Among the gospel writers it is Luke and John who deal most straightforwardly with the role of John the Baptist as distinct and subordinate to that of the coming Messiah. In both Luke and John, the crowds that have come to listen and receive John's baptism ask the specific question "Are you the Messiah?" This was perhaps the most crucial moment in John's ministry the test of his ability to be a voice proclaiming preparation for the One who is to come, while resisting the temptation to elevate his own message of what is to come.

John had spoken with authority to those with economic clout (tax collectors) and military might (soldiers). He had been bold enough to address mixed crowds that contained individuals whose social status was far, far above his own. Obviously, John did not shrink from …