Why did John the Baptist say he wasn't a prophet?

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Moses told the people to expect in the future an authoritative, law giving prophet of at least equal stature to himself. No other prophet that followed Moses was regarded as important as Moses by the Jewish people. Thus this expected prophet would stand out.

15 “The Lord your God will raise up for you a prophet like me from among your own brothers. You must listen to him. 16 This is what you requested from the Lord your God at Horeb on the day of the assembly when you said, ‘Let us not continue to hear the voice of the Lord our God or see this great fire any longer, so that we will not die!’ 17 Then the Lord said to me, ‘They have spoken well. 18 I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brothers. I will put My words in his mouth, and he will tell them everything I command him. 19 I will hold accountable whoever does not listen to My words that he speaks in My name. (Deuteronomy 18:15-19)

Jesus fulfills the requirements. John the Baptist does not.

Upvote:-1

Not only wasn't John the Baptist the prophet (i.e., Messiah), neither was he a prophet in the OT or NT sense. His purpose was to preach repentance, to call people to righteousness, and thus to prepare hearts for the prophet coming after him.

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