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The Proclamation of John the Baptist

In those days John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness of Judea, proclaiming, ²“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” ³This is the one of whom the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said,

“The voice of one crying out in the wilderness:

‘Prepare the way of the Lord,

make his paths straight.’ ”

⁴ Now John wore clothing of camel’s hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then the people of Jerusalem and all Judea were going out to him, and all the region along the Jordan, ⁶and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

⁷ But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Bear fruit worthy of repentance. ⁹Do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

¹¹ “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and will gather his wheat into the granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” ¹⁵But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. ¹⁶And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. ¹⁷And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.”

New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Matthew 3:6; Mark 1:5. And were baptized, confessing their sins This confession was a testimony of repentance: for, as the Lord, in the sacraments, brings himself under obligation to us, as if he had given his own hand-writing, so it is our duty, on the other hand, to reply to him. In Baptism, he declares that our sins are forgiven, and calls us to repentance. That men may come forward, in a right manner, to be baptized, confession of sins is demanded from them: otherwise the whole performance would be nothing but an idle mockery²⁵⁴²⁵⁴ “Autrement, tout ce sainct mystere seroit tournee en mines et bas-tellerie.” — “Otherwise, all this holy mystery would be turned into grimaces and buffoonery.” Let it be observed, that we are here speaking of adults, who ought not, we. are aware, to be admitted indiscriminately into the Church, or introduced by Baptism into the body of Christ,²⁵⁵²⁵⁵ “En la communion de Christ;” — “into communion or fellowship with Christ.” till an examination has been previously made.²⁵⁶²⁵⁶ “Devant qu'ils n'ayent este examinez et interroguez de leur foy;” —”before they have been examined and interrogated as to their faith.”

Hence it is obvious, how absurdly this passage has been tortured by the Papists, to support auricular confession. There were no priests at hand, in whose ears each individual might privately mutter²⁵⁷²⁵⁷ “Il n'y avoit point 1a de prestres, devant lequel un chacun eust peu s'a genouiller l'un apres l'autre, pourbarboter ses pechez en leurs aureilles.” — “There were no priests there, before whom each individual might kneel down, one after another, to mutter his sins in their ears.” his sins; nor is it said that they enumerated all their sins; nor are we told that John left in charge to his disciples an ordinary rule for confession. Even granting to Papists all that they ask, confession will belong to Catechumens alone,²⁵⁸²⁵⁸ “Ceste confession n'appartient droit qu'a ceux qui de nouveau se convertissent a la foy.” — “That confession would only belong to those who are recently converted to the faith.” and will have no place after Baptism. At all events, the law which they lay down for confession after Baptism, derives no countenance from John’s example.²⁵⁹²⁵⁹ “Pour le moins, quand ils commandent par leur loy de se confesser depuis le Baptesme, ils ne peuvent pas dire qu’ils ensuivent Jean, ny l’alleguer pour autheur.” — “At least, when they enjoin, by their law, to make confession after Baptism, they cannot say that they follow John, nor produce him as their author.”

²⁵⁴ “Autrement, tout ce sainct mystere seroit tournee en mines et bas-tellerie.” — “Otherwise, all this holy mystery would be turned into grimaces and buffoonery.”

²⁵⁵ “En la communion de Christ;” — “into communion or fellowship with Christ.”

²⁵⁶ “Devant qu'ils n'ayent este examinez et interroguez de leur foy;” —”before they have been examined and interrogated as to their faith.”

²⁵⁷ “Il n'y avoit point 1a de prestres, devant lequel un chacun eust peu s'a genouiller l'un apres l'autre, pourbarboter ses pechez en leurs aureilles.” — “There were no priests there, before whom each individual might kneel down, one after another, to mutter his sins in their ears.”

²⁵⁸ “Ceste confession n'appartient droit qu'a ceux qui de nouveau se convertissent a la foy.” — “That confession would only belong to those who are recently converted to the faith.”

²⁵⁹ “Pour le moins, quand ils commandent par leur loy de se confesser depuis le Baptesme, ils ne peuvent pas dire qu’ils ensuivent Jean, ny l’alleguer pour autheur.” — “At least, when they enjoin, by their law, to make confession after Baptism, they cannot say that they follow John, nor produce him as their author.”