The Life of Christ

In addition to baptizing people in the Jordon, there is archaeological evidence to suggest that John also baptized people in a cave.

• In 2004, after a five-year dig, archaeologists discovered a huge cistern with 28 steps leading to an underground pool of water.

• Within the cave were wall carvings telling the story of the fiery New Testament preacher, as well as a stone they believe was used for ceremonial foot washing.

• They also pulled about 250,000 pottery shards from the cave, the apparent remnants of small water jugs used in baptismal ritual.

• The cave was located about 2.5 miles from Ein Karem, the preacher’s hometown, which is now part of Jerusalem.

• Upon the wall carvings was one showing a man with a staff, wearing animal skin, thought to be John the Baptist. The carvings stem from the Byzantine period and apparently were made by monks in the fourth or fifth century. It is believed the monks commemorated John at a site linked to him by local tradition. • The cave measured 24 yards long, about 4 yards wide and 4 yards deep; it was used as an immersion pool. Believers would have walked down 28 stone steps. To their right, they would have discarded their clothes in a niche carved into the wall. At the bottom of the steps, they would have placed the right foot on to a stone with an imprint of a foot. A small depression to the right of the imprint would have contained oil, to be poured over the foot for cleansing.

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Mt. 3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

The word “ brood ” as in “brood of vipers,” means a race or a genealogy of vipers.

• The Pharisees numbered about 6000 and were spread over all of Israel.

• They were teachers in the synagogues, so-called religious examples in the eyes of the people, and self-appointed guardians of the law.

• They considered the interpretations and regulations handed down by tradition to be virtually as authoritative as Scripture.

The Sadducees were also part of the religious ruling class.

• They were the overseers of the temple and collaborated with the high priest.

• In comparison to the Pharisees, the Sadducees were considered the elite of Israel.

Mt. 3:8 Therefore, bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance;

“If you want anything from me, I need to first see some genuine repentance.”

• “And you had better be quick about it because the axe is already at the root of your tree!”

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