The first step on the path of this historical reconstruction should be the statement of the fact that Christianity originated in the Jewish environment and this environment has left a deep imprint on many provisions of the Christian creed. As the Bible indicates, Jesus Christ was born into a Jewish family. His earthly parents Mary and Joseph were devout Jews and religiously observed all the requirements of their religion. The very title of Jesus “Christ” – means “Messiah”, “Savior” – is based on the deeply rooted in Judaism doctrine of the Messianic role of the Jewish people, on the fact that it is from this environment will be the Savior of mankind.

Messianic sentiments among the Jews were constant, but their manifestation in different historical periods of time was not the same. In a period of social stability, ” law ” came first, and Messianic expectations took a back seat. When Jewish society experienced a crisis stage of its development, Messianic sentiments were awakened and actively spread. In the 1st century ad, Judea experienced an acute crisis associated with the pressure on the population of three levels of power: the Roman Emperor, his governors-tetrarchs, king Herod Antipas and the Jewish high priests. Each of these authorities exploited the people, forcing them to pay exorbitant taxes, forced them to certain forms of behavior, which often contradicted the moral beliefs and creeds of the Jewish people.

During this period, Messianic hopes were widely spread throughout Palestine, and many wandering preachers appeared, proclaiming the imminent coming of the Messiah, the Savior of the people, the true king of the Jews. The Bible names two great prophets of that time — Jeremiah and John the Baptist. These preachers sought to attract the attention of the people by an unusual appearance. Jeremiah preached with a yoke around his neck, John the Baptist wore a robe of camel’s hair, did not cut his hair, lived as a hermit in the desert, ate dried locusts and was very thin. His appearance alone made a lasting impression on people. And his speeches, exposing the moral fall of the powerful, reigned in the palaces of debauchery, disregard for the needs and suffering of people, found a lively response in the masses. Those in power feared the preaching of John the Baptist and, according to biblical legend, he was beheaded by order of king Herod Antipas, provoked to this act by the “belly dance” of his half-daughter Salome.

John the Baptist did not consider himself the Messiah, the Savior of mankind. According to the biblical version of Christianity, he is only a forerunner. His task was to prepare the people for the coming of the Messiah. The judgment of God, John argued, was not far off. He urged people to repent, to take the path of righteous life. As a symbol of entering the Messianic era, John chose the ritual of immersion in the water of the Jordan river. This immersion was given a symbolic meaning. Just as water washes the body, so repentance cleanses the soul. The rite of ablution received the symbolic meaning of baptism (Greek. baptismal Russian. baptism) Hence the nickname of John the Baptist. Before ablution people confessed their sins, purified the soul.