Thematic Bible


Thematic Bible



He shall go before him in the spirit and with the power of Elijah, 'to reconcile fathers to their children' and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, and so make ready for the Lord a people prepared for him." Verse ConceptsHeraldPower, HumanSpirit, Emotional Aspects OfProphecies Concerning ChristForerunnersDivine MessengerCausing People To TurnPeople Going BeforeAcquiring WisdomFathers And SonsPowerful Individualsparentingdisobedience

And--if you are ready to accept it--John is himself the Elijah who was destined to come. Verse ConceptsJohn The BaptistAcceptance, Of Jesus ChristWho Is John The Baptist?People WillingEthicsIdentity In ChristThe Second Coming

"Some say John the Baptist," they answered, "Others, however, say that he is Elijah, while others again say Jeremiah, or one of the Prophets." Verse ConceptsUnnamed Prophets Of The LordWho He Might Beothers

"How is it," his disciples asked, "that our Teachers of the Law say that Elijah has to come first?" "Elijah indeed does come," Jesus replied, "and will restore everything; And I tell you that Elijah has already come, and people have not recognized him, but have treated him just as they pleased. In the same way, too, the Son of Man is destined to undergo suffering at men's hands."

"Elijah does indeed come first," answered Jesus, "and re-establish everything; and does not Scripture speak, with regard to the Son of Man, of his undergoing much suffering and being utterly despised? But I tell you that Elijah has come, and people have treated him just as they pleased, as Scripture says of him."

"What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No." "Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?" "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said." read more.
These men had been sent from the Pharisees; And their next question was: "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor yet 'the Prophet'?"

When the Jews sent some Priests and Levites to John from Jerusalem, to ask--"Who are you?", his statement was this: He confessed and did not deny it, he confessed--"I am not the Christ." "What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?" "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said." These men had been sent from the Pharisees; And their next question was: "Why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor yet 'the Prophet'?" John's answer was--"I baptize with water, but among you stands one whom you do not know; He is coming after me, yet I am not worthy even to unfasten his sandal." All this took place at Bethany, across the Jordan, where John was then baptizing. The next day John saw Jesus coming towards him, and exclaimed: "Here is the Lamb of God, who is to take away the sin of the world! It was of him that I spoke when I said 'After me there is coming a man who is now before me, for he was ever First.' I myself did not know him, but, that he may be made known to Israel, I have come, baptizing with water." John also made this statement--"I have seen the Spirit descending as a dove out of the heavens, and it remained upon him. I myself did not know him, but he who sent me to baptize with water, he said to me 'He upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining upon him--he it is who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.' This I have seen myself, and I have declared my belief that he is the Son of God."



About that time John the Baptist first appeared, proclaiming in the Wilderness of Judea: "Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand." This is he who was spoken of in the Prophet Isaiah, where he says--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."'

While these men were going back, Jesus began to say to the crowds with reference to John: "What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man richly dressed? Why, those who wear rich things are to be found in the courts of kings! What, then, did you go for? To see a Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. read more.
This is the man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am myself sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' I tell you, no one born of a woman has yet appeared who is greater than John the Baptist; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than he.

The beginning of the Good News about Jesus Christ. It is said in the Prophet Isaiah--'Behold! I send my Messenger before thy face; He shall prepare thy way.' 'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight."'

And when Annas and Caiaphas were High Priests, a Command from God came to John, the son of Zechariah, while he was in the wilderness. And John went through the whole district of the Jordan, proclaiming baptism upon repentance, for the forgiveness of sins. This was in fulfillment of what is said in the writings of the Prophet Isaiah--'The voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness: "Make ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight. read more.
Every chasm shall be filled, Every mountain and hill shall be leveled, The winding ways shall be straightened, The rough roads made smooth, And all mankind shall see the Salvation of God."'

So his answer to the question was: "Go and report to John what you have witnessed and heard--the blind recover their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are made clean, and the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, the Good News is told to the poor. And blessed is the man who finds no hindrance in me." When John's messengers had left, Jesus, speaking to the crowds, began to say with reference to John: read more.
"What did you go out into the Wilderness to look at? A reed waving in the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in rich clothing? Why, those who are accustomed to fine clothes and luxury live in royal palaces. What then did you go to see? A Prophet? Yes, I tell you, and far more than a Prophet. This is the very man of whom Scripture says--'Behold, I am sending my Messenger before thy face, And he shall prepare thy way before thee.' There is, I tell you, no one born of a woman who is greater than John; and yet the lowliest in the Kingdom of God is greater than he."

When the Jews sent some Priests and Levites to John from Jerusalem, to ask--"Who are you?", his statement was this: He confessed and did not deny it, he confessed--"I am not the Christ." "What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?" "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said."

And he proclaimed--"There is coming after me one more powerful than I, and I am not fit even to stoop down and unfasten his sandals. Verse ConceptsShoesSelf AbasementUndoing FasteningsBowing Before Messiah

When the Jews sent some Priests and Levites to John from Jerusalem, to ask--"Who are you?", his statement was this: He confessed and did not deny it, he confessed--"I am not the Christ." "What then?" they asked. "Are you Elijah?" "No," he said, "I am not." "Are you 'the Prophet'?" He answered, "No." read more.
"Who then are you?" they continued; "tell us, that we may have some answer to give to those who have sent us. What do you say about yourself?" "I," he answered, "am--'The voice of one crying aloud in the Wilderness--"straighten the way of the Lord"', as the Prophet Isaiah said."