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== Friday, Oct 11: "none greater than John the Baptist" ==
== Friday, Oct 11: "none greater than John the Baptist" ==
''** under construction as of Thurs 11am Oct 10 **''
I like call him "the Baptizer."  Interestingly, in some Orthodox churches, he is known as "Saint John the Forerunner," which speaks more clearly to his Biblical role. Most western believers think of John only in terms of the Baptism of Christ, but if we listen to Jesus himself, there's a lot more to John than than that to which we usually attest about him.
I like call him "the Baptizer."  Interestingly, in some Orthodox churches, he is known as "Saint John the Forerunner," which speaks more clearly to his Biblical role. Most western believers think of John only in terms of the Baptism of Christ, but if we listen to Jesus himself, there's a lot more to John than than that to which we usually attest about him.


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John baptized a lot of people -- everyone knew him, all the way through to the court of Herod and into the histories of the late 1st century Jewish historian, Josephus.<ref>his "Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus wrote more about John than Jesus, but think audience: he wrote under Domitian, who horribly persecuted Christians. Later manuscripts have Josephus mentioning Jesus as the "Messiah", but these were likely added to the original text.</ref> Take away the Baptizer, Jesus has no context, no introduction, no "forerunner."  
John baptized a lot of people -- everyone knew him, all the way through to the court of Herod and into the histories of the late 1st century Jewish historian, Josephus.<ref>his "Antiquities of the Jews," Josephus wrote more about John than Jesus, but think audience: he wrote under Domitian, who horribly persecuted Christians. Later manuscripts have Josephus mentioning Jesus as the "Messiah", but these were likely added to the original text.</ref> Take away the Baptizer, Jesus has no context, no introduction, no "forerunner."  


Indeed, in Luke
Whatever the larger purpose, the Lord planned out the role of the Forerunner. In [https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?26 Luke 1:26],  <blockquote>In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, </blockquote>
The sixth month was that of John's conception, which Luke uses to measure the Archangel's announcement to Mary. And, of course, John "leaped in the womb" as Mary's walked in to his mother Elizabeth's house  ([https://bible.usccb.org/bible/luke/1?41 Lk 1:41]).
----There yet exists a cult of John the Baptism. These are known as
----
[[File:2021-10-10 site of Michael's Baptism pano w- DJ.jpg|none|thumb|1051x1051px|Site of Michael's baptism on Oct 10, 2021]]




to do:


There yet exists a cult of John the Baptism. These are known as
* list of Gospel references to John  
*


== Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) ==
== Friday, Sept 27: "Religion is the opium of the people" (or nothing new under the sun?) ==