Saint John The Baptist

By designating Christ as "the lamb of God", John inspired many of his followers to follow Christ. Know the story of the precursor of Jesus.

John The Baptist was the son of Zechariah, a priest of the temple of Jerusalem, and Isabella, cousin of Mary, mother of Jesus. An ancient sec tradition. V argues that John The Baptist was born in aim-Karim, a village located southwest of Jerusalem. The birth of John Baptista was announced to his father by Angel Gabriel. In disbelief, Zechariah doubted what the angel said to him, as both he and Elizabeth were at an advanced age.

John The Baptist lived as a hermit in the judean desert until around 27 ad. At the age of thirty he began to preach on the banks of the Jordan River, alerting the crowds that heard him to the evils of times and men called to penance and baptism as a form of purification, as he said, "the kingdom of heaven is near".

" 1. In those days appeared John The Baptist, preaching in the desert of Judea. 2. He said: do penance because the kingdom of heaven is near. 3. This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke, when he said: a voice cries out in the desert: prepare the way of the Lord, endireitai his paths."

(Matthew 3,1-3)

Recognition of the Messiah

The Prophet John attracted large crowds and, when Christ came to have as John for the baptize, he recognized him as the Messiah and did not find himself worthy.

" 4. John wore a camel hair dress and a leather belt around his kidneys. He fed on locusts and wild honey. 5. People from Jerusalem, from all over Judea, and from all the circunvizinhança of the Jordan came to him. 6. Confess their sins and were baptized by him in the waters of Jordan. 7. to see, however, that many of the Pharisees and the sadducees came to his baptism, he said to them: race of Vipers, who taught you to flee from coming wrath? 8. Therefore, fruits of true penance. 9. Do not say within you: we have Abraham by Father! For I say to you: God is powerful to raise from these stones children to Abraham. 10. The Axe is already placed at the root of the trees: every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut and thrown into the 11. I baptize you with water, as a sign of penance, but he who will come after me is more powerful than me and nor am I worthy to carry his shoes. He will hold you in the Holy Spirit and on fire. 12. has in his hand the shovel, cleanse his threshing floor and collect the wheat from the barn. The Straws, however, burn them in an unquenchable fire. 13. From Galilee was Jesus to Jordan to see John in order to be baptized by him. 14. John refused: I must be baptized by you and you come to me! 15. But Jesus replied to him: leave it for now, for we must observe full justice. Then John relented. 16. After Jesus was baptized, he came out of the water. Behold, the heavens opened up and saw descend upon him, in the form of a dove, the spirit of God. 17. and from the sky lowered a voice: Behold my beloved son in whom I put my affection."

Matthew 3,4-14

John's incarceration

When Christ stopped preaching in Galilee, John continued to preach in the valley of the Jordan River and got into trouble when he began accusing Herod of committing adultery with herodiades, wife of his half-Brother Philip. Fearful of the power that John's speeches exerted on the people, Herod antipas, tetrarch of perea and Galilee, ordered John's arrest in the fortress of macaeros, near the dead sea. John was imprisoned for about ten months and was beheaded at the request of Salome, instigated by his mother, herodiades. Your head would have been delivered to you on a platter.

By designating Christ as "the lamb of God", John inspired many of his followers to follow Christ. According to the New Testament John is the last of the prophets and the precursor of the Messiah. Every year, on 24 June the feast of his birth is celebrated; his beheading will take place on 29 August.

" 3. in effect, Herod had arrested and chained John, and had sent him to prison because of herodíades, wife of his brother Philip. 4. John had said to him: you are not allowed to take it as a woman! 5. of good mind would kill him; he feared the people who considered John a prophet. 6. But at Herod's birthday party, herodíades's daughter danced among the guests and pleased Herod. 7. So he promised with oath to give him whatever he asked. 8. at the instigation of her mother, she replied: give me here, on this plate, the head of John The Baptist. 9. The King was saddened, but as he had sworn before the guests, he ordered them to give it to him; 10. and beheaded John in his prison. 11. The head was transported on a plate and given to the girl, who gave it to her mother. 12. Then came the disciples of John translate his body, and buried him. Then they gave the news to Jesus."
(Matthew 14, 3-12)

Viva São João Batista!
Long live the pad. Sebastian!
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