1The preaching of John the Baptist: his office, and manner of living: 5he baptizeth in Jordan, 7and rebuketh the Pharisees. 13Christ is baptized, and receiveth a witness from heaven.
1IN1 those days camea2John the Baptist, preaching in the 3wilderness of Judaea,
1 Namely, in the fifteenth year of the emperor Tiberius, when Christ was about thirty years old, Luke 3:1, 23.
a Mark 1:4; Luke 3:3.
2 Concerning John, of his parents, birth and office, see Luke 1, and John 1. He is called Baptist, because he was the first, who, by the command of God, administered baptism in the New Testament. See Mat. 21:25; John 1:33.
3 Not such a wilderness, where none inhabited, but a waste country of woods and mountains, where dwelt Zacharias the father of John, Luke 1:39, in which are numbered six cities, Joshua 15:61, 62, which therefore had also their villages, or hamlets.
2And saying, Repent ye: for 4the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
4 That is, the establishment and propagation of the church of God by the preaching of the Gospel at the time of the coming of the Messiah.
3For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, Theb voice of one crying in the wilderness, 5Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
b Isa. 40:3; Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23.
5 A similitude taken from a prince or king, before whose arrival the ways are prepared and made plain.
4And the same John had his 6raiment ofc camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was 7locusts and wild honey.
6 Such kind of rough garments the prophets wore in former times in the Old Testament. See Zech. 13:4; Heb. 11:37. As is witnessed of Elijah in particular, 2 Kings 1:8, in whose spirit and power John the Baptist was come, Mal. 4:5; Luke 1:17.
c Mark 1:6.
7 The locusts are large and many in those countries and are eaten there amongst the simple people, as they are also reckoned amongst the clean meats, Lev. 11:22.
5Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6Andd were baptized of him in Jordan, 8confessing their sins.
d Mark 1:5.
8 This confession of sins was no auricular confession, forasmuch as it was made before baptism, in general and in public.
7¶But when he saw manye of the 9Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, Of generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
e Luke 3:7.
9 The Pharisees and Sadducees were two sects among the Jews, as there was yet a third of the Essenes. See concerning them the historian Josephus, Antiq. lib. 18, cap. 2. de bello Jud. lib. 2, cap. 7.
f Mat. 12:34; 23:23.
8Bringg forth therefore fruits 10meeth for repentance:
g Luke 3:8.
10 That is, becoming, or agreeable unto true repentance.
h suitable, fit*
9And think not to say within yourselves, Wei have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
i John 8:39.
10And now also 11the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore everyj tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 That is, the punishment of God is drawing near, notwithstanding that you boast that you are descended from Abraham, unless you do the works of Abraham, John 8:39.
j Mat. 7:19; John 15:6.
11I indeed baptize you 12with water unto repentance: butk he that cometh 13after me is mightier than I, 14whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: 15he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Gr. in the water.
k Mark 1:7; Luke 3:16; John 1:15, 26; Acts 1:5; 11:16; 19:4.
13 Or, behind me. See John 1:15, 27.
14 That is, to do service to the least or most simple.
15 John distinguishes here his outward baptism from the inward baptism of Christ, whereby He purifies our hearts by His Spirit, as the fire does the metal from all dross and impurity. See the like phrase, John 3:5 and Acts 1:5; 2:4.
12Whose 16fanlis in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and gather his 17wheat into the 18garner;m but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
16 Gr. winnowing shovel, wherewith they cast up the wheat to purify it from the chaff, which is done with us by the fan.
l fork-like instrument used for winnowing*
17 Or, corn, as often afterwards.
18 Other, corn loft, or place where anything is laid away to be kept.
m barn, grain store*
13¶Thenn cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
n Mark 1:9; Luke 3:21.
14But John 19forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
19 That is, hindered Him very much; or, set himself very much against it, by words as well as otherwise.
15And Jesus answering said unto him, 20Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil 21all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
20 Namely, to hinder Me in this.
21 That is, whatsoever God has instituted and commanded to show Him perfect obedience.
16And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw theo Spirit of God descending 22like a dove, and lighting upon him:
o Isa. 11:2; 42:1; John 1:32.
22 That is, in bodily shape like a dove, Luke 3:22, in which kind of shape the Holy Ghost, Who is everywhere present, would here manifest Himself upon Christ, to give to understand His innocence, meekness, kindness and uprightness.
1723And lo a voice from heaven, saying, Thisp is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
23 Here is a clear testimony of the three distinct Persons in one Divine Essence: the Father, Who speaks out of heaven; the Son, of Whom He speaks and the Holy Ghost, Who descends.
p Isa. 42:1; Mat. 12:18; 17:5; Luke 9:35; Col. 1:13; 2 Peter 1:17.