The Forerunner (The Baptism of Christ)

Matthew 3:1–17 (NKJV, also appearing in Mark 1:2-11; Luke 3:1-22; John 1:19-34)

3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ²and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” ³For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:

“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord;

Make His paths straight.’”

⁴Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him ⁶and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

The work of John the Baptist comes into play here in Matthew 3. He appears on the scene as a wild man, dressed in camel’s hair and eating…