Part II. Announcement And Introduction Of Our Lord's Public Ministry.

Time. About one year.

§ 14. The Ministry of John the Baptist. The Desert. The Jordan.

Matthew.Mark.
CH. III. 1-12.CH. I. 1-8.
In those days came John the Baptist,preaching in the wilderness ofJudea,The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the Son of God:
2 And saying, Repent ye; for thekingdom of heaven is at hand.As it is written in the prophets,[102]Behold, I send my messenger beforethy face, which shall prepare thy waybefore thee;
3 For this is he that was spoken ofby the prophet Esaias, saying, Thevoice of one crying in the wilderness,Prepare ye the way of the Lord, makehis paths straight.3 The voice of one crying in thewilderness, Prepare ye the way of theLord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raimentof camel's hair, and a leatherngirdle about his loins; and his meatwas locusts and wild honey.4 John did baptize in the wilderness,and preach the baptism of repentance,for the remission of sins.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem,and all Judea, and all the region roundabout Jordan.5 And there went out unto him allthe land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem,and were all baptized of himin the river of Jordan, confessing theirsins.
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan,confessing their sins.6 And John was clothed withcamel's hair, and with a girdle of askin about his loins; and he did eatlocusts and wild honey;
7 But when he saw many of thePharisees and Sadducees come to hisbaptism, he said unto them, O generationof vipers, who hath warned youto flee from the wrath to come?7 And preached, saying, Therecometh one mightier than I after me,the latchet of whose shoes I am notworthy to stoop down and unloose.
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meetfor repentance:8 I indeed have baptized you withwater: but he shall baptize you withthe Holy Ghost.
9 And think not to say within yourselves,We have Abraham to ourfather: for I say unto you, that Godis able of these stones to raise upchildren unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laidunto the root of the trees: thereforeevery tree which bringeth not forthgood fruit is hewn down, and castinto the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with waterunto repentance: but he that comethafter me is mightier than I, whoseshoes I am not worthy to bear: heshall baptize you with the Holy Ghost,and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, andhe will thoroughly purge his floor, andgather his wheat into the garner; buthe will burn up the chaff with unquenchablefire.
Luke.
CH. III. 1-18.
Now in the fifteenth year of thereign of Tiberius Cesar, Pontius Pilatebeing governor of Judea, and Herodbeing tetrarch of Galilee, and his brotherPhilip tetrarch of Iturea and ofthe region of Trachonitis, and Lysaniasthe tetrarch of Abilene.
2 Annas and Caiaphas being thehigh priests,[103] the word of God cameunto John the son of Zacharias in thewilderness.
3 And he came into all the countryabout Jordan, preaching the baptismof repentance, for the remissionof sins;
4 As it is written in the book ofthe words of Esaias the prophet, saying,[104]The voice of one crying in thewilderness, Prepare ye the way of theLord, make his paths straight.
5 Every valley shall be filled, andevery mountain and hill shall bebrought low; and the crooked shallbe made straight, and the rough waysshall be made smooth;
6 And all flesh shall see the salvationof God.
7 Then said he to the multitudethat came forth to be baptized of him,O generation of vipers, who hathwarned you to flee from the wrath tocome?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthyof repentance, and begin not tosay within yourselves, We have Abrahamto our father: for I say unto you,That God is able of these stones toraise up children unto Abraham.
9 And now also the axe is laidunto the root of the trees: every treetherefore which bringeth not forthgood fruit, is hewn down, and castinto the fire.
10 And the people asked him, saying,What shall we do then?
11 He answereth and saith untothem, He that hath two coats, lethim impart to him that hath none;and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.
12 Then came also publicans to bebaptized, and said unto him, Master,what shall we do?
13 And he said unto them, Exactno more than that which is appointedyou.
14 And the soldiers likewise demandedof him, saying, And whatshall we do? And he said unto them,Do violence to no man, neither accuseany falsely; and be content with yourwages.
15 And as the people were in expectation,and all men mused in theirhearts of John, whether he were theChrist, or not;
16 John answered, saying unto themall, I indeed baptize you with water;but one mightier than I cometh, thelatchet of whose shoes I am not worthyto unloose: he shall baptize youwith the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
17 Whose fan is in his hand, andhe will thoroughly purge his floor, andwill gather the wheat into his garner;but the chaff he will burn with fireunquenchable.
18 And many other things in hisexhortation preached he unto thepeople.

§ 15. The Baptism of Jesus. The Jordan.

Matthew.Mark.
CH. III. 13-17.CH. I. 9-11.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.
14 But John forbade him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him.
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.11 And there came a voice from heaven saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, when up straightway out of the water: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Luke.
CH. III. 21-23.
21 Now, when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,
22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age.

§ 16. The Temptation. Desert of Judea

Matthew.Mark.
CH. IV. 1-11.CH. I. 12-13.
Then was Jesus led up of the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted of the devil.12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness.
2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty nights, he was afterward an hungered.13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
3 And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread.
4 But he answered and said, It is written[105] Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.
5 Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple,
6 And saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God cast thyself down, for it is written[106] He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
7 Jesus said unto him, It is written again,[107] Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
8 Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them:
9 And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.
10 Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written,[108] Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
11 Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.
Luke.
CH. IV. 1-13.[109]
And Jesus, being full of the Holy Ghost, returned from Jordan, and was led by the Spirit into the wilderness,
2 Being forty days tempted of the devil. And in those days he did eat nothing: and when they were ended, he afterward hungered.
3 And the devil said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, command this stone that it be made bread.
4 And Jesus answered him, saying, It is written, That man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word of God.
9 And he brought him to Jerusalem, and set him on a pinnacle of the temple, and said unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down from hence:
10 For it is written, He shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee:
11 And in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone.
12 And Jesus answering, said unto him, It is said, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.
5 And the devil, taking him up into a high mountain, shewed unto him, all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time.
6 And the devil said unto him, All this power will I give thee, and the glory of them: for that is delivered unto me, and to whomsoever I will, I give it.
7 If thou therefore wilt worship me, all shall be thine.
8 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Get thee behind me, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.
13 And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season.

§ 17. Preface to John's Gospel.

John.
CH. I. 1-18.
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
2 The same was in the beginning with God.
3 All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.
4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not.
6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.
7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.
8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that light.
9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
10 He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.
11 He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
12 But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:
13 Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.
15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me, is preferred before me; for he was before me.
16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace.
17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
18 No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.

§ 18. Testimony of John the Baptist to Jesus. Bethany beyond Jordan.

John.
CH. I. 19-34.
19 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem, to ask him, Who art thou?
20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.
21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.[110]
22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?
23 He said,[111] I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.
24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.
25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?
26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not.
27 He it is, who coming after me, is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.
28 These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!
30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me; for he was before me.
31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.
32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.
33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.
34 And I saw and bare record, that this is the Son of God.

§ 19. Jesus gains disciples. The Jordan. Galilee.

John.
CH. I. 35-51.
35 Again the next day after, John stood, and two of his disciples;
36 And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God!
37 And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus.
38 Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou?
39 He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour.
40 One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter's brother.
41 He first findeth his own brother Simon, and saith unto him, We have found the Messias; which is, being interpreted, the Christ.
42 And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas; which is, by interpretation, a stone.[112]
43 The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee, and findeth Philip, and saith unto him, Follow me.
44 Now Philip was of Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter.
45 Philip findeth Nathanael,[113] and saith unto him, We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, did write, Jesus of Nazareth the son of Joseph.
46 And Nathanael said unto him, Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth? Philip saith unto him, Come and see.
47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile!
48 Nathanael saith unto him, Whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, Before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig-tree, I saw thee.
49 Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.
50 Jesus answered and said unto him, Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig-tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.
51 And he saith unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Hereafter ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the[114] Son of man.

§ 20. The Marriage at Cana of Galilee.

John.
CH. II. 1-12.
And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there.
2 And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage.
3 And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine.
4 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come.
5 His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it.
6 And there were set there six water-pots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece.
7 Jesus saith unto them, Fill the water-pots with water. And they filled them up to the brim.
8 And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it.
9 When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was, (but the servants which drew the water knew,) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom,
10 And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now.
11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.
12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples; and they continued there not many days.