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Had John been cast into prison when Jesus began his ministry?
Matthew: He had.
John: He had not.
Matthew says that immediately after his temptation, and before he began his ministry, “Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison” ([iv, 12]). Then “he departed into Galilee; and leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum” ([12, 13]). “From that time Jesus began to preach” ([17]). This was the beginning of his ministry.
According to the Fourth Gospel, Jesus had called his disciples; had traveled over Galilee and Judea; had baptized ([iii, 22]); had performed miracles ([ii, 1–11], [23]; [iii, 2]); had held controversies with the Jews ([ii, 18–21]; [iii, 1–21]); had attended the Passover ([ii, 13–23]); had purged the temple ([ii, 13–16]); and after all these things “John was not yet cast into prison” ([iii, 24]).