Yochanan the Baptizer

CHAPTER 7

Yochanan teaches his disciples many of the truths that he has learned from Yeshua, including a full understanding of sin, repentance, and redemption. He and his disciples head north along the Jordan, stopping near every town and village, preaching repentance and baptism for the humble in spirit and contrite of heart for which he becomes quite renowned. They set up a camp on the shore of the Salt Sea for those who come to be baptized and hear Yochanan preach. Many become new disciples and are sent out to every town to teach. The scribes and the Pharisees, sent by the priests and Levites of Jerusalem, also come to question Yochanan and leave with a self-righteous, condemning attitude.

 1 And it came to pass that Yochanan and his disciples did not tarry upon the Jordan, but following a tributary to the east running toward Beth Haran, they encamped upon the headwaters in the hills far above the grounds of the palace.

 2 They brought few possessions with them, save some camel skins for sleeping at night upon the ground, for Yochanan had told them that they would fast for long times and when they ate, it would be only as God provided in the abundance of the wilderness.

 3 And it came to pass that Yochanan and his disciples tarried for one moon in the hills with frequent fasts and many prayers.

 4 His disciples learned to find the nests of bees and how to safely extract their sweet honey. They discovered which plants were edible and the myriad of tasty delicacies in the headwaters, including which insects could be eaten for food.

 5 Yochanan admonished them that they should not kill animals, unless there was no other choice for food, clothing, or shelter.

 6 And though they fasted often, they held their weight the same because of the great nutrition of their food, which Elohim provided in abundance.

 7 During their long uninterrupted hours together, Yochanan taught them many of the truths he had learned from Yeshua. Not all he knew, for it was more than they could comprehend at this time, but all of the foundation of the simple truths of salvation.

 8 And there grew a great loyalty among his disciples to Yochanan because of the long days and nights they had spent together, sharing in hardships and joys as they learned and grew beyond what they had been.

 9 Yochanan’s disciples became filled with the new truths they had learned, with a full understanding of sin and repentance and redemption through the Celestine Light of Elohim.

 10 Yochanan taught them to disrespect unrighteous authority, both of Caesar and of the leaders of the Sadducees and Pharisees and the court of the Sanhedrin. He taught that it was the nature of most leaders of institutions, both in government and ecclesiastical authorities, to exercise unrighteous dominion over the lives of men.

 11 He taught that only those who brought forth fruits of repentance and thereafter lived in virtue and walked in the light of Elohim, doing good to all men, would be worthy of the positions of power by which they held sway over men.

 12 When one moon had passed, they returned to Gimron and each man to his family. And Yochanan returned to Bethany to be with his wife and family for half a moon.

 13 Upon the next moon, Yochanan reunited with his disciples in Gimron, and they went forth north along the Jordan, stopping near every town and village, preaching repentance and baptism for the humble in spirit and contrite of heart.

 14 The words of Yochanan quickly reverberated across the land, for he was a fiery orator, and many people came from towns and villages far away from the Jordan to hear his words and be baptized into the new covenant that he preached.

 15 Coming to the boundary of Samaria, Yochanan turned and began moving south along the Jordan, retracing the path by which he had come.

 16 His disciples went forth before him to every town and village, giving the people a portion of his message of the new covenant and causing a great excitement among them.

 17 So effective were his disciples at arousing the people that by the time Yochanan again neared the Salt Sea, large multitudes were waiting for his arrival upon the banks of the Jordan.

 18 Unto these, he preached a message of repentance, confession, restitution, and forgiveness. And many were the people who repented of their past and took upon them the mantle of the new covenant and were born again of the water.

 19 Each moon, Yochanan and his disciples returned to Gimron to be with their families for a few days, and Yochanan’s family came to be with him each new moon.

 20 Soon his fame spread greatly, and so many people began to follow him to Gimron that the members of the community asked him to no longer come there, for they could have no peace.

 21 Yochanan agreed and took his disciples and journeyed to the northeastern shore of the Salt Sea. At the hot springs and baths located there, he made a long-standing camp and baptized and taught those who made the journey to hear him preach.

 22 Each new moon, although not everyone, many of the families of his disciples would come to spend a few days with their husbands and fathers, and at this time, they would retreat up into the hills above the hot springs that they could have a few days of solitude with their families, away from the crowds that waited for them below.

 23 It was while staying at the hot springs of the northeastern Salt Sea that Yochanan became famous throughout all the Tetrarchy of Herod Antipas. And the crowds of people who came to hear his mighty preaching and be baptized by him never diminished, but only grew.

 24 Besides repentance and the new covenant, Yochanan taught that the kingdom of Heaven was at hand and that though he baptized with water, one was coming after him who would baptize with a fire in the heart.

 25 And many were added to be counted among his disciples from those who came to hear him and were baptized.

 26 Most did not remain with him, but were sent out into the lands beyond to teach the people in every city and town and village enough of the light that they would desire to journey to the springs to hear the preaching of Yochanan and be baptized.

 27 And it came to pass that the scribes and the Pharisees, sent by the priests and Levites of Jerusalem, came to him, trying to snare him in a mistake of the law and said, “Who are you? Are you the Anointed One?”

 28 Yochanan was humored by their blatant attempt and confessed, “I am not the Messiah.”

 29 And they asked him, “Who then? Are you Elias?”

 30 He said, “I am who I am.”

 31 “Are you a prophet?” they persisted.

 32 He answered simply, “I am a lowly servant of God.”

 33 They said to him then, “Do not speak in riddles. Who are you? Let us have an answer for those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?”

 34 He replied, “I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

 35 They were wroth with him and his answers and asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet?”

 36 Yochanan proclaimed to them, “I baptize with water for repentance of sins to enter into the new covenant and to prepare the way for one whom you do not know, even he who comes after me, and the thong of his sandal I am not worthy to untie.”

 37 Then said the Pharisees, “What need have we of your repentance or your baptism? We have Abraham as our father, and we baptize our followers unto ourselves.”

 38 Then Yochanan towered in righteousness before them, saying, “You brood of vipers! You are warned: bear fruits that befit contrite repentance or flee in vain from the wrath to come!

 39 You baptize unto yourselves? I baptize unto Elohim, the Almighty God of Heaven. Of what worth do you think your baptism unto yourselves is to God?

 40 Of what value is it to say, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ but you have not a true repentance for your iniquities and a humble spirit?

 41 For I tell you, God is able from the stones on the ground to raise up children to Abraham, but humility can only come from the truthfulness of your own heart.

 42 Repent therefore for the coming of the king is at hand, and even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees, and every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.”

 43 And it came to pass that the scribes and Pharisees turned away from his fearsome countenance and the sting of his words, but the multitudes were amazed and asked him, “What then shall we do?”

 44 Yochanan answered them in quietness and humility, “He who has two coats, let him share with him who has none, and he who has food, let him do likewise.”

 45 Tax collectors also came to be baptized and said to him, “Teacher, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Collect no more than is appointed you, and if you truly love God, collect only in equality from all, without compulsion.

 46 Take not from a man’s lands or property and from his coins only by his choice, as payment to Caesar for fair use or purchase.”

 47 Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Rob no one by violence or by false accusation, kill not, save it is to preserve your own life when attacked, and venture not into foreign lands save it is in retaliation for an attack upon your land.”

 48 Merchants also came to him and said to him, “And what shall we do?” And he said to them, “Be honest in your dealings and never use duplicity.”

 49 Unto the men he said, “Respect your wives, for they are daughters of God.”

 50 Unto the women he said, “Honor your husbands, for they are sons of God.”

 51 To everyone he said, “Treat with kindness and love all children, for they are jewels of God upon the Earth that you might always have the light of God before you upon their faces.”

 52 And the people marveled at the teachings of Yochanan, and they questioned amongst themselves whether perhaps he was the Messiah, even though he had denied it, but Yochanan answered them all, “What I have said, I say again. I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is mightier than I is coming, and he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire and light.

 53 His winnowing fork is in his hand to clear the threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary, but the chaff, he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

 54 And with many other exhortations, he preached the good news of repentance and forgiveness and baptism to be prepared for the coming of the Celestine Light of Elohim.