Note 6 at Mk. 1:5: This does not literally mean that all the people who lived in Judaea and Jerusalem were baptized by John. Luke 7:29-30 shows that the Pharisees and lawyers of this area were not baptized by John. The word "all" is used here as a figure of speech as in 1 Kings 11:16, Luke 2:1-3, and Acts 2:45, and is speaking of a part as if it were a whole. This is the same way we speak today. Example: "All the town (or everyone) will be at the parade."

Note 7 at Mk. 1:5: Under John's baptism, the people confessed their sins. In the church age of salvation, we confess the Lord Jesus as the payment for our sins (Rom. 10:9). After salvation we confess our sins for the purpose of receiving forgiveness and cleansing for our outer man (1 Jn. 1:9). Compare with Acts 16:30-31.