creation of the world, a witness for the Holy Ghost, and the devil cannot come in the sign of a dove.

The Holy Ghost is a personage, and is in the form of a personage. It does not confine itself to the

form of the dove, but in sign of the dove. The Holy Ghost cannot be transformed into a dove; but

the sign of a dove was given to John to signify the truth of the deed, as the dove is an emblem or

token of truth and innocence.

Thirdly. John, at that time, was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom there

was then on the earth, and holding the keys of power. The Jews had to obey his instructions or be

damned, by their own law; and Christ Himself fulfilled all righteousness in becoming obedient to

the law which he had given to Moses on the mount, and thereby magnified it and made it honorable,

instead of destroying it. The son of Zacharias wrested the keys, the kingdom, the power, the glory

from the Jews, by the holy anointing and decree of heaven, and these three reasons constitute him

the greatest prophet born of a woman. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 276)

Was it necessary, in order for the Jews to be subject to the words of John, for John to possess the Aaronic authority present at that time from the dispensation of Moses?

Since the Aaronic priesthood possess the keys of the gospel of repentance and of the ministry of angels and of baptism by immersion for the remission of sins, is that the authority that John used to minister as he was beginning a new dispensation?

Was one of the reasons the Lord came to John to be baptized because He, Christ, was submitting to the new work the Father was beginning through John the Baptist?

The Prophet Joseph did say, "the kingdom of God for a season seemed to rest with John alone.", remember?

Was Christ, by submitting to baptism, also demonstrating the pattern all must follow to submit to any new work the Father undertakes when He begins a new dispensation?

Joseph continues.

But, says one, the kingdom of God could not be set up in the days of John, for John said the
kingdom was at hand. But I would ask if it could be any nearer to them than to be in the hands of
John. The people need not wait for the days of Pentecost to find the kingdom of God, for John had
it with him, and he came forth from the wilderness crying out, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of
heaven is nigh at hand,” as much as to say, “Out here I have got the kingdom of God, and you can
get it, and I am coming after you; and if you don’t receive it, you will be damned;” and the
scriptures represent that all Jerusalem went out into John’s baptism. There was a legal
administrator, and those that were baptized were subjects for a king; and also the laws and oracles
of God were there; therefore the kingdom of God was there; for no man could have better authority
to administer than John; and our Savior submitted to that authority Himself, by being baptized by
John; therefore the kingdom of God was set up on the earth, even in the days of John. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 273)

This is what we can expect at any time on the earth.

Whenever men can find out the will of God and find an administrator legally authorized from
God, there is the kingdom of God; but where these are not, the kingdom of God is not. All the
ordinances, systems, and administrations on the earth are of no use to the children of men, unless
they are ordained and authorized of God; for nothing will save a man but a legal administrator; for
none others will be acknowledged either by God or angels. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 274)

Even though we have no scriptural record of John the Baptist performing miracles he still possessed the authority from heaven and the oracles or revelations from God.

The possession of his heavenly authority and the revelations from God constituted John's possession of the kingdom of God.

There is a difference between the kingdom of God and the fruits and blessings that flow from
the kingdom; because there were more miracles, gifts, visions, healings, tongues, &c., in the days
of Jesus Christ and His apostles, and on the day of Pentecost, than under John’s administration, it
does not prove by any means that John had not the kingdom of God, any more than it would that a
woman had not a milkpan because she had not a pan of milk, for while the pan might be compared
to the kingdom, the milk might be compared to the blessings of the kingdom.
John was a priest after the order of Aaron, and had the keys of that priesthood, and came
forth preaching repentance and baptism for the remission of sins, but at the same time cries out,
“There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop
down and unloose,” and Christ came according to the words of John, and He was greater than John, because He held the keys of the Melchizedek Priesthood and kingdom of God, and had before revealed the priesthood of Moses, yet Christ was baptized by John to fulfill all righteousness; and Jesus in His teachings says, “Upon this rock I will build my Church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” What rock? Revelation.
Again he says, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the
kingdom of God;” and, “heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.” If
a man is born of water and of the Spirit, he can get into the kingdom of God. It is evident the
kingdom of God was on the earth, and John prepared subjects for the kingdom, by preaching the
Gospel to them and baptizing them, and he prepared the way before the Savior, or came as a
forerunner, and prepared subjects for the preaching of Christ; and Christ preached through
Jerusalem on the same ground where John had preached; and when the apostles were raised up,
they worked in Jerusalem, and Jesus commanded them to tarry there until they were endowed
with power from on high. Had they not work to do in Jerusalem? They did work, and prepared a
people for the Pentecost. The kingdom of God was with them before the day of Pentecost, as well
as afterwards; and it was also with John, and he preached the same Gospel and baptism that Jesus
and the apostles preached after him. The endowment was to prepare the disciples for their missions
unto the world. (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, pg. 274)

Is John's role as the one to end the dispensation begun through Moses and to begin a new dispensation and prepare the way before the Lord why He was present with Moses and Christ on the Mount of Transfiguration?

And after six days, Jesus took Peter, Jacob, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them. And his face did shine as the sun and his raiment was white as the light. And behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here. If you are willing, let us make here three tabernacles: one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spoke, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them. And behold, a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my Beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear him. And when the disciples heard the voice, they fell on their faces and were sorely afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man save Jesus only.  And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man until the Son of Man is risen again from the dead. And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elias must first come? And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come and restore all things, as the prophets have written. And again I say unto you that Elias has come already — concerning whom it is written: Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me — and they knew him not, and have done unto him whatever they desired. Likewise shall also the Son of Man suffer of them. But I say unto you, who is Elias? Behold, this is Elias: whom I send to prepare the way before me. Then the disciples understood that he spoke unto them of John the Baptist, and also of another who should come and restore all things, as it is written by the prophets. (Matthew 17:1 - 13, NC The Testimony of St. Matthew 9 pars. 4 - 5)

I have so many questions concerning this but I believe that Nephi understood perfectly everything that was going on here and that is why he wrote about it three times.

Concerning the baptism of the Lord, we can see from the above statements from the Prophet Joseph that the mission to baptize the Son of God was critical and there was a sign, known to John, that was given at the time of the Lord's baptism that allowed John to witness that Christ was the redeemer.

John bore witness of him, and proclaimed, This is He of whom I testified; He who would be born after me has advanced in progression above me. He has advanced in progression far beyond everyone else in this sphere. For in the Council of Heaven was the Spokesman, even God’s Heir, who is born into the flesh and sent to us to fulfill the will of the Father. And as many as obtain authority in His name shall gain the right to ascend to Heaven. We who have witnessed His fullness comprehend what Eternal life means through Him revealing the pathway of ascension to the Throne of God. For the law was given through Moses, but life and truth come through Jesus the Messiah. The law gave carnal instructions, but led only to condemnation and death. The gospel is to empower endless life, through Jesus the Messiah, the Only Begotten Son, who is a manifestation of the love of the Father. No man has seen the Father without hearing Him testify of the Son, for only through Him is any soul saved...
The next day John beheld Jesus coming to him, and said to those who were with him, Behold the Sacrificial Lamb of God, who will redeem from the fall of the creation! And John testified of him to the others, saying, This is him I described before, saying, After me will come a man who has progressed far beyond me, for he existed before me in Heaven. I recognize him, and testify to Israel that he is that Prophet foretold by Moses to whom all must give heed. Therefore I am here baptizing with water to prepare people for him.  And John recounted, When I baptized him, I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven in a sign of a dove, and it abode upon him. I recognized him as God’s Son because God, who sent me, and commanded me to baptize to prepare people to hear him, told me, On the man you see the Spirit descend in a sign of a dove and remain with him, he will be the one sent to bestow the Holy Ghost. I saw this happen, and testify that he is the Son of God. (The Testimony of St. John 1 pars. 4, 9 - 10)

Was Nephi hoping, by his repeated references to John the Baptist, to pique our curiosity to look into this matter so that we might gain understanding of what happened here?

I am sure that what I am sharing here probably doesn't even scratch the surface of what could be shared and discussed from the scriptures.