Walter J. Burghardt, S.J., “Shopping for Christ,” Lovely in Eyes Not His, p. 5-10

2       Matthew 4:17; Mark 1:15
3       Isaiah 40:3
4       2 Kings 1:8
7       Matthew 12:34, 23:33
9       John 8:33
10     Matthew 7:19

11-12      John Dominic Crossan, “John’s Message,” The Historical Jesus, p. 234 f.

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”  3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.”  4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair, and a leather girdle around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.  5 Then went out to him Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sad’ducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  8 Bear fruit that befits repentance, 9 and do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham.  10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry; he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the granary, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”

3:1 εν δε ταις ημεραις εκειναις παραγινεται ιωαννης ο βαπτιστης κηρυσσων εν τη ερημω της ιουδαιας 3:2 και λεγων μετανοειτε ηγγικεν γαρ η βασιλεια των ουρανων 3:3 ουτος γαρ εστιν ο ρηθεις υπο ησαιου του προφητου λεγοντος φωνη βοωντος εν τη ερημω ετοιμασατε την οδον κυριου ευθειας ποιειτε τας τριβους αυτου 3:4 αυτος δε ο ιωαννης ειχεν το ενδυμα αυτου απο τριχων καμηλου και ζωνην δερματινην περι την οσφυν αυτου η δε τροφη αυτου ην ακριδες και μελι αγριον 3:5 τοτε εξεπορευετο προς αυτον ιεροσολυμα και πασα η ιουδαια και πασα η περιχωρος του ιορδανου 3:6 και εβαπτιζοντο εν τω ιορδανη υπ αυτου εξομολογουμενοι τας αμαρτιας αυτων

3:7 ιδων δε πολλους των φαρισαιων και σαδδουκαιων ερχομενους επι το βαπτισμα αυτου ειπεν αυτοις γεννηματα εχιδνων τις υπεδειξεν υμιν φυγειν απο της μελλουσης οργης 3:8 ποιησατε ουν καρπον αξιον της μετανοιας 3:9 και μη δοξητε λεγειν εν εαυτοις πατερα εχομεν τον αβρααμ λεγω γαρ υμιν οτι δυναται ο θεος εκ των λιθων τουτων εγειραι τεκνα τω αβρααμ 3:10 ηδη δε και η αξινη προς την ριζαν των δενδρων κειται παν ουν δενδρον μη ποιουν καρπον καλον εκκοπτεται και εις πυρ βαλλεται

3:11 εγω μεν βαπτιζω υμας εν υδατι εις μετανοιαν ο δε οπισω μου ερχομενος ισχυροτερος μου εστιν ου ουκ ειμι ικανος τα υποδηματα βαστασαι αυτος υμας βαπτισει εν πνευματι αγιω 3:12 ου το πτυον εν τη χειρι αυτου και διακαθαριει την αλωνα αυτου και συναξει τον σιτον αυτου εις την αποθηκην το δε αχυρον κατακαυσει πυρι ασβεστω

14    Luke 1:43
16    Isaiah 11:2
17    Genesis 22:2; Psalm 2:7; Isaiah 42:1; Matthew 12:18, 17:5; Luke 9:35

13-15     Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 25
13-15     Søren Kierkegaard, Provocations, p. 324

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him.  14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness.” Then he consented.  16 And when Jesus was baptized, he went up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and alighting on him; 17 and lo, a voice from heaven, saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

3:13 τοτε παραγινεται ο ιησους απο της γαλιλαιας επι τον ιορδανην προς τον ιωαννην του βαπτισθηναι υπ αυτου 3:14 ο δε ιωαννης διεκωλυεν αυτον λεγων εγω χρειαν εχω υπο σου βαπτισθηναι και συ ερχη προς με 3:15 αποκριθεις δε ο ιησους ειπεν προς αυτον αφες αρτι ουτως γαρ πρεπον εστιν ημιν πληρωσαι πασαν δικαιοσυνην τοτε αφιησιν αυτον 3:16 και βαπτισθεις ο ιησους ανεβη ευθυς απο του υδατος και ιδου ανεωχθησαν αυτω οι ουρανοι και ειδεν το πνευμα του θεου καταβαινον ωσει περιστεραν και ερχομενον επ αυτον 3:17 και ιδου φωνη εκ των ουρανων λεγουσα ουτος εστιν ο υιος μου ο αγαπητος εν ω ευδοκησα