17 Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, 18 In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not. 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, 20 Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child's life. 21 And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. 22 But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: 23 And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. life, and baptism. to the time which he had carefully learned 17 of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying, 18 20 A voice was heard in Ramah, And she would not be comforted, be- 19 But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, Arise and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead that sought the young child's life. And he arose and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when 21 22 23 he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judæa in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he withdrew into the parts of Galilee, and came and` dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken 2 by the prophets, that he should be called a Nazarene. 1 Gr. Magi. 2 Or, through. 18. A voice was heard in Ramah (Jer. 31: 15), almost an exact translation of the Hebrew. The Greek of the Septuagint is somewhat less exact. Ramah was north of Jerusalem, and in the tribe of Benjamin. The prophet evidently referred to a destruction coming on the Benjamites and Ephraimites, Rachel's descendants. The evangelist quotes the prophecy not as referring to Herod's massacre in Judah, but as very applicable in its description of the loss of children to the occurrence at Bethlehem. The fact, that Rachel's tomb was on the border of Bethlehem, gives point to the quotation. 20. They are dead; i.e., Herod and his son Antipater. Or else, by a common figure, "they" is used of Herod alone. 22. Archelaus reigned only two years, and was then deposed by the Roman power; a Roman governor taking his place as ruler of Judæa. Galilee. Herod the Great was succeeded in Galilee by his son Herod Antipas, while Archelaus took Judæa. This Herod Antipas is the Herod hereafter mentioned in the Gospels (see chap. 14:1). 23. That he should be called a Nazarene. It is not a quotation, but a reference to the general predic tions of the prophets regarding the low estate of the Messiah (as Isa. 53, and Zech. 12: 10); Nazareth being a proverbially insignificant place (John 1: 47). So the island of Belbina in Greece, from its insignificance, made the name of Belbinite a proverb (Herod. 8: 125). CHAPTER III. 1. John preacheth: his office: life, and baptism. 7. He reprehendeth the Pharisees, 13. and baptizeth Christ in Jordan. 1 IN those days came John the Baptist, preach- | ing in the wilderness of Judæa, 2 Saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 1 AND in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of 2 Judæa, saying, Repent ye; for the king3 dom of heaven is at hand. For this is he 1. In those days; that is, in the days of Christ's life upon earth. Matthew is writing many years after Christ's death. John the Baptist, or John the Baptiser. Baptism was the prominent accompaniment of his preaching. It was a token of the receiver's penitence, and determination to lead a new life, and formed part of the preparation for Christ's enlightening words. John seems to have been the first who made baptism such a token. Whether it was derived from the washing of proselytes on admission to the Jewish state, or from the purifying use of water in the Jewish ritual, is not determined. For John's early history, and his special work as Christ's forerunner, see the first chapter of Luke. “John" is the shortened form of the Hebrew Jehohanan, and means “God's gift" (see 2 Chron. 17: 15). Preaching. Making a proclamation as a herald. So John preceded Christ (see Mal. 3:1). Wilderness of Judæa. The sparsely settled country south-east and east of Jerusalem, on the west side of the Dead Sea and Jordan. This is the eastern slope from the hill-country (Luke 1:39). It is a bleak and rugged district. 2. Repent. The Greek word implies a complete change of life. The kingdom of heaven. A comparison of Matt. 13: 47, and John 8: 36, shows that this much-used expression signifies God's visible church, with its spiritual methods under the Christian dispensation. We may consider this church as established on the day of Pentecost, after our Lord's ascension (Acts 2). Jewish writers used the phrase for the old polity of Israel with God at its head, and also, though rarely, for the new dispensation of the Messiah. Matthew alone, of the evangelists, uses the 3 For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. 4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan, 6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. 9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. 10 And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire: 1 the Pharisees. that was spoken of 1 by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilder ness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, 4 Now John himself had his raiment of 10 11 1 Or, through. 2 Or, your repentance. expression in this form. All the other New-Testament writers use for it "the kingdom of God." Neither expres sion, in this form, occurs in the Old Testament; although God's kingdom and Messiah's kingdom are spoken of. 3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness. This is quoted from Isa. 40: 3, as it occurs in the Seventy. The figure used in the cry is that of workmen going before, and making the road even for the coming of, the king. 4. Raiment of camel's hair, etc. John's apparel and food showed him to be altogether separated from ordinary human society. He was like Elijah (2 Kings 1: 8) in appearance and mode of life, and, like Elijah, came to prepare the way for one who was to enter into the daily life of the people. Our Lord, like Elisha, had not the appearance of a recluse or ascetic. As Elijah was a type of John (see Mal. 4: 5, and Matt. 11: 14), so, in a very faint way, was Elisha a type of our Lord. John was a Nazarite from birth and for life. Samson and Samuel are the only others of this kind mentioned in Scripture. For the law of the Nazarite, see Num. 6:2. The institution of Nazarism seems to have symbolized the withdrawal of the soul from earthly things. It was a symbol, and not a style of life to be imitated. 5. Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region round about Jordan. A common hyperbole for vast numbers. The excitement regarding John's preaching and baptism was intense, and the whole land was aroused. 6. In the river Jordan. In John 1:28, we find Bethany (some read Bethabara) was the place at which John was baptizing. Its position cannot be ascertained, but it is supposed to be a few miles north of the Dead Sea. Of course it is a different place from the celebrated Bethany near Jerusalem. The word Bethany is probably a Greek form of a Hebrew name, meaning "house of sighing." Confessing their sins. From the fact that they afterwards rejected Jesus, we must believe this confession to have been a superficial matter, made in their expecta tion of a mere temporal Messiah with a worldly glory. 7. Pharisees and Sadducees. The Pharisees (or Separatists, as the word implies) were a sect of high reli. gious assumption, and in high honor, exceedingly exact in external rites, but intensely proud and hypocritical. The Sadducees (named from Sadoc their founder) were an infidel sect, Jewish materialists, deniers of almost every thing spiritual. These apparent extremes of hyper-religion and irreligion are really closely allied. The sensuous is the law of each. Ye offspring of vipers. This strong and pointed language was in accordance with the usage of the Jewish prophets, the last of whom John really was (compare Isa. 1:10, Jer. 2:24, Amos 4:1). They and their fathers before them had shown the vipers cruelty and treachery in seeking their own selfish ends. The wrath to come. The prophets had predicted the day of the Messiah as a day of wrath on God's enemies. 9. We have Abraham to our father; i.e., "as our father." They trusted to their lineal descent from Abraham as enough to secure their acceptance with God. Of these stones; not referring (as some say) to the stupid people about, but to the actual stones. A strong figure of God's ability to obtain a spiritual people from any other quarter. 10. Is the axe laid unto. Rather, "the axe lieth near," and is ready to be used. The day of God's punishment of his people was soon coming, when the city and polity of the Jews would be finally destroyed. 11. With the Holy Ghost and with fire. The baptism of fire is usually supposed to be the same as that of the Holy Ghost, and the tongues of fire are supposed to be the fulfilment of this prediction. While conceding that the baptism of the Holy Ghost refers to the wonderful scene of Pentecost, as Acts 1: 5 plainly indicates, may we not consider the baptism of fire to refer to the "cast into the fire" of the preceding verse, and the "unquenchable fire" of the succeeding verse? In that case the prediction is, that Christ was coming to winnow and to burn. That which was not driven away by the Holy Spirit (the sifting wind) would be gathered into his garner; but the rest |