Mark 11:30

11:30 John’s baptism – was it from heaven or from people? ¹  Answer me.”

Mark 1:4

1:4 In the wilderness ²  John the baptizer ³  began preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. ⁴ 

Mark 10:38-39

10:38 But Jesus said to them, “You don’t know what you are asking! Are you able to drink the cup I drink or be baptized with the baptism I experience?” ⁵  10:39 They said to him, “We are able.” ⁶  Then Jesus said to them, “You will drink the cup I drink, and you will be baptized with the baptism I experience,

[11:30]  ¹ tn The plural Greek term ἀνθρώπων (anqrwpwn) is probably used here (and in v. 32) in a generic sense, referring to both men and women (cf. NAB, NRSV, “of human origin”; TEV, “from human beings”; NLT, “merely human”).

[1:4]  ² tn Or “desert.”

[1:4]  ³ tn While Matthew and Luke consistently use the noun βαπτίστης (baptisths, “[the] Baptist”) to refer to John, as a kind of a title, Mark prefers the substantival participle ὁ βαπτίζων (Jo baptizwn, “the one who baptizes, the baptizer”) to describe him (only twice does he use the noun [Mark 6:25; 8:28]).

[1:4]  ⁴ sn A baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins was a call for preparation for the arrival of the Lord’s salvation. To participate in this baptism was a recognition of the need for God’s forgiveness with a sense that one needed to live differently as a response to it.

[10:38]  ³ tn Grk “baptism I am baptized with.” This same change has been made in v. 39.

[10:39]  ⁴ sn No more naïve words have ever been spoken as those found here coming from James and John, “We are able.” They said it with such confidence and ease, yet they had little clue as to what they were affirming. In the next sentence Jesus confirms that they will indeed suffer for his name.