When we think of the Gospels, we think of the Savior sent from God, Jesus Christ. The Gospels reveal that God Himself came in the form of a man to save mankind from their sins.
While we reflect on the Savior, we often overlook the "Pavior" sent from God. John is the Pavior in that he "paved the way" for Jesus to come into the world. He is the connecting link from the Old Testament and New Testament, the first prophet to come after 400 years of revelatory silence. It may be said that to truly understand and appreciate the life of Jesus, we must first understand the role and work of John as he prepared the way for Christ.