A Baptism of Repentance

Reflections on Mark 1:4


John's baptism was a baptism of repentance which made it different from Jewish washings in a second way. 

Jewish washings were prompted by a desire to purify oneself from uncleanness caused by contact with unclean animals, unclean objects, unclean people, or dead bodies. Even cups and pots and copper vessels, which make no moral choices, could become "unclean" and need to be washed according to Jewish traditions (Mark 7:4). Jewish washings were intended to purify them from any uncleanness in the environment which may have defiled them.

John's baptism had nothing to do with things which defiled a person from without, but with sin which defiled a person from within. It was prompted by a recognition of one's sinfulness and a desire for cleansing from that sin. Hence, John's baptism was a baptism based on repentance or prompted by repentance. Those who came to John sought God's mercy by confessing their sin and moral bankruptcy.  Again, this made John's baptism unique, different from Jewish washings which preceded it.