{Why then baptizest thou?} (Ti oun baptizeis;). In view of
his repeated denials (three here mentioned). {If thou art not}
(ei su ouk ei). Condition of first class. They did not
interpret his claim to be "the voice" to be important enough to
justify the ordinance of baptism. Abrahams (_Studies in
Pharisaism and the Gospels_) shows that proselyte baptism was
probably practised before John's time, but its use by John was
treating the Jews as if they were themselves Gentiles.