Fragment of John the Baptist

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John the Baptist, renowned in Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, and Mandaeism as a significant religious figure, was a Jewish wandering preacher in the early first century AD. Known to many as the prophet Yahya in the Quran, John is revered by all of these traditions as a prophet, and honored as a saint in numerous Christian traditions. John relied on baptism as the central symbol or sacrament of his messianic movement. The majority of scholars agree that Jesus was baptized by John. Scholars generally believe that Jesus was a follower of John, and several New Testament accounts report that some of Jesus' early followers had previously been followers of John. John the Baptist is also mentioned in the writings of the Jewish historian Josephus. Some scholars maintain that John's teachings were influenced by the semi-ascetic Essenes, who expected an apocalypse and practiced rituals corresponding strongly with baptism, although no direct evidence supports this claim. According to the New Testament, John anticipated a messianic figure greater than himself. Christians commonly refer to John as Jesus' precursor or forerunner since John announced Jesus' coming. John is also associated with the prophet Elijah.