June 22

Mark 1:4,9
“John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.... Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan” — Mark 1:4, 94John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. (Mark 1:4)
9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. (Mark 1:9).
JOHN’S baptism was unto repentance. He announced the near approach of the kingdom of God and called upon the people of Israel to get right with God that they might be ready to receive and enter into it. Those who justified God confessed their sins and were baptized (Luke 7:2929And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. (Luke 7:29)). Jesus had no sins to confess; He had nothing of which to repent, yet He came to John for baptism, much to the desert preacher’s surprise (Matt. 3:13, 1413Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? (Matthew 3:13‑14)). But Jesus reassured him. He submitted to baptism as the divinely appointed way of declaring His interest in and identification with the godly remnant in Israel, who were waiting for His coming. His baptism was a pledge to fulfill every righteous demand of the throne of God on behalf of those who owned their guilt and took the place of repentance before Him. They were like debtors giving their notes to a creditor—acknowledging a debt they could not pay. He, by His baptism, endorsed all their notes and made Himself responsible to pay all they owed. On the cross He settled for all when He endured the baptism of judgment in our place.
“Lord Jesus, we remember
The travail of Thy soul,
When in Thy love’s deep pity
The waves did o’er Thee roll.
Baptized in death’s dark waters,
For us Thy blood was shed,
For us, Thou Lord of glory,
Wast numbered with the dead.”
—J. G. Deck.