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This book examines how and why the authors of the first three Gospels shaped the story of John the Baptist around the story of Jesus. Careful comparison of these foundational texts yields not only the perspectives of the synoptic authors but also a provisional sketch of the historical figure of the Baptist, which is then placed within the religious, political, and economic context of first century C.E. Judea. Special attention is given to the interface between John and the Qumran community that scholars have proposed ever since the Dead Sea Scrolls werediscovered.
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