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THE KING’S BUSINESS
Prepare ye the way. The imagery is taken from the practice of eastern con querors who sent heralds to tell the nations through which they were about to pass to make ready a king’s highway by leveling the grounds and straightening the roads. John prepared the way by inviting all men to prepare it.— Camb. Bible. v. 4. Baptism o f repentance or “ repent ance-baptism.” This is a baptism which- implied and symbolized a change o f mind as 'regards both past and future, and if real repentance was there, forgiveness fol lowed. To preach repentance baptism means to proclaim the value o f baptism as a seal o f repentance, a pledge o f a new life. —Plummer v. 5. Baptised, confessing sins. The verb for “confessing” is a strong compound, meaning, “confessing right out in full and openly.”— Camb. ’Bible. v. 5. Clothed with camelshair, etc. Hot with soft raiment; -was girt not with a golden but with a leathern girdle; and, in contempt o f dainties and delicate things, his'meat was locusts and wild honey. The more we sit loose to the body and live above the world the better we are prepared for Jesus Christ.— Henry. John perhaps deliberately imitated Elijah in order to teach the people that he was a prophet — Plummer. v. 8. Baptize you with the Holy Ghost. Matt. 3:11 adds, “and with fire.” The thought o f John is that the Savior would give them the Divine Sanctifier as a purifying water to wash away their sins; as a fire to kindle in their hearts the holy flame o f divine love and zeal; to illuminate their souls with heavenly wisdom.— Kapp. In Acts we find direct reference to the promised baptism in the Holy Ghost. Jesus, just before the ascension contrasts John’s baptism in water with the baptism with the Holy Spirit which the disciples are to receive “not many days hence;” and power in witnessing for Jesus is predicted as the result o f the baptism with the Holy Spirit.— Mullins, v. 9. Jesus baptized o f John. The ser
vant was sinless, yet' was baptized in Jor dan. He showed his perfect willingness to take, in obedience to the Father’s will, the sinner’s place in death.— Gaebelein. The surprise that the Messiah who had no sins to repent o f should submit to repentance- baptism is evident in Matt. 3 :13-15.— Camb. Bible. v. 10. H e saw heavens opened. W e may see heaven open. Jo us when we perceive the Spirit descending and working upon us. . God’s good work in us is the surest evidence o f His good will toward us and His preparation for us.— Henry. When Christ was baptized and the Spirit came upon Him, a fire was kindled in Jordan.-—■ Justin Martyr. He saw heaven open; what an encouraging sight for Him who had taken the lowest plac e..—Gaebelein. The baptism o f Jesus was to John a sign that He was the promised Messiah and the Son o f God. To Israel it was the showing to the people His consecration by the unction o f the Holy Spirit to the three-fold office o f Prophet, Priest and King. To the Church, it is a type and first example of all true baptism, ;of water and of the Spirit. Yet the vision o f the baptism was intended primarily for Jesus Himself. It was He who saw the heavens opened, the dove descending, and to Him the; momentous words were, spoken. It marked the point in His career when there first awoke in his human consciousness the complete real ization, o f the awful mystery o f His Divine human personality.— Dummelow. Note the doctrine o f the Trinity as set forth here. God speaks from heaven; the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and God the Son'is being baptized:— Evans. v. 11. In whom I am well pleased. We therefore can only be well pleasing to God as we are “ in Him, the beloved.” Eph.. 1:6; Rom. 5:1.— Selected. Well may we call the Gospel o f Mark the neglected Gospel, for it is the least- studied, although God gave it that we, His redeemed people, might as servants, have a divine pattern.— Gaebelein.
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