LESSON III.—SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 1900.
THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST.
NOTE.—This lesson may be used as a temperance lesson. Commit verses 3-6 of the lesson scripture, also Luke 3:4-6, 16, 17. John began his work six months before Christ began His ministry, in the year A.D. 26. Tiberias Cæsar was emperor of Rome; Pontius Pilate, governor of Judea; and Herod Antipas (son of the Herod who slew the children of Bethlehem), governor of Galilee and Perea. Jesus was then between 29 and 30 years of age. 1 "Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberias Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2 in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
3 And he came into all the region round about Jordan, preaching
4 the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; as it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet:
"The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled,
And every mountain and hill shall be brought low;
And the crooked shall become straight,
And the rough ways smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
7 "He said therefore to the multitudes that went out to be baptized of him, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to
8 flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father, for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
9 And even now is the ax also laid unto the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn
10 down, and cast into the fire. And the multitudes asked him,
11 saying, What then must we do? And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that
12 hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise. And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto
13 him, Master, what must we do? And he said unto them, Extort no more than that which is appointed you. And soldiers also asked him, saying, And we, what must we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither exact anything wrongfully; and be content with your wages.
15 "And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he
16 were the Christ; John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh He that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose;
17 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire; whose fan is in His hand, thoroughly to cleanse His threshing-floor, and to gather the wheat into His garner; but the chaff He will burn up with unquenchable fire."
Golden Text: "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Luke 3:4. (1) How does Luke locate the beginning of John's ministry? Who were rulers of the different provinces in and near Palestine? V. 1. (2) Who were officiating as Israel's priests? What came to John the Baptist at this time? V. 2. Note 1. (3) Where did he begin his work? What was the burden of his teaching? V. 3. Note 2. (4) To what prophecy did John refer in giving his message? What did that prophecy call the one who should give this preparatory message? What would that "voice" say? V. 4. Note 3. (5) What work would be performed on the way of the Lord? V. 5. Note 4. (6) How extensive was to be the work? V. 6. (7) What straight question did John ask of those who came to be baptized? V. 7. (8) What were they to do as evidence of their sincerity? What did he tell them they were not to do? For what good reason? V. 8. (9) What searching work did he say had already begun? What would be the result to those whose lives were not in harmony with their profession? V. 9. (10) What very important question did the people then ask him? V. 10. (11) What very practical reply did he give them? Note 5. (12) Who are particularly mentioned as coming to John for baptism? What question did they ask? V. 12. (13) What answer did he make to them? V. 13. (14) Who else questioned John upon this matter? What reply did they receive? V. 14. (15) What question was agitating the minds of the people who had been hearing John's preaching? V. 15. (16) Knowing of this, what did John say of his work as compared with that of the One who should follow him? With what would that One baptize His followers? V. 16. (17) When was this baptism manifested? (18) What figure in the work of purification does John use? What disposition would Christ make of the righteous and the wicked? V. 17. Note 6. 1. In the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas.—Annas had been debased from the high-priesthood by the Romans, and his son-in-law, Caiaphas, had been appointed to his place by the same power; but the Jews still regarded Annas as the lawful high-priest. 2. Baptism of repentance.—The repentance was confessed openly in the act of baptism. The word rendered "repentance" does not so much apply to sorrow, as to a complete turning about, a purpose to forsake sin, a change of mind and heart. 3. The voice of one.—Note that he who should do the work John was doing had no prominence individually in the prophecy. He was simply to be a voice—the voice, the mouthpiece of God. There is power in a voice when it is giving the message of God; but when the individual becomes prominent, the message is not given, and the power wanes. Self-prominence in the work of God means leanness of soul, dearth of spirituality, and barrenness of results. Some translations render, "The voice of one crying, Prepare ye in the wilderness," etc., the wilderness referring to spiritual darkness and error. 4. Crooked (way) shall become straight.—There was much in the belief and practise of the people at that time that was crooked. They had a misconception of the coming of Christ. They were looking for the advent of a prince who would set up a kingdom then and there; but He was not even born in a house. He was a laborer among laborers, and He would refuse to be made a king by the people, for He was to receive His kingdom at the hand of the Ancient of days. They thought that, being Abraham's seed, they were bound to share in the promise made to Him. John taught them this could not be without "repentance unto remission of sins." The preparation was spiritual. 5. He that hath two coats, etc.—The giving of the coat and the food is used simply as an illustration of the unselfish acts that must characterize him who is the true child of God, and "deeds of love will flow from him as naturally as pure water flows from a pure fountain." 6. The chaff He will burn up.—The wicked are the chaff. The separation of the good from the worthless is followed by the destruction, annihilation, of the latter as shown by the figure used. The wicked are represented by the most inflammable substances, chaff, stubble (Mal. 4:1; Nahum 1:8-10, etc.), fat of lambs (Ps. 37:20); and as a result they will be reduced to "ashes" under the feet of the redeemed. "Into smoke shall they consume away." Ps. 37:20. Thus is the fate of the wicked shown to be complete destruction, not an ever-enduring torment, nor a continued existence away from God's presence. They obtain what they choose.