Why didn't JB join JC?

[Huggy Bear]

Before his head was chopped of, he was in prison.

Two major prophets can't exist at the same time and never have, hence why John stated "He must increase, but I must decrease."

also Jesus and John the Baptist were cousins.

Then either Jesus and John were not ‘major prophets’ or they didn’t live at the same time. Which way will you have it?

Boru

Jesus's ministry didn't start till he was 30, John's whole purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah, essentially being the opening act. once his job was done, he had to exit the stage.

[Huggy Bear]

*Flavius Josephus has entered the chat*

Josephus and the NT give very different accounts of the reasoning behind Herod’s execution of John. Which would you say is wrong?

Boru

Unless Herod himself told Josephus his reasoning, that part is kind of speculation, no?

The point is, there is corroborating evidence apart from the bible that Herod had John executed.

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Then either Jesus and John were not ‘major prophets’ or they didn’t live at the same time. Which way will you have it?

Boru

Jesus's ministry didn't start till he was 30, John's whole purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah, essentially being the opening act. once his job was done, he had to exit the stage.

But you just said that two major prophets can’t exist at the same time. John and Jesus clearly did.

Boru

[BrianSoddingBoru4]

Josephus and the NT give very different accounts of the reasoning behind Herod’s execution of John. Which would you say is wrong?

Boru

Unless Herod himself told Josephus his reasoning, that part is kind of speculation, no?

The point is, there is corroborating evidence apart from the bible that Herod had John executed.

I’ll stipulate that one or the other is speculation, unless Herod himself discussed his reasoning with the Gospel authors.

You might want to learn the difference between ‘evidence’ and ‘hearsay’.

Boru

[Silver]

But include god into something, and it has to be true. After all, god wouldn't allow untruths to be spoken about him.

Oh, wait, yeah, he would.

[Fake Messiah]

Jesus's ministry didn't start till he was 30, John's whole purpose was to prepare the way for the Messiah, essentially being the opening act. once his job was done, he had to exit the stage.

An yet not all of John’s disciples got the message. John the Baptist’s disciples stick by him even though by all rights they all should have made a mass exit for Jesus. Instead, John’s sect thrives alongside Jesus’ the whole time, even after John’s death. Meaning that John the Baptist was not the opening act for Jesus. To his followers, he was nothing less than the Christ himself.

And it seems that the sect of John the Baptist survived till today, the Mandaeans, beyond the frontiers of Christendom, all through the centuries.

[GrandizerII]

Some of the Gospels claim that Jesus was God and that John the Baptist was aware of that, so why didn't John the Baptist disband his cult and join Jesus's cult and become his apostle? I mean would you not rather be in the cult ran by an actual God than in someone's who is not a God?

The only Gospel that ascribes some form of divinity to Jesus is John.

But anyhow, if you want the question answered from a Christian perspective (instead of, say, from the perspective of a secular historian), then here's what the Gospel of John says was the purpose of John the Baptist:

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

That was his purpose. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus, in fulfilment of a prophecy. He was not meant to be an Apostle of Jesus.

And John the Baptist did join his movement, actually, by believing.

[Fake Messiah]

The only Gospel that ascribes some form of divinity to Jesus is John.

But anyhow, if you want the question answered from a Christian perspective (instead of, say, from the perspective of a secular historian), then here's what the Gospel of John says was the purpose of John the Baptist:

John replied in the words of Isaiah the prophet, "I am the voice of one calling in the wilderness, 'Make straight the way for the Lord.'"

That was his purpose. His purpose was to prepare the way for Jesus, in fulfilment of a prophecy. He was not meant to be an Apostle of Jesus.

And John the Baptist did join his movement, actually, by believing.

Well, you should have read more of my posts where I talk about the verses that show rivalries and differences between the two sects.

So considering those rivalries it seems like the verse(s) you mention are more Gospel writers trying to win over the Baptist flock, going out of their way to convince his followers that John was a great guy, but NOT the Messiah. Like when Luke 3:15-16 tries to downplay the fact that people argued that John was Christ. Or that Gospel of John that you mention is Baptizer repeatedly denying point-blank that he is the Christ.

[Pat Mustard]

Again we're dependent on the bible for that description of John the baptist's death, and as is well established, the bible is total fiction.

*Flavius Josephus has entered the chat*

You mean Eusebius' forgery of the Testamonium Flavorum.