What, then, was the baptism which John adminis- tered ? See Washing. (Comp. Olshausen, Comment, ad loc. Job. ; Dale, Johannic Bupiism, Phila. 1871.) Not al- together a new rite, for it was the custom of the Jews to baptize proselytes to their religion ; not an ordinance in itself conveying remission of sins, but rather a token and symbol of that repentance which was an indispensable condition of forgiveness through him whom John point- ed out as " the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the world." Still less did the baptism of John impart the grace of regeneration — of a new spiritual life (Acts xix, 3, 4"). This was to be the mysterious effect of bap- tism " with the Holy Ghost," which was to be ordained by that "mightier one" whose coming he proclaimed. The i)reparatory baptism of John was a visible sign to the people, and a distinct acknowledgment by them that a hearty renunciation of sin and a real amendment of life were necessary for admission into the kingdom of heaven, which the Baptist proclaimed to be at hand. But the fundamental distinction between John's bap- tism unto repentance and that baptism accompanied with the gift of the Holy Spirit which our Lord af- terwards ordained is clearly marked by John himself (Matt, iii, 11,12). See Baptism of John. As a preach- er, John was eminently practical and discriminating. Self-love and covetousness were the prevalent sins of the people at large on them, therefore, he enjoined charity and consideration for others. The publicans he cautioned against extortion, the soldiers against vio- , lence and plunder. His answers to them are, no doubt, I to be regarded as instances of the appropriate warning and advice which he addressed to every class. The first reason assigned by John for entering on his most ' weighty and perilous office was announced in these j words : " The kingdom of heaven is at hand." It was I his great work to prepare the mind of the nation, so I that, when .Jesus himself came they might be a people i made ready for the Lord. What was the exact idea which John intended to convey by the term " kingdom I of heaven" it is not easy, at least in the space before us, j to determine with satisfaction. (See Richter. Be munere sacro Joanni Bapt. divinitus delegato, Lips. 1756.) We feel ourselves, however, justified in protesting against the practice of those who take the vulgar Jewish notion and ascribe it to John, while some go so far as to deny that our Lord himself, at the first, possessed any other. Had we space to develop the moral character of John,
we could show that this fine, stern, high-minded teacher possessed many eminent qualities ; but his personal and official modesty in keeping, in all circumstances, in the lower rank assigned him by (iod must not pass without special mention. The doctrine and manner of life of John appear to have roused the entire of the south of Palestine, and people flocked from all parts to the spot where, on the banks of the Jordan, he baptized thou- sands unto re])entance. Such, indeed, was the fame which he had gained, that "people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ or not" (Luke iii, 15). Had he chosen, John might without doubt have assumed to himself the higher office, and risen to great worldly power ; but he was faithful to his trust, and never failed to declare, in the fullest and clearest manner, that he was not the Christ, but merely his harbinger, and that the sole work he had to do was to usher in the day-spring from on high. (See Beecher, Life of Jesus, vol. i, ch. v.)
The more than prophetic fame of the Baptist reached the ears of Jesus in his Nazarene dwelling, far distant from the locality of John (JMatt. ii, 9, 11). The nature of tlie report — namely, that his divinely-predicted fore- riuuier had ajijieared in Judwa — showed our Lord that the time had now come for his being made manifest to Israel. The mission of the baptist— an extraordinary one for an extraordinary inirjiose — was not limited to those who had openly forsaken the covenant of God, and so forfeited its prin(i|ilcs; it was to the whole peo- ple alike. This we must infer from the baptism of one who had no confession to make, and no sins to wash away. Jesus himself came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John, on the special ground that it be- came him " to fulfil all righteousness," and, as man, to submit to the customs and ordmances which were bind- ing upon the rest of the Jewish people. John, however, naturall}' at first shrank from offering the symbols of purity to the sinless Son of God. Immediately on the termination of this symboUcal act, a divine attestation was given from the opened vault of heaven, declaring Jesus to be in tnith the long looked-for Messiah — " This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased" (Matt, iii, 17). The events which are found recorded in John i, 19 sq. seem to have happened after the baptism of Je- sus by John. See Jesus Christ.