From: heb_roots_chr@mail.geocities.com Sent: Thursday, November 27, 1997 6:08 PM To: Hebraic Heritage Newsgroup Subject: John the Baptizer / Immerser and Elijah
From: "Mcentire, Michael R" To: "'Hebrew Roots'" <heb_roots_chr@geocities.com> Subject: John the Baptizer Over the last couple of months I have heard other people repeat a teaching they heard which says that John the Baptist was supposed to be the High Priest during his lifetime. No one has offered or been able to offer the source of this revelation. I have looked through the scriptures and cannot find any basis for it, except that John was a descendent from the family of Aaron, which would qualify him as high priest. According to the teaching the high priest office was very political in the days of Roman rule and was easily bought or given to a family with wealth and power that could help enforce or accept Roman rule. A couple of scriptures used to show that when John's ministry was completed it was passed on to Yeshua are as follows: Matthew 3:2, John comes preaching repent, then when in 4:12 Yeshua hears that John has been thrown into prison, and from that time (verse 17) he begin preaching repent. Therefore, John's ministry was passed on to Yeshua and as well the high priest office. I do not know if this is the basis for the speculation that John was to be high priest. Does anyone have any information on this or would like to comment. I would also like to know how the high priest selected? I heard their was a fairly elaborate ceremony to anoint the high priest, does anyone have any information on this? Thanks for your input Michael McEntire, Lewisville, TX >From Eddie: ************** Michael, I never heard the teaching that John the Baptist was supposed to be the high priest. However, John did come from a priestly family. His father was named Zacharias who was of the priestly course of Abijah (Luke 1:5, I Chronicles 24:1-10). Zacharias is the Strong's Word (2197) in the Greek dictionary and is the same as the Hebrew word (Zechariah) which is the Strong's Word (2148). Zechariah comes from two Hebrew words: zachar (2142) which means "to remember" and yah (3050) which means "the Lord". So, Zecharias (Zechariah) means "the Lord remembers". Elizabeth (Elisheva), the wife of Zacharias (Zechariah) is the Strong's Word (1665) which is the same as the Hebrew word (Elisheva) which is the Strong's Word (472). Elisheva comes from two Hebrew word: El (430) which means "God" and Sheva (7651) which means "seven, to be complete, oath". So, Zechariah and Elizabeth means "THE LORD REMEMBERS HIS OATH". In Luke 1:57, 67-68, 72-73 it is written: "Now Elisabeth's full time came that she should be delivered and she brought forth a son ... and his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Spirit and prophesied saying, 'Blessed be the Lord God of Israel: for he has visited and redeemed his people ... to perform the mercy promised to our fathers, and TO REMEMBER his holy covenant THE OATH which he swore to our father Abraham" It has always been a traditional Jewish teaching that Elijah would preceed the coming of the Messiah. Since we know that Yeshua/Jesus is Messiah, then who was the "Elijah" that preceeded the coming of Messiah at His first coming? In the Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John), John the Baptist (Immerser) is personified as "Elijah". Since it was/is a very important Jewish teaching that Elijah will preceed the coming of the Messiah, it is very significant that the NT gives the story of the birth and mission of John. The message of Elijah is REPENTANCE. In Malachi 4:4-6 it is written: "REMEMBER ye the TORAH of Moses my servant which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold I will send you ELIJAH the prophet BEFORE the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord and he shall TURN the heart of the fathers to the children and the heart of the children to their fathers lest I come and smite the earth with a curse" The message of Elijah (personified in John the Baptist in the 1st coming of Yeshua/Jesus) was: 1) REPENTANCE to the TORAH 2) Believing the COVENANT OF ABRAHAM 3) Proclaim the COMING OF THE MESSIAH. This will be the SAME message from God to His people prior to the 2nd coming of Messiah. We believe in #3. God is in the process of stirring many hearts all over the world to embrace our Hebraic roots which includes #1. But do we also also understand #2? For a further study in understanding God's covenant with Abraham, please read: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2175/bridchap13.html In Luke 1:13:16-17 it is written: "But the angel said unto him: Fear not Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son and you shall call his name John ... and many of the children of Israel shall he TURN (repent) to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him 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" In Matthew 3:1-3 it is written: "In those days came John the Baptist, preaching, in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, REPENT ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of our Lord, make his paths straight" This is a reference to (Isaiah 40:3, 6-8) as it is written: "The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God ... the voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass and all the goodliness thereof is as the flowers of the field. The grass withereth the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass. The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand forever" So, John wore came in the "spirit and power of Elijah" (Luke 1:17) but he also wore the "mantle of Elijah". In Matthew 3:4 it is written: "And the same John had a raiment of camel's hair, and a leather girdle about his loins ..." This is a reference to Elijah in II Kings 1:8 as it is written: "And they answered him, He was a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite" In Matthew 11:13-15 it is written: "For all the prophets and the Torah prophesied until John, and if ye will receive it, THIS IS ELIJAH which was for TO COME, he that hath ears to hear let him hear" As I mentioned earlier, it has always been a traditional Jewish teaching the Elijah would preceed the coming of Messiah. This is the basis for the question of the disciples in Matthew 17:10 as it is written: "And his disciples asked him, saying, Why then say the scribes that Elijah must first come" To reaffirm this teaching throughout the ages, a "search" is made to "look for Elijah" during the end of the Passover Seder. Jesus confirmed this teaching, that John was the "Elijah" that was prophesied but that there would also be yet another Elijah to come (Revelation 11:3-6). In Matthew 17:11-13 it is written: "And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elijah truly SHALL FIRST COME and RESTORE all things (FUTURE). But I say unto you, That Elijah IS COME ALREADY and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them. Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist" So, the mission and ministry of John the Baptist (Immerser) is DEFINATELY associated with the prophet Elijah". ********************************************************************** To: heb_roots_chr@geocities.com From: Danny Pitts Shalom, As a Baptist, I am interested in the differences between the methods of baptism historically practiced by the Jews and those of modern Christianity. Apparently the one being baptized in the Mikveh was self-immersed. Was this the custom with everyone: women, priests, converts? Why did Jesus and John both go into the water if self-immersion was about to take place? (Acts 8:38,39) Note the tense ("Phillip immersed him"). Also on some occasions an "administrator" would be present with the women to be sure that they went completely under the water; and maybe pronounce the blessing. What was the wording of the blessings on different occasions? Any help and references will be appreciated. B'Shem Yeshua HaMashiach, In the Name of Jesus the Messiah, Dan >From Eddie: ************** A member ministry of our network, "LeDaber Ministries" has written a very good teaching on the subject of immersion / baptism. The entire teaching is on the internet and located at: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/2175/ledaber.html This should give you a solid background and understanding of the subject. *************************************************************************