§ 23. THE FORERUNNER'S PICTURE OF THE MESSIAH BEFORE SEEING HIM

Mark 1:7-8Matt. 3:11-12Luke 3:15-18
7 And he preached,
saying, There cometh
after me he that
is mightier than I,
the latchet of whose
shoes I am not
2worthy to stoop
down and unloose.
8 I baptized you 1with
water; but he shall
baptize you 1with the
3Holy Ghost.
11 I indeed baptize
you 1with water unto
repentance: but he
that cometh after me
is mightier than I,
whose shoes I am not
2worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you
1with the 3Holy Ghost
and with fire: 12 whose
fan is in his hand,
and he will throughly
cleanse his threshing-
floor; and he will
gather his wheat into
the garner, but the
chaff he will burn up
with unquenchable
fire.
15 And as the people
were in expectation,
and all men
reasoned in their
hearts concerning
John, whether haply
he were the Christ;
16 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
2worthy to unloose: he
shall baptize you
1with the 3Holy Ghost
and with fire: 17 whose
fan is in his hand,
throughly to cleanse
his threshing-floor,
and to gather the
wheat into his garner;
but the chaff he will
burn up with
unquenchable fire.
18 With many other
exhortations therefore
preached he 4good
tidings unto the people.a

1 Or, in.

2 Gr. sufficient.

3 Or, Holy Spirit.

4 Or, the gospel.

a One can easily put together all that we are told of John the Baptist in [John 1:6-15] and in Sections [4], [6], [8], [20], [21], [22], [23], [24], [26], [27], [28], [33], [34], [49], [57], [71], [86], [132]. See also [Acts 1:5], 22; 10:37; 13:24; 18:25; 19:1-7. For a full discussion of the Baptist see my John the Loyal. These months of John's ministry prepared the way for the Messiah.

PART VI
THE BEGINNING OF CHRIST'S PUBLIC MINISTRY