“This is a big deal. Tons of people in this southern region were steadily streaming to John and many (though not all) were having their lives truly changed by his teaching. This was no easy thing they were doing. To travel from Jerusalem to the Jordan was not only a 20 mile walk, you also had to come down 4,000 feet of elevation and then climb back up on your way home!
But on top of that was the cultural and philosophical journey they had to make. They had to leave where the temple was and go out here to this guy who was saying, “I’M telling you the true way to be forgiven.” This is a seismic event, theologically speaking. But we learn from the other Gospels it wasn’t just religious Jews going out to him. Crowds of people were coming out, full of Pharisees and tax collectors and soldiers and everyone in between. And we see here they didn’t just come to experience something exciting, they were confessing and believing his message.”
