Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
Matthew 3
Verse 1. In those days - that is, while Jesus dwelt there. In the
wilderness of Judea - This was a wilderness properly so called, a
wild, barren, desolate place as was that also where our Lord was
tempted. But, generally speaking, a wilderness in the New
Testament means only a common, or less cultivated place, in
opposition to pasture and arable land. Mark i, 1; Luke iii, 1.
Verse
2. The kingdom of heaven, and the kingdom of God, are but two
phrases for the same thing. They mean, not barely a future happy
state, in heaven, but a state to be enjoyed on earth: the proper
disposition for the glory of heaven, rather than the possession of
it. Is at hand - As if he had said, God is about to erect that
kingdom, spoken of by Daniel, Dan. ii, 44; vii, 13, 14; the
kingdom of the God of heaven. It properly signifies here, the
Gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God
by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first
on earth, and afterward with God in glory. In some places of
Scripture, the phrase more particularly denotes the state of it on
earth: in, others, it signifies only the state of glory: but it generally
includes both. The Jews understood it of a temporal kingdom, the
seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem; and the
expected sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to
call the Son of man. Both John the Baptist and Christ took up that
phrase, the kingdom of heaven, as they found it, and gradually
taught the Jews (though greatly unwilling to learn) to understand
it right. The very demand of repentance, as previous to it, showed
it was a spiritual kingdom, and that no wicked man, how politic,
brave, or learned soever, could possibly be a subject of it.
Verse
3. The way of the Lord - Of Christ. Make his paths straight - By
removing every thing which might prove a hindrance to his
gracious appearance. Isaiah xl, 3.
Verse
4. John had his raiment of camels' hair - Coarse and rough, suiting
his character and doctrine. A leathern girdle - Like Elijah, in
whose spirit and power he came. His food was locusts and wild
honey - Locusts are ranked among clean meats, Lev. xi, 22. But
these were not always to be had. So in default of those, he fed on
wild honey.
Verse
6. Confessing their sins - Of their own accord; freely and openly.
Such prodigious numbers could hardly be baptized by immerging
their whole bodies under water: nor can we think they were
provided with change of raiment for it, which was scarcely
practicable for such vast multitudes. And yet they could not be
immerged naked with modesty, nor in their wearing apparel with
safety. It seems, therefore, that they stood in ranks on the edge of
the river, and that John, passing along before them, cast water on
their heads or faces, by which means he might baptize many
thousands in a day. And this way most naturally signified Christ's
baptizing them with the Holy Ghost and with fire, which John
spoke of, as prefigured by his baptizing with water, and which
was eminently fulfilled, when the Holy Ghost sat upon the
disciples in the appearance of tongues, or flames of fire.
Verse
7. The Pharisees were a very ancient sect among the Jews. They
took their name from a Hebrew word, which signifies to separate,
because they separated themselves from all other men. They were
outwardly strict observers of the law, fasted often, made long
prayers, rigorously kept the Sabbath, and paid all tithe, even of
mint, anise, and cummin. Hence they were in high esteem among
the people. But inwardly, they were full of pride and hypocrisy.
The Sadducees were another sect among the Jews, only not so
considerable as the Pharisees. They denied the existence of
angels, and the immortality of the soul, and by consequence the
resurrection of the dead. Ye brood of vipers - In like manner, the
crafty Herod is styled a fox, and persons of insidious, ravenous,
profane, or sensual dispositions, are named respectively by him
who saw their hearts, serpents, dogs, wolves, and swine; terms
which are not the random language of passion, but a judicious
designation of the persons meant by them. For it was fitting such
men should be marked out, either for a caution to others, or a
warning to themselves.
Verse
8. Repentance is of two sorts; that which is termed legal, and that
which is styled evangelical repentance. The former (which is the
same that is spoken of here) is a thorough conviction of sin. The
latter is a change of heart (and consequently of life) from all sin to
all holiness.
Verse
9. And say not confidently - The word in the original, vulgarly
rendered, Think not, seems here, and in many places, not to
diminish, but rather add to the force of the word with which it is
joined. We have Abraham to our father - It is almost incredible,
how great the presumption of the Jews was on this their relation to
Abraham. One of their famous sayings was, "Abraham sits near
the gates of hell, and suffers no Israelite to go down into it." I say
unto you - This preface always denotes the importance of what
follows. Of these stones - Probably pointing to those which lay
before them.
Verse
10. But the axe also already lieth - That is, there is no room for
such idle pretenses. Speedy execution is determined against all
that do not repent. The comparison seems to be taken from a
woodman that has laid down his axe to put off his coat, and then
immediately goes to work to cut down the tree. This refers to the
wrath to come in verse 7. Is hewn down - Instantly, without
farther delay.
Verse
11. He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire - He
shall fill you with the Holy Ghost, inflaming your hearts with that
fire of love, which many waters cannot quench. And this was
done, even with a visible appearance as of fire, on the day of
pentecost.
Verse
12. Whose fan - That is, the word of the Gospel. His floor - That
is, his Church, which is now covered with a mixture of wheat and
chaff. He will gather the wheat into the garner - Will lay up those
who are truly good in heaven.
Verse
13. Mark i, 9; Luke iii, 21
Verse
15. It becometh us to fulfil all righteousness - It becometh every
messenger of God to observe all his righteous ordinances. But the
particular meaning of our Lord seems to be, that it becometh us to
do (me to receive baptism, and you to administer it) in order to
fulfil, that is, that I may fully perform every part of the righteous
law of God, and the commission he hath given me.
Verse
16. And Jesus being baptized - Let our Lord's submitting to
baptism teach us a holy exactness in the observance of those
institutions which owe their obligation merely to a Divine
command. Surely thus it becometh all his followers to fulfil all
righteousness. Jesus had no sin to wash away. And yet he was
baptized. And God owned his ordinance, so as to make it the
season of pouring forth the Holy Spirit upon him. And where can
we expect this sacred effusion, but in an humble attendance on
Divine appointments? Lo, the heavens were opened, and he saw
the Spirit of God - St. Luke adds, in a bodily form - Probably in a
glorious appearance of fire, perhaps in the shape of a dove,
descending with a hovering motion, till it rested upon him. This
was a visible token of those secret operations of the blessed Spirit,
by which he was anointed in a peculiar manner; and abundantly
fitted for his public work.
Verse
17. And lo, a voice - We have here a glorious manifestation of the
ever - blessed Trinity: the Father speaking from heaven, the Son
spoken to, the Holy Ghost descending upon him. In whom I
delight - What an encomium is this! How poor to this are all other
kinds of praise! To be the pleasure, the delight of God, this is
praise indeed: this is true glory: this is the highest, the brightest
light, that virtue can appear in.
Chapter 3:
| Darby
| Geneva
| Gill
| Jamieson Faussett Brown
| Johnson
| Lightfoot
| Matthew Henry
| Matthew Henry Concise
| McGarvey Pendleton
| Wesley
| Index
| Bible Gateway |
Introduction 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 Malachi Mark
This version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible is a derivative of an electronic version, Copyright 1997, by Sulu D. Kelley. All rights reserved. Used by permission. It may not be modified or used commercially without permission of Wesleyan Heritage Publishing and Sulu Kelley. A special thanks to Mr. Kelley and Wesleyan Heritage Publishing for permission to create and post this version of Wesley's Notes on the Bible.
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