Paper 136
Baptism and the Forty Days
Introduction
1Jesus began his public work at the height of the popular interest in John’s preaching and at a time when the Jewish people of Palestine were eagerly looking for the appearance of the Messiah. There was a great contrast between John and Jesus. John was an eager and earnest worker, but Jesus was a calm and happy laborer; only a few times in his entire life was he ever in a hurry. Jesus was a comforting consolation to the world and somewhat of an example; John was hardly a comfort or an example. He preached the kingdom of heaven but hardly entered into the happiness thereof. Though Jesus spoke of John as the greatest of the prophets of the old order, he also said that the least of those who saw the great light of the new way and entered thereby into the kingdom of heaven was indeed greater than John.
- example › Jesus’ life an inspiration, not an e
- haste › Jesus never in a hurry
- inspiration › Jesus’ life was i. rather than an example
- Jesus › personality and nature › traits
- John the Baptist › personal characteristics › contrast with Jesus
- John the Baptist › personal characteristics › eloquent rebuke; hardly an example
- John the Baptist › personal characteristics › greatest born of women, but he who is small in kingdom is greater
- kingdom of heaven › entrance › least who enter are greater than John the Baptist
- Messiah › Jews › vibrant with expectation of immediate appearance of M
- prophets › John the Baptist was greatest of old order
- religion › history of religion › great teachers and leaders › named › John the Baptist
2When John preached the coming kingdom, the burden of his message was: Repent! flee from the wrath to come. When Jesus began to preach, there remained the exhortation to repentance, but such a message was always followed by the gospel, the good tidings of the joy and liberty of the new kingdom.