Chapter 4—The Mission of Christ
Christ’s life had been so retired and secluded at Nazareth that John
had not a personal acquaintance with him, and he did not positively
know that he was the Messiah. He was acquainted with the circum-
stances of his birth, and he believed him to be the promised One.
The secluded life of Christ for thirty years at Nazareth, in which he
gave no special evidence of his Messiahship, suggested doubts to John
whether he was indeed the One for whose coming he was to prepare
the way. John, however, rested the matter in faith, fully believing that
God would in due time make it plain. The Lord had shown him that
the Messiah would be pointed out to him by a distinct sign; when
this should be done, then John could present him to the world as the
long-expected Messiah, the Lamb of God, that was to take away the
sin of the world.
John had heard of the sinless character and spotless purity of Christ.
His life was in harmony with what the Lord had revealed to him re-
specting one that was among them whose life was without the taint
of sin. John had also seen that he should be the example for every
repenting sinner. When Christ presented himself for baptism, John rec-
ognized him at once as the superior one revealed to him. He discerned,
in the person and deportment of Christ, a character above every other
man he had ever seen. The very atmosphere of his presence was holy
and awe-inspiring. Although he knew him not as the Messiah, yet
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never had such a holy influence been realized by John from any one
as when in the presence of Christ. He felt the superiority of Christ at
once, and shrank from performing the rite of baptism to one whom
he knew to be sinless. Many had come to him to receive the baptism
of repentance, confessing their sins and crimes; but John could not
understand why the only sinless one upon the earth should ask for
an ordinance implying guilt, virtually confessing, by the symbol of
baptism, pollution to be washed away. He remonstrated with Christ,
acknowledging his superiority, and refused to administer the ordinance,
saying, “I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?”
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