John the Baptist, the son of Martha and Zacharias and cousin of Jesus, was born to his mother in her old age and heralded by his father (inspired with the Holy Spirit) as “the prophet of the Highest, for you will go before the face of the Lord to prepare His ways, to give knowledge of salvation to His people by the remission of their sins” (Luke 1:76-77).
This ministry of John is described by Matthew here. He preached repentance as he proclaimed the coming of the Christ. He prepared “the way of the Lord.”
John was described as an austere man here and elsewhere. As he appeared on the scene from the wilderness, his clothing was rough, and his food was simple “locusts and wild honey.” He was a successful preacher, capturing the hearts of the common people in Judea. His call to repent, and to be baptized for the remission of sins in preparation for the Messiah, was heard in “Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan.”
