John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
All Commentaries on Mark 1:4 Go To Mark 1
George Leo Haydock
AD 1849
For the remission of sins. Some commentators think from this that the baptism of John remitted sins, though he says in another place, I baptize you with water, but there has stood one amongst you, who will baptize you with water and the Holy Spirit, to show that he did not baptize with the Holy Spirit, without which there is no remission of sin. This apparent difficulty will be easily reconciled, if we refer this expression to the word penance, and not baptism; so that by penance their sins were to be washed away, and there were baptized to show their detestation of their former life. (Jansenius, Concord. Evang.)
