John's Special Place

But if John had his own special place, and if his abode, dress, and food witnessed his separation from the evil state of Israel, it was his happier task to testify to the superiority of Christ's person and of His ministry as compared with his own. Nothing is here said of baptizing with fire, as in Matthew and Luke, to both of whose subjects it was requisite. But Mark was inspired to speak only of that part of John's testimony which is directly associated with the Lord's gospel work-baptizing with the Holy Spirit. It is not that under Christ repentance ceased, for in a world of sin repentance is the necessary pathway of a soul that is born of God. Still, the turning of a soul to God, in a sense of sin and self-judgment is different from the divine power which sets evil aside on the basis of a redemption accomplished by the grace of God. This is the characteristic blessing of Christianity.
Yet Jesus, the Baptizer with the Holy Spirit, was Himself baptized by John in the river Jordan. He Himself receives the Holy Spirit! What a sight and what a truth! Infinitely above sin and sins (which He did not even know), yet He was baptized with water. He had no unrighteousness to confess, but thus it became Him to fulfill all righteousness. From Nazareth of Galilee He came, the One who was God over all, blessed forever. There He dwelt, as Matthew tells us, so that the prophets' sayings in this might be fulfilled.