John 1:24-28...And they which were sent were of the Pharisees. And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet? John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not; He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose. These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing.
John the Baptist stated he baptized "with" water - beyond Jordan - at Bethabara
Reason? To help backslidden Israel recognize and worship Christ as the promised Messiah. Confession of sins were made. Water of purification sprinkled in John's baptism "cleansed" and "remitted" sin from all Jewish recipients according to the Law of Moses. John also baptized in the river Jordan.
Mark 1:4-5...John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.
Purification of Israel was John's initial objective in baptism - as he and Jesus first preached the Kingdom message to Israel...before the message changed to the death and resurrection of Christ. The first commission to Israel was to restore the Kingdom in Zion.
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