[The following is taken from "His Life," an interwoven narrative by the Pastors' Union, Oak Park, Ill. The text is that of the American Standard Revised Version. We preface the account by the prophecy quoted by Mark. The sideheads are our own.]
As Foretold in Prophecy.
The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God. Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.
The Time of the Messenger.
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituræa and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene, in the high-priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.
His Manner and Burden.
And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey. And he came into all the region round about the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins; and saying, Repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
The Prophecy.
For this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
Make ye ready the way of the Lord,
Make His paths straight.
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;
And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.
The Extent and Effect of His Message.
And there went out to him all the country of Judæa, and all they of Jerusalem, and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism he said unto them, Ye offspring of vipers, who warned you to 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. And even now the ax also lieth at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Practical Instruction.
And the multitudes asked him, saying, What then must we do? And he answered and said unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath food, let him do likewise. And there came also publicans to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, 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, Extort from no man by violence, neither accuse any one wrongfully; and be content with your wages.
Foretelling the Coming One.
And as the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he 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; He shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in 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. With many other exhortations therefore preached he good tidings unto the people.
Baptizing His Lord.
And it came to pass in those days, when all the people were baptized, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John would have hindered Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it now; for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him. And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway from the water; and lo, the heavens were opened unto Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon Him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Testimony to Jesus.
And this is the witness of John, when the Jews sent unto him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who art thou? And he confessed and denied not; and he confessed, I am not the Christ. And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elijah? And he saith, I am not. Art thou the prophet? And he answered No. They said therefore unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What sayest thou of thyself? He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. And they had been sent from the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why then baptizest thou, if thou art not the Christ, neither Elijah, neither the prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize in water; in the midst of you standeth One whom ye know not, even He that cometh after me, the latchet of whose shoe I am not4worthy to unloose. On the morrow he seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold, the Lamb of God, that taketh away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, After me cometh a Man who is become before me; for He was before me. And I knew Him not; but that He should be made manifest to Israel, for this cause came I baptizing in water. And John bare witness, saying, I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven; and it abode upon Him. And I knew Him not; but He that sent me to baptize in water, He said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and abiding upon Him, the same is He that baptizeth in the Holy Spirit. And I have seen, and have borne witness that this is the Son of God.
A Parallel.
Jesus Christ is coming again as truly, as literally, as personally, as visibly, as He came the first time, or words mean nothing, and we have, from the Scriptures, no assurance that He ever came. But we believe the Record which God has given of His first advent. We believe the word of prophecy, evangelist, apostle, and Jesus Himself as regards His second literal coming.
In Transcendent Glory.
But not in humility, not in the weakness of humanity, not as a victim for suffering and death shall He come, but in the transcendent glory of the Eternal God, before the brightness of whose shining every iniquity will stand revealed, and all not of Him shall perish. But His people shall know what by faith they have said; that then He shall change the bodies of our humiliation and fashion them after the body of His glory.
A Message of Preparation.
Then Christ came to one nation, and through them to the world. At His second advent, He comes to the world. At His first advent His messenger went to that one nation and people. One was sufficient for that work. But that one was a type of thousands of others who shall go to every land and clime and tongue and people, proclaiming the Gospel of the Kingdom, "Fear God, and give glory to Him; for the hour of His judgment is come; and worship Him that made heaven and earth." To the world faithful voices—who will claim to be neither John nor Elijah, nor "that prophet," nor Christ—will sound throughout the world: "Prepare to meet thy God;" "the day of the Lord cometh; for it is nigh at hand." And those voices will call men back from tradition as did John, to the law of God; from dry, dead formalism to the living Christ; from the power of wealth and position and influence to the power of God. Are you hearing them, reader? Do they bear witness to the faithful Word?
