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Expositor's Greek Testament (Nicoll)

Matthew 3:10

ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη … κεῖται : judgment is at hand. The axe has been placed (κεῖμαι = perfect passive of τίθημι) at the root of the tree to lay it low as hopelessly barren. This is the doom of every non-productive fruit tree. ἐκκόπτεται : the present tense, expressive not so much of the usual practice (Fritzsche) as of the near inevitable event. μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν, in case it produce not (μὴ conditional) good fruit, not merely fruit of some kind. degenerate, unpalatable. εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται : useless for any other purpose except to be firewood, as the wood of many fruit trees is.

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See also Matthew 3:10 in other biblical comments:

  • Adam Clarke Bible Commentary

    Verse Matthew 3:10. _AND NOW ALSO THE AXE IS LAID_] Or, _Even now the axe_ _lieth_. As if he had said, There is not a moment to spare - God is about to cut off every impenitent soul - you must theref...

  • Albert Barnes' Bible Commentary

    THE AXE IS LAID AT THE ROOT OF THE TREE - Laying the axe at the root of a tree is intended to denote that the tree is to be cut down. It was not merely to be trimmed, or to be cut about the limbs, but...

  • Annotated Bible by A.C. Gaebelein

    3. THE HERALD OF THE KING; THE ENTRANCE UPON HIS PUBLIC MINISTRY. __ 1. The Herald of the King. (Matthew 3:1 .) 2. His Message and His Baptism. (Matthew 3:7 .) 3. The King in Jordan's Waters. (Matth...

  • Arthur Peake's Commentary on the Bible

    JOHN THE BAPTIST (Mark 1:2 *, Luke 3:1) The common Synoptic material begins here. The chief difference from Mk. is the addition of Matthew 3:7 from Q (p. 672), _cf._ Luk

  • B. W. Johnson's Bible Commentary

    NOW ALSO THE AXE IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT. Laid there at hand for immediate use to destroy the tree, though as yet no blow had been struck; but laid there, also, that this sign of what is threatened may...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "Brood of vipers! Who put it into your minds to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit to fit repentance. Do...

  • Barclay Daily Study Bible (NT)

    THE EMERGENCE OF JOHN THE BAPTIZER (Matthew 3:1-6)...

  • Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes

    NOW. already. ALSO. Omitted by all the texts (App-94.) IS LAID. is lying at. The Jerusalem Talmud (_Beracoth,_ fo Matthew 1:5; Matthew 1:1) refers Isaiah 10:33;...

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    Matthew 3:1-12. John Baptist preaches in the Wilderness of Judæa. Mark 1:2-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-34 St Luke does not name the Pharisees and

  • Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges

    _which bringeth not forth_ Lit. IF IT BRING NOT FORTH. _fruit_ The Oriental values trees only as productive of fruit, all others are cut down as cumberers of the ground. He lays his axe literally at...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    ΜῊ ΠΟΙΟΥ͂Ν, ‘if it bring not forth.’ ἘΚΚΌΠΤΕΤΑΙ, ‘is being cut down,’ the work has already begun. ἐκκόπτειν, used specially of cutting down trees. Cp. ἔκκοψον αὐτήν, Luke 13:7, and πίτυς μούνη πάντων...

  • Cambridge Greek Testament for Schools and Colleges Commentary

    JOHN BAPTIST PREACHES IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDÆA Mark 1:2-8; Luke 3:1-18; John 1:15-34 St Matthew alone names the coming of the Pharisees and Sadducees. St Mark’s brief account contains no additional...

  • Catena Aurea Commentary

    Ver 7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, "O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8. Bring forth therefore...

  • Charles Box Commentaries

    _JOHN PREACHED A MESSAGE OF REPENTANCE MATTHEW 3:7-10:_ There were those that John refused to baptize because they showed no repentance. (Matthew 3:7-8) He called these people a generation of vipers b...

  • Charles Rose Commentaries

    ΉΔΗ (G2235) уже. Эмфатическое выделение этого слова обусловлено его позицией (Beare). ΆΞΊΝΗ (G513) топор, секира, ΡΊΖΑ (G4491) корень, ΔΈΝΔΡΟΝ дерево. Вожди и праведники иногда сравнивались с дерев...

  • Charles Simeon's Horae Homileticae

    DISCOURSE: 1282 JOHN’S ADDRESS TO THOSE WHO CAME TO BE BAPTIZED OF HIM Matthew 3:7. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them., O generation of vipers!...

  • Coke's Commentary on the Holy Bible

    AND NOW ALSO THE AXE, &C.— _The axe is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then,_ &c. "There is now no more time for delay: God is going to offer the last dispensation of repentance and...

  • College Press Bible Study Textbook Series

    CHAPTER THREE Section 5. THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST (Parallels: Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18) TEXT: 3:1-12 1. And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, sa...

  • Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

    And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. AND NOW ALSO, [ Eedee (G2235) de (G1161) kai (G...

  • Concordant Commentary on the New Testament by A. E. Knoch

    18 Compare Jer_31:15. 18 The name “Rama” was a common one for a site on a hill. There was probably such a place near Bethlehem beside the tomb of Rachel, who died there in sorrow (Gen_35:19-20). Ther...

  • Darby's translation notes (1890)

    3:10 to (l-7) I so translate, because 'laid to' implies actual execution. perhaps not meant so by the translators, but merely to be as literal as possible. but 'applied to' ('to,' _ pros_ . see ch. 2...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    APPEARANCE OF THE BAPTIST. BAPTISM OF JESUS 1-12. John the Baptist's ministry. The circumstances of John's birth are detailed in Luke 1 (see notes there). He was sanctified from birth to be the foreru...

  • Dummelow's Commentary on the Bible

    AX] a frequent and expressive type of imminent judgment (Matthew 7:19; Luke 13:7 : cp. Romans 11:17). THE TREES] i.e. individual Jews, not the nation, though, as a matter of fact, judgment overtook th...

  • EasyEnglish Bible Commentaries

    MATTHEW’S GOOD NEWS MATTHEW’S *GOSPEL _HILDA BRIGHT_ CHAPTER 3 THE WORK OF JOHN THE *BAPTIST 3:1-12 V1 In those days, John the *Baptist appeared in Judea’s wild country. V2 He taught the people...

  • Ellicott's Commentary On The Whole Bible

    NOW. — Rather, _already._ The present of an act no longer future. THE AX IS LAID UNTO THE ROOT OF THE TREES. — The symbolism which saw in “trees” the representatives of human characters, of nations, a...

  • Expositor's Bible Commentary (Nicoll)

    CHAPTER 3 His Herald - Matthew 3:1 THIRTY years have gone since all Jerusalem was in trouble at the rumour of Messiah's birth. But as nothing has been heard of Him since, the excitement has passed aw...

  • Frederick Brotherton Meyer's Commentary

    THE HERALD PREPARES THE WAY Matthew 3:1-12 Matthew's Gospel heralds the Kingdom. We are allowed to see and listen to the forerunner, whose voice again awoke the hearts of men with prophetic utteranc...

  • G. Campbell Morgan's Exposition on the Whole Bible

    Here ends the old prophetic line, John being the last of the Hebrew prophets. It found a fitting end in the stem ascetic who roused the nation and with vehement passion denounced their rebellion, and...

  • George Haydock's Catholic Bible Commentary

    Without the least attention to its origin, or other advantages. Hence you must not rest your hopes of salvation on your birth alone, nor on the baptism alone you receive at my hands. (Bible de Vence)...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    CHAPTER 4 MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST BY MATTHEW, MARK, AND LUKE Luke 3:1-2. “In the fifteenth year of the dominion of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod tetrarch of...

  • Godbey's Commentary on the New Testament

    THE ABRAHAMIC PATERNITY Matthew 3:8-10, and Luke 3:8-10. O the withering denunciations which leaped from the eloquent lips of John, like lightning from the skirts of the clouds! “Ye generations of vip...

  • Hawker's Poor man's commentary

    Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. The Pharisees were a sect who prided themse...

  • Introductory Lectures - Commentary by William Kelly

    God has been pleased, in the separate accounts He has given us of our Lord Jesus, to display not only His own grace and wisdom, but the infinite excellency of His Son. It is our wisdom to seek to prof...

  • John Calvin's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 3:10; Luke 3:9._And now also the axe. _After having stripped hypocrites of the covering of a vain confidence, John announces the approaching judgment of God. He had formerly said that, though...

  • John Darby's Synopsis

    We now begin His actual history. John the Baptist comes to prepare the way of Jehovah before Him, according to the prophecy of Isaiah; proclaiming that the kingdom of heaven was at hand, and calling o...

  • John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

    AND NOW ALSO THE AXE IS LAID,.... These words may be rendered, "for now also", and contain in them a reason why they might expect future wrath; why they should bring forth good fruit; and why they sho...

  • John Trapp Complete Commentary

    And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Ver. 10. _And now also is the axe laid to the r...

  • Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    _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...

  • Justin Edwards' Family Bible New Testament (1851)

    HEWN DOWN; those who continue to neglect known duty will be destroyed....

  • Kretzmann's Popular Commentary of the Bible

      And this is not all: AND NOW ALSO THE AX IS LAID TO THE ROOT OF THE TREES. THEREFORE EVERY TREE WHICH BRINGETH NOT FORTH GOOD FRUIT IS HEWN DOWN, AND CAST INTO THE FIRE. The ax has been placed, it...

  • Leslie M. Grant's Commentary on the Bible

    Though John was of a priestly family, this too is not mentioned. He does not preach in the temple, but in the wilderness of the river Jordan, at least thirteen miles from Jerusalem. For a priest to pr...

  • Matthew Henry Commentary on the Whole Bible

    7-12 To make application to the souls of the hearers, is the life of preaching; so it was of John's preaching. The Pharisees laid their chief stress on outward observances, neglecting the weightier m...

  • Matthew Poole's Concise Commentary On The Bible

    A prediction, as some think, of that dreadful destruction which within a few years came by the Romans upon the whole Jewish nation. The sense is, The vengeance of God is very near to be revealed, men...

  • NT Verse References in the Ante-Nicene Fathers

    Irenaeus Against Heresies Book IV "For every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire; "[100] Irenaeus Against Heresies Book IV that all may know, "that eve...

  • Patchworkid's Personal Study Bible Notes

    Matthew 3:10 And G1161 G2532 now G2235 ax G513 laid G2749 (G5736) to G4314 root G4491 trees...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    “And even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” For he wants them to be clear about the fact that...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MINISTRY OF JOHN (3:1-10). The ministry of John is first described. He has come to the Judaean wilderness with a message of fruitfulness and hope, calling for a change of heart towards God and tow...

  • Peter Pett's Commentary on the Bible

    THE MINISTRY OF JOHN THE BAPTIST. THE MESSIAH IS REVEALED TO THE WORLD (3:1-17). Many years had passed by of which Matthew tells us nothing. He is not concerned to give us a biography of Jesus' life....

  • Philip Schaff's Popular Commentary on the NT (4 vols)

    John the Baptist, his mission, character, and preaching. The section takes up the Old Testament prophecy (Matthew 3:3), and concludes with an announcement of the coming Messiah (Matthew 3:11-12), whos...

  • Robertson's Word Pictures of the New Testament

    IS THE AXE LAID (η αξινη κειτα). This verb κειτα is used as the perfect passive of τιθημ. But the idea really is, "the axe lies at (προς, before) the root of the trees." It is there ready for busin...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 3:1. _In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand._ There is no entering the kingdom of heaven with...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    Matthew 3:1. _In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand._ His was a preparatory ministry; his work was to...

  • Spurgeon's Bible Commentary

    We are going to read three passages relating to John the Baptist's testimony concerning Christ. Matthew 3:1. In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, and saying, Re...

  • Summarized Bible Commentary

    CONTENTS: Ministry of John the Baptist and baptism of Jesus. CHARACTERS: God, Jesus, John. CONCLUSION: To follow Jesus in the waters of baptism is to publicly acknowledge our separation from sin, de...

  • Sutcliffe's Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

    Matthew 3:1. _In those days came John the Baptist._ When the time of the seventy weeks was fulfilled, when the sceptre was departed from Judah, and when all the east, according to Suetonius, expected...

  • The Bible Study New Testament

    THE AXE IS READY. A sign the tree is to be cut down. The tree is the Jewish Nation. EVERY TREE THAT DOES NOT BEAR. Jesus made a fruitless fig-tree represent the whole Jewish Nation (Luke 13:6), but Jo...

  • The Biblical Illustrator

    _Axe is laid._ THE AXE LYING AT THE ROOT I. The kind of fruit which God requires from us-“good fruit.” II. The means which God employs to render us productive of this kind of fruit, and which show...

  • The ESV Global Study Bible's Study Notes

    MATTHEW—NOTE ON MATTHEW 3:1 John the Baptist Prepares for the Messianic King­dom. John now appears, preaching in the Judean desert. It is more than 25 years since Joseph and his family moved back to N...

  • The Gospels Compared

    JOHN THE BAPTIST PREPARES THE WAY FOR JESUS MATTHEW 3:1-12; MARK 1:2-8; LUKE 3:2-18; MATTHEW 3:1 In those days came John the Baptist,...

  • The Great Commentary of Cornelius à Lapide

    CHAPTER 3 _In those days_, &c. This was in the fifteenth year of Tiberius, as S. Luke says, when John and Christ were about thirty years of age. Matthew passes at once from the childhood of Christ to...

  • The Preacher's Complete Homiletical Commentary

    _CRITICAL NOTES_ Matthew 3:1. IN THOSE DAYS.—Of Christ’s secluded life at Nazareth (see Luke 3:1, etc.) St. Matthew passes over a period of nearly thirty years (Luke 3:23). PREACHING.—Lt heralding; ma...

  • The Pulpit Commentaries

    EXPOSITION MATTHEW 3:1 THE HERALD. His public appearance and proclamation (Matthew 3:1, Matthew 3:2), as foretold by Scripture ...

  • Through The Bible C2000 Serie by Chuck Smith

    Chapter Three In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea (Matthew 3:1). Now we have the silent years of Christ. We are jumping now from the return to Nazareth to the b...

  • Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

    1 Peter 4:17; 1 Peter 4:18; Ezekiel 15:2; Hebrews 10:28; Hebrews

  • Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (4 Volume Set)

    Is laid [κ ε ι τ α ι]. Not, is applied, as "She layeth her hands to the spindle" (Proverbs 31:19), but is lying. Is hewn down and cast. The present tense is graphic, denoting what is to happen at onc...

  • Wells of Living Water Commentary

    THE PREACHING AND BAPTISM OF JOHN Matthew 3:1 INTRODUCTORY WORDS We wish to present the great theme of John the Baptist as he preached in the wilderness of Judea. 1. THERE IS THE POSITIVE STATEMENT...

  • Wesley's Explanatory Notes

    But the axe also already lieth — That is, there is no room for such idle pretences. Speedy execution is determined against all that do not repent. The comparison seems to be taken from a woodman that...

  • William Burkitt's Expository Notes

    The baptist had preached the doctrine of repentance in the former verses, he backs it with. powerful motive in this verse, drawn from the certainty, the severity, and suddenness of that vengeance whic...

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Old Testament