In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
John the Baptist - "The forerunner is John the Baptist, a typical Old Testament person, of whom the Lord says later in the Gospel, 'Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet, this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say to you, that there is not arisen among the born of women a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is a little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he' (Matt 11:9-12). In the same discourse the Lord says, in vindication of John, who was then in prison: 'And if ye will receive it, this is Elias who is to come.' I the first chapter of Luke the angel announces his birth and says: 'For he shall be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine or strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to the thought of just men, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people' (Lk 1:15-17). In these words, given through the Holy Spirit, the Lord Himself and an angel of the Lord, we have the three prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the forerunner quoted. These are: Isaiah 40:3-5; Mal 3:1; 4:5-6. That he was sent in fulfillment of these prophecies is therefore unquestionable." (Gaebelein)
"The three synoptists were careful to relate John to the prophetic program revealed in the Old Testament. All quoted Isaiah 40:3-5 in explaining the ministry of John. In Isaiah 40, the prophet brought a comforting message to a distressed, oppressed people. The northern kingdom had already gone into captivity. The southern kingdom was threatened with a like exile. There was no visible hope for the nation. Yet God sent His prophet to promise that the oppression by Gentiles would be terminated and the nation's warfare would cease. God would pardon all the nation's sins. The prophet promised the coming of a Messiah who would bring redemption from sin and deliverance from Gentile aggressors. The prophet went on to say that the Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner who would make an announcement in the desert concerning His coming. The voice, the prophet said, would not be heard in the temple or in Jerusalem but outside the city in the desert. This is indeed significant, for when the temple was originally built, God occupied the temple as His dwelling place (2 Chron 5:13-14). However, because of iniquity God departed from the temple. In Ezekiel 10-11 the prophet traced the departure of the glory of God from the temple and from the nation. Having removed Himself due to His peoples' sins, God judged the nation. The judgment included Nebuchadnezzar's invasion, destruction of Jerusalem, and deportation of the people. When God returned to His people, he would speak to them outside Jerusalem and the temple. God's plan unfolded when John appeared as the messenger of Messiah. John did not come in priestly robes that he by birth was eligible to wear but rather in the attire of a prophet." (Pentecost)
the wilderness of Judea - "A barren wasteland extending along the western shore of the Dead Sea." (Ryrie)
repent - "Repentance is a change of mind that bears fruit in a changed life (see v. 8)." (Ryrie)
"John's preaching began with the word 'repent' (Matt 3:1). The word 'repent' brings an important Old Testament truth to us. In Deuteronomy 28 God had clearly revealed the principle with which He would deal with His covenant people. Obedience would bring blessing; disobedience would bring discipline. The culminating disciple would be that the nation would be delivered into Gentile bondage. In Deuteronomy 30 God revealed that the discipline could not and would not be lifted until the nation turned back to God from their sin and obeyed His commands (v 2). Repentance was just such a return to God. God's faithfulness would be proved by their obedience to His Word. Their obedience would cause God to turn back to them in blessing, regather them from the nations where they had been scattered, and restore them to their land. God would circumcise their hearts, i.e., remove impurity from them. This principle recurs throughout the Old Testament. Prophet after prophet appeared to the nation to forewarn it of judgment and to exhort the people to turn back to God to prevent the coming judgment. However, judgment fell, and the northern kingdom of Israel was carried into captivity to Assyria. Then other prophets exhorted Judah to turn back to God, lest a similar judgment fall on her. God's promise was such that even if judgment fell for disobedience, and they subsequently returned to Him, He would send the Messiah to bless them. John, then, in calling the nation to repentance, was functioning as an Old Testament prophet. His ministry was in keeping with the principle of Deuteronomy 28 and 30. Before Messiah's blessings could come, the people must turn from their sin to God. They must seek His forgiveness." (Pentecost)
kingdom of heaven - "This is the rule of heaven over the earth. The Jewish people of Christ's day were looking for this messianic or Davidic kingdom to be established on the earth, and this is what john proclaimed as being 'at hand.' The requirement that the people must repent in order for the kingdom to be established was new and became a stumbling block to them. The rejection of Christ by the people delayed its establishment until the second coming of Christ (Matt 25:31)." (Ryrie)
"The phrase, kingdom of the heavens, is mentioned thirty-two times in the Gospel of Matthew. Here it is for the first time. The strangest mean has been put upon this term. Christendom at large is all at sea about the meaning of it. Heaven or the church are the general interpretations which are given. Both are wrong, and because the meaning of this term is so grossly misunderstood, there is no conception whatever of the thoughts and purposes of God. The kingdom of the heavens is an Old Testament term. It is to be in the earth and not in heaven. It is a kingdom in which the heavens rule (Daniel 4:26). The setting up of that kingdom is spoken of in Daniel 2:44, and in the seventh chapter, verse 14. It is in the hands of One who is the Son of Man, Messiah, the Son of David, who is to rule in righteousness. In that kingdom there will be universal peace, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the deep. His own people, the house of Judah and the house of Israel, will all be regathered into the land, Jerusalem built again and become the great centre of blessing for the nations of the earth. In one word, the kingdom of the heavens is the literal fulfillment of all the prophecies and promises contained in the Old Testament, which the Lord gave to the seed of Abraham, and the blessings of the nations of the earth to come after this kingdom is set up. The Church is not known in the Old Testament, nor is it seen in the opening chapters of Matthew. This kingdom, the forerunner declares, now has drawn nigh, it is at hand. The King is in the earth, Emanuel, He who name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and concerning whom it is said, 'that of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.' Not alone did John preach this kingdom to its Jewish, earthly form, but the Lord Himself declared that it had drawn nigh, and when the King sent out His disciples He told them to preach, 'The kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh,' the special Messianic kingdom power was put upon them to heal the sick, to raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10)." (Gaebelein)
locusts - "The law permitted eating locusts (Lev 11:22)." (Ryrie)
they were baptized - "As one of the conditions of becoming a proselyte to Judaism, the person had to immerse himself in water (also be circumcised if a male and offer a sacrifice). To be baptized by John was a striking aligning of oneself with his message. John had no organization to join; those being baptized were already Jews; and the church was not yet in existence. So they were acknowledging the truth of his message and siding with righteousness." (Ryrie)
"The baptism of John shows clearly what repentance means. Jordan is always in the Word the type of death. Thus John baptized in the river of death, which would mean unto death. (Baptism in water was known and practiced among the Jews centuries before John. Proselytes were not only circumcised but also dipped in water.) The people came, confessed their sins, seeing then their true position, what they were and what they served; they went down into Jordan to be buried in water, thus typifying death. They heard, they believed, they confessed and witnessed to it outwardly. In this way they justified God, as recorded in Luke 7:29-30. Christian baptism is, of course, something essentially different. It is not a baptism unto repentance of deserved death, but it is unto Christ's death, who has taken our place and died for us. 'Are you ignorant that we, as many as have been baptized unto Christ, have been baptized unto His death? We have been therefore buried with Him by baptism unto death, in order that even as Christ has been raised up from among the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life' (Rom 6:3-5)." (Gaebelein)
"Although the Jews were familiar with the concept of baptism and John did baptize, there are several important reasons for concluding that he was not merely performing the Old Testament ritual of cleansing. The text does not tell us that he was functioning as a priest, using water for cleansing as provided by the law. Rather, it is specifically stated that John preached 'a baptism of repentance' (Lk 3:3). Thus Scripture distinguishes his baptism from a baptism for ceremonial cleansing. Four facts about John's baptism are recorded: (1) John's baptism was in view of the coming of Messiah (Matt 3:2). (2) It was in view of the people's uncleanness (Mark 1:5). (3) It was based on confession and repentance (Mark 1:4). (4) It was with a view to receiving forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4)." (Pentecost)
John the Baptist - "The forerunner is John the Baptist, a typical Old Testament person, of whom the Lord says later in the Gospel, 'Yea, I say to you, and more than a prophet, this is he of whom it is written, Behold I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee. Verily I say to you, that there is not arisen among the born of women a greater than John the Baptist, but he who is a little one in the kingdom of the heavens is greater than he' (Matt 11:9-12). In the same discourse the Lord says, in vindication of John, who was then in prison: 'And if ye will receive it, this is Elias who is to come.' I the first chapter of Luke the angel announces his birth and says: 'For he shall be great before the Lord, and he shall drink no wine or strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb. And many of the sons of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn hearts of fathers to children, and disobedient ones to the thought of just men, to make ready for the Lord a prepared people' (Lk 1:15-17). In these words, given through the Holy Spirit, the Lord Himself and an angel of the Lord, we have the three prophecies of the Old Testament concerning the forerunner quoted. These are: Isaiah 40:3-5; Mal 3:1; 4:5-6. That he was sent in fulfillment of these prophecies is therefore unquestionable." (Gaebelein)
"The three synoptists were careful to relate John to the prophetic program revealed in the Old Testament. All quoted Isaiah 40:3-5 in explaining the ministry of John. In Isaiah 40, the prophet brought a comforting message to a distressed, oppressed people. The northern kingdom had already gone into captivity. The southern kingdom was threatened with a like exile. There was no visible hope for the nation. Yet God sent His prophet to promise that the oppression by Gentiles would be terminated and the nation's warfare would cease. God would pardon all the nation's sins. The prophet promised the coming of a Messiah who would bring redemption from sin and deliverance from Gentile aggressors. The prophet went on to say that the Messiah would be preceded by a forerunner who would make an announcement in the desert concerning His coming. The voice, the prophet said, would not be heard in the temple or in Jerusalem but outside the city in the desert. This is indeed significant, for when the temple was originally built, God occupied the temple as His dwelling place (2 Chron 5:13-14). However, because of iniquity God departed from the temple. In Ezekiel 10-11 the prophet traced the departure of the glory of God from the temple and from the nation. Having removed Himself due to His peoples' sins, God judged the nation. The judgment included Nebuchadnezzar's invasion, destruction of Jerusalem, and deportation of the people. When God returned to His people, he would speak to them outside Jerusalem and the temple. God's plan unfolded when John appeared as the messenger of Messiah. John did not come in priestly robes that he by birth was eligible to wear but rather in the attire of a prophet." (Pentecost)
the wilderness of Judea - "A barren wasteland extending along the western shore of the Dead Sea." (Ryrie)
repent - "Repentance is a change of mind that bears fruit in a changed life (see v. 8)." (Ryrie)
"John's preaching began with the word 'repent' (Matt 3:1). The word 'repent' brings an important Old Testament truth to us. In Deuteronomy 28 God had clearly revealed the principle with which He would deal with His covenant people. Obedience would bring blessing; disobedience would bring discipline. The culminating disciple would be that the nation would be delivered into Gentile bondage. In Deuteronomy 30 God revealed that the discipline could not and would not be lifted until the nation turned back to God from their sin and obeyed His commands (v 2). Repentance was just such a return to God. God's faithfulness would be proved by their obedience to His Word. Their obedience would cause God to turn back to them in blessing, regather them from the nations where they had been scattered, and restore them to their land. God would circumcise their hearts, i.e., remove impurity from them. This principle recurs throughout the Old Testament. Prophet after prophet appeared to the nation to forewarn it of judgment and to exhort the people to turn back to God to prevent the coming judgment. However, judgment fell, and the northern kingdom of Israel was carried into captivity to Assyria. Then other prophets exhorted Judah to turn back to God, lest a similar judgment fall on her. God's promise was such that even if judgment fell for disobedience, and they subsequently returned to Him, He would send the Messiah to bless them. John, then, in calling the nation to repentance, was functioning as an Old Testament prophet. His ministry was in keeping with the principle of Deuteronomy 28 and 30. Before Messiah's blessings could come, the people must turn from their sin to God. They must seek His forgiveness." (Pentecost)
kingdom of heaven - "This is the rule of heaven over the earth. The Jewish people of Christ's day were looking for this messianic or Davidic kingdom to be established on the earth, and this is what john proclaimed as being 'at hand.' The requirement that the people must repent in order for the kingdom to be established was new and became a stumbling block to them. The rejection of Christ by the people delayed its establishment until the second coming of Christ (Matt 25:31)." (Ryrie)
"The phrase, kingdom of the heavens, is mentioned thirty-two times in the Gospel of Matthew. Here it is for the first time. The strangest mean has been put upon this term. Christendom at large is all at sea about the meaning of it. Heaven or the church are the general interpretations which are given. Both are wrong, and because the meaning of this term is so grossly misunderstood, there is no conception whatever of the thoughts and purposes of God. The kingdom of the heavens is an Old Testament term. It is to be in the earth and not in heaven. It is a kingdom in which the heavens rule (Daniel 4:26). The setting up of that kingdom is spoken of in Daniel 2:44, and in the seventh chapter, verse 14. It is in the hands of One who is the Son of Man, Messiah, the Son of David, who is to rule in righteousness. In that kingdom there will be universal peace, and the knowledge of the glory of the Lord shall cover the earth as the waters cover the deep. His own people, the house of Judah and the house of Israel, will all be regathered into the land, Jerusalem built again and become the great centre of blessing for the nations of the earth. In one word, the kingdom of the heavens is the literal fulfillment of all the prophecies and promises contained in the Old Testament, which the Lord gave to the seed of Abraham, and the blessings of the nations of the earth to come after this kingdom is set up. The Church is not known in the Old Testament, nor is it seen in the opening chapters of Matthew. This kingdom, the forerunner declares, now has drawn nigh, it is at hand. The King is in the earth, Emanuel, He who name is Wonderful, Counsellor, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace, and concerning whom it is said, 'that of the increase of his government and peace there shall be no end upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom, to order it and to establish it with judgment and with justice from henceforth even forever.' Not alone did John preach this kingdom to its Jewish, earthly form, but the Lord Himself declared that it had drawn nigh, and when the King sent out His disciples He told them to preach, 'The kingdom of the heavens has drawn nigh,' the special Messianic kingdom power was put upon them to heal the sick, to raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, and cast out demons (Matthew 10)." (Gaebelein)
locusts - "The law permitted eating locusts (Lev 11:22)." (Ryrie)
they were baptized - "As one of the conditions of becoming a proselyte to Judaism, the person had to immerse himself in water (also be circumcised if a male and offer a sacrifice). To be baptized by John was a striking aligning of oneself with his message. John had no organization to join; those being baptized were already Jews; and the church was not yet in existence. So they were acknowledging the truth of his message and siding with righteousness." (Ryrie)
"The baptism of John shows clearly what repentance means. Jordan is always in the Word the type of death. Thus John baptized in the river of death, which would mean unto death. (Baptism in water was known and practiced among the Jews centuries before John. Proselytes were not only circumcised but also dipped in water.) The people came, confessed their sins, seeing then their true position, what they were and what they served; they went down into Jordan to be buried in water, thus typifying death. They heard, they believed, they confessed and witnessed to it outwardly. In this way they justified God, as recorded in Luke 7:29-30. Christian baptism is, of course, something essentially different. It is not a baptism unto repentance of deserved death, but it is unto Christ's death, who has taken our place and died for us. 'Are you ignorant that we, as many as have been baptized unto Christ, have been baptized unto His death? We have been therefore buried with Him by baptism unto death, in order that even as Christ has been raised up from among the dead by the glory of the Father, so we also should walk in newness of life' (Rom 6:3-5)." (Gaebelein)
"Although the Jews were familiar with the concept of baptism and John did baptize, there are several important reasons for concluding that he was not merely performing the Old Testament ritual of cleansing. The text does not tell us that he was functioning as a priest, using water for cleansing as provided by the law. Rather, it is specifically stated that John preached 'a baptism of repentance' (Lk 3:3). Thus Scripture distinguishes his baptism from a baptism for ceremonial cleansing. Four facts about John's baptism are recorded: (1) John's baptism was in view of the coming of Messiah (Matt 3:2). (2) It was in view of the people's uncleanness (Mark 1:5). (3) It was based on confession and repentance (Mark 1:4). (4) It was with a view to receiving forgiveness of sins (Mark 1:4)." (Pentecost)
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