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This topic is collecting teachable Bible Background Info on John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus for Sunday School.

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If you have a lesson idea, please post it in the appropriate topic in the John the Baptist, Baptism of Jesus lesson forum.


John the Baptist's hairy coat was not "scratchy"

If you're like me, you grew up with the misconception that John the Baptist was a "wild and itchy" guy dressed up in hairy camel skins like some sort of Bible caveman.

Artist without much biblical knowledge (or care) have often portrayed him as such, and it fed into a certain "wild and penitential" view of prophets as a group of aesthetic monks "doing without" things like decent clothing and "subsisting" on locusts and honey while their scratchy hair tormented them all day as an act of penance.

But that image is not only probably wrong, it misses the scriptural connection between John the Baptist and Elijah, and the purpose of the prophet's cloak.

Thing is... Camel's hair is not necessarily SCRATCHY and in fact, can be quite soft. Technically speaking a camel has two kinds of hair, an outer thicker hair called "guard" hair, and an inner "undercoat" hair which is shorter and softer. Both can be processed and blended with other hair (like wool), and together they make a fine garment that's especially good at shedding the rain and insulating against the cold.  Read more about Camel's hair.

The Gospels actually describe John the Baptist as wearing an "outer garment" made out of camel's hair, not a "hair shirt." In other words, he had a camel's hair coat. The Greek word used in Matthew 3:4 to describe his coat is "enduma" -- meaning "garment, raiment, cloak, an outer garment." Here's the Greek reference.   

And nobody in Jesus' day would have mistaken the symbolism of John's camel's hair garment, because it was what prophets wore; prophet's like Elijah who started the tradition in 2 Kings 1:8...

“He had a garment of hair and had a leather belt around his waist.”

Other travelers would have worn camel's hair too, especially in the rainy or cold months in Israel. The camel's hair coat or cloak or would have been worn over a robe or undergarments. Here's an excellent article about clothing in biblical times.

It's even possible that Jesus had a camel's hair cloak when he traveled. We are conditioned to imagining him in a roman robe or simple garment, but when he was traveling, an outer garment would have been a necessity. It would have made a nice bedroll too.

Elijah-JohnBaptist-CamelsHair-Rotation.org

Just like any article of clothing can be "tailored" to send a message or become a uniform of sorts, so too a prophet's mantle could be an unmistakable message to those who could read the sign. They were a calling card like a pastor's robe or doctor's lab coat. Wear them and people took notice of you, even Kings who might otherwise not want to listen to you. Indeed, in Zechariah 13:4 we read about "false" prophets no longer being allowed to deceive the people by wearing their hairy mantles.

Matthew 3:4's description of John's "hairy" coat also preserves a humorous Hebrew "double entendre" about Elijah.

In both the English and Hebrew languages, the word for "hairy" can be understood both literally and figuratively. Literally as in "covered with hair, or made of hair" (se`ar). And figuratively as in "wild, bristling, or tempestuous" (sa-`ar)—which the prophet's appearance and message would often convey. 2 Kings 1:8 LITERALLY calls Elijah a "hairy man."  And some translators use that literal wording too. But perhaps "hair-wearing & hair-raising is a better explanation of both Elijah and John's mantle and mission.

The Gospels' Greek word for "hair" (thrix) seems to be simply literal because the writers were Greek and had a Greek copy of the scriptures, and thus, maybe didn't know about the "hair-raising" interpretation.

But to John and the disciples, there was no confusion!

John was dressed like Elijah, the great prophet
who was expected to return when the Messiah was about to appear.
In fact, people asked if John was Elijah returned!

When asked "who is John the Baptist," Jesus replies, "he is the Elijah who was to come." (Matthew 11:14. also, Mk 9:14).  Now oddly enough, according to John 1:19, John said he was "not Elijah." This undoubtedly gave rise to the understanding that John was, as Luke 1:15-17 says, "in the spirit and power of Elijah."  This also proves that Jesus wasn't a literalist when he referred to John as Elijah.

The Misconceptions About "Locust and Wild Honey"

The "locusts and honey" John is described as eating in Matthew 3:4 are also probably not what we have casually believed they were, i.e., what a "half-crazed desert prophet" would have subsisted on. Instead, that description too was a sign, a sign of the Kingdom.

According to NT scholar James Tabor...  John was not eating bugs.

The Greek word for locusts (akris/ἀκρίδες) is very similar to the Greek word for “honey cake” (enkris/έγκρίς) that is used for the “manna” that the Israelites ate in the desert in the days of Moses. "Locusts" thus refers to a kind of cake cooked in olive oil. This “bread from heaven” is described as “like coriander seed, white, and the taste of it was like wafers made with honey” (Exodus 16:31; Numbers 11:8).

This kind of “manna pancake” baked in oil and sweetened with honey was a sign to the reader about the miracle in the wilderness that God had already and was again going to bring forth. It should not be lost on us that recorded in all four Gospels is the story of Jesus himself multiplying the loaves and fishes in the wilderness to feed the 5000. No honey, but pretty sweet nonetheless.

John's symbolic food of "locusts and honey" was a sign that the Kingdom of God was at hand, which not so coincidentally was what he was preaching, and was the same sign Elijah used in Zarephath, and Jesus used in Galilee.

John's camel's hair mantle and locust and honey were "voices crying out in the wilderness" to those who knew their Bible and were listening.

The truth here is better than the strange fiction of the wild and itchy man we grew up imagining.

<>< Neil MacQueen

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What children should know about the story of John the Baptist and his ministry

  1. Children should know that God gave John the Baptist a special purpose, to turn people away from evil and toward God and to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.

  2. They should know that they too are called to turn away from evil and prepare for God entering their life.

  3. They should consider how they, like John, can turn people toward God by their words and deeds. That God has had a plan for their life since before they were born -- just like John.

  4. John lived in the wilderness to prepare himself for the ministry that God had chosen for him. Children should know that they too are called to clear away the clutter in their lives so that they can hear and obey the message of God.

  5. Children should know that following God’s call resulted in John’s imprisonment and death. Children should know that following God is not always easy or popular, and sometimes requires us to make unpopular or difficult choices.

Kids Meet John the Baptist

Today's children meet John the Baptist and two of his disciples in the Superbook episode 206.


Scriptures:
But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, for your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you will name him John. You will have joy and gladness and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord. He must never drink wine or strong drink; even before his birth he will be filled with the Holy Spirit. He will turn many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. With the spirit and power of Elijah he will go before him, to turn the hearts of parents to their children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.” (Luke 1: 13-17)

When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leaped in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfillment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.” (Luke 1: 41-45)

The child grew and became strong in spirit, and he was in the wilderness until the day he appeared publicly to Israel. (Luke 1:80)
Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. (Matt 3:4) (Mark 1:6)


In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” (Matt. 3:2) John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. (Mark 1:4) John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance.” (Luke 3:7-8)

John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” (Luke 3:16)
Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt 3:13-17)


When John heard in prison what the Messiah was doing, he sent word by his disciples and said to him, “Are you the one who is to come, or are we to wait for another?” Jesus answered them, “Go and tell John what you hear and see: the blind receive their sight, the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor have good news brought to them. And blessed is anyone who takes no offense at me.” (Matt. 11: 2-6)

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came to Galilee, proclaiming the good new of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.”
(Mark 1:14)

Herod sent and had John beheaded in the prison. (Matt: 14:10)

This fine set of teaching objectives comes from Desoto Presbyterian Church in Texas.
It has been updated by a member of Rotation.org's lesson writing team.

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Did John the Baptist Eat Bugs, Beans, or Pancakes?

https://jamestabor.com/did-joh...s-beans-or-pancakes/

A fascinating blog entry by Dr. James Tabor, the respected New Testament Scholar

In short, the Greek word for "locusts" used by Matthew and Luke can mean all three.

From my Sunday School teaching point of view, I'd like to make a "meal" for my kids by making pancakes in the shapes of  bugs and beans, and making some manna with honey. The "preparing" of these ingredients and cooking would make for some great teaching metaphors about preparing/ingredients of welcoming Christ into our lives.


More thoughts about Bugs, Beans, or Pancakes...

These sorts of investigations remind me to check my "interpretative bias" and Sunday School pre-conceptions about John at the door.

  • There is an interpretative tradition and bias that wants to portray John the Baptist as a sort of "wild man" of the wilderness. These are often fueled by artistic interpretations. But is it true? Or is John simply willing to speak truth to power? By portraying him as a wild man, does it allow us to dismiss similar prophetic voices today?

    There is a historic and modern tradition that wants to portray John (and Jesus) as vegetarians. Bugs are considered non-vegetarian.
  • There is the modern reaction to "eating bugs" which the Old Testament lists among "clean" foods (that's right, "clean"). 
  • There is an artistic and interpretative tradition that portrays John as a loner, and yet he had disciples and crowds came to see him.
  • There is a bias that wants to view all prophets as confrontational and yet he preached the forgiveness of sins and the hope of the coming Messiah.
  • Archaeological and historical evidence reminds us that there were communities in the "deserted desert" we grew up imagining John wandering around in.
  • His "hairy" coat not being scratchy, but rather, being a sign of this prophetic authority.
    https://www.rotation.org/topic/295011598215947023

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