The Mission of the Baptist Through the texts of the Gospels, John is presented as the sole ‘prophet’ and ‘forerunner’ who was sent by God to prepare the people spiritually in view of the impending advent of the Messiah. Precisely this precursive capacity of John is given particular emphasis in the fourth Gospel: ‘There was a man sent from God whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify concerning that light, so that through him all might believe. He himself was not the light; he came as a witness to the light’ (Jn. 1, 6-8). Moreover, when he was later asked about himself, the Baptist himself said that he ‘was not the Messiah’, nor Elijah, nor ‘the Prophet’ whom the Jews ...
