tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post3195913424535091313..comments2024-03-28T09:48:15.616-04:00Comments on Common Denominator: After John the Baptist...Ken Schenckhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09745548537303356655noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-22521432466529057712011-12-27T09:28:15.927-05:002011-12-27T09:28:15.927-05:00I think Josephus' treatment of John the Baptis...I think Josephus' treatment of John the Baptist indicates how powerful John was. If Josephus merely wanted a punishable offense to pin of Herod, he could have given a brief description of John as a good and righteous man. As it is, he displays a good deal of knowledge about John's theology. And this is after several decades and the destruction of Jerusalem! <br /><br />It is my own pet theory that Mark may have introduced the John connection to Jesus precisely because John was so important and demonstrating a continuity with him was necessary in order for Jesus to attain the proper status.<br /><br />Of course, the other intriguing possibility is that Jesus only emerged from John's shadow when the latter was arrested (Mark 1:14, Matt 4:12) History is written by the winners... ;)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8355052.post-1665179121737860222011-12-26T12:06:38.204-05:002011-12-26T12:06:38.204-05:00After John the Baptist, there was "Jesus"...After John the Baptist, there was "Jesus".<br /><br />How "Jesus" life, mission and message is interpreted is a matter of "the personal".<br /><br />Reformers re-interpret or re-define traditional understandings within the social and political realms.<br /><br />Both the Protestant Principle and the Enlightenment were aspects that brought about the foundations to American values in individual liberty. "Revelation"'s personal meaning of value and the Enlightenment's use of reason to investigate and discover.Angie Van De Merwehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12617299120618867829noreply@blogger.com