Mark 1:4

ἐγένετο Ἰ.: in accordance with, and in fulfilment of, these prophetic anticipations, appeared John. ὁ βαπτίζων = the Baptist (substantive participle), that the function by which he was best known. εἰς ἄφεσιν ἁμαρτιῶν : this clause (in Luke, not in Matthew) may plausibly be represented as a Christianised version of John's baptism (Weiss), but of course John's preaching and baptism implied that if men really repented they would be forgiven (Holtz., H. C.).