the son of Serug, the son of Reu, the son of Peleg, the son of Eber, the son of Shelah

 John was one of the world's supremely effective preachers. Once Chalmers was congratulated on a sermon. "Yes," he said, "but what did it do?" It is clear that John preached for action and produced it. He did not deal in theological subtleties but in life. 