V. 1. ff. At that time John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of the land of Judaea, saying, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. And he is he of whom the prophet Esaias spake, saying: There is a 'voice of one preaching in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the LORD 2c.
This chapter is a description of the New Testament as it began. For this is where Christ's kingdom actually begins, and he enters his ministry. Therefore, both Marcus and John begin the New Testament right here. Here everything begins to become new. Here the prophecies begin to be fulfilled; because everything must start and become different, since Christ makes the beginning. So also everything past must end, namely the law, Moses, the bodily kingdom in the people of God. For this is the unanimous speech of all prophets 2c.
2) But that the people of Israel might have no excuse for not receiving this new king, a new prophet is sent before him, a new ceremony, a new sermon, that by these new things 2) the people might be moved to receive him, for by nature we are all
2) Instead of novus in the Wittenberg is to be read with the Jena novis.
inclined to be moved by something new.
3. first. The new prophet is John, who was held in the highest esteem by the people and whom no one dared to oppose; therefore, he had to be believed.
4. secondly. The new ceremony was baptism for repentance and remission of sins. Whereas before with Moses there were various baptisms [which were performed] on things, on bodies, on the flesh, but not for repentance nor for the remission of sins, but only for a bodily cleansing, namely of the clothes, the skin, the pots, the vessels 2c., so here also the reputation of John, such a great prophet, had to be believed.
Thirdly. The new sermon; by it they were to be moved above all things, because he clearly taught that the true Christ was there, as he says, Joh. 3, 28.: "I am not Christ, but sent before him." Likewise [John 1:26, 27], "He is come into the midst of you, that I am not worthy to loose his shoe laces. This is he." Now they knew and understood very well the speech that "to be sent before Christ", before his face, would be something far different than to be sent a long time before (ante tempora), as the other prophets were sent because of the future Christ, but this John alone because of the Christ who had come in the midst of them.
At that time Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John to be baptized by him. But John refused him, saying: I have need that I should be baptized of thee, and thou comest unto me? And Jesus answered and said unto him, Let it be so now: so it behoveth us to fulfill all righteousness. And he suffered him to do it. And when JEsus was baptized, he went up straightway out of the water. And behold, heaven was opened upon him. And John saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon him. And behold, a voice from heaven
said: This is my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased.
But of all things they should be most moved by the baptism of Christ itself, in which, according to the testimony of John, such a great man, the whole Godhead appeared, the heavens opened, the voice of the Father sounded, and the form of the dove was seen. So much of the short epitome of this chapter; after that one must emphasize the words or sayings in particular and will thus have an innumerable amount of sermons.