Reflections on Mark 1:4
The messenger God sent to prepare the way for Jesus the Messiah appeared in a most unusual way - baptizing in the wilderness. The baptism he preached was not Jewish baptism for Jews did not baptize others but only themselves. Rather, John was sent by the God of heaven to baptize those who came to him in repentance (John 1:33; Luke 7:29). Because people did not baptize themselves, they could not imagine that it was their own efficacy which obtained whatever benefits resulted from baptism. The efficacy was of God who was working through his messenger whom he had sent to prepare them for the coming of the Messiah.
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