Not long after the turn of the first millennium, a Jewish prophet emerged from a period of desert solitude in the Jordan River valley. He wore simple camel hair garments and ate nothing but locusts and wild honey. His name was John the Baptist, and his pre-messianic preachings about repentance and God's final judgement would form the bedrock of the early Christian faith.

Joan Taylor is Professor of Christian Origins and Second Temple Judaism at King's College London and author of 'The Immerser: John the Baptist Within Second Temple Judaism'. She explains why people were so drawn to him, and why he is considered the forerunner of Jesus Christ.

Produced by James Hickmann and edited by Max Carrey.

Enjoy unlimited access to award-winning original documentaries that are released weekly and AD-FREE podcasts. Sign up HERE for 50% off for 3 months using code ‘DANSNOW’.

We'd love to hear from you - what do you want to hear an episode on? You can email the podcast at [email protected].