The ministries of John the Baptist and Jesus overlapped. John continued at the Jordan, north of the Red Sea; and Jesus, with His new disciples (some who were previously with John) were west of the Red Sea. Both were preaching and both were baptising (although Jesus did not personally baptise, only His disciples (John 4:1-2)). In addition, the Pharisees had a rite of ceremonial washing, as did the Essenes. So which of these cleansing ceremonies were true and effective? It became a point of debate which involved John’s disciples.