Mark 1:4-6 4John came baptizing one came in the wilderness and preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5And all the country of Judea and all of Jerusalem were going out to him, and they were being baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins 6And John was clothed with camel’s hair and wore a leather belt around his waist and ate locusts and wild honey.
After the quotation from Old Testament prophecy, Mark gets right into the ministry of John. Mark assumes readers knew of John, and so he does not need to go into elaborate detail. Mark as a writer gets right to the point throughout his Gospel. The story moves quickly and concisely. In verse 4, Mark describes the method and content of John’s ministry. The location of his ministry in the wilderness was verified by how he dressed and what he ate. He survived by what was available out in the desert. He did not have fine clothes like those from the cities but dressed as one of the wandering nomads of the time. He wore a garment likely woven from camel hair and tied with a leather belt. It was likely not the most comfortable type of clothing In today’s terms, he might look like a homeless person wearing rags or whatever could be found. His clothing was similar to Elijah’s (2 Kings 1:8; Zechariah 13:4). He scrounged for his food with what was available in the desert. Locust was a suitable substitute for meat in the ancient world. Honeywater was a substitute for wine (Luke 7:33; Matthew 11:18).
John known as the “Baptist” (the Greek could be taken as “John the baptizing one”) gets this name from what he did. His message and method were combined in the baptism of repentance. Baptism was common among some Jews in the first century. In the Qumran community, of which John may have been connected or at least known, baptism was a rite of initiation. A washing pool has been discovered in that community. The Pharisees practiced a form of ritual washing. John’s baptism was connected with repentance, which continues on in early Christian tradition.
His baptism was not initiatory but for the forgiveness of sins in preparation for the coming Messiah. Repentance (metanoias) means a change of mindset and a reorientation of one’s whole life. The idea of repentance is found in the Old Testament (Hebrew shub) and means “to turn around,” especially in one’s heart, will, and conduct. In repentance, one must recognize one’s sins, be sorry for them, and admit them publicly. The Greek word literally means “with the same mind.” It is to be in agreement with God’s way and will, and this will require rejecting the old life controlled by sin. John preached and baptized, but it was up to the people to acknowledge their sin and turn away from it. As a result, God would forgive them. The order is significant: repentance (turning from sin), baptism (the public confession of sin), and forgiveness (God’s response). These all form the same act, but each is crucial for salvation.
Mark’s description in verse 5 of the response is hyperbolic and not should not be taken literally. Not everyone from Judea and Jerusalem went out to see John. A lot did, but those who did were mostly the sincere ones and those willing to prepare for the Messiah. Mark’s statement shows how the message was readily received by people and how news about John spread throughout Judea. The location of the baptism was in the Jordan river, which would have taken quite a bit of effort for people to travel to. Mark emphasizes the key quality for those who would prepare for the salvation of the Messiah: confession of sins. Confession is the essence of repentance. There is no true repentance without some form of admitting that one’s old way of living was wrong and not pleasing to God. Baptism is empty and meaningless unless it is accompanied by faith and genuine repentance.
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