John the Baptist had been born several months before Jesus and had started his mission much earlier. He preached near the river Jordan and baptised those whom he felt were worthy to receive baptism. Through this act, he was able to transmit spiritual power to those who were open to it. He has been generally regarded and he himself regarded himself as the forerunner of Jesus. He was meant to soften the soil upon which Jesus the Son of God was meant to work. He was meant to loosen the souls of men so that it would be easier for the Word of the Lord to penetrate into them and consequently make the Work of Jesus much easier.

Through the spiritual turmoil which must have characterised the early life of Jesus especially as he reached adolescence, as He began to ask Himself questions as to His origin, the purpose of life, His own purpose in life, there must have arisen the conviction that He needed to see John and perhaps receive the baptism which would bring Him the final clarification as to who He really was.

Through the baptism, as the account in the Bible showed, He came to recognise Himself, His Origin and His Mission. Through this act, He could consciously enter into His Mission on earth. With this realisation, which would have been tremendous, He withdrew into the wilderness to gain and receive more strength for this Mission. It is not unknown for those who had been chosen by God to withdraw into solitude for further maturing and the receipt of their full powers.

On His return, however, He was fully ready for His Mission, He had received His full Powers and the clarification of what He had to do, and He could now go among the people to proclaim the Word of which He was a part.