The Pulpit Commentary — John — Volume 1 — Section 267

to havo bor·n et.ill tnking n.n independent two s~1ch lcaderR, teaching e.nd proclo.iming 11osition. llo pointed others to Jeans, but the kmgdom of heaven, e.nd be.ptizing into he did not enroll himself o.mong his fol- e. glorions hope, e. Di vine future and o. lowers. John was at lo.et "offended" more spiritual change, WllR certain to ex~ite con- than he know at the humility of Jesus. He ~roversy. _ The word ((f,,- 11,,.,r) "questioning" still wailed for the coming of the Conqueror 1s need m Acts xv. 2 for the dispute e.t rtnd the Wielder of the axo; he was looking Antioch, e.nd Paul uses the same phmse for the manifested King, for the hour which for ?e.ngr:rous, useless, and angry debate he.d not yet come. iio is a remarkable (l Tim. v1. 4; 2 Tim. ii. 23; Titus iii. 9). specimen of the energy with whil'h e. great It WM, perhaps, not the firRt, and certainly it purpose is embraced hy those who are we.a not the last, of the controversies which pledged to mo.ke it accomplish its end. 'fhe rHged oYer the symbolic purification of the preparatory work of John could not, 11ny Church. John's disciples appear to ho.ve more than the Hebraism of which it was the taken up arms against some po.rticular Jew, highest type, come to an abrupt end rnlun- who was prepared either to question the tal'i!y; hence he continued it even to the right of Jesus to baptize, or the essential peril of sacrificing e.11 its ve.lue. They came, value of this ordinance. This "Jew" was ani/, wei·e baptized; as "they" hnd done at apparently maintaining a greater potency Bothabam. 'l'herc was some splitting up of for the baptism of Jesus than John coulrl the Messianic movement (Keim), and we see claim for his, and was basing his view upon the effect of it upen his disciples and him- the testimony which John had already borne self. Even in the midst of the lo.hours of to Jesus. Purifying was the great theme of Paul (Acts xix. 1-4), we find that Johan- Essenic and Pharisaic profession. It was nine baptism was still practised, and traces without doubt one of the great symbolic of the custom may still be observed in purposes of tLe Levitical legislation. The Oriental sects even to the present de.y. 1 purification of the flesh wa.s, however, in Ver. 24.-l'or John had not yet been cast Christ's teaching, a very small part of the into the prison. This clause shows thJl.t the claim for purity. Nothing less the.n a. evangelist was alive to the apparent dis- spiritual and radical moral change e.va.iled, crepauoy which hie account of e. Judreo.n aml onr Lord insisted on this to the dis- ministry might otherwise have suggested pa.mgement of the mere ceremonial. This with the synoptic chronological initium of we.a the first recorded disonssion on the the Ge.lilrean ministry. The remark shows nature and value of baptismal purifying. that all thnt happened preceded that Would that it had been the last ! The ministry, and equates the journey through question a.rose nmong those who had been Se.maria with that mentioned in Matt. iv. 12. b,1ptized by John, whether another had any Even Hilgenfeld says, "Involuntarily the right to administer such an ordinance? fourth evangelist here testifies to his ao- Could another receive the confession of sins? que.inte.nce with the synoptice.l ne.rre.tive." Was the baptism of John to terminate now In our opinion it was designed a.nd that he had come of whom John himself spontaneous. The first journey to Galilee, had said, "This is he that baptizeth with mentioned in ·eh. i. 43, was not the com- the Holy Spirit"? mencement of e. public prophetic ministry, Ver. 26.-They (the disciples of John) and the synoptists are silent a.bout it. The oame to John, and ea.id to him, Rabbi-the a.vextI,p71'1'ev, he "withdrew," shows the.t there title of deep respect (ver. 2), which stood in was some reason for his abrupt departure, Jewish reverence high above a.ll civil and over a.nd above what we.s stated. John military rank, e.nd was here yielded in gives the reason for the deparLure by eh. courtesy to the heroic lender-he who WBS iv. 1, 2, where the conduct of the Pharisees with thee, apparently in entire mutual was becoming more watchful and jee.lous. understanding with thee, receiving baptism The authority which John here assumes to at thy hands, e.nd thus admitting thy right correct e.nd enlarge o.postolio tradition, re- to baptize the people of God-" witlt thee" veals the olaim of one who professed unique e.s we a.re " with thee "-beyond Jorde.n-11.t knowledge of inexpugnable facts. Bethany (Bethabam), at e. better be.ptizing- Ver. 25.-There arose therefore a question- place the.n this, on II grand historic site, the ing on the po.rt of John's disoiplee with a very scene of the great administration, where Jew 1 about purifying. Suoh proximity of the Sanhedrin deferred to thy claims and 1 Of. author's e.rtiole, "So.beans," in 'Diot, with ~•. A, B, L, r, etc., o.nd II number of Christ. Biog.,' vol. iv. versions e.nd Fathers, e.ncl. it gives definite- 1 T.R., with Griesbaoh, eto., read 'Ioullula,v, ness to the narrative. Godet disputes the with ~•, G, A, e.nd numerous manusoripts; change, and thinks the reading me.y ee.sily but Tregellee, Tisohendorf (8th edit.), Meyer, have been occasioned by the si.mile.rity of the Westootto.nd Hort, Revised Version, 'Ioullulou, termination of 'lovBu(ou.and of ,ca9a.p,,,.,uoii. JOHN, K  130 THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO ST. JOHN. [orr. m. 1--30.