Reading the Gospels Together Jesus and John the Baptist – Part 7 Now that we have finished listening to what the author of John’s gospel has to say about John the Witness we can make some conclusions. What is important for this author is not that John is Elijah who was sent ahead of the Messiah to prepare the way. In fact, John says clearly and definitely that John the Witness is not Elijah. Neither is it important to the writer of John’s gospel that what happens to John the Baptist foreshadows what will happen to Jesus. To be sure this author is aware that John had a ministry of baptism, but it is not baptism that is important either. What is important is that John’s function is to bear witness to Jesus. Thus, we have referred to him as John the Witness. That is John the Witness’ only function in John’s gospel. It is also clear that the author of John’s gospel is aware of at least the potential competition between John the Witness and Jesus and likely very aware of competition between the disciples of John and the disciples of Jesus at that time and surely at the time when the gospel of John was being written. In some ways the material that the author of John’s gospel provides his readers functions mostly to downplay John and lift up Jesus – John must decrease and Jesus must increase. And that message was meant as much for the time when the gospel of John was written and for the community to whom it was written than anything else. Now that we have heard all four gospels together what are we to make of what we have heard? First of all there are similarities that we should note. All four gospels understand that John viewed Jesus as the one who was mightier than he – the thong of whose sandal he is not worthy to untie. All four gospels agree that John engaged in a baptism that in some way served to prepare the way for the coming mightier one. All four gospels agree that the sign of the Spirit descending upon Jesus was a signal that Jesus was the Son of God. All four gospels agree that the word of Isaiah regarding the “voice in the wilderness” is a good description of John. These are significant similarities. But, as we have already noticed there is at least one glaring difference that cannot be easily overcome. John disagrees with the synoptic writers regarding the identity of John as Elijah. As said above, there is no way around simply acknowledging this glaring difference. And as was said above perhaps what we need to learn is that followers of Jesus can disagree without casting one of the other out. On a far more minor scale we might also notice that the synoptic writers, especially Mark and Matthew, do not imagine any competition between John the Baptist and Jesus. John, and to a far lesser degree, Luke seem to be aware of that competition. Both are likely reflecting upon their own time when they were writing their gospels and their own community which more than likely was also aware of a competitive group known as the disciples of John. Of course we are unable to say with any degree of certainty whose perceptions were more in line with reality at the time when John and Jesus encountered one another. But, as we listen to the gospels together a case can be made that the competition comes later. Was John the Baptist Elijah? Are Mark, Matthew and Luke right, or is John right? Perhaps the best way to address these questions it to acknowledge that in their own way both the synoptic writers and John are right. It all depends on how you see Jesus. John sees Jesus as the one who came to “turn the hearts of parents to their children and the hearts of children to their parents” so Jesus is Elijah in his mind. Mark, Matthew and Luke envision the need of one to prepare the way for the coming Messiah – taking their cue from the words of Isaiah and Malachi. So John is Elijah. In the end it really doesn’t matter much. Both testify that Jesus is the Messiah and that is finally all that really matters.