If Jesus did start out under John, that makes the baptism in the Jordan even more like a passing of the torch — except in this case, the torch immediately started preaching, multiplying bread, and ignoring fasting schedules. No wonder the Gospel writers scramble to flip the hierarchy. Nothing unsettles the myth of the lone, heaven-sent teacher like remembering he once stood in someone else’s line, waiting for his turn in the water.
For further reading, I would highly recommend Dr. Joan Taylor's book on John the Baptist, for me this is still the best.
If Jesus did start out under John, that makes the baptism in the Jordan even more like a passing of the torch — except in this case, the torch immediately started preaching, multiplying bread, and ignoring fasting schedules. No wonder the Gospel writers scramble to flip the hierarchy. Nothing unsettles the myth of the lone, heaven-sent teacher like remembering he once stood in someone else’s line, waiting for his turn in the water.