The three Synoptic Gospels describe the sequence as Jesus' baptism followed by a swift departure to Galilee, triggered by John the Baptist's arrest. The apostle John provides additional details which, at first glance, seem to contradict Matthew, Mark and Luke.
We examined the chronology of the Gospel according to John in the appendix ANN064: The next days noted by John, seeking a sequence consistent with the Synoptic information. This visit, reported only by John, highlights John the Baptist's renown and raises several points:
1- John the Baptist's reputation did not develop within a few months. Since he performed no miracle (John 10.41) to attract attention and preached rather directly, the three-and-a-half-year ministry proposed by Daniel fits the Gospel accounts well.
2- The religious leaders' first question concerns the Messiah, meaning the royal Messiah, followed by a connection with Elijah's coming. This indicates their knowledge of the prophecies.
3- The ' interest in John the Baptist's baptism suggests that they considered this practice to fall under the Messiah's or Elijah's authority.
4- John the Baptist's central message is the announcement of the royal Messiah's coming.
The Qumran writings reveal that Jews at the time awaited two messiahs: a royal messiah and a priestly messiah. The ' questions reflect this expectation, first evoking the royal Messiah, then the prophet or priestly Messiah.
John alone specifies where these events took place: Bethany beyond the Jordan (John 1.28), not to be confused with the village near Jerusalem where Lazarus and lived. Difficult to locate today, this place has prompted several geographical interpretations.
Notably, John sought to add details to events already mentioned in the Synoptics without anticipating the interpretative difficulties this might cause. He simply recounts personally experienced events, thus affirming that truth does not contradict itself.
These political leaders' journey suggests that John the Baptist no longer attended these Temple gatherings; otherwise, the religious authorities would have used his presence to question him. The festival of began only a few days later!