Raw reference: nos. 523, 717-720
CCC 523
St. John the Baptist is the
St. John the Baptist is the Lord's immediate precursor or forerunner, sent to prepare his way. [Cf. Acts 13:24; Mt 3:3[ETML:C/].] "Prophet of the Most High", John surpasses all the prophets, of whom he is the last. [Lk 1:76; cf. 7:26; Mt 11:13.] He inaugurates the Gospel, already from his mother's womb welcomes the coming of Christ, and rejoices in being "the friend of the bridegroom", whom he points out as "the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world". [Jn 1 29; cf. Acts 1:22; Lk 1:41; 16:16; Jn 3:29.] Going before Jesus "in the spirit and power of Elijah", John bears witness to Christ in his preaching, by his Baptism of conversion, and through his martyrdom. [Lk 1:17; cf. Mk 6:17-29.]
CCC 717
"There was a man sent from
"There was a man sent from God, whose name was John." [Jn 1:6[ETML:C/].] John was "filled with the Holy Spirit even from his mother's womb" [Lk 1:15, 41.] by Christ himself, whom the Virgin Mary had just conceived by the Holy Spirit. Mary's visitation to Elizabeth thus became a visit from God to his people. [Cf. Lk 1:68.]
CCC 718
John is "Elijah (who) must
John is "Elijah (who) must come." [Mt 17:10-13; cf. Lk 1:78.] The fire of the Spirit dwells in him and makes him the forerunner of the coming Lord. In John, the precursor, the Holy Spirit completes the work of "[making] ready a people prepared for the Lord." [Lk 1:17.]
CCC 719
John the Baptist is "more
John the Baptist is "more than a prophet." [Lk 7:26.] In him, the Holy Spirit concludes his speaking through the prophets. John completes the cycle of prophets begun by Elijah. [Cf. Mt 11:13-14.] He proclaims the imminence of the consolation of Israel; he is the "voice" of the Consoler who is coming. [Jn 1:23; cf. Isa 40:1-3.] As the Spirit of truth will also do, John "came to bear witness to the light." [Jn 1:7; cf. Jn 15:26; 5:35.] In John's sight, the Spirit thus brings to completion the careful search of the prophets and fulfills the longing of the angels. [Cf. 1 Pet 1:10-12.] "He on whom you see the Spirit descend and remain, this is he who baptizes with the Holy Spirit. and I have seen and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.... Behold, the Lamb of God." [Jn 1:33-36.]
CCC 720
Finally, with John the
Finally, with John the Baptist, the Holy Spirit begins the restoration to man of "the divine likeness," prefiguring what he would achieve with and in Christ. John's baptism was for repentance; baptism in water and the Spirit will be a new birth. [Cf Jn 3:5[ETML:C/].]