With a boldness hitherto unparalleled, save in the teaching of the sternest of the prophets of the Old Covenant, the son of Zacharias declared _the whole nation_ to be spiritually unclean. The baptism, which the Jewish teachers required of all who would be admitted as proselytes from heathenism[249], he demanded of the elect nation itself, of high and low, rich and poor, learned and unlearned, if they would be prepared for the coming of the Messiah. _The axe_, he cried, _lay at the root of the trees_, and EVERY _tree which brought not forth good fruit would be hewn down and cast into the fire_ (Mtt. iii. 10). Great were the searchings of heart caused by the appearance of this strange Preacher, and the utterances of this _Voice crying in the wilderness_ (Lk. iii. 15). Some thought he was the Messiah, the hope of Israel; others Elias; others the Prophet of whom Moses had spoken. John replied he was none of these. He was only preparing the way for Another. He, indeed, baptized with water unto repentance, but One was at hand far _mightier than himself, the latchet of whose shoes he was not worthy to bear[250], He should baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire. His winnowing fan was in His hand, and He would throughly purge His floor, gathering the wheat into His garner, but burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire_ (Lk. iii. 16–18). The impression thus made upon the people was profound. How long the Baptist continued his work of preparation we are not told[251]. But at length, even as he declared, the MESSIAH appeared, and commenced His public ministry. Leaving the home of His childhood in retired Nazareth (Mtt. iii. 13; Mk. i. 9), probably about the close of the year A.D. 27, JESUS advanced southward towards the Jordan Valley. Either at the northern ford of Succoth or the more southern one east of Jericho, He found His great Forerunner, and desired to be baptized by him. The Baptist, who had hitherto rebuked without distinction the sins of all classes and all grades, was deeply moved by the request. With an instinctive conviction of the immaculate purity of Him, whose advent he had announced, he sought to prevent[252] Him, saying, _I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me?_ (Mtt. iii. 14). But his objection was overruled. _Suffer it to be so now_, replied the Holy One; _for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness_ (Mtt. iii. 15). Then at length the Baptist consented, and when all the people had been baptized (Lk. iii. 21), descended with Him into the river, and administered the initiatory rite, after which the Redeemer ascended from the water, and was engaged in solemn prayer (Lk. iii. 21), when the heavens were opened, and in an embodied form, like unto a Dove, the Holy Spirit descended, and _abode upon Him_. But this was not all, for at the same time there came a Voice from heaven, saying, _Thou art My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased_ (Mtt. iii. 16, 17; Lk. iii. 22; Mk. i. 11).