The Pulpit Commentary — Mark — Volume 1 — Section 61

reason le expressed in somewhat general terms, as follows:-" Thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness ; " but wherein this righteousness consisted, and how it was fulfilled, we proceed briefly to investigate. IV. PRIESTHOOD OB' CHRIST, It will be borne in min a that our Lord, though a priest after the order of Melchisedec, and superior to that of Aaron, was nevertheless the great Antitype of the Aaronic priesthood. The priest of the Aaronic order was typical of the great High Priest of our profession. The rites of consecration in the one case may, therefore, be regarded as helpful in elucidating the mode of inauguration in the other. V. CEREMONIAL OF coNSECllATION. At the ceremonial of consecrating the Auonic priest, there was (1) anointing with oil, and (2) washing with water. The oil was emblematical of the Spirit, the water of separation from all that would unfit for the 11ervice of the Holy One; the anointing with oil signified the bestowal of the needful endowments, the washing with water the impartation of the necessary moral qualities; the one has reference to the gifts, the other to the graces, required for the proper and efficient discharge of the priestly functions. It was thus with the type, while, in the case of the Anti type, the figure was realized in the fact; the sign gave place to the thing signified. In other words, the unction of the Spirit took the place of the anointing with oil; the washing with water, which in reference to the Levitical priest denoted the necessity for purity in the service of God, and entire separation from anything that would defile, implied, in relation to the Redeemer, the actual possession of that purity in its highest perfection, and of that separation from a.11 possibility of defiling or c.on- taminating influence. VI. REFERENCE TO PRIESTLY CHABAOTEB, 1. Accordingly, the baptism of our Lord had respect to the priestly character he sustained, not to any human imperfection that required to be repented of, or impurity that needed to be removed; so that the righteousness which it behoved to fulfil was conformity to the rite of priestly conse- cration; while the type merged in the antitype, and the figure gave place to fact. He was now about thirty years of age (the Levitical period) when he began (ltpxop.,vos) his ministry. 2. Another explanation solves the difficulty by giving prominence to the representative character of Christ. He came as the representative of a people guilty in God's sight, and morally unclean; and as he afterwards bore their sins in his own body on the tree in order to expiate their guilt, so now he was baptizet vicariously because of their uncleanness, in token of his purpose to purge away their filth. " He was baptized," not as though in need of it himself, but on behalf of the human race; and such is the opinion of.Justin Martyr. He was made in the like- ness of sinful flesh-made sin for us, and so numbered with and treated as a trans- gressor. 3. Other explanations of the matter, still less probable, have been given, as for example (1) that it was the perfection and proof of humility; and (2) that it was for the purpose of being made manifest to the people, and that in presence of so great a concourse the Baptist might bear testimony to his Messiahship; which appears to be the view of Theophylact. VII. THE PRESENCE OF TUE TRINITY. At the baptism of .our Lord the three Persons of the blessed Trinity were present or represented. The voice of the eternal Father came ringing down out of the cleaving heavens as they were rending asunder; the Holy Spirit in dove-like form descended ; the beloved Son was the subject of the former, and the recipient of the latter. Thus Father, Son, and Holy Spirit inaugurated thv Christian dispensation at its commencement; Father, Son, and Holy Spirit impart the grace and bestow the blessings of this dispensation during its continuance; while Father, Son, and Holy Spirit shall share the glory at its close. And so in the beautiful words of the Te Deum- " The holy Church throughout all the world doth aoknowledge thee; The Father of an infinite majesty; Thine honourable, ti-ue, and only Son ; Also the Holy Ghost, the Comforter." VIII. THREEFOLD TESTIMONY. Thrice during our Lord's public ministry a voice from heaven testified to his Messiahship-once at his baptism as just noticed; once on the Mount of Transfiguration; nnd once during Passion week, in tbe courts of the 68 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. :nlAR&:. [c.1. I, 1--45,.