"Legend has it that while in the Holy Land the Knights Templar were initiated into the esoteric rites and teachings of a few of these gnostic sects, including the Johannite Gnostics who had descended from John the Baptist and the Sufi Gnostics who were recognized as some of the greatest gnostics and alchemists of their time."
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-famous-people/guilt-gnostic-knights-templar-chinon-parchment-005434#google_vignette
"Soon after the Knights Templar founded their order in the Holy Land in 1118 AD they assimilated into a very ancient gnostic tradition and lineage known as the Johannite Church, which had been founded by St. John the Baptist more than a thousand years previously. The ruling patriarch of this ancient tradition when the Templar Order first formed was Theoclete."
"The Johannites and St. John the Baptist
Theoclete met the first Templar grandmaster, Hughes de Payens and then passed the mantle of his Johannite authority to him. Hughes de Payens thus became John #70 in a long line of gnostic Johannites (the “Johns”) that had begun with John the Baptist and included: Jesus, John the Apostle, and Mary Magdalene. John was not just a name, but also an honorific title meaning “He of Gnostic Power and Wisdom.” It is related to the Sanskrit Jnana (pronounced Yana), meaning “Gnosis.”"
https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-important-events/secrets-knights-templar-knights-john-baptist-005088
"The Mandaeans were also known to worship John the Baptist, believing him to be the true Saviour of the world. According to the Gospels, John the Baptist was a man indeed sent from God. His main purpose was to prepare the people for the Messiah’s coming"
"The King Messiah was manifest in the person of Jesus. However, the Priest Messiah was believed to be John the Baptist.
There is some evidence that the Essenes considered John the Baptist a higher authority than Jesus. As the Knights Templar had adopted these traditions, they also placed John the Baptist in a higher position in comparison to Jesus."
https://www.historicmysteries.com/unexplained-mysteries/templar-mandaean/27530/
"Jesus hijacked the cult of John the Baptist – and the Knights Templar knew this
I would suggest that this was an attempt by Jesus and his followers to justify hijacking John the Baptist’s cult."
https://thetemplarknight.com/2011/03/31/john-baptist-templar/
"16John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: 17Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.
18And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. 19But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, 20Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.
The Baptism of Jesus
(Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; John 1:29-34)
21Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened, 22And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased."
https://biblehub.com/kjv/luke/3.htm