Matthew 3

Matthew 3:4

4. — his raiment of camel’s hair, &c.] This raiment of camel’s hair was nothing else than that sackcloth of which we read so much in Scripture. Bp. Portens. The modern dervishes in the East wear garments made of the hair of camels; they wear also great leathern girdles, and sometimes feed on locusts. Sir J. Chardin. Is the East an elegant kind of cloth is made of the fine hair of the camel, which is thence called camlet: this is not meant here, but a coarse stuff which is manufactured from the long and shaggy hair of those animals, which was anciently worn by monks and anchorites. It is only when thus understood that the words suit the description here given of John’s manner of life. Dr. Campbell. He fed on such simple food as the desert afforded to the lowest of its inhabitants. The abstemiousness and rigour of the Baptist’s life was calculated to produce very important effects. It was fitted to circle great attention and reverence in the minds of his hearts. It was well suited to the doctrine he was to preach, that of repentance and contrition, to the seriousness he wished to inspire, and to the terror he was appointed to impress on the impenitent offenders. Bp. Portens.

— locusts] Locusts and grasshoppers are among the things allowed by the law to be eaten, Lev. xi. 22, and are at this day eaten in Asia by the poorer sort of people. Dr. Campbell.

5. — Jerusalem, — and all the region &c. — The inhabitants of Jerusalem, and of the towns and villages on both sides of the river Jordan. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 3:6

6. And were baptized of him in Jordan.] Baptism was a symbol of purification among the Jews and other ancient nations. It was especially required of heathen proselytes to the Jewish religion. This ancient rite therefore was with great propriety renewed to the Jews themselves, preparatory to the new covenant of the Gospel, analogous to the former of the law. Dr. Hales.

Matthew 3:7

7. — the Pharisees] The Pharisees were a sect among the Jews that had subsisted at least above a century and a half before the appearance of our Saviour. They affected the most profound regard for the law of God and the sacred books; but for the interpretation of them, and the manner in which they were to be obeyed, they depended chiefly upon traditional accounts. These traditional encumbered religion with many frivolous observances, which drew off the mind from the more important matters of the law; and made men look upon themselves as holy and acceptable to God, not so much from their moral conduct and observance of Divine

institutions, as from their conformity to certain modes of mere human invention, introduced among them under pretence of being the traditions of the elders. Hence their peculiar zeal and pretence to purity, in the demureness with which they fasted, the exactness with which they paid their tribes, the ostentation with which they prayed, their frequent washings, &c. They seem to have owed the name of their sect to their separating themselves from all other Jews who did not comply with their peculiarities; the word Pharisee being derived from a Hebrew word signifying “to divide or separate.” Bp. Percy.

— and Sadducees] The Sadducees were the most ancient sect among the Jews, the name being derived either from the Hebrew word Sedoc, signifying “justice,” or from a certain teacher among the Jews called Sadoc. They seem to have been originally strict adherents to the Mosaic institution and to the canonical books, only interpreting them in the most literal sense, and rejecting all other explications. The superior estimation in which they held the Pentateuch, or writings of Moses, gave rise in all probability to the report of their adversaries, that they entirely rejected the authority of the rest. It is certain that, at the time of our Saviour, this sect held doctrines that were thoroughly impious. For they denied the resurrection of the dead, the being of angels, and all existence of the souls of men departed. They held that there is no spiritual being but God, that the body and soul of man, at his death, die together never to live more, and that therefore there is no future reward or punishment. At the same time that they held these and other loose opinions, they are said to have had a bigoted attachment to the law of Moses. Bp. Percy.

— O generation of vipers.] O ye who are not so much the seed of Abraham, of which ye boast, as the seed of the serpent; a nation diametrically opposite and inimical to that Seed of the woman which was to bruise the head of the serpent, Gen. iii. 15. Dr. Lightfoot.

— who hath warned you &c.] This seems to be an expression of admiration, as if he had said, How wonderful is it that such men should do things so unsuitable to their tempers and inclinations! Dr. Whitby.

We should observe that St. John, instead of paying any court to the great men of his nation on the one hand, or to the multitude on the other, reproves the former for their hypocrisy in the strongest terms, and requires the latter to renounce every one of those favourite sins, in which they had long indulged. Bp. Portens.

Matthew 3:8

8. Bring forth therefore fruits &c.] That is, works answerable to amendment of life, or such works as become a sincere repentance. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 3:9

9. — think not to say &c.] Do not imagine that you shall escape the wrath of God by being the children of Abraham; for, if you imitate not his faith and piety,

Christ is baptized in Jordan. Anno DOMINI 26. ● Chap. 7. 19. [Mark 1. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 24.

Matthew 3:10

10. And now also the ax is laid &c.] “The ax is laid to the root of the trees,” to cut them down, if they do not bear fruit; the meaning is, This is the last trial of the Jews, the day of final judgment is at hand, when their state will be destroyed, like a tree cut up by the roots.

Matthew 3:11

11.—whose shoes I am not worthy to bear:] Who is so far superior to me, that I account not myself worthy to do the meanest office for Him. Dr. S. Clarke. In Eastern countries, on occasions of visits to great men, the sandals or slippers are usually pulled off at the door, and either left there, or given to a servant to bear: thus, to bear the shoes of another was to be an inferior domestic or attendant upon him. Asiatic Researches.

These words of St. John deserve to be seriously considered, because they contain a clear intimation of our blessed Lord’s Divine nature and excellencies. For what excellencies less than Divine could justify that amazing distance which they express, between so eminent a person as John, and the holy Jesus. John was “more than a Prophet,” Matt. xi. 9, 11, and none greater than he had been born of woman; he could therefore only be so many degrees inferior to Him, whose way he came to prepare, because He was the Son of God, and Himself God. Dean Stanhope.

— with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:] With the powerful influence of the Holy Spirit, whose appearance shall be as fire. Dr. S. Clarke. For the fulfilment of this prediction, see Acts ii. 2—4.

Matthew 3:12

12. Whose fan is in his hand,] Rather, “whose son (winnowing shovel, Dr. Campbell) is in his hand,” a van being an instrument used for winnowing corn, named from the Latin. Bp. Pearce. The word, translated “chaff,” seems properly to mean “straw,” which the Jews were accustomed to burn as fuel, for dressing their food, heating their ovens, &c. Schleusner.

The destruction of the Jewish state is here intimated; by the gathering of the wheat into the garner, it seems to be implied, that the believers in Jesus should not be involved in that calamity. Bp. Pearce.

Matthew 3:15

15.—for thus it becometh us &c.] For thus God hath appointed that I should be initiated into My ministry, and thus it becomes us to give an example of doing all things decently and with order. Dr. S. Clarke.

It was proper that our great High Priest, when ad- Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

Matthew 3:16

16.—descending like a dove,] It is not necessary to suppose that the Spirit of God descended in the shape of a dove, but that the motion with which it came down was like that of a dove. Bp. Mann.

What an exalted idea does it give us of the dignity and importance of the great Founder of our religion, that He should have such a forerunner and harbinger as John to proclaim His approach to the world, and call upon all mankind to attend to Him. It was a distinction peculiar and appropriate to Him. Neither Moses nor any of the Prophets can boast this mark of honour. It was reserved for the Son of God, the Messiah, the Redeemer of mankind, and was well suited to the transcendent dignity of His Person and the grandeur of His design. Bp. Porteus.

Matthew 3:17

17.—This is my beloved Son,] The Jews allowed that the Messiah was to be the Son of God, and applied to Him the words of the Psalmist, Ps. ii. 7, “Thou art My Son;” see also 2 Sam. vii. 14. It appears, from comparing several passages of the New Testament, that the titles Messiah and Son of God were with them the same. Compare Matt. xxvi. 63; Luke xxii. 67, 70; John i. 41, 49; and Matt. xvi. 16, 20; with Mark viii. 29; Luke ix. 20. Beausole. The miraculous circumstances of our Lord’s baptism were not only most distinguished marks of Divine favour to the great Author and Finisher of our faith, but they were also signal fulfilments of ancient prophecies concerning Him, in which He was declared to be the peculiar Son of God, and in which this spiritual unction of Him was foretold. See Ps. ii. 7; lxxxix. 19, 20; Isai. xi. 1, 2; xlii. 1. Dr. Hales.

When our Saviour was baptized by John in Jordan, there was a plain manifestation of the Three Persons of the Holy Trinity. The heavens were opened, and the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon Him; and a voice from heaven was heard, which said, “This is my beloved Son.” Here we have three Persons most clearly distinguished: God the Holy Ghost visibly descended; Christ, on whom He descended, was praying among the people; and, as these two in their bodily shapes could not but be seen, so the

Anno DOMINI 27.