_In those days_ That is, in those years. For, as these events happened near thirty years after those recorded in the former chapter, this phrase is to be taken, in a very extensive sense, for that age of which he had spoken in the preceding words. And it is here used with the greater propriety, beca... [ Continue Reading ]
_Repent ye_, &c. Be sorry for your sins, and amend your lives; for the original word, μετανοειτε, here used, implies this. It properly signifies, says Beza, _to be wise after the action_, and so to grieve for a fault committed as to amend it, which, in Latin, is properly expressed by _resipiscere._... [ Continue Reading ]
_For this is he_, &c. These may be the words of John himself, (comp. John 1:22,) but it is more likely that they are the words of the evangelists; _spoken of by the Prophet Esaias, saying, The voice_, &c. Isaiah, in the passage referred to, Isaiah 40:3, &c., is to be understood as speaking first, th... [ Continue Reading ]
_And the same John_ The following description of John is added, that it might appear he did not live in obscurity, but was sufficiently known to all: _had his raiment of camel's hair_ Not, as some have supposed, a camel's skin, raw and undressed, but a kind of sackcloth, coarse and rough, made of th... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then went out to him Jerusalem_ That is, the citizens of it, famed as they were for wisdom and virtue: _and all Judea_, &c. The preacher being described, the evangelist proceeds to tell us what auditors he had. All sorts and ranks of persons, and the generality of the people there, flocked to hear... [ Continue Reading ]
_And were baptized of him in Jordan_ Namely, those that were awakened to repentance. It has been questioned by many, whether John baptized these immense multitudes by dipping them in Jordan? In answer to which it has been observed, “that such prodigious numbers could hardly be baptized by immerging... [ Continue Reading ]
_When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees_, &c. These are not names of office, but of sects, or sorts of persons of different opinions in matters of religion. There were three religious sects among the Jews, the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes. Of the latter, indeed, we read nothing in the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Bring forth, therefore, fruits meet for repentance_ That is, a change of temper and behaviour, answerable thereto; _forsake_, as well as _confess_, your sins, and let the integrity, regularity, holiness, and usefulness of your lives, manifest the sincerity of your repentance. It is a metaphor taken... [ Continue Reading ]
_And think not to say_ Or, as the words, μη δοξητε λεγειν, rather signify, _Presume not to say_, or, _Say not confidently, within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father_ As if he had said, Being called upon to _bring forth fruits meet for repentance_, begin not to obstruct the efficacy of the adm... [ Continue Reading ]
_And now, also, the axe_, &c. To enforce his exhortation, he informs them that they had no time to delay their repentance, because the patience of God was very near exhausted, and come to an end with respect to them. His judgments were at hand and ready to be inflicted, so that, if they continued un... [ Continue Reading ]
_I indeed baptize you with water_ I call you to repentance: and admit the penitent to the baptism of water, as a sign and token of their being washed from their past sins, and of their engaging to walk henceforward in newness of life. He answers the question put to him, John 1:19; John 1:25, by the... [ Continue Reading ]
_Whose fan is in his hand_ That is, the doctrine of the gospel, which is of such a nature as effectually discovers what is the real disposition of the hearts of men, and perfectly distinguishes between the hypocritical and the sincere. Perhaps, also, the Baptist might refer to the persecutions and t... [ Continue Reading ]
_Then cometh Jesus_ Who was now about thirty years of age, _from Galilee_ Where he had long lived, in a retired manner, _unto John, to be baptized of him_ Not in testimony of his repentance, or for the remission of sins, for, being without sin, he neither needed repentance nor remission; but that he... [ Continue Reading ]
_But John forbade him_ Out of modesty he would have declined the service, saying, _I have need to be baptized of thee_ To receive a larger measure of the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit from thee, _and comest thou to me_ on such an occasion as this? It has been questioned, how John knew him to b... [ Continue Reading ]
_Suffer it to be so now_ In this my state of humiliation: _For thus_ By this appearance in the form of a sinner, and stooping to thee, my inferior; _it becomes us_ Me, and my disciples according to my example, _to fulfil all righteousness_ To do whatsoever is just, fit, and requisite in our circumst... [ Continue Reading ]
_And Jesus, when he was baptized_, &c. Hereby he was, 1st, installed into his ministerial office, as the priests were by washing, Exodus 29:4; Leviticus 8:6; Leviticus 2 d, engaged solemnly in the same military work with us against sin and Satan; 3d, admitted a member of the gospel Church, as he was... [ Continue Reading ]
_And lo!_ As a further token of the divine regard to Christ, and of the glorious dignity of his person, _a voice from heaven, saying_, to John, concerning Christ, _This is my beloved Son_, and to Christ himself, _Thou art my beloved Son, Luke 3:22_. For it is not improbable that both sentences were... [ Continue Reading ]