BAPTIST; the baptizer, a title given to John because he baptized. THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA; bordering on the Jordan and the Dead sea. It was a rough and thinly settled region, occupied chiefly as a place for pasturage.... [ Continue Reading ]
REPENT; repentance is a change of mind with regard to sin, especially as committed against God, which leads a person to hate, confess, and forsake it. KINGDOM OF HEAVEN; the Messiah's reign as predicted by the prophets, or the sway of Christ's gospel and dispensation over the hearts, lives, and dest... [ Continue Reading ]
OF THE LORD; in the original it is, "Prepare ye the way of Jehovah." Isaiah 40:3. Christ was coming: "Make straight in the desert a highway for our God." Whenever the word Lord in the Old Testament is printed in capitals in our common English Bible, it is Jehovah in the original Hebrew; and the appl... [ Continue Reading ]
ALL JUDEA; people from all parts of the country.... [ Continue Reading ]
CONFESSING THEIR SINS; the baptism of John was adapted to impress the minds of the people with a conviction of their pollution by sin, and of the necessity, through repentance, of spiritual cleansing by the Holy Ghost, in order to a right reception of the coming Saviour.... [ Continue Reading ]
PHARISEES; a sect among the Jews who were very strict in their outward forms of religion, but were inwardly corrupt, proud, and hypocritical. SADDUCEES; they denied a resurrection and the existence of angels and spirits, and generally were sceptical, and loose in their habits. VIPERS; men who were... [ Continue Reading ]
FRUITS; show the reality of your repentance by forsaking your sins and obeying the commands of God. In order that repentance may be shown to be sincere, it must produce good works.... [ Continue Reading ]
THINK NOT; depend not on the piety of your ancestors, but become pious yourselves. Piety is not hereditary, and none can safely depend on the goodness of others; but in order to be saved, each one must become pious himself.... [ Continue Reading ]
HEWN DOWN; those who continue to neglect known duty will be destroyed.... [ Continue Reading ]
HE; Jesus Christ. NOT WORTHY; though among all who were born of women none were greater in condition and honor than John. Matthew 11:11, yet so much greater was Jesus Christ, even in his deepest humiliation, that John was not worthy to untie, or carry his shoe. HOLY GHOST; by his Spirit he will pu... [ Continue Reading ]
WHEAT; the good. CHAFF; the bad. He will make an endless separation between the righteous and the wicked. Matthew 25:46. A knowledge of this should lead all to break off their sins by righteousness, and their iniquities by turning unto the Lord.... [ Continue Reading ]
I HAVE NEED TO BE BAPTIZED OF THEE; John, being a sinner, needed that spiritual renovation, the necessity and practicability of which were taught by baptism; but Jesus Christ being perfectly holy, did not need it. John therefore did not know why he should come to him to be baptized. But Christ showe... [ Continue Reading ]
TO FULFIL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS; all the requirements of God. Since Christ had taken upon himself the nature of sinful men, and put himself in their stead, it was proper that he should submit himself to every ordinance of God's appointment.... [ Continue Reading ]
LIGHTING UPON HIM; in token of his being endowed with the Holy Spirit for his work. Compare John 3:34. vs Matthew 3:16-17. At the opening of the Saviour's ministry we have a manifestation of the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, all cooperating in the great work of man's salvation.... [ Continue Reading ]
A VOICE; the voice of God the father, acknowledging Christ as his beloved Son, and expressing his approbation of his character, office, and work.... [ Continue Reading ]