Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Mark 1:4
John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
4. the wilderness ] i. e. the dry and unpeopled region extending from the gates of Hebron to the shores of the Dead Sea. “It is a dreary waste of rocky valleys; in some parts stern and terrible, the rocks cleft and shattered by earthquakes and convulsions into rifts and gorges, sometimes a thousand feet in depth, though only thirty or forty in width The whole district is, in fact, the slope of the midland chalk and limestone hills, from their highest point of nearly 3000 feet near Hebron, to 1000 or 1500 feet at the valley of the Dead Sea. The Hebrews fitly call it Jeshimon (1Sa 23:19; 1Sa 23:24), ‘the appalling desolation,’ or ‘horror.’ ”
for the remission ] or unto the remission. See margin and comp. Mat 26:28; Luk 1:77. This remission was to be received of the Messiah. John required of all who came to him a change of mind and life with a view to pardon from Christ. Thus his baptism was preparatory to that of Christ.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
See the notes at Mat 3:3, Mat 3:5-6, Mat 3:11.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mar 1:4
John did baptize in the wilderness.
The age in which the Baptist ministered
The age of Tiberius, spiritually speaking, was not unlike the Victorian age. Some people were still satisfied with the old religious forms. Their piety still flowed through the time-worn channels of creeds and catechisms. There will always be these survivals, what we call old-fashioned people; they belong to the past, let them alone, they will get to heaven in their own way. Others-in the days of Tiberius and Victoria-respectable but heartless formalists, really without religion, but apparently full of it, cling to the orthodox forms. You will always find such wooden-headed, stony-hearted supporters of things as they are, without a breath of the new life in them, boasting that they are Abrahams children. But a surging crowd of restless, eager spirits, sons of the new time, impatient of worn-out creeds, churches, establishments, orthodoxies, what shall I say of these? Ah! these are the disciples of John. These wait for the inner personal appeal, repent; the fresh symbol, baptism; the spiritual emancipation, remission of sins; the new Divine Man; the holy effluence; the fiery chrism. (H R. Haweis, M. A.)
The Baptists training
Besides baptizing, he did a good deal else there; for he was in the deserts till the day of his showing forth unto Israel. He had the usual good education of a priests son, and world know most of the Bible by heart. His father and mother had taught him, as only saintly hearts can teach a child, the wealth of Gods mercy, the grievousness of sin, the promises of God to His people, the hope of a great Redeemer. They had told him the wonders connected with his birth in such a way as not to move his conceit, but to charge his conscience with the sense of a high calling awaiting him. They had told him of a miraculous birth of One whom Anna and Simeon and themselves had been moved by the Spirit of God to hail as the Promised Christ. He had from time to time gone up to Jerusalem to the feasts, and had thus seen and heard enough of the miseries of his people, and of the hypocrisy and worldliness of their priests and leaders, to make him long for the appearing of the promised Redeemer. So he sought calmness and strength and light in the desert with his God. The desert dangers destroyed all fear; the hardness of the desert fare, all love of ease. The writings of the great prophets of the past were the friends whose companionship moulded him. Prayer for his people arose perpetually from his priestly heart. Increasingly he felt that the one misery of man was sin; and the one need of man a Saviour, whose sacrifice would take away its guilt, and whose baptism of fire and of the Holy Ghost would destroy evil and create good in them. In the wilderness the great temptations had their fiercest force, but were fought and conquered; the temptation to shrink from the tremendous task; the temptation to despair of men hearing his message or obeying his call; the temptation to fear his own breakdown in faith; the temptations of darkness and doubt, all assailed him there. He could not have come in the power of the Spirit to his work, unless victory over such assaults had strengthened him. He knew that death was the reward which the world had always given Gods prophets. He faced till he ceased to fear it. So, clad in the single garment, still worn by the poorest Bedouin; living on locusts and wild honey, as the extremely poor sometimes still do in the same region; he walked and talked with God until the time was ripe for his coming forth. (R. Glover.)
Solitary communion with God
Every preacher and teacher, to do his work aright, must go into the wilderness. There would be more prophecy if there was more privacy. An ounce of truth discovered by yourself has more power in it than a pound imparted to you by someone else. Do not grudge the time you spend alone with God. He will teach all His scholars what none others can impart. (R. Glover.)
The Baptism of John
Ablutions in the East have always been more or less a part of religious worship-easily performed, and always welcome. Every synagogue, if possible, was by the side of a stream or spring; every mosque still requires a fountain or basin for lustrations. But John needed morn than this. No common spring or tank would meet the necessities of the multitudes who resorted to him for baptism. The Jordan now seemed to have met with its fit purpose. It was the one river of Palestine, sacred in its recollections, abundant in its waters; and yet, at the same time, the river, not of cities, but of the wilderness; the scene of the preaching of those who dwelt not in kings palaces, nor wore soft clothing. On the banks of the rushing stream the multitudes gathered-the priests and scribes from Jerusalem, down the pass of Adunimim; the publicans from Jericho on the south, and the lake of Genesareth on the north; the soldiers on their way from Damascus to Petra, through the Ghor, in the war with the Arab chief, Hareth; the peasants from Galilee, with One from Nazareth, through the opening of the plain of Esdraelon. The tall reeds in the valleys waved, shaken by the wind; the pebbles of the bare clay hills lay around, to which the Baptist pointed as capable of being transformed into children of Abraham; at their feet rushed the refreshing stream of the never-failing river. There began that sacred rite which has since spread throughout the world. (Dean Stanley.)
The ministry of John the Baptist
I. His qualifications for his ministry. He was in the deserts, etc. He was a meditative man. This love of retirement into natures places of impressive solitude is good for the soul. The fountains of thought and religious feeling are best filled thus. The best poems, speeches, sermons, are born under such condition, s. John possessed another good qualification for his ministry in the simplicity of his tastes and habits. A man who has no wants, says Burke, has obtained great freedom and firmness, and even dignity.
II. The doctrine of his ministry. He proclaimed the need of repentance. Where one man objects to the preaching of searching truth, ten will approve it. Confession of sins is humbling but salutary. He told them of Christ who was about to come and complete his imperfect work. Without Christ repentance is superficial.
III. The characteristics of his ministry. From its extraordinary effect, that mysterious influence of the Spirit, which gives the unction characteristic of all mighty preachers, must have distinguished Johns ministry. The tones of the Holy Christ, with which he was filled from his mothers womb, were heard in his preaching. Joined to this supreme quality of the preacher, John had other qualities of a remarkable kind. He was a direct preacher. He was a plain and faithful preacher. He magnified Christ to the forgetfulness of himself. (A. H. Currier.)
Natures solitude refreshing
There is something in natures solitudes most congenial and refreshing to souls of the larger mould. Of William the Conqueror it is said that he found society only when he passed from the palace to the loneliness of the woods. He loved the wild deer as though he had been their own father. (A. H. Currier.)
A faithful ministry beneficent
Such plainness of dealing may appear, at first thought, harsh and repulsive. But before this judgment is given, it is well to inquire whether plainness and fidelity on the part of the preacher are any proof of unkindness. Is the keeper of a weather-signal station unkind, who hoists the storm signal, that the shipping may stay in the harbour, or fly to its shelter, when word comes to him from his chief that a storm is at hand? Let him fail once to do his duty. Instead of a plain and truthful signal, let him put out an ambiguous or an unmeaning one, and let the ships, which fill the harbour or cover the adjacent sea, sail forth and go on in entire security, until the tempest comes and catches them in its irresistible grip and scatters their wrecks along the shore. Then see the widows wring their hands and wail, and their fatherless children cry over the lifeless dead, which lie stark and cold on the sand, and say whether it was kind and good to keep back the warning that might have prevented such ill. A child may complain of the robin whose boding note prognosticates the rain which interferes with its play, but a man, able to understand that God sends the rain, will thank the bird for the warning. (A. H. Currier.)
It is not wise to disregard a faithful ministry
They had the good sense to perceive that the truth, though sometimes severe and painful, is nevertheless truth, and not to be run away from. As wisely might the sailor on a dangerous coast, befogged in mist and uncertain of the way, close his ears to the fog bell which warns him of the rocks, as for a sinful man to find fault with and avoid the messenger of God, who proclaims that truth by which his soul is saved. Better is it to charge the messenger to hold back nothing. A reasonable soul fears nothing so much as those false delusions of the mind which soothe mens alarms and lull concern to sleep-at last to destroy them. (A. H. Currier.)
John the fulfilment of prophecy
The Old Testament is full of prophetic intimations and clear predictions concerning the coming Saviour. Beginning faintly and far away, they grow in distinctness and fulness, until John ushers in the long-expected Redeemer. Like the chorus of bird songs which herald the dawn, which, beginning with the soft chirp of a half-awakened songster, gradually increases and swells till the whole air throbs with melody, so the prophetic strain which tells the coming Christ rises in strength until He appears. (A. H. Currier.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 4. John] The original name is nearly lost in the Greek , and in the Latin Johannes, and almost totally so in the English John. The original name is Yehochanan, compounded of Yehovah chanan, the grace or mercy of Jehovah: a most proper and significant name for the forerunner of the God of ALL GRACE. It was John’s business to proclaim the Gospel of the grace of God, and to point out that Lamb or sacrifice of God which takes away the sin of the world.
For the remission of sins.] Or, toward the remission – . They were to repent, and be baptized in reference to the remission of sins. REPENTANCE prepared the soul for it, and BAPTISM was the type or pledge of it. See Clarke on Mt 3:2.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
Luke saith that John began about the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar. He baptized in the wilderness, that is, a place little inhabited. By his baptism is not to be strictly understood baptism, but his preaching and doctrine, his whole administration; which is called the baptism of repentance, because repentance was the great thing he preached, a seal of which baptism was to be; the consequent of which was to be the remission of sins, or the argument which he used to press repentance was the remission of sins. See Poole on “Mat 3:5“. See Poole on “Mat 3:6“, where we before had these words.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
John did baptize in the wilderness,…. Of Judea, Mt 3:1, where he first appeared as a preacher; and is the same wilderness Isaiah has respect to in the above prophecy, Isa 40:3. The words are best rendered in the Vulgate Latin and Syriac versions; “John was in the wilderness, baptizing and preaching the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins”: according to which, the account of the Baptist begins with his name, John; describes the place where he was where he made his first appearance, and continued in, the wilderness; which was not a wild uninhabited place and without people, but had many cities, towns, and villages in it; and also declares his work and ministry there, which was preaching and baptizing: for though baptizing is here put before preaching, yet certain it is, that he first came preaching in these parts; and there baptized such, to whom his preaching was made useful. Baptism is here called, the
baptism of repentance: because John required repentance antecedent to it, and administered it upon profession of repentance, and as an open testification of it; and this
for, or unto the remission of sins: not for the obtaining the remission of sins, as if either repentance, or baptism, were the causes of pardon of sin; but the sense is, that John preached that men should repent of their sins, and believe in Christ, who was to come; and upon their repentance and faith, be baptized; in which ordinance, they might be led to a fresh view of the free and full forgiveness of their sins, through Christ; whose blood was to be shed for many, to obtain it: see Ac 2:38.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
John came ( ). His coming was an epoch (), not a mere event (). His coming was in accordance with the prophetic picture (, 1:2). Note the same verb about John in Joh 1:6. The coming of John the Baptizer was the real beginning of the spoken message about Christ. He is described as
the baptizing one ( ) in the wilderness ( ). The baptizing took place in the River Jordan (Mark 1:5; Mark 1:9) which was included in the general term the wilderness or the deserted region of Judea.
Preached the baptism of repentance ( ). Heralded a repentance kind of baptism (genitive case, genus case), a baptism marked by repentance. See on Mt 3:2 for discussion of repent, an exceedingly poor rendering of John’s great word . He called upon the Jews to change their minds and to turn from their sins, “confessing their sins” ( ). See Mt 3:16. The public confessions produced a profound impression as they would now.
Unto remission of sins ( ). This is a difficult phrase to translate accurately. Certainly John did not mean that the baptism was the means of obtaining the forgiveness of their sins or necessary to the remission of sins. The trouble lies in the use of which sometimes is used when purpose is expressed, but sometimes when there is no such idea as in Mt 10:41 and Mt 12:41. Probably “with reference to” is as good a translation here as is possible. The baptism was on the basis of the repentance and confession of sin and, as Paul later explained (Ro 6:4), was a picture of the death to sin and resurrection to new life in Christ. This symbol was already in use by the Jews for proselytes who became Jews. John is treating the Jewish nation as pagans who need to repent, to confess their sins, and to come back to the kingdom of God. The baptism in the Jordan was the objective challenge to the people.
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
John did baptize ( )
Lit., John came to pass or arose who baptized. Rev., John came who baptized.
Baptism of repentance ( )
A baptism the characteristic of which was repentance; which involved an obligation to repent. We should rather expect Mark to put this in the more dramatic form used by Matthew: Saying, Repent ye!
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “John did baptize in the wilderness,” (egeneto loannes ho baptizon en te eremo) “John, who baptized in the desert, wilderness, or desolate area, did come;” He was known as “The baptizing” or immersing one, in preparing a people for Jesus, for His name’s sake, Isa 40:3; Act 15:14.
2) “And preach the baptism of repentance,” (kerusson baptisma metanoias) “Proclaiming, heralding, or setting forth a baptism of repentance,” a baptism “of” repentance means originating out of repentance, that implied and entailed forgiveness of sins, Mat 3:2; Mar 2:17; Act 17:30.
3) “For the remission of sins.” (eis aphesin hamartion) “With reference to remission of sins,” as a testimony of sins pardoned or forgiven, not to obtain pardon, forgiveness, or remission of sins, Mat 3:7-9; Act 3:19; Act 11:18.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
(4) John did baptize.No other Gospel passes so abruptly, so in medias res, into the actual work of the Forerunner. There is no account of the birth or infancy of our Lord, as in St. Matthew and St. Luke; none of the pre-existence of the Son of Man, as in St. John. St. Mark is here, as elsewhere, emphatically the Evangelist of action. (On the rest of the verse, see Notes on Mat. 3:1.) The special phrase baptism of repentancei.e., the sign of repentance, that which was connected with it, and pre-supposed itmeets us in Luk. 3:3 and Act. 19:4. In the former passage we find also forgiveness of sins as the result of the baptism; and we cannot doubt, therefore, that then, as evermore, repentance was followed by forgiveness, even though the blood which availed for that forgiveness (Mat. 26:28) had not as yet been shed.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
4. Baptism of repentance Not the baptism of faith in a Redeemer already crucified and atoning; but a baptism of repentance and reformation preparatory to his coming. For the remission of sins This phrase depends on repentance. It is not baptism for the remission of sins, but repentance for such remission.
‘John came, who baptised in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.’
Here was the Elijah who was to come (Mar 9:13; Mat 11:10-14; Mat 17:12; Luk 1:17). The name John, given directly by God (Luk 1:13), meant ‘God is gracious’. In him God was about to reveal His graciousness to man. So John came preaching a ‘baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins’ and baptised men in ‘much water’ (Joh 3:23). As Matthew 3 and Luk 3:1-22 both confirm (compare Mar 1:8) this drenching with water spoke of the coming of the Holy Spirit like rain from Heaven to bring fruitfulness among His chosen (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:1-5), resulting in true repentance of heart and a total change of life (Isa 1:16-17).
The angel, prior to John’s birth, had stated that ‘many of the children of Israel will he turn to the Lord their God, and he will go before His face in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to walk in the wisdom of the righteous’ (Luk 1:16-17). Thus as the new Elijah he proclaimed this message, the need for ‘repentance’. The word means a change of mind and heart, and a turning to God, which would lead to the forgiveness of sins. It is used in the Greek Old Testament (LXX) to indicate regret for sin and turning away from evil (e.g. Jer 8:6; Jer 18:8), and as well as to God in mercy ‘changing His mind’ (taking up a new stance) about His dealings with men (1Sa 15:29; Amo 7:3; Amo 7:6).
‘Who baptised in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.’ What is certain above all is that John’s ministry centred on repentance and open admission of sin, resulting in forgiveness, and on subsequent baptism. This is constantly stressed (Mat 3:2; Mat 3:6; Mat 3:8; Mat 3:11; Luk 3:8), and Luke details the kind of changes required (Mar 3:10-14). The stress on ‘in the wilderness’ may also indicate that Mark saw Israel at that time as being precisely that, a people whose hearts were barren and unfruitful. But the question is, what did his baptism signify? Certainly by being baptised the people indicated their repentance and looked for the forgiveness of their sins, but what did the baptism itself mean? To answer that question we have only to look at his ministry. It centres on the ideas of fruitfulness and harvest, and in the light of these references water could only point to the rain that came from the heavens and the resultant springs of water flooding up from the ground (Isa 44:1-5).
Matthew 3 and Luke 3 both speak of the Pharisees as like vipers fleeing from cornfields, of the need to produce good fruit (the result of plenteous rain), of the axe laid to the root of trees (because they had withered), of the fruitless tree cast into the fire, of the One who has the threshing instrument in His hand, of the separating of wheat from chaff, the one stored in barns the other burned up. Thus John’s vivid imagery is mainly drawn from agriculture. We also know that John contrasts his own drenching with water with that of Him Who will ‘drench in Holy Spirit and fire’, and significantly in the Old Testament the pouring out of the Spirit is described as being like the rain from heaven (Isa 32:15; Isa 44:1-5). The first part of the phrase ‘drench in Holy Spirit and fire’ must surely therefore be connected, in context, with the gathering into the barn of the grain which the rain has caused to grow, and the second part with the burning of the useless chaff in the fires of judgment, the one being blessed and having purpose for the future, and the other being judged unfit and only suited to destruction.
In the light of this, and of the constant references in the prophets, where the coming of the Holy Spirit is likened to the pouring down of the rain with its resulting fruitfulness, it is clear that John’s baptism has in mind, and pictures, the drenching, life-giving rain from heaven (baptizein means ‘to drench’). Thus Isa 32:15 says ‘– until the Spirit be poured out from on high, and the wilderness become a fruitful field, and the fruitful field be counted for a forest, justice shall dwell in the wilderness and righteousness shall abide in the fruitful field’. Here we have, as with John’s message, the wilderness bearing fruit, with the pouring out of the Spirit as rain resulting in the fruitful fields and trees.
This is then applied specifically to people in Isa 44:3-4, ‘for I will pour water on him who is thirsty, and streams on the dry ground, and I will pour My Spirit upon your seed, and my blessing upon your offspring, and they shall spring up among the grass, as willows by the watercourses.’ Compare also Isa 55:10-13 where the rain and snow from heaven, watering the earth and making it fruitful, ‘bringing to birth’ the grain, are likened to the going forth of the word of God to accomplish His purposes, spoken of in terms of flourishing trees of the right kind; and Isa 45:8 where the heavens drop down ‘from above’ (LXX ’anothen – as in Joh 3:3) and the skies pour down righteousness so that the earth is fruitful in salvation and righteousness is caused to spring up. ‘Birth from above’ (compare Joh 3:3) is specifically in mind in these verses.
Reference to the Spirit in terms of water from heaven is also found in Eze 36:25-27 where it cleanses by giving a new heart. But Ezekiel thinks in priestly terms and the sprinkling of water there rather has reference to the water (‘clean’ water) which has been treated with the ashes of the heifer (Num 19:17-19), but even there Ezekiel links it with fruitfulness and restoration (Eze 36:29-30; Eze 36:33-36), while Joel also links the pouring out of the Spirit (Joe 2:28-30) with the times of refreshing, the coming of the rain and the floors full of wheat (Mar 2:19; Mar 2:22-25), as well as with the spiritual inspiration of men and women chosen by God.
So by his baptism John was indicating by an acted out parable that these baptised people were being separated to God in preparation for the coming of Holy Spirit as promised by the prophets in order that they might become acceptable to God (be ‘cleansed’), be restored, and might become fruitful. He was acting out their future blessing. They were in the future to enjoy the ‘drenching in Holy Spirit’ from the Messiah, the life-giving spiritual rain which would produce fruitfulness in their hearts. Notice the phrase ‘he baptised in the wilderness’. It was in the wilderness that the waters would come and would make the desert blossom as a rose resulting in ‘waters — in the wilderness, and streams in the desert’ (Isa 35:1; Isa 35:6). That his baptism was a prophetic acting out, and not actual in terms of the new beginning, is stressed in Act 19:1-6 where the disciples of John are seen as being devoid of the new Spirit. And yet the Spirit Who was proclaimed by John, was undoubtedly to some extent experienced under him (Luk 1:15-17; Mat 21:31-32). It was, however, to be Jesus Who ultimately drenched men with the Spirit and brought to fulfilment what the prophets had promised (Mar 1:8).
John the Baptist’s Proclamation of Jesus’ Righteousness ( Mat 3:1-12 , Luk 3:1-18 , Joh 1:19-28 ) – Mar 1:4-8 serves as a testimony of the fulfillment of two Old Testament prophecies found in Mal 3:1 and Isa 40:3 through the public ministry of John the Baptist, whose message justifying Jesus Christ as the Son of God, the Messiah prophesied in Old Testament Scripture. The first part of Malachi’s prophecy “Behold, I send my messenger before thy face” is fulfilled in John’s appearance (Mar 1:4-8) prior to that of the Messiah in Mar 1:9-13. The second part of Malachi’s prophecy “which shall prepare thy way before thee” is fulfilled in John’s public ministry of water baptism and the people confessing their sins (Mar 1:4-5). The first part of Isaiah’s prophecy “the voice of one crying in the wilderness” is fulfilled in John’s public ministry of preaching in the wilderness (Mar 1:4). The second part of Isaiah’s prophecy “Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” is fulfilled in the content of John’s message of repentance. Thus, every aspect of Mar 1:4-8 is designed to testify of the fulfillment of every aspect of these opening prophecies. [81] Because Mark does not explicitly say that John the Baptist fulfilled the two opening prophecies of Mar 1:1-3, (unlike Matthew’s Gospel that says, “that it might be fulfilled”), he introduces John in a way that makes its fulfillment vividly clear to the reader. [82]
[81] Robert H. Gundry, Mark: A Commentary on His Apology for the Cross (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1993), 36.
[82] Robert H. Gundry, Mark: A Commentary on His Apology for the Cross (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Eerdmans, 1993), 47.
Comparison of Emphasis of Themes in the Gospels – When we understand the underlying themes of the four Gospels, it is easy to see each of four Gospels placing emphasis upon their respective themes within their parallel accounts of John the Baptist. Since Matthew’s Gospel emphasizes the testimony of the Old Testament Scriptures, he begins in Mat 3:1-12 about how that John the Baptist is represented as the one who fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah. Mark’s Gospel emphasizes the fact that John was the first to begin preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Although Mar 1:4-8 is very similar to Matthew’s parallel passage, it gives more text about the proclamation of John the Baptist. Luke’s Gospel emphasizes the prophetic eyewitness testimonies surrounding Jesus Christ’s ministry, and reveals John as a man with a prophetic word from the Lord. Therefore, Luk 3:1-20 begins by referring to verifiable dates of the ministry of John the Baptist with his prophetic message of the coming Saviour. Finally, John’s Gospel, which emphasizes the deity of the Lord Jesus Christ, uses the passage in Mar 1:19-28 about John the Baptist as one of the five witnesses to His deity.
Mar 1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Mar 1:5 Mar 1:5 Comments – The New Testament uses this family of words both in a literal and figurative sense. 1. Literally The Greek word “baptism” used literally means, “immersed.” In classical Greek literature it was used to describe the sinking of a ship at sea. [83] However, in the New Testament this word appears to have become a common term used for ceremonial “washings” before eating as prescribed by the Pharisees’ interpretations of the Mosaic Law. There are a number of verses that indicate this New Testament usage.
[83] Jack MacGorman, “Class Notes,” in New Testament Greek, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, Fort Worth, Texas, 1981-82.
Mar 7:4, “And when they come from the market, except they wash , they eat not. And many other things there be, which they have received to hold, as the washing of cups, and pots, brasen vessels, and of tables.”
Mar 7:8, “For laying aside the commandment of God, ye hold the tradition of men, as the washing of pots and cups: and many other such like things ye do.”
Luk 11:38, “And when the Pharisee saw it, he marvelled that he had not first washed before dinner.”
Heb 9:10, “Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings , and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.”
Therefore, when the term “the one who baptises” was attached to John’s name, it implied that John was giving the children of Israel the proper “ceremonial” cleansing for their sins. Water baptism was the perfect example of “inner cleansing” in such a culture already familiar with this term. The Lord must have revealed to John or spoken to him that a call to water baptism was the way in which a truly repentant person would demonstrate their genuineness publicly. In fact, it was used as an indicator to God of who was repenting of their sins and who was not repentant.
2. Figuratively Used figuratively, the Greek word “baptism” means, “to be identified with.”
1Co 10:2, “And were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;”
1Co 12:13, “For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.”
Mar 1:5 “ in the river of Jordan ” Comments – The Jordan River is referred to one hundred eighty-one (181) times in the Old Testament and eighteen times in the New Testament. This river begins at the foot of Mount Hermon near Hasbeiya, which is 1,700 feet above sea level , and this river ends at the mouth of the Dead Sea, 1,290 feet below sea level. Thus, it is a fast moving river as it makes it steep descent and the very name “Jordan” means “to go down.” At Mount Hermon water from several underground springs comes together to begin the Jordan River. It flows twenty-five miles into the Sea of Galilee and then it flows out of the Sea of Galilee about seventy miles and ends at the mouth of the Dead Sea. Because of the way a river meanders, it actually flows a total of two hundred (200) miles. [84]
[84] George Frederick Wright, “Jordan,” in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, ed. James Orr (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co., c1915, 1939), in The Sword Project, v. 1.5.11 [CD-ROM] (Temple, AZ: CrossWire Bible Society, 1990-2008); R. F. Youngblood, F. F. Bruce, R. K. Harrison, and Thomas Nelson Publishers, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary, rev. ed. (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995), in Libronix Digital Library System, v. 2.1c [CD-ROM] (Bellingham, WA: Libronix Corp., 2000-2004), “Jordan.”
It is easy to see how this river symbolizes the healing stream that flows from the throne of God. It is here that the Lord inspired John the Baptist to call the nation to repentance by washing their sins away in an act of obedience called water baptism.
Mar 1:5 Comments – Note in Act 19:3 that the Ephesians were baptized into John’s baptism. John’s message was to be baptized and repent of one’s sins (Mar 1:4). Jesus’ message was that the kingdom of God has come (Mar 1:14-15, Mat 4:23).
Act 19:3, “And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism.”
Mar 1:4, “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”
Mar 1:14-15, “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”
Mat 4:23, “And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, and preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing all manner of sickness and all manner of disease among the people.”
Mar 1:6 And John was clothed with camel’s hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;
Mar 1:6 [85] Narry F. Santos, “ Mark 1:1-15 The Paradox of Authority and Servanthood,” in Interpreting the New Testament Text, eds. Darrell L. Bock and Buist M. Fanning (Wheaton, Illinois: Crossway Books, 2006), 331.
2Ki 1:8, “And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
Mal 4:5, “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:”
Mar 9:11, “And they asked him, saying, Why say the scribes that Elias must first come?”
Luk 7:28, “For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.”
Mar 1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.
Mar 1:7 The greatest joy of John the Baptist was to see the Bridegroom and to hear His voice. His devotion was to make the bride ready for the Bridegroom. Therefore, he spoke of the coming of the Bridegroom.
Mar 1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Mar 1:8 Justification – Public Ministry of John the Baptist Mar 1:4-13 emphasizes the justification of Jesus Christ as the Son of God through the public ministry of John the Baptist, whose ministry was prophesied in the Old Testament through the foreknowledge of God the Father (Mar 1:1-3). According to Mark’s Gospel, the Gospel of Jesus Christ begins with the ministry of John the Baptist. Thus, Mark makes no reference to the nativity of Jesus Christ the Saviour as does Matthew and Luke, but goes right into the events surrounding the preaching of the Gospel. Mark opens His Gospel by explaining how John the Baptist was sent before Jesus’ arrival in order to prepare the hearts of the Jewish people to receive Him. His ministry culminated with the baptism of Jesus Christ as God used this event to present the Messiah to His people using the preaching testimony of John the Baptist, the visible manifestation of the Holy Spirit and the voice of the Father from Heaven, which served as three testimonies to the Jewish people to justify Jesus Christ as the Son of God.
After quoting the Old Testament prophecies in Mar 1:1-3, Mark explains in Mar 1:4-8 how John fulfilled them both as he preached (Mar 1:4) and as the people repented (Mar 1:5). Then Mark describes the culmination of John’s ministry with the account of Jesus’ water baptism (Mar 1:9-11) and temptation (Mar 1:12-13). Note the proposed outline of the public ministry of John the Baptist:
Outline: Here is a proposed outline:
1. John’s Proclamation of Jesus’ Righteousness Mar 1:4-8
2. God the Father’s Proclamation of Jesus’ Righteousness Mar 1:9-11
3. Jesus’ Testimony of His Righteousness Mar 1:12-13
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Ver. 4. John did baptize in the wilderness ] Like as at the promulgation of the law, the people were commanded to wash their garments, and sanctify themselves; so at the first publication of the Gospel, to wash their hands, and cleanse their hearts; and in testimony or profession thereof, to believe and be baptized for remission of sins.
4. ] See on Mat 3:1 .
. ., the baptism symbolic of (“gen. of the characteristic quality,” Meyer) repentance and forgiveness of the death unto sin, and new birth unto righteousness. The former of these only comes properly into the notion of John’s baptism, which did not confer the Holy Spirit, Mar 1:8 .
Mar 1:4 . .: in accordance with, and in fulfilment of, these prophetic anticipations, appeared John . = the Baptist (substantive participle), that the function by which he was best known. : this clause (in Luke, not in Matthew) may plausibly be represented as a Christianised version of John’s baptism (Weiss), but of course John’s preaching and baptism implied that if men really repented they would be forgiven (Holtz., H. C.).
John. Compare Mat 3:1-6. Luk 3:1-4,
did baptize = it came to pass John [was] baptizing.
baptize. See App-115.
preach = was proclaiming, or heralding. App-121.
of. Genitive of Relation and Object. App-17.
repentance. See App-111.
for = resulting in. Greek. eis. App-104.
Sins. See App-128.
4.] See on Mat 3:1.
. ., the baptism symbolic of (gen. of the characteristic quality, Meyer) repentance and forgiveness-of the death unto sin, and new birth unto righteousness. The former of these only comes properly into the notion of Johns baptism, which did not confer the Holy Spirit, Mar 1:8.
Mar 1:4. , came forth [not the same as ]) The event is pointed out as answering to the prophecy.- , preaching the baptism) An abbreviated expression for, preaching the preaching of repentance, and baptizing the baptism of repentance; Luk 3:3.-, unto [for]) Construe with the baptism of repentance; Act 2:38.-, remission) without [the need of] Levitical sacrifices.
did: Mat 3:1, Mat 3:2, Mat 3:6, Mat 3:11, Luk 3:2, Luk 3:3, Joh 3:23, Act 10:37, Act 13:24, Act 13:25, Act 19:3, Act 19:4
for: or, unto
remission: Act 22:16
Reciprocal: Luk 1:77 – give Luk 1:80 – and was Luk 7:24 – wilderness 2Ti 2:25 – repentance
THE BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE
The baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
Mar 1:4
John baptized with the baptism of repentance; in other words, those who accepted his baptism declared thereby that they repented of their sins, and were willing to forsake them, and enter upon an entirely new life. But he baptized with the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. What do these words mean? Not that then and there they received remission of sins; but that it was a step towards it. That they confessed their need of forgiveness and their expectation that it was coming. The baptism of repentance for that which was at hand; that which John foretold and heralded,Christ coming; Christ dying; Christ atoning. It was all that the converts at Ephesus knew when St. Paul said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? (Acts 19.)
Now the baptism of repentance is an expression which conveys several thoughts concerning penitence.
I. Is penitence a baptism?Then there must be a Baptizer. That Baptizer can be none other than the Holy Ghost. To baptize with repentance belongs to no human power. Recognise that truth as your aim. Do you wish to repent of your sins? Ask the Holy Ghost to do it in you. Ask Him to baptize your soul with His sweet influence. It is His office and His prerogative to pour repentance into your soul. Do not dare to attempt to do it yourself without Him! Without the Holy Ghost you may be ashamed, you may feel sorry and afraid for sin, and sins consequence; but you will never feel the true nature and consequence of sin as grieving God and crucifying Christ! You will never be able to say, with David, Against Thee, and Thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in Thy sight!
II. If repentance is a baptism, it must pervade the whole heart.The cleansing, purifying power must touch every particle of the heart and life. There must not be a spot unwashedunwashed by His grace and your tears! It must reach every affection, every thought, every, the smallest, word and actalike the holiest and the commonest. What you have done, and what you have left undonein your social life; in your family life; in your solitary life; in the mart; in the festive scene; in the church; in the closetyour whole beingbody, soul, and spiritelse, how could it be baptism?
III. There must be an effect at once.Something must be the cleaner for itas water does its work at once. If you are not the cleaner now, you will not be the cleaner presently! The meaning of repentance is not sorrow, but change of mind. Therefore, not only be very minute, but be very practical. Measure your repentance by facts; facts that you can show. In what am I really different? To what can I appeal as evidence of repentance? What has my repentance done for me? What is washed out? What is white that once was black? Where is my baptism?
And what will this baptism of repentance be? Salvation? pardon? peace? No; but it will be a step to Jesus.
Rev. James Vaughan.
Illustrations
(1) It has been much disputed whether Johns baptism was a novelty. There seems, however, little doubt that the rite had been used by the Jews before this for the admission of Gentile proselytes. The question of the priests and Levites (Joh 1:25) clearly implies that they would not think it strange for the Messiah or Elias to baptize.
(2) It is very necessary for us to understand clearly what sin is, because sin is an idea which can hardly be found outside the Bible; it is something which God by His Holy Spirit taught the Jews. Other nations, of course, have had their ideas of right and wrong, but of an imperfect kind. The Romans felt that a man owed a duty to his country and his father; that he ought to be brave and to obey the laws. The Greeks felt that a man owed a duty to himself not to do foul or unseemly things. Some said that a man should try and develop all his powers as perfectly as possible, so that he might reach the highest ideal of perfection for himself. Some, no doubt, thought of a duty to the gods also; but in their notion of wrong there was something wanting which we have in our sense of sin. With sin all thought of wrong to ourselves, or our friends, or our relations, or our country, is lost sight of. We think of an act of sin only as something deliberately done which we know God has forbidden, or a thing deliberately neglected which we know God has ordered us to do. When we sin we feel that it is against God only we have sinned, and that we have done the wickedness in His sight.
4
Baptism of repentance denotes that baptism was caused by sincere repentance. (See Mat 3:7-8.) For is from EIS and means in order to remission of sins.
Mar 1:4. John appeared. The connection is with what precedes, as is indicated by the emphatic position of the word we translate appeared, usually rendered: came to pass. As it was written, so it was, so there appeared, or came, the one spoken of, John. The common version obscures the emphatic word.
He who baptisedand preached. The correct reading makes this not so much a declaration of what John did, as an explanation of how he performed the duty of forerunner, according to the prophecy. On the Baptists preaching and baptism, see on Mat 3:1; Mat 3:6. Contrast the abrupt introduction of John by Matthew and Mark with the full account of Luke (Luk 1:5-80).
The baptism of repentance. The baptism is too definite; John did not institute some new rite, but his baptism was a ceremonial washing, such as was well-known, to signify repentance and forgiveness: unto remission of sins. Repentance was the prominent idea of Johns baptism, while remission of sins was to come from the Messiah, whose forerunner he was.
A twofold account is here given of St. John’s execution of his ministry and office: First, his baptising; secondly, his preaching.
John did baptise; that is, admit persons into the church, by washing them with water: John baptised into the name of Christ, who was to come; the apostles baptised into the name of Christ, already come.
The second part of his office was preaching.
Where note, That preaching of the word, and administration of the sacraments, are to go together, and belong only to the ministers of the word, lawfully called. John did baptise and preach; but where and what did he preach? The place where, was the wilderness; a place not much frequented, though not altogether uninhabited; a solitary, mean, and obscure place. Thither God had called him, and there he contents himself.
Learn hence, That the ministers of God must be content to execute their ministry where God calls them, be the place never so mean and obscure, and the people never so rude and barbarous: John was a preacher of great note and fame; Jerusalem the chief city might seem more fit for him; but God had called him to preach in the wilderness, and he would not leave it.
We must not leave our place because it is mean and obscure, nor desert our people, thinking them too base to instruct; but where God has called us we must there abide, till he that called us thither remove us thence.
Observe farther, As the place where the Baptist preached, in the wilderness, so the doctrine which he preached, namely, the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; that is, the doctrine of Baptism, which sealeth the remission of sins to the party baptized.
Learn hence, The the preaching of the doctrine of repentance is absolutely necessary, and the indespensable duty of every gospel-minister. John Baptist preached it, our Saviour preached it, his apostles preached it: They went out preaching every where that men should repent. The baptism of repentance (says the learned Lightfoot) belongs to children, though they know not what repentance means, because it engages them to repentance when they come to years to understand that engagement. For thus it was with children circumcised, they became debtors to observe that whole law, though they came to years of discretion.
Mar 1:4. John Who was the very person spoken of by those prophets, being sent of God for that end, did baptize in the wilderness Which lay east from Jerusalem, along the river Jordan and the lake Asphaltites, also called the Dead sea. By wilderness, in the Scriptures, it is plain that we are not always to understand what is commonly denominated so with us, a region either uninhabitable or uninhabited. No more seems to have been denoted by it than a country fitter for pasture than for agriculture, mountainous, woody, and but thinly inhabited. These , wildernesses, did not want their towns and villages. And preach the baptism of repentance That is, preach repentance, and baptize as a sign and means of it. Thus John endeavoured to prepare men for the coming of that Messiah who was to save his people from their sins. See notes on Mat 3:2-3. This baptism, says Dr. Lightfoot, may belong to children, though it be the baptism of repentance, and they know not what repentance means; for it requireth not their repentance at the receiving of this sacrament, but it engageth them to it for the time to come, namely, when they shall come to the use of reason, and the knowledge of the engagement. And so was it with the children that were circumcised; for they by that sacrament became debtors to observe the whole law, Gal 5:3, when they knew not what obedience or the law meant; but that bound them to it when they came to years of knowledge and discretion.
Verse 4
Baptism of repentance; that is, baptism as a public pledge and profession of repentance. There is a peculiar appropriateness in the application of water as a symbol of inward purification; but the real value of the rite consists in its being the form by which the convert, in a public and solemn manner, calls upon his fellow-men to witness that he abandons his sins and returns to God. Baptism has no efficacy in itself. It is simply the public profession of a principle by a symbolical act, instead of by words.
4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
In this passage we want to look at two items, John baptizing in the wilderness and his baptism.
IN THE WILDERNESS: Vine mentions of this word “desolate, deserted, lonely” while another mentions “desert.” Not a real pleasant place to be. It was not the Ritz and it was not where one would go for a time of refreshment. I looked at a satellite map of the area and it looks as barren as Vine describes it.
BAPTISM OF REPENTANCE FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS:
Now, right away we should note that his baptism is not the same as church baptism. Church baptism is never called a baptism of repentance, nor is it linked directly to the remission of sins but rather is an outward sign of inward regeneration. We have already, as church age believers repented of our sins and found forgiveness of our sins, and THEN we seek baptism as a sign of what God has done in our lives.
Acts mentions John’s baptism several times. Once in relation to a time line of Christ’s life in Act 1:21 “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, 22 Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”
Again in 10.36 where it mentions John’s preaching: “The word which [God] sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (he is Lord of all:) 37 That word, [I say], ye know, which was published throughout all Judaea, and began from Galilee, after the baptism which John preached; 38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.” Here we see that there seems to be a finish to the baptism of John, “after the baptism which John preached” seems to be a break between John’s ministry and the Lord’s ministry.
In Act 13:24 ff we see that John ministered to the “people of Israel.” This is of great note. He preached to the Jews, not to the Gentiles, nor to the church. “When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25 And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not [he]. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of [his] feet I am not worthy to loose.”The text also mentions “John fulfilled his course” indicating that there was a finish to what he was sent to do.
Act 19:1 ff is key. It again shows a difference between John’s baptism and the baptism of the early church. They immediately knew there was a difference, and were properly baptized when they heard from Paul. “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. 3 And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. 4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. 5 When they heard [this], they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.”
We are not given a 25 minute sermon on the difference between John’s baptism and the baptism of the church, but it is clear that the difference exists.
For the most part, John was preaching to the Jewish folks that were looking for a king and kingdom. He was assisting them in preparation for that kingdom, though they soon rejected it because they did not like the teaching of the King. Christian baptism is an outward sign of an inward change of life that is due to belief and the regeneration of the Holy Spirit.
There is a large controversy about the “remission of sins” as well, but we won’t deal with it here. Those that believe that baptism is required to be saved, camp on this phraseology both in Acts and Mark the last chapter. It will suffice to say that even the Jewish Historian Josephus did not believe in the idea that baptism was not an integrated part of salvation.
“Now some of the Jews thought that the destruction of Herod’s army came from God, and was a very just punishment for what he did against John called the Baptist [the dipper]. For Herod had him killed, although he was a good man and had urged the Jews to exert themselves to virtue both as to justice toward one another and reverence towards God, and having done so join together in washing. For immersion in water, it was clear to him, could not be used for the forgiveness of sins, but as a sanctification of the body, and only if the soul was already thoroughly purified by right actions.” (Antiquities 18.5.2 116-119 copied from http://members.aol.com/fljosephus/JohnTBaptist.htm#Baptism 3-18-07)
1:4 {2} John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the {d} baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
(2) The sum of John’s doctrine, or rather Christ’s, is remission of sins and amendment of life.
(d) The Jews used many kinds of washings: but here a peculiar kind of washing is spoken of, which contains within it true baptism, amendment of life, and forgiveness of sins.
The wilderness or desert (Gr. eremos) where John ministered was dry and uninhabited. It was the wilderness of Judea west and north of the Dead Sea (Mat 3:1).
John baptized people when they gave evidence of repentance. "A baptism of repentance" means a baptism characterized by repentance. The Jews John baptized not only changed their minds, the basic meaning of metanoia, but they also changed their behavior. This is the only occurrence of metanoia in Mark. The changes were for and resulted in the forgiveness of sins. Change of behavior does not earn forgiveness, but change of behavior demonstrates genuine contrition that results in forgiveness. The unusual thing about John’s baptism was that in his day Gentiles baptized themselves when they converted to Judaism, and the Jews baptized themselves for ritual cleansing.
"As Israel long ago had been separated from Egypt by a pilgrimage through the waters of the Red Sea, the nation is exhorted again to experience separation; the people are called to a second exodus in preparation for a new covenant with God." [Note: Lane, p. 50.]
Peter’s sermon in Act 10:37 began at the same place as Mark’s Gospel, with the ministry of John the Baptist. This is one hint of Peter’s influence on the second Gospel.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: Everett’s Study Notes on the Holy Scriptures
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
Fuente: Church Pulpit Commentary
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament
Fuente: Mr. D’s Notes on Selected New Testament Books by Stanley Derickson
Fuente: Geneva Bible Notes
Fuente: Expository Notes of Dr. Constable (Old and New Testaments)