b) the duty of justice: “Do nothing more than that which is appointed you”; — “Do violence to no man, neither calumniate any man; and be content with your pay”.
The testimony to Christ borne by St. John is very striking. He testified that the Messias was much higher and greater than himself; and he testified to His divine nature, for if the Christ could baptize with the Holy Ghost, and had the right to judge and condemn, He must be God.
Confession of sins. Those who were baptized by John openly confessed their sins. They did this, because, being seized with a deep compunction, they hoped to obtain pardon of their sins by a sincere confession. He who is truly contrite, is always willing to confess his sins. In the Old Testament, a confession of sins was an obligatory part of a sin-offering; and in the New Testament, confession is a necessary condition for the Sacrament of Penance.
The Baptism of John was not a Sacrament, and could not effect any purification or sanctification. It was only designed to admonish men that they needed inward purifying from sins, and must prepare themselves for it by true contrition. It was at the same time a type of Christian Baptism, by which men are cleansed and sanctified through the Holy Ghost.
Application. You too must bring forth fruits worthy of penance. Have you had true contrition and made firm purposes of amendment each time you have been to confession? Have you always confessed your sins sincerely and fully? And do you think you have really 'improved since your last confession? In what way have you improved?
Chapter XXI.
JESUS IS BAPTIZED BY JOHN AND TEMPTED BY THE DEVIL.
[Mat. 3, 13 to 4, ix. Mark 1, 9 — 13. Luke 4, 1 — 13. John 1, 32 — 34.]
IN those days when Jesus was about thirty years of age, He went from Nazareth to the Jordan to be baptized by John[1]. But John stayed Him[2], saying; “I ought to be baptized by Thee,
- ↑ Baptized by John. The voice of the prophet crying out to men to prepare by penance for the near approach of the Messias had caused a great movement among the Israelites, who flocked to the Jordan to be baptized by John, not only from Judrea, but also from Galilee in the north of the Holy Land. Among these latter pilgrims came Jesus, who had hitherto lived a hidden and unknown life in Nazareth. But the time had now' come when He willed to appear openly as the Messias, and He began His public life by being baptized by John, just as if He were an ordinary Israelite; being at this time thirty years old. John had not as yet seen Jesus, but when our Lord thus humbly approached him to be baptized, a supernatural illumination showed him that this was the Messias.
- ↑ Stayed Him. From stepping down into the water, the ceremony of baptism being one of immersion in the Jordan.
