Who were the baptists before John the Baptist?

Answer 1

No scripture attests to John baptizing in anyone's name. His baptism unto repentance "prepared the way" for Jesus' baptism [which isn't a baptism of water -- but of the Holy Spirit, for the remission of sins].

John didn't "remit anyone's sins"... he "prepared and pointed the way" to the One who would.

"I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire." (Matt.3:11)

Jesus has "two" baptisms that are quite "opposite" from each other: 1] with the "Holy Spirit"; 2] with "fire."

The gift of the Holy Spirit is for those whose sins are remitted. The baptism of "fire" is for those who shall be cast into the Lake of Fire in the Judgment [Rev.20:15].

When John baptized and preached repentance... Jesus had not yet begun His ministry. He had not yet been tested by Satan, that He might defeat him, depose him and qualify to become the "King" of God's prophesied "Kingdom" on the earth.

Until Jesus did that... He could not preach the Kingdom of God. And until Jesus rose from the dead, there was no "baptism of the Holy Spirit in Jesus' name" until Jesus rose from the dead and made the Holy Spirit available beginning on Pentecost.

Until Jesus died and rose again... for the short period of time of His "cut-off" ministry, He remitted sins as He walked among the people in the flesh. But the Holy Spirit was not yet given.

"Let all the House of Israel know assuredly, that God hath made that same Jesus, WHOM YE HAVE CRUCIFIED, both Lord and Christ. Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter... WHAT SHALL WE DO?

"Then Peter said unto them, REPENT [John's baptism, the baptism with water that others took over after John's imprisonment], and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

"For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call." (Acts 2:36-39)

John's "baptism unto repentance" COMES FIRST. No one can be forgiven if they aren't conscious of the reality that they are a sinner... that they have "broken God's laws" [The Bible's definition of sin] -- I John 3:4. A person has to, first, want forgiveness for his sins in order to seek it. Repentance is the awakening of the spirit to the need of obedience to God.

That was John's job. That's why he was born [see Luke 1]. That was his commission: to herald the coming of the Messiah. To baptize unto and preach: "repentance." To "...turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers..." (Malachi 4:6).

"...Behold, I send My messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make His paths straight." (Mark 1:2-3)

John's baptism and preaching of repentancewas a "harbinger" to the people that the prophecies of their scriptures regarding their long-awaited Messiah was about to be fulfilled. It was a most exciting time in Judaea.

Everyone was looking for Him to appear, because of John's "voice" and his baptism with water unto repentance. John's baptism didn't need a name to turn peoples' hearts to a consciousness of their scriptures and their sins.

Since Jesus' ascension into heaven, repentance and "baptism for the remission of sins" is a combined and complete process that requires the name of Jesus Christ for the divine authorization of the Remitter.

"...John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God." (John 1:32-34)

Answer 2

John the Baptist was not a baptist, like we think of it today. He got that name because he was famous for baptizing people. Although, some well-meaning baptist might argue this point, there is virtually no historical evidence of the existance of baptists before 1600.