The answer is: Six months

Luke 1:26 - The angel appeared to Mary in the sixth month of Elisabeth's pregnancy

Curious about the fascinating relationship between Jesus and John the Baptist? It's often noted that John was six months older than Jesus, which you get a glimpse of in the story of their births. In Luke 1:26, the narrative reveals that Mary received the message from the angel Gabriel during the sixth month of John's mother, Elizabeth’s, pregnancy. This timing sparks a debate about how connected John and Jesus really were, both humanly and spiritually.

Interestingly, their births also encapsulate God's subversive plans—to bring forth a waymaker in John and the Savior in Jesus. This connection is echoed by prophecies in the Old Testament suggesting a forerunner to the Messiah—a role that John fulfills with zeal. Remember than in the lineage discussed in Luke, Elizabeth and Mary are related, which adds another layer to their intertwined destinies.

Now, for a bit of trivia: In folklore among some early Christians, John is depicted with a rugged, ascetic lifestyle in the wilderness, munching on locusts and wild honey. Quite a stark difference from Jesus, who was a notorious gatherer—a figure who rolled with crowds and never went without eating communal meals.

You could say that both men played unique parts in God's broader story, with John energizing the call for repentance and laying the groundwork for the universal message Jesus would eventually share. Isn’t it intriguing to think about how their sibling-like age difference was part of a divine plan?