CHAPTER 3. THE MINISTRY OF THE BAPTIST, AND THE BAPTISM OF JESUS. This chapter and part of the next, containing the narrative of the temptation (Matthew 4:1-11), form the prelude to the public ministry of Jesus. John, of whom we have not heard before, appears as consecrating Jesus to His Messianic... [ Continue Reading ]
ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις : the time when most vaguely indicated. Luke's narrative here (Matthew 3:1) presents a great contrast, as if with conscious intent to supply a want. John's ministry is there dated with reference to the general history of the world, and Christ's age at His baptism is given... [ Continue Reading ]
_John the Baptist appears_ (Mark 1:1-6; Luke 3:1-6).... [ Continue Reading ]
λέγων introduces the burden of his preaching. μετανοεῖτε, _Repent_. That was John's great word. Jesus used it also when He began to preach, but His distinctive watchword was _Believe_. The two watchwords point to different conceptions of the kingdom. John's kingdom was an object of awful dread, Jesu... [ Continue Reading ]
οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν, etc.: the evangelist here speaks. He finds in John the man of prophecy who proclaims in the desert the near advent of Jehovah coming to deliver His people. He quotes _Isaiah_ only. Mark (Mark 1:2) quotes _Malachi_ also, identifying John, not only with the voice in the desert, but wi... [ Continue Reading ]
αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰ. The story returns to the historical person, John, and identifies him with the herald of prophecy. “This same John.” Then follows a description of his way of life his clothing and his food, the details conveying a life-like picture of the manner of the man: his habits congruous to his v... [ Continue Reading ]
_Effects of John's preaching_. Remarkable by his appearance, his message, and his moral intensity, John made a great impression. They took him for a prophet, and a prophet was a novelty in those days. His message appealed to the common Messianic hope, and proclaimed fulfilment to be at hand. Τότε, _... [ Continue Reading ]
καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο : the imperfect again. They were baptised as they came. ἐν τῷ Ἰορ. ποταμῷ. The word ποταμῷ, omitted in T. R., by all means to be retained. Dull prosaic scribes might deem it superfluous, as all men knew the Jordan was a river, but there is a touch of nature in it which helps us to ca... [ Continue Reading ]
Ἰδὼν δὲ, etc.: among those who visited the Jordan were some, not a few, many indeed (πολλοὺς) of the PHARISEES and SADDUCEES. The first mention of classes of whom the Gospels have much to say, the former being the legal precisians, _virtuosi_ in religion, the latter the men of affairs and of the wor... [ Continue Reading ]
_Words of rebuke and warning to unwelcome vistors_ (Luke 3:7-9).... [ Continue Reading ]
ποιήσατε οὖν, etc. “If, then, ye are in earnest about escape, produce fruit worthy of repentance; repentance means more than confession and being baptised.” That remark might be applied to all that came, but it contained an innuendo in reference to the Pharisees and Sadducees that they were insincer... [ Continue Reading ]
_Protest and warning_. καὶ μὴ δόξητε … τ. Ἀβραάμ : the meaning is plain = do not imagine that having Abraham for father will do instead of repentance that all children of Abraham are safe whatever betide. But the expression is peculiar: do not _think_ to _say_ within yourselves. One would have expec... [ Continue Reading ]
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 (F... [ Continue Reading ]
_John defines his relation to the Messiah_ (Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:15-17). This prophetic word would come late in the day when the Baptist's fame was at its height, and men began to think it possible he might be the Christ (Luke 3:15). His answer to inquiries plainly expressed or hinted was unhesitating... [ Continue Reading ]
This ver. follows up Matthew 3:11, and explains the judicial action emblemed by wind and fire. οὗ τὸ πτύον ἐ. τ. χ. αὐτοῦ. The construction is variously understood. Grotius takes it as a Hebraism for ἐν οὗ χειρὶ τὸ πτύον. Fritzsche takes ἐν τ. χειρὶ αὐτοῦ as epexegetical, and renders: “whose will be... [ Continue Reading ]
Τότε παρα. ο Ἰ.… Γαλιλαίας : _then_, after John had described the Messiah, _appears on the scene_ (παραγίνεται, the historical present again, as in Matthew 3:1, with dramatic effect) _from Galilee_, where He has lived since childhood, _Jesus_, the real Christ; how widely different from the Christ co... [ Continue Reading ]
_Jesus appears, His baptism and its accompaniments_ (Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22).... [ Continue Reading ]
διεκώλυεν : imperfect, pointing to a persistent (note the διὰ) but unsuccessful attempt to prevent. His reason was a feeling that if either was to be baptised the relation ought to be inverted. To understand this feeling it is not necessary to import a fully developed Messianic theology into it, imp... [ Continue Reading ]
_John refuses_. It is instructive to compare the three synoptical evangelists in their respective narratives of the baptism of Jesus. Mark (Mark 1:9) simply states the fact. Matthew reports perplexities created in the mind of John by the desire of Jesus to be baptised, and presumably in the minds of... [ Continue Reading ]
The reasoning with which Jesus replies to John's scruples is characteristic. His answer is gentle, respectful, dignified, simple, yet deep. Ἄφες ἄρτι deferential, half-yielding, yet strong in its very gentleness. Does ἄρτι imply a tacit acceptance of the high position assigned to Him by John (Weiss-... [ Continue Reading ]
_The preternatural accompaniments_. These have been variously viewed as meant for the people, for the Baptist, and for Jesus. In my judgment they concern Jesus principally and in the first place, and are so viewed by the evangelist. And as we are now making the acquaintance of Jesus for the first ti... [ Continue Reading ]