We have already talked about this in the Gospel of Matthew; now we will only say what is omitted there, namely: that John's garment was a sign of lamentation, and the prophet showed in this way that the penitent should weep, since sackcloth is usually a sign of weeping; the leather belt signified the deadness of the Jewish people. And that this garment signified weeping, the Lord Himself says: "We sang to you sorrowful songs (the Slavonic "weeping"), and you did not weep," calling here the life of the Forerunner weeping, because he further says: "John came, neither eating nor drinking; and they say, 'A demon is in him'" (Matt. 11:17-18). Likewise, John's food, pointing here, of course, to abstinence, was at the same time an image of the spiritual food of the Jews of that time, who did not eat the pure birds of the air, that is, they did not think about anything lofty, but fed only on a word that was lofty and directed at the mountain, but again falling into the valley. For locusts ("acrids") are an insect that jumps up, and then falls to the ground again. In the same way, the people ate the honey produced by the bees, that is, the prophets; but it remained with him without care, and was not multiplied by deepening and right understanding, although the Jews thought that they understood and comprehended the Scriptures. They had the Scriptures as if they were some kind of honey, but they did not work on them and did not examine them.

And he preached, saying, "He who is stronger than I am is coming after me, from whom I am not worthy, stooping down, to untie the strap of His shoe; I have baptized you with water, and He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.

I, he says, am not worthy to be even the last of His servants, who would untie the belt, that is, the knot on the strap of his boots. It is understood, however, that all who came and were baptized by John were freed through repentance from the bonds of their sins, when they believed in Christ. Thus, John loosed the straps and the bonds of sin with everyone, but he could not loose such a belt with Jesus, because He did not find this belt, that is, sin.

And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in the Jordan. And as he came up out of the water, immediately John saw the heavens opening up, and the Spirit descending upon him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

Jesus does not come to baptism for the remission of sins, for He did not commit sin, nor to receive the Holy Spirit, for how could John's baptism give the Spirit, when it did not cleanse sins, as I have said? But He did not go to be baptized for repentance, since He was greater than the Baptist Himself (Matt. 11:11). So, what does it come for? No doubt, in order that John would announce Him to the people. Since many flocked there, He deigned to come to bear witness before many who He was, and at the same time to fulfill "all righteousness," that is, all the commandments of the Law. Since obedience to the baptizing prophet, as one sent from God, was also a commandment, Christ fulfills this commandment as well. The Spirit descends not because Christ has need of it (for in essence He dwells in Him), but so that you may know that the Holy Spirit descends upon you also at baptism. At the descent of the Holy Spirit, the testimony was immediately pronounced. Since the Father said from above, "Thou art my Son," so that those who heard would not think that he was speaking of John, the Spirit came upon Jesus, showing that this was said of him. The heavens are opened so that we may know that they are opened to us when we are baptized.

Immediately after that, the Spirit leads Him into the wilderness. And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted by Satan, and was with the beasts; and the angels ministered to him.

Teaching us not to lose heart when, after baptism, we fall into temptation, the Lord goes up the mountain to temptation, or, better, does not leave, but is led away by the Holy Spirit, showing that we ourselves should not be thrown into temptations, but accept them when they befall us. And he goes up the mountain so that, because of the desolation of the place, the devil would have the audacity to approach Him; for he usually attacks when he sees that we are alone. The place of temptation was so wild that there were many animals there. Angels began to serve Him after He had defeated the tempter. All this is set forth more extensively in the Gospel of Matthew.

And after John had been betrayed, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent and believe in the gospel."

Hearing that John had been given up to prison, Jesus withdrew to Galilee, in order to show us that we should not go into temptations ourselves, but that we should avoid them when we fall, but endure them when we fall. Christ apparently preaches the same thing as John, such as: "repent" and "the kingdom of God is at hand." But in reality it is not the same thing: John says "repent" in order to turn away from sins, and Christ says "repent" in order to turn away from the letter of the Law, which is why He added: "Believe in the Gospel," for he who wants to believe according to the Gospel has already abolished the Law. The Lord says that "the time of the Law is fulfilled." Hitherto, he says, the Law has been in action, and from now on comes the Kingdom of God, life according to the Gospel. This life is rightly presented as the Kingdom of Heaven, for when one sees that one who lives according to the Gospel behaves almost like a bodiless person, how can one not say that he already has the Kingdom of Heaven (where there is neither food nor drink), although it seems to be still far away.

And as he passed by the Sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew his brother casting their nets into the sea, for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them, "Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men." And straightway they left their nets and followed Him. And when he had gone a little while, he saw James of Zebedee and John his brother also in the boat mending the nets; And immediately he called them. And they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the laborers, and followed him.

Peter and Andrew were at first disciples of the Forerunner, and when they saw Jesus witnessed by John, they joined Him. Then, when John was betrayed, they sorrowfully went back to their former occupation. Thus, Christ now calls them for the second time, for the present calling is already the second. Notice that they were nourished by their righteous labors, and not by unrighteous practices. Such people were worth being the first disciples of Christ. Immediately throwing down what was in their hands, they followed Him; for it is not necessary to delay, but to follow immediately. After these he catches James and John. And these, although they themselves were poor, nevertheless fed their aged father. But they left their father, not because it was a good deed to leave their parents, but because he wanted to prevent them from following the Lord. In the same way, when your parents hinder you, leave them and follow the Good. Evidently, Zebedee did not believe, but the mother of these apostles believed, and when Zebedee died, she also followed the Lord. And even this, that action is called first, and then contemplation, for Peter is the image of action, because he was of a fiery character and always warned others, which is proper to action, John, on the contrary, represents contemplation, because he was a theologian in superiority.

And they come to Capernaum; and soon afterwards on the Sabbath he went into the synagogue and taught. And they marveled at His teaching, for He taught them as one who had authority, and not as the scribes.

Where did you come from to Capernaum? From Nazareth, and on the Sabbath day. When they usually gathered to read the law, then Christ also came to teach. For the Law also commanded that the Sabbath should be kept for this purpose, so that people might be engaged in reading, gathering together for this purpose. The Lord taught accusingly, and not flatteringly, like the Pharisees: He persuaded them to do good, and threatened the disobedient with torment.

In their synagogue there was a man possessed by an unclean spirit, and he cried out, "Leave it alone! what have you to do with us, Jesus of Nazareth? You have come to destroy us. I know You who You are, the Holy One of God. But Jesus rebuked him, saying, "Be silent and come out of him." Then the unclean spirit shook him and cried out with a loud voice, and went out of him. And everyone was terrified, so that they asked one another: what is this? what is this new doctrine, that He commands even unclean spirits with authority, and they obey Him? And soon the fame of Him spread throughout all the country round about in Galilee.