Definition: John the Baptist was a Jewish forerunner of Jesus who baptized believers in the imminent coming of Judgment Day. In the Canonical Gospels, John the Baptist is the herald of Christ and the Christian era. John's parents are Zachariah and Elizabeth who is called the cousin of (Virgin) Mary, the mother of Jesus.
John the Baptist, whose ministry was in the valley of the Jordan River, baptized Jesus in that river. The right to baptize was the messiah's, so to explain why John was doing so he said that he was baptizing only with water but the messiah would baptize with fire.
John the Baptist incurred the anger of Herod Antipas or his niece Herodias, and was imprisoned. When Herodias' daughter Salome asked for the head of John the Baptist, John was executed [source: Catholic Encyclopedia - John the Baptist].
Ancient Sources on John the Baptist: The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and Josephus.
