As the work of John continued the news spread over the land. Up in Nazareth of Galilee Jesus, now thirty years old, more anxious and eager than any other man, must have known that the time had come for him to begin his work. "Palestine is athrill with the sensation of the New Prophet of the Hills, the Evangelist of the Jordan. Not for four hundred years has one so spoken for the living God. Every community is stirred. It is all the talk. No hamlet is unmoved. From every section companies are forming for pilgrimage down to the great camp meetings in the Jericho valley. Some have returned to Nazareth and tell in excited tones to awed throngs of the wonderful preacher and his burning message: 'The day of the Lord is at hand.'



"I think Mary noticed a strange light in the eye of her First-born. There was a far-away air about Him, as if He felt in His soul the call to a new career. He was more than usually reticent. He spent more time out in the hills alone. Each morning He took with Him to the little shop a 'roll of the Book.' From it He would read a bit, then lay it upon a shelf while He worked and thought; then read again, and turn almost absentmindedly to work again. All this Mary's keen, discerning eye saw. There was nothing for her to say. Then there came an evening when she noted that He carefully put away His tools, swept the shop out all clean and shut the door with a care that spelled finality. He came into the house and laid up His scroll and went out into the solitude of the night.

Mary could not think of sleep. She got together a 'change of raiment' and prepared a simple lunch, all of which she made into a neat packet. Then she got ready a simple breakfast. In the morning twilight she saw Him coming in from his night with that Father about whose affairs it is needful for him to be. Mary met Him, very quietly, and led Him to the waiting breakfast. As they sat and He ate she watched Him furtively, lovingly, longingly. They did not talk much. Rather they felt each other and mingled their souls in spiritual converse and questioning. As He finished Mary went and brought out the packet and handed it to Him. She helped Him adjust it, thus to touch Him with her hands in gentle caress. A moment they gazed into the deeps of each other's eyes. Very gently He placed His arm about her, drew her to Him as they stood together there in the doorway, planted a kiss on her upturned face. No word was spoken. He turned about, walked past the little shop, followed the path as it wound east?ward and south and then, more than a quarter of a mile below, passed around the point out of sight into the highway leading down to Judea and the Jordan. Mary turned into her house with a great surge of mingled feeling and fell on her face on His bed. She knew that her wonderful Son had gone out into the world to do His work, to attend to the affairs of His Father.

Thus Jesus joined the throngs of pilgrims going to the Jordan. Two or three days later he stood in the crowd to hear John speak, and then presented himself to be baptized by him. "At last John and Jesus are face to face. . . . Out of the ages the two men of destiny meet. John had spent his years in preparation for this moment. It is the culmination of his life-work. It is the beginning of the ministry of Jesus."

Up to this time John had not seen Jesus. But when Jesus asked for baptism at his hands he knew that here at last was the Messiah. John hesitated, and even insisted that he was not worthy to baptize him. No doubt the very presence of this sinless man convicted John of his own sin and made him aware of his need of a redeemer. Jesus insisted that John must baptize him for "thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness." John obeyed his Master and baptized him in the waters of the Jordan. "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway from the water: and lo, the heavens were opened up unto him, and hesaw the spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him; and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." (Matthew 3:16-17 KJV)

At this point many interesting and intriguing questions arise which, however, can not be discussed within the scope of these studies. Suffice it to say that John had done his duty, that he rejoiced at the mani?festation of the Messiah and that he could continue his work with even greater zeal and confidence. Jesus was now ready to begin his ministry.