The Gospel According to Saint Matthew
Matthew 3
Chapter III · Vol. IV, pp. 50–53
1 John preacheth: his office, life, and baptism. 7 He rebuketh the Pharisees: 13 he baptizeth Christ in Jordan, and receiveth a witness from heaven.
1 In those days came aJohn the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
A.D. cir. 27.
a Mar.1.4. Lu.3.2,3; 1.5-25,57-80. Jn.1.6,7,20. Jos.15.61. Is.40.3.
3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, cThe voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John dhad his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins;2 and ehis meat was locusts and wild honey.3
A.M. cir. 4031. A.D. cir. 27.
d ch.11.8. Mar.1.6. 2 Ki.1.8. Mal.4.5. Lu.1.17. Zec.13.4.
2 John's dress was that commonly worn by the dwellers in the wilderness of Judah and plains of Arabia. It was, and still is, different from the costume of the peasants in other parts of Palestine. It consists of a loose robe of camel's or goat's hair; a coarse under-garment bound round the waist by a girdle of leather; a coloured handkerchief thrown over the head, and encircled by a fillet of camel's hair. The feet are either bare or partially covered with sandals of undressed skin. The simple costume has remained unchanged among the Bedawin of Arabia and the semi-nomad shepherds of Palestine for thousands of years.—P.
e ch.11.18. Le.11.22.
3 See note * below.
* The locust was the well-known insect which invades in such numbers, and commits such devastations in Palestine. The Mosaic law sanctioned its use as an article of food (Le.11.22). Classic writers tell us that it was in their day largely eaten by the Arabs, and at the present time some of the desert tribes of Arabia and north Africa make use of it. Wild honey—the honey of the ordinary wild bee is abundant in the mountains of Palestine, and is highly esteemed as an article of food.—P.
5 Theng went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the region round about Jordan,
g Mar.1.5. Lu.16.16; 3.3,7. Jn.1.6,7,15-28; 5.35. ch.11.12. Ac.19.3-5,18; 1.5; 2.38,39. Mal.4.6.
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of hthe Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, iO generation of vipers, who hath warned you to jflee from the kwrath to come?Cited in WLC 153
8 lBring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:4Cited in WSC 87 · WLC 153
l Ac.26.20. Ga.5.22,23. 2 Pe.1.4-10. 2 Co.7.1,11.
4 Or, answerable to amendment of life.
9 And think not to say within yourselves, Wen have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able oof these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And pnow also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: qtherefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 rI indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me sis mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: the shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:Cited in WLC 163, 177 · WCF 27.3, 28.2 · HC 69, 72
12 Whoseu fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
14 But John forbad him, saying, xI have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
x Ge.32.10. 1 Ch.29.14. 2 Ch.2.6. Ep.3.8.
15 And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for ythus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.Cited in WCF 8.4
16 Andz Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:Cited in WSC 6 · WLC 9 · WCF 2.3 · HC 25
A.M. cir. 4033. A.D. cir. 29.
z Mar.1.10. Lu.3.21,22. Jn.1.32,33; 3.34. Ps.45.7; 89.20. Is.11.2-4; 42.1; 61.1. Col.1.19.
Notes
Ver. 2. The kingdom of heaven often denotes the gospel dispensation, but sometimes the heavenly glory, or the work of grace in the heart. 7-10. Ye hypocritical Pharisees and irreligious Sadducees, who, like your father the devil, are full of malignant enmity to all real goodness, who hath instigated you to apply for my baptism as a mean of escaping the temporal and eternal judgments to which ye are so exposed? Bring forth therefore good works in heart and life, suitable to the nature and evidential of the sincerity of your repentance, or else my baptism will do you no service. Imagine not that your not being profane Gentiles, but descendants of Abraham, will secure you from God's justice; for he will rather raise up a seed of believing and obedient followers of Abraham out of these Gentile soldiers, or even these stones, than save any of you who persist in your sins. God is now giving you the last trial. If ye reject the Messiah and his gospel offers which shall soon be presented to you, his judgments, which are now waiting, shall quickly destroy your nation, and cast you into temporal and eternal miseries, on account of your wickedness. 11, 12. By my baptism I am but attempting to prepare you for the infinitely more worthy Messiah, who will pour out upon you his Holy Spirit in a miraculous manner, and whose operations will be enlightening, warming, powerful, and purifying. He, by his infinite knowledge, by his gospel doctrines, and by his gracious and awful providences, will purify his Jewish church, and separate the precious from the vile; admitting every sincere believer into his gospel church and heavenly mansions, and casting out unbelievers, as light and vain, worthless and unprofitable, into lasting miseries on earth, and eternal banishment in hell.
Ver. 2. The word here translated repent is not the word used describing Judas, Mat. 27. 3. That word merely signifies to be distressed when a thing is done. The word used by John signifies to think after an action, so as to change the mind and amend. C.
Ver. 5, 6. This statement contains a curious, succinct, and edifying notice of a great religious revival, such as God frequently bestows upon his church. That much proceeded from mere excitement, much from fashion, much from hypocrisy and base worldly feelings or motives, cannot be doubted. Still, in the midst of all that is thus transient or unreal, there is much that is real and abiding; and the work of God is not to be neglected because the world, or the flesh, or the devil may attempt to disgrace the original by base and spurious imitations. C.
Ver. 7. Pharisees. So called from a Hebrew word that signifies to separate; because they separated themselves by superior strictness of religious profession.—Sadducees. A Jewish sect, said to derive their name from one Saddoc, who denied spiritual existences and a future state of rewards or punishments. C.
Ver. 10. Fundamental truths and principles were now to be tested by Christ's gospel. Formality would no longer be tolerated. Name, and profession, and external rites would no more supply the place of sound doctrine and purity of heart. The fruitless tree, however noble in appearance, would be cut down as a cumberer of the ground. P.
Ver. 11. He shall baptize you, &c. This promise was miraculously fulfilled on the day of Pentecost; and, ordinarily, in every believer, when the 'Spirit of truth' refutes every falsehood, and the 'Spirit of holiness' expels every impure desire. C.
Ver. 12. Burn up the chaff. In warm countries chaff and such light materials are frequently burned to prevent their harbouring the eggs and young of destructive insects. C.
Ver. 13-17. We note in this simple but solemn narrative the following grand truths:—1. Our Lord's public and formal consecration to office. The Holy Spirit, of whom the anointing oil was a symbol, was 'poured out' upon him. 2. The gift of the Spirit was permanent. It descended and remained upon him, Jn. 1. 32. 3. The Spirit came in the form of a dove, the symbol of peace to a guilty world. 4. Our Lord's assumption of office as Mediator was publicly accepted of the Father. 5. The glorious Trinity is here openly manifested combining to work out the scheme of redemption. P.
Ver. 15. All righteousness. That is, every righteous ordinance—here, most probably, referring to the washing of the priests previous to inauguration, Ex. 29. 4. C.
Ver. 16. Like a dove. Neither these, nor the words in Lu. 3. 22, convey the idea that the Spirit appeared in the shape of a dove, but merely that the body of the Shekinah light descended after the manner of a dove, hovering over its resting-place before it descends. C.
Reflections.—No place on earth can shut us out from the visits of divine grace. And often the sweetest intercourse with God is enjoyed when we are most withdrawn from the world. Ministers should accommodate themselves to the circumstances in which God places them. They who call others to self-denial, mourning for sin, and mortification of it, must show themselves as examples; and they who have experienced spiritual pleasures, must look upon carnal delights and enjoyments with a holy indifference. Thorough convictions of the horrible nature of sin, and of the vanity of earthly things, are good preparations for readily receiving the gospel. Even ministers and ordinances are but empty things without Christ. But the faithful work of ministers, and the almighty influences of God, are necessary to gain him admission into men's hearts. And it is the promises and power of the gospel which chiefly induce men to sincere grief for their sins. Yet, alas! multitudes often seem fond of hearing the gospel, while few really believe it; and most men are ready to rest in external professions or privileges, without any experience of the power of religion. Indispensable is the necessity of true repentance, marked by a holy life, under the influence of the Holy Ghost; and happy for ever are they who are once partakers of this grace! But awfully miserable are they who remain hypocritical and unfruitful hearers! Their day of grace soon comes to an end, when they shall be separated from the godly, and cast into endless destruction. God puts great honours upon such as, through a real sense of their own unworthiness, seek to shun it.—But what delight Jesus took to fulfil all righteousness necessary for him as our Savior, and to honour all his Father's institutions! And great was the delight of Jehovah and his Spirit to qualify him for and bear witness to his work. May my soul therefore entertain the most exalted and endearing thoughts of him, as the Son of God and my Saviour, as the Father's Beloved, in whom I am accepted to eternal life!