John the Baptist

Podcast-style audio & video course -
Length: 2 hrs and 29 mins
Brown University
(1 customer review)
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00
Includes Free Study Guide
Audio Download + Subscription
$0.00

Who was the John the Baptist, and why is he so important?

A powerful figure in all four gospels, St. John the Baptist nevertheless remains shrouded in mystery. What do we know about his life on the margins of first-century Palestine? And how can the gospels and Dead Sea Scrolls help us to understand the ministry and message of this New Testament prophet?

You will discover the fascinating answers to these questions in John the Baptist. Under the guidance of renowned New Testament scholar Fr. Raymond F. Collins, you will explore the diverse portrayals of St. John in history, the Bible, and even other religions.

First, you will gain insight into his historical context by looking at contemporaneous texts: the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian. Then, you will turn to the earliest gospel, Mark, where you’ll see John as an apocalyptic preacher who baptizes Jesus. You’ll learn how the Gospel of Matthew expounds upon John’s message, and how Luke portrays John as a social prophet and preach

Who was the John the Baptist, and why is he so important?

A powerful figure in all four gospels, St. John the Baptist nevertheless remains shrouded in mystery. What do we know about his life on the margins of first-century Palestine? And how can the gospels and Dead Sea Scrolls help us to understand the ministry and message of this New Testament prophet?

You will discover the fascinating answers to these questions in John the Baptist. Under the guidance of renowned New Testament scholar Fr. Raymond F. Collins, you will explore the diverse portrayals of St. John in history, the Bible, and even other religions.

First, you will gain insight into his historical context by looking at contemporaneous texts: the Dead Sea Scrolls and the writings of Flavius Josephus, a Jewish historian. Then, you will turn to the earliest gospel, Mark, where you’ll see John as an apocalyptic preacher who baptizes Jesus. You’ll learn how the Gospel of Matthew expounds upon John’s message, and how Luke portrays John as a social prophet and preacher crying out for justice. After looking at the Fourth Evangelist’s unique portrait of John the Baptist, you’ll move beyond the New Testament, looking at portrayals in apocryphal texts, the Qur’an, and the liturgical tradition.

As you listen to these lectures, you will add your own image of John the Baptist to this impressive list of witnesses. Encounter this powerful prophet today.

Learn about downloadable programs.

Your Free Electronic Study Guide! When you order this course, we will send you a free electronic study guide that you can access in 3 convenient ways:

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Fr. Raymond F. Collins, S.T.D., is a renowned expert on the New Testament, an award-winning professor, and a visiting scholar in the Department of Religious Studies at Brown University. The former dean of the School of Religious Studies and professor of New Testament at The Catholic University of America, he has also served as a member of the faculty of theology at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven in Belgium, where he was chair of the Programs in English, long-time editor of Louvain Studies, and rector of the American College. He is a member of the Rome-based Ecumenical Pauline Colloquium. Fr. Collins earned his licentiate and doctoral degrees in sacred theology from the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven.

He is the author and/or editor of twenty books on the New Testament, including An Introduction to the New Testament (1983) and major commentaries on First Corinthians (Sacra Pagina, 1999), 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus (New Testament Library, 2002), and Second Corinthians (Paideia, 2013). An associate editor of The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, Fr. Collins has contributed to The Encyclopedia of ReligionThe New Jerome Biblical CommentaryThe Encyclopedia of Religion, The Encyclopedia of CatholicismThe Anchor Bible Dictionary, and The New Interpreters’ Dictionary of the Bible. He has written more than two hundred articles for scholarly and pastoral journals in the United States and abroad.

Praise for Raymond Collins

“Fr. Ray Collins is one of the finest New Testament scholars in the English-speaking world. . . . Fr. Collins uses an easy and understandable style.”
– Fr. John Ludwig

“Father Collins’ superb scholarship shines through his accessible, lively and engaging lectures. As a parish director of adult education, I find them extremely helpful. They bring to life the New Testament writings in the context of the early Christian communities, allowing the viewer to better appreciate the relevance of these writings for today.”
– Fátima Lee, Ph.D., Lay Pastoral Associate

“Not only a world class New Testament scholar and a prolific author of over fifteen books and three hundred articles, Fr. Raymond F. Collins is also a dynamic educator who makes complex ideas interesting and accessible to the non-expert. For good reason, he has been invited to conduct seminars, workshops and retreats around the world. If you are interested in solid, sound and erudite Biblical interpretation, look no further.”
– Edward Sirois, Chair, Religious Studies, La Salle Academy

  • Prologue: John the Baptist as Seen by a Jewish Historian
  • Mark’s Account of John the Baptist
  • Matthew’s Portrait of John the Baptist
  • Luke’s John the Baptist: A Call for Justice
  • John the Witness, a Johannine Picture
  • Epilogue: Beyond the New Testament

1 review for John the Baptist

  1. Frederic S. T., FL

    Winter Survey: January 2017

    Fr. Collins presented the program from many perspectives, biblical and secular. This gave me a new and broader perspective on the subject person than I previously had. Very interesting and helpful to understanding John the Baptist and his influence.

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