# John The Baptist, Son Of Zacharias And Elisabeth, Beheaded In The Castle Of MachæRus, At The Command Of Herod Antipas, A. D. 32. · Page 2 of 2

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Josephus, the Jewish historian, also makes mention
of the death of John the Baptist, in the 7th
chapter of the 18th book of his history of the Jews,
where he writes thus:

“There was a common report among the Jews,
that Herod’s army was destroyed through the righteous
judgment of God, on account of John, who is
called the Baptist. For Herod, the tetrarch, caused
this pious man to be slain; who exhorted the Jews
to all manner of virtue and righteousness, led them
to baptism, and said, that their baptism would only
then be acceptable to God, if they would abstain,
not merely from one or two sins, but would earnestly
purify the heart, through righteousness, and
afterwards also the body.

“Since great numbers flocked to him, and the
people were very eager for his doctrine, Herod
feared, lest he (John) might induce the people,
with whom his influence was great, to sedition; for
it seemed, as if they would do everything according
to his will and counsel. He therefore thought it
best, to have him killed. For that reason he caused
him to be imprisoned in the aforesaid castle Machærus,
and there put to death.”

This happened, according to our reckoning, in
the year thirty-two after the birth of Christ, in the
seventeenth year of Tiberias, the Roman emperor;
and thus was this great light of the church of God
extinguished in the midst of its brightness, to the
sorrow of many pious hearts.

It is stated that his body rested at Sebasta, in
Palestine, till the time of Julian, when his bones
were burned by the enemies of truth, and his ashes
scattered to the wind. Histor. Tripart. lib. 1.
cap. 15. Theod. lib. 3. cap. 6.

69



## Original source

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