Luke 7:25

A man clothed in soft raiment? A contrast to the camel's hair mantle and leathern girdle of the Baptist; Matthew 3:4.

they which are gorgeously apparelled and live delicately Rather, they who are in glorious apparel and luxury. The Herods were specially given both to ostentation in dress (Acts 13:21) and to luxury, Mark 6:21; Jos. B. J.1. 20, § 2; Antt.xix. 8, § 2; 18, § 7.

in kings courts Rather, in palaces. Such as the palaces of the Herods which they had seen at Tiberias, Caesarea Philippi, and Jerusalem. We might almost fancy an allusion to Manaen the Essene, who is said in the Talmud to have openly adopted gorgeous robes to shew his allegiance to Herod. To the Herodians generally, and to all whose Judaism was a mere matter of gain and court favour, might have been applied the sneering nickname of the Talmud -Proselytes of the royal table" (Gere Shulchan Melachim. Kiddushin, f. 65. 2; Gratz, in. 308). John had been in palaces, but only to counsel and reprove. Our Lord on the only two occasions on which He entered palaces on the last day of His life was mocked by "bright apparel" (Luke 23:11), and a purple or scarlet robe (Matthew 27:28).