Baptized with Water and the Holy Ghost - Mark 1:8

Mark wrote how, “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins. And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey. And preached, saying, There comes one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose”, and in chapter one and verse eight of his book, Mark wrote how John said he, “baptized ... with water, but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost” where we read:

I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

The verse reads, “I indeed have baptized you with water:” Mark began words, “I indeed” which means “John the Baptist truly, certainly and surely” “have baptized you” which means “have immersed, dipped repeatedly or submerged the people who came to him” “with water” which means “with the water within the Jordan River”. Mark shared how John referred to the way he “submerged” people in the water of the Jordan River for the “remission” of their sins.

The verse continues, “but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.” Mark added the words, “but he shall baptize you” which means “however, nonetheless, moreover and the Messiah will immerse, submerge and dip repeatedly the people who come to Him” “with the Holy Ghost” which means “with the third person of the triune God, the Holy Spirit, coequal, coeternal with the Father and the Son”. Mark shared how John the Baptist told the people the “one mightier than he” would “immerse” them with “the Holy Spirit” of God.

When we think through Mark's words in this verse, we see how John referred to the physical “baptism” he offered to people versus the baptism of the Messiah, of whom John the Baptist was sent to be the fore-runner, which would be with the “Holy Spirit”. God loves people, and He knows the “remission of sins” is a “Spiritual work”. Those who receive Jesus as their personal “Savior and Lord” will not only have their “sins” remitted, but be filled with the “Holy Spirit” of God.

Next time Mark writes, “that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John”, so read ahead, and we shall join together then.

Until tomorrow…there is more…

Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms Volumes I and II" and the new novel "Elizabeth County" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore. All references are from "Strongs Concordance".