John in the Wilderness

Where does this voice of the herald cry, and where was he baptizing? In the wilderness. What, then, was the state of Jerusalem and the people of God? They must go outside to John if they would take their right place before God. What he presented was the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. The effect was great, not meager, but extensive and not without touching the conscience. "There went out unto him all the land of Judea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.”
All this is here sketched by Mark, clearly but rapidly and in brief, without stopping by the way to set it before us as was needful to the purpose of God in Matthew. There the proud and falsehearted men stood in the place of religious leaders of the day, objects of God's certain and scrutinizing judgment.