EN
The contribution analyses the texts in the Gospel of Luke and in the Acts of the Apostle (both works written by the same author, traditionally called Luke) that concern the mission of John the Baptist. John is mentioned relatively often, particularly in the Gospel of Luke, so that the resulting image of his mission recorded by the evangelist is sufficiently distinguished. John the Baptist is the culmination of the Old Testament (cf. Luke 16:16). He fulfils the prophetic mission of converting people to God. He is more, however, than a prophet (cf. Luke 7:26) because he also immediately prepares the coming of Christ. John is already closely joined with Christ although simultaneously fully submitted to him. This perspective on the Gospel of Luke is confirmed by relatively short references in the Acts, where the insufficiency of only knowing the baptism of John is strongly expressed (cf. Act 18:25; 19:3 – 4).