The extraordinary events which preceded and following the birth of John the Baptist and the status of his parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, combined to draw public attention to John. Later, this publicity led to a country-wide movement when he emerged from his desert solitude and preached "a baptism of repentance" (Lk. 3:3).

The witness given by John at the baptism of Jesus and his proclamation that he was indeed the Prophet sent by God, the Messiah, "the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world" (Jn. 1:29), became of vital importance to the early Church.

Jesus Himself often reminded the people of what John had told them about Him. Again and again, Jesus tried to overcome the hostility of the Scribes and Pharisees against Him by reminding them of the testimony given of Him by John.

When a new apostle had to be elected to replace Judas, Peter specified that he must have been with them from the time of John's preaching. Later, when speaking to Cornelius, the first gentile to become Christian, Peter referred to the baptism preached by John. Luke speaks of believers like Apollo who had only received the baptism of John, who were given further instruction and baptised in the name of Jesus (Acts 18:24-26).