John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer | Dr. James McGrath

Hello everyone, in this livestream I am interviewing Professor James McGrath and we're discussing James's new book titled "John of History, Baptist of Faith: The Quest for the Historical Baptizer" which comes out two days from now on October 3rd.

Amazon description: Studies of the historical Jesus typically reduce John the Baptist to a subordinate role in the story of Christian origins. This meticulous historical study focuses on John himself, revealing his extensive and enduring influence.

In the popular imagination, John the Baptist plays the supporting role of Jesus’s unkempt forerunner. But meticulous historical study reveals his wide-reaching and enduring influence on the history of religion.

The first study of its kind, John of History, Baptist of Faith sheds light on the historical John the Baptist and his world. James F. McGrath applies historical-critical methodology not only to the New Testament but also to the Mandaean Book of John, a holy text of the last extant gnostic sect. McGrath uses the teachings of John’s pupil, Jesus, as a window into his mentor’s beliefs. Along the way, he brings new clarity to questions of contention among scholars, such as John’s use of immersion as a substitute for temple sacrifice.

Bold in its claims yet careful in its method, John of History, Baptist of Faith lends fresh insight into John, Jesus, and their world. McGrath’s pioneering monograph will challenge and intrigue students and scholars of the New Testament and Second Temple Judaism.

[riley]

This was a great discussion. I share Dr. McGrath's thoughts that I wish people stopped putting so much focus and research on Jesus and the Canonical books, especially the four Canonical Gospels, and put more focus on Mary Magdalene, John rhe Baptist, James, and Peter. They deserve their respect too. ❤

[JamesBeanSantMatMystic]

The Instructions of Yuhana (Sayings of John the Baptist) in the Ginza Rabba remind me of the Gospel of Thomas and some of those collections of wisdom sayings from the Dead Sea Scrolls.

[smillstill]

Great interview Jacob and James! John had quite an influence on religion from his time preaching. Christians, Gnostics and some Jewish groups. Even if it wasn't the record-breaker that Jesus had.

[crimson]

Yeah, I think I'm gonna need to pre-order this book! Absolutely fascinating, helping make sense of the origins of so many traditions and their interrelatedness.

[seoigh]

fwiw, this particular overlap is super interesting to me -- book pre-ordered

[smillstill]

One can almost get a sense of a succession of messiahs in the tradition, with Jesus taking over for John as the suffering servant and then, in the Gospels, Jesus saying disciples would do greater things than him, would suffer like him, may be immortal (deified?) and would sit next to him on the throne in the new kingdom. Also, things like Heaven and earth came into being for James the Just.

[davidaaronhill]

Damn Jacob, those were great questions!

[GilesMcRiker]

There's no evidence that the Jewish cult at elephantine reflects an earlier form of Israelites worship in ancient Israel.
The most we can say is that it reflects the warship of that cult at that time

[willempasterkamp]

Sneezy Quartus (no trolling or dwarfing he is an elve ; an alphe-idian)
from the House of Alpheus

[brianpetruska]

I wish Dr McGrath had addressed how he dates John the Baptist. Jacob interviewed Dr Chilton, who dated John's death to 21. A straightforward reading of Josephus suggests that John out lived Jesus, dying in 36. How you answer this question changes how you think Jesus relates to John, and, indeed, whether any relationship existed. gMarcion suggests little relationship at all. It seems like a threshold issue that should be addressed.

[integrationalpolytheism]

1:20 I bet it's Dr Robert M Price! Not being funny, but that would actually be funny.

Somebody should run the numbers.

[jdaze]

The truth is found in Isaiah 40:3 (in hebrew), Phillipians 2:9-10 (read carefully), obadiah 1:21, Revelation 3:12.

[bike_writer]

If J.B. played such an important role in Jesus' mission, why is he not mentioned by Paul? Answer: because Mark made it all up, using the Baptist as an anchor in time and place, using the purifying baptism of Jesus (a crowning) as the moment the Holy Spirit could safely land on a filthy human body. And Mark got this straight from Josephus, who clearly states JB did *not* wash away sins, but only cleansed the bodies of those already spiritually pure! (That's why Jesus is a "Nazarene"). So in reality, we know JB was never a 'proto christian'. Mark just used him in various ways, also for the 2nd messiah prophecy, and the execution of the Baptist making Jesus go on the run... Mark smart. Christians not.