The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1906-02-01
THE BAPTISM
OF JESUS
Sunday School Lesson ior Jan. 28. 1906
Specially Prepared Ter This Paper

3.1-22
GOLDEN TEXT. prepare your |
hearts unto the Lord, ant serve Him only" |
i Sam. 7:3.
TIME Luke fixes the date as the j5in |
year Of Tiberius. John began preaching IN |
A. D. 26. when Jesus was between 20 and &c |
years OF age and while he was stiIl dwell |
ing at Nazareth The baptism OF Jesus
was six months after John had begun his
ministry. about January A. ID. a.
PLACE.-The wilderness-the Wild thin |
ly inhabited region lying west OF the Dead
yea and the Jordan. The baptism Of Jesus
vas at Bethabara either at the fords
hortheast of Jericho or the ford near Beth
shean IA miles south of the Sea of Galilee.
also called Bethany
SCRIPTURE REFERENCES. The bap-
tish and It's significance: Matt. 3:6; 2S:1g,
70. Mark 1910; John l:25; Acts 2.Ss; S:S6, 81:
l0:4tiS: lS.SO-33. ls:s; 1874: 22:l6. Rom. 6:S-5;
Gal 3;a. Col AN u. Tit. 3.5, Pet. 3:2l
The descent OF the Holy Spirit: lisa. ll:2;
80 "a. wlS. joel 2:2S; Zoch. 4:6; l2:lo Matt
3ll, John 3:3. s. s: 1888. 1875; 1854; Acts
is; 2:N. 532; 1O:44;-4S. l5:2S, Rom. s.l4, %,
~. Gai 90 Is. 22. %; Eph. l.lS, "a; Tit. $50;
l Pet. Sls. q; John AZ
Comment and Suggestive Thought.
V. 2. It is written in the prophets.
The quotation in v. 9 Is from Malachi
3: /, anu that in v. 3 is from Isaiah
40: 3.
v. 3. lie was the voice of one cry.
ing" Greek shouting. crying with
high, strong voice" as a manifesto.
ton of feeling. "in the wilderness"
rhe fitting place for his work.
V. 4. And preach" Proclaim like
o herald with his trumpet, Prepare ye
the way of the Lord" "Repentenance
for the remission OF sins" Repentcnt.
ance is a change of mind, of heart as
to sin; implying grief over sin, as its
source. and a change of life and con
duct, as its result
" 8. "All the land OF Judea and
talD they of jerusalem" were drawn
out TO the desert TO hear the prophet
rich and poor. young men and maidens
| hardened sinners. Pharisees, soldiers
Romans. priests, farmers, villagers, cit.
izens. beggars, puLicans, all CLASSES
and conditions of men. Thus the whole
country was aroused and heard the
message which prepared the way for
the Messiah King.
V. 7. Preached" Proclaimed as 0
herald The Greek tense implies that
he kept doing this The lachct OF
whose shoes" or rather, sandals
Latchet. word now obsolete, was the
thong or lace" with which shoes OF
sandals were fastened Il am moi
worthy TO unloose." II was
the business of the lowest servants &c
bind on. TO loose and carry about their
masters sandals. The nature of Je
sus. the work OF Jesus for men was In
finitely above Johns. greatest OF tn,
prophets as he was. John could poin
10 the Saviour, Jesus could save. Johr
could send men to the good physician
Jesus could cure the disease of sin.
" 8. IL indeed have baptized yoi
with water" unto repentance
(Matt). A sign and symbol. cal
to repentance but cannot give the new
life.
vs.. "In those days." when Jesu
was about 30 years old. and while Johl
was preaching and baptizing IN tn,
Jordan. About six moaths after Johl
began to preach. Baptized of John.
Described more fully iq Matthew. JIG
sus received baptism which expressed
death TO an old life. and rising 70
new" because % baptism eXpresse
a public renunciation of sin, and al
open stand on the side of God al,
righteousness Christ did not need L
repent bat He did need to show b.
this ..LDlic profession that He beonge
OIL the side OF Righteousness, and wa
eternaily opposed to sin. (2) Baptist
was required of His followers as on
OF the great aids to a righteous life
Christ. therefore. would fulfil ever
duty He required of them. He was tn
standard and example of Righteousness
(3) BY His baptism He showed that II
was himself a brother OF the sinfu
He maintained an attitude OF solid
arity with the sinful rather than a
sumo the position OF critic and Judge.
He shared the fortunes OF our falle
and wrecked humanity.
v. 10. "And straightway coming up,
as soon as He was baptized. They So
that John had the people under wat'
up to the neck until they confesse
their sins and that Jesus having non
to confess tarried not In the river. 9Th
Spirit like dove descending upo
Him" The Holy Spirit descended nc
only In the manner OF a dove, but
the bodily shape OF dove Luke
: 22). This was the symbol; the con
, ing of the Spirit was the reality.
; v. IL. There came voice frol
Heaven" Three times during OF
Lords earthly ministry was vote
heard from Heaven: "a at His bal
tism; (2) at His TRANSPORTATION (Mar
8: - (3) in the courts OF the temp
during Tsreion Week John l2: 2S
. Thou art j. j i"loved Son, in whom
: am wei, pleased. Thus God endorse
3 Him and His mission. and showed
, the Jewish nation that here was n
p Messiah. II must also have strength
|, ened and confirmed the human Jest
, as to His nature and His work.
;, For the Quiet Hour
q Where no enthusiasm is the ares {
conviction will smolder
There are too many trying TO wal
Gods way and win the worlds o.
y Only a blind man can dwell In Il
, light and not discern the condition {
those round about him.
Better a sin acknowledged befol
God than treasured In the heart. I
c conceal a fire does not eXtingUish H.