_Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar_ THE FIFTEENTH YEAR OF THE REIGN OF TIBERIUS CAESAR In this year, which fell between August, A.. 28, and August, A.D. 29, the Roman empire lay under the shadow of the darkest years of the tyrant, now an old man of seventy-one. Among those a... [ Continue Reading ]
_Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests_ ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS The way in which these two names occur in the New Testament has given some trouble to commentators. They are found in St. Luke’s Gospel, mentioned both together at the commencement of the preaching of John the Baptist, and are there ca... [ Continue Reading ]
_The country about Jordan--_ THE RIVER JORDAN The river Jordan rises in the Anti-Lebanon, to the north of Jerusalem. Imagine that you are looking, as your glance may be directed towards me, to Jerusalem; yonder on your right is Hermon. The river Jordan rises in the Anti-Lebanon range, 1,700 feet a... [ Continue Reading ]
_The voice of one crying in the wilderness_ SELF-EFFACEMENT John Baptist is a type of those who resolve, at all risks, to discharge their duty and to deliver the message entrusted to them by God, without one single thought of self, without one transient wish to appear themselves in the matter. The... [ Continue Reading ]
_Every valley shall be filled_ THE KING’S HIGHWAY I. VALLEYS MUST DE LEVELLED UP. 1. Inattention. 2. Apathy. 3. Despondency. II. EMINENCES MUST BE LEVELLED DOWN. 1. The mountain of pride must be reduced. (1) The pride that will not make full confession of sin. (2) The pride that will not re... [ Continue Reading ]
_The salvation of God_ SALVATION ALL OF GOD We are to be saved, not by what we are worth ourselves; not by that which we have attained. Looking at ourselves in some sense as a piece of art, a picture, a statue, or an exquisite piece of machinery, we are not worth saving. In and of ourselves, ther... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then said he to the multitude that came forth_ JOHN AND THE POPULACE It is a matter of some interest, even as a memoir of ancient manners, to conceive the various and strikingly marked aspect of the multitude that now fled to John in the desert. There stood the Pharisee, covered from head to heel... [ Continue Reading ]
_Fruits worthy of repentance_ FRUITFULNESS Every living fruit-tree is in some measure fruitful; though some bring forth more fruit, some less, yet all bring forth some. All living Christians are thriving and bearing fruit; though some are more eminent for growth and proficiency in grace, yet all... [ Continue Reading ]
_The axe is laid unto the root of the trees_ RADICAL AND SEMINAL REFORM It seems to me a total mistake to apply the words of the Baptist, “And now also the axe,” &c. , to any work ordained for man. When the appointed time comes, God does indeed show forth His justice by sweeping away that which is... [ Continue Reading ]
_What shall we do then?_ COMMON SENSE APPLIED TO EVERYDAY DUTIES I. JOHN DISCRIMINATES BETWEEN THE EASE-HARDENED, SELFISH, AND SCARCELY REACHABLE PHARISEES AND HIGH-PLACED REPRESENTATIVES OF OFFICIAL JUDAISM, AND “THE MULTITUDES” (Matthew 3:7). II. HE RISES ABOVE THE PREJUDICES AND ANTIPATHIES OF... [ Continue Reading ]
_Exact no more than that which is appointed you--_ OPPRESSIONS AND EXTORTIONS OF TAX-GATHERERS Present-day conditions of Eastern lands painfully illustrate the continuance of some of the most demoralizing customs of the past. When the crop is reared, and while the winnowing is actually going on up... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the soldiers likewise_ THE LAWFULNESS OF ARMS The common argument, founded on this for the lawfulness of the military profession, seems unanswerable. It is true that war is contrary to the mild spirit of Christianity, and that the guilt of it must be always chargeable, at least on one side. B... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whether he were the Christ or not_ THE BAPTIST’S ATTITUDE TOWARDS CHRIST Observe here-- 1. How the extraordinariness of the Baptist’s person, the earnestness of his preaching, the acceptableness of his doctrine, and the exemplariness of his conversation, drew all persons to an admiration of him... [ Continue Reading ]
_I indeed baptize you with water_ SIGNIFICANCE OF JOHN’S BAPTISM 1. John’s baptism was a carrying on of the office of the law. Neither repentance avails without grace, nor grace without repentance; for repentance must first condemn sin, that grace may blot it out. So then John, becoming a type of... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whose fan is in His hand--_ CHRIST’S FLOOR AND FAN I. THE THRESHING-FLOOR MAY DE PROPERLY REGARDED AS THE CHURCH, INTO WHICH ALL PROFESSORS ARE GATHERED; or, even in a wider sense still, it may include all those who, though they have made no public profession of faith in Christ, yet secretly hold... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shut up John in prison_ HEROD ANTIPAS The view here given of the character, conduct, and history of Herod Antipas is full of matter for awful reflection and serious admonition. 1. The mysteriousness of the ways of Providence. That a man so worthless should be permitted to cut short the labour... [ Continue Reading ]
_He shut up John in prison_ HEROD ANTIPAS The view here given of the character, conduct, and history of Herod Antipas is full of matter for awful reflection and serious admonition. 1. The mysteriousness of the ways of Providence. That a man so worthless should be permitted to cut short the labour... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus also being baptized--_ MEETING OF JESUS WITH JOHN The people, I read, “mused,” wondering if John were the expected Messiah. John, too, mused, we may be sure. “Words! words! words!” at the end of each long sultry day, as he laid him down in some rocky cave what time the sun sank suddenly and... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God_ GENEALOGIES As we glance through the list of names given in these Chapter s (Matthew 1:1. and Luke 3:1.), we see that few could claim a higher descent than could the carpenter Joseph and the gentle woman to whom he was espoused. They were both... [ Continue Reading ]
_Which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God_ GENEALOGIES As we glance through the list of names given in these Chapter s (Matthew 1:1. and Luke 3:1.), we see that few could claim a higher descent than could the carpenter Joseph and the gentle woman to whom he was espoused. They were both... [ Continue Reading ]