3:1-6 What is the difference between John's baptism and the baptism commanded by Jesus?

(cp Mt 28:19). The difference between John’s baptism and the baptism commanded by Jesus lies in Jesus Himself and how God’s redemptive plan is fulfilled in Him.

Neither John nor those he baptized knew anything of this. John only knew that in his baptism he was preparing the way for the one from God (cp Mt 3:2-5 with Isa 40:3;Mal 3:1; Mk 1:1-5; Lk 3:1-6; 7:24-29; Jn 1:19-28).

John did not even know that the one from God was Jesus until Jesus came to him to be baptized (cp Mt 3:13-17; Jn 1:19-34).

In the baptism Jesus commanded repentant sinners identify with Jesus. Being baptized is their pledge of a good conscience toward God – a conscience reconciled to God by their new-found faith in the resurrected Christ who died for them, and the salvation benefits He has purchased for them with His blood (cp 1Pe 3:18-22).

Those who John baptized had no one to identify with – they knew nothing of God’s plan of redemption or the Saviour in whom it was fulfilled. That is why they all had to be baptized again after they heard how God’s plan was fulfilled in Christ, and they had received Him as their Saviour (cp Ac 2:22-24, 29-33, 36-39; 19:1-5).

See also comments on Mt 3:1, 1Pe 3:20-21,

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