Can we call the character of John the Baptist in Luke 1 to 3 as a foil? A foil character is none but the one who plays as a foil to the concerned character to highlight certain characteristic features. Many times the foil characters are considered as contrast characters. Adele Berlin considers this kind of characterization as contrast characterization (Berlin, Poetics and Interpretation, 24.). However, I prefer to call this as comparative characterization. Not all comparisons are contrastive in nature. In many instances comparisons are done among the similar things. Therefore, to call all comparative characterizations as contrastive comparative characterization is not appropriate. A very good example is found in Luke 1-4.
Similar to the structure of comparative characterization of Samuel and Eli’s sons in 1 Samuel 1 & 2, Luke structures the characterization of Jesus in between the birth narratives of John the Baptist. Gabriel announces John’s birth to Zechariah and he is conceived (1:5-25); Gabriel announces Jesus’ birth to Mary (1:26-38); Mary meets Elizabeth and Fetus John meets Fetus Jesus (1:39-45); Mary sings a songs (1:46-56); John the Baptist is born and he is named (57-68); Zechariah sings a prophecy (67-80); Finally, Jesus is born in Bethlehem (2:1-7). From Luke 1:5 onwards until 2:7 the story of Jesus’ birth is kept in comparison with the birth narrative of John the Baptist. Though John the Baptist plays a foil to Jesus' character in these narratives he is not portrayed as a contrastive character but a complementary one to bring out Jesus as the promised Messiah. This is called as complementary comparative characterization.
In Luke 3-4, John ministers in the wilderness (3:4) while Jesus starts his ministry with the temptation in the wilderness (4:1). John’s gospel is about poor (3:10-14). Similarly, Jesus’s Gospel is also about the poor (4:18). In spite of all these, John was arrested by Herod (Luke 3:18-20). Similarly Jesus was rejected in his hometown (4:22-29). These parallels validate the comparisons kept between Jesus and John, not as contrastive but complementary.
Mutual complementary comparative characterization is two characters, both playing as foil simultaneously for the characterization of the other. In this way both characters are being characterized by the same time both characters function as foils for the other. The question is this: Could John the Baptist and Jesus both function as foil to each other so that both of them could be characterized simultaneously? For this we must know the purpose of the comparisons. Does John the Baptist function only as a foil to bring about the characterization of Jesus or is he also being showcased alongside Jesus. Does John’s mere presence in the narrative is only to validate Jesus’ Messiahship or is he also presented as a major character of equal importance to Jesus. If the latter is true then we must say John’s portrayal in the narrative is mutual complementary comparative characterization. But if it is the former then it is not. This will also be one of the concerns of this paper.
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