16. Comparison of
John’s Testimony to Jesus in the Different Gospels.
It may not be out of place, as we are examining the
text, “I baptize with water,” to compare the parallel
utterances of the evangelists with this of John. Matthew reports
that the Baptist, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees
coming to his baptism, after the words of rebuke which we have already
studied, went on: “I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance; but He that cometh after
me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear; He shall
baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.” This
agrees with the words in John, in which the Baptist declares himself to
those sent by the Pharisees, on the subject of his baptizing with
water. Mark, again, says, “John
preached, saying, There cometh after me He that is mightier than I, the
latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. I baptized you with water, but He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” And Luke says that, as the people were in expectation, and all were reasoning in their hearts concerning John, whether haply he were the Christ, John answered them all, saying, “I indeed baptize you with water; but there cometh one mightier than I, whose shoe-latchet I am not worthy to unloose; He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire.”