1 G1161 In G1722 those G1565 days G2250 came G3854 John G2491 the Baptist, G910 preaching G2784 in G1722 the wilderness G2048 of Judaea, G2449
2 And G2532 saying, G3004 Repent ye: G3340 for G1063 the kingdom G932 of heaven G3772 is at hand. G1448
3 For G1063 this G3778 is he G2076 that was spoken G4483 of by G5259 the prophet G4396 Esaias, G2268 saying, G3004 The voice G5456 of one crying G994 in G1722 the wilderness, G2048 Prepare ye G2090 the way G3598 of the Lord, G2962 make G4160 his G846 paths G5147 straight. G2117
4 And G1161 the same G846 John G2491 had G2192 his G846 raiment G1742 of G575 camel's G2574 hair, G2359 and G2532 a leathern G1193 girdle G2223 about G4012 his G846 loins; G3751 and G1161 his G846 meat G5160 was G2258 locusts G200 and G2532 wild G66 honey. G3192
5 Then G5119 went out G1607 to G4314 him G846 Jerusalem, G2414 and G2532 all G3956 Judaea, G2449 and G2532 all G3956 the region round about G4066 Jordan, G2446
6 And G2532 were baptized G907 of G5259 him G846 in G1722 Jordan, G2446 confessing G1843 their G846 sins. G266
7 But G1161 when he saw G1492 many G4183 of the Pharisees G5330 and G2532 Sadducees G4523 come G2064 to G1909 his G846 baptism, G908 he said G2036 unto them, G846 O generation G1081 of vipers, G2191 who G5101 hath warned G5263 you G5213 to flee G5343 from G575 the wrath G3709 to come? G3195
8 Bring forth G4160 therefore G3767 fruits G2590 meet G514 for repentance: G3341
9 And G2532 think G1380 not G3361 to say G3004 within G1722 yourselves, G1438 We have G2192 Abraham G11 to our father: G3962 for G1063 I say G3004 unto you, G5213 that G3754 God G2316 is able G1410 of G1537 these G5130 stones G3037 to raise up G1453 children G5043 unto Abraham. G11
10 And G1161 now G2235 also G2532 the axe G513 is laid G2749 unto G4314 the root G4491 of the trees: G1186 therefore G3767 every G3956 tree G1186 which bringeth G4160 not G3361 forth G4160 good G2570 fruit G2590 is hewn down, G1581 and G2532 cast G906 into G1519 the fire. G4442
Worthy.Bible » Commentaries » Matthew Henry Commentary » Commentary on Matthew 3
Commentary on Matthew 3 Matthew Henry Commentary
Chapter 3
At the start of this chapter, concerning the baptism of John, begins the gospel (Mk. 1:1); what went before is but preface or introduction; this is "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.' And Peter observes the same date, Acts 1:22, beginning from the baptism of John, for then Christ began first to appear in him, and then to appear to him, and by him to the world. Here is,
Mat 3:1-6
We have here an account of the preaching and baptism of John, which were the dawning of the gospel-day. Observe,
The beginning of the gospel in a wilderness, speaks comfort to the deserts of the Gentile world. Now must the prophecies be fulfilled, I will plant in the wilderness the cedar, Isa. 41:18, 19. The wilderness shall be a fruitful field, Isa. 32:15. And the desert shall rejoice, Isa. 35:1, 2. The Septuagint reads, the deserts of Jordan, the very wilderness in which John preached. In the Romish church there are those who call themselves hermits, and pretend to follow John; but when they say of Christ, Behold, he is in the desert, go not forth, ch. 24:26. There was a seducer that led his followers into the wilderness, Acts 21:38.
Mat 3:7-12
The doctrine John preached was that of repentance, in consideration of the kingdom of heaven being at hand; now here we have the use of that doctrine. Application is the life of preaching, so it was of John's preaching.
Observe,
Mat 3:13-17
Our Lord Jesus, from his childhood till now, when he was almost thirty years of age, had lain hid in Galilee, as it were, buried alive; but now, after a long and dark night, behold, the Sun of righteousness rises in glory. The fulness of time was come that Christ should enter upon his prophetical office; and he chooses to do it, not at Jerusalem (though it is probable that he went thither at the three yearly feasts, as others did), but there where John was baptizing; for to him resorted those who waited for the consolation of Israel, to whom alone he would be welcome. John the Baptist was six months older than our Saviour, and it is supposed that he began to preach and baptize about six months before Christ appeared; so long he was employed in preparing his way, in the region round about Jordan; and more was done towards it in these six months than had been done in several ages before. Christ's coming from Galilee to Jordan, to be baptized, teaches us not the shrink from pain and toil, that we may have an opportunity of drawing nigh to God in ordinance. We should be willing to go far, rather than come short of communion with God. Those who will find must seek.
Now in this story of Christ's baptism we may observe,
Now, when he was coming up out of the water, and all the company had their eye upon him,