try; and He had no alternative but to
follow. He must tear Himself away from Nazareth, home, and mother, and
take the road which would end at Calvary. "Then cometh Jesus from
Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him."

Tradition locates the scene of John's baptism as near Jericho, where
the water is shallow and the river opens out into large lagoons. But
some, inferring that Nazareth was within a day's journey of this
notable spot, place it nearer the southern end of the Lake of Galilee.

It may have been in the late afternoon when Jesus arrived. An
expression made use of by the evangelist Luke might seem to suggest
that all the people had been baptized for that day at least (Luke iii.
21); so that perhaps the crowds had dispersed, and the great prophet
was alone with one or two of those young disciples of whom we have
spoken. Or, Jesus may have arrived when the Jordan banks were alive
with the eager multitudes. But, in either case, a sudden and
remarkable change passed over the Baptist's face as he beheld his
Kinsman standing there.

Picture that remarkable scene. The arrowy stream, rushing down from
the Lake of Galilee to the Dead Sea; the rugged banks; the shadowy
forests; the erect, sinewy form of the Baptist; and Jesus of Nazareth,
as depicted by the olden traditions, with auburn hair, searching blue
eye, strong, sweet face, and all the beauty of his young manhood. At
the sight of Him, note how the high look on the Baptist's face lowers;
how his figure stoops in involuntary obeisance; how the voice that was
wont to ring out its messages in accents of uncompromising decision
falters and trembles!

John said, "I knew Him not" (John i. 31); but this need not be
interpreted as indicating that he had no acquaintance whatever with his
blameless relative. Such may have been the case, of course, since
John's life had been spent apart from the haunts of men. It is more
natural to suppose that the cousins had often met, as boys and
afterwards. But the Baptist had never realized that Jesus was the
Messiah whose advent he was sent to announce. He had not recognised
his high descent and claims. It had never occurred to him that this
simple village Carpenter, so closely related to himself, whose course
of life was apparently so absolutely ordinary and commonplace, could be
He of whom Moses in the Law and the Prophets did write. In this sense
John could truly say, "I knew Him not."

But John knew