John the Baptizer and the Kingdom of God

I recently just finished reading a very long scholarly work named 'Key Events in the Life of the Historical Jesus'. This book is a collaboration and I recently finished the section pertaining to John the Baptizer and Jesus's ministry written by Robert Webb. I do not see myself as a professional theologian, but I do want to offer a view words pertaining to the conclusions that Webb made about John the Baptist and Christ.

What I found incredibly convincing was that Webb claimed vigorously that Jesus began his ministry as John's number two. This holds significant theological weight due to the fact that if God's Kingdom mission started with John the Baptist, then one must conclude that the Kingdom of God predated Christ's ministry. This was a conclusion I formed myself, but I find it convincing. Webb claims that John's baptism was a baptism of repentance, but this repentance was used as entrance into the 'new' Israel or remnant. If Webb is correct, and I think he is, then we must rethink what the meaning of baptism is even outside the apostle Paul. Baptism then was used as entrance into a community. To me it reminds me of that backstage pass people get at concerts. Baptism is entrance into community through repentance. For those of us who believe that the Church today is somehow related to the people of Israel (God), then we can find this view possible.

One of the other issues Webb entertains is the question of why Christ himself was baptized. Jesus was no sinner, yet he still felt led to participate in this baptism of repentance. Why? Webb again is genius in his historical/theological interpretation. Webb thinks it is possible that Christ was baptized as repentance not in a personal salvation type of thinking, but in a national way. Israel needed to repent, and Christ was repenting on behalf of Israel, and because he was apart of this nation, then repentance was then necessary for Christ as well.

I am finding this book thus far very challenging to my thinking, but also informative. I am new to participating in this historical method of Biblical Study, and I am finding that this form of study has the ability to answer questions that theological study fails too.

As I continue through this work I will begin to offer in-depth conclusions about the book and the historical Jesus. This was a just a post done (without the book in hand) to get out some of my initial thoughts. My next posts will be much more informative and scholarly in conclusions.