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Selected Verse: Matthew 3:1 - Strong Concordance
| Verse |
Translation |
Text |
| Mt 3:1 |
Strong Concordance |
[1161] In [1722] those [1565] days [2250] came [3854] John [2491] the Baptist [910], preaching [2784] in [1722] the wilderness [2048] of Judaea [2449], |
| |
King James |
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, |
Summary Of Commentaries Associated With The Selected Verse
| A Commentary, Critical, Practical, and Explanatory on the Old and New Testaments, by Robert Jamieson, A.R. Fausset and David Brown [1882] |
PREACHING AND MINISTRY OF JOHN. ( = Mar 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18). (Mat 3:1-12)
In those days--of Christ's secluded life at Nazareth, where the last chapter left Him.
came John the Baptist, preaching--about six months before his Master.
in the wilderness of Judea--the desert valley of the Jordan, thinly peopled and bare in pasture, a little north of Jerusalem. |
| Notes on the Bible, by Albert Barnes, [1834] |
In those days - The days here referred to cannot be those mentioned in the preceding chapter, for John was but six months older than Christ. Perhaps Matthew intended to embrace in his narrative the whole time that Jesus lived at Nazareth; and the meaning is, "in those days while Jesus still dwelt at Nazareth," John began to preach. It is not probable that John began to baptize or preach long before the Saviour entered on his ministry; and, consequently, from the time that is mentioned in the close of the second chapter to that mentioned in the beginning of the third, an interval of twenty-five years or more elapsed.
John the Baptist - Or John the baptizer - so called from his principal office, that of baptizing. Baptism, or the application of water, was a rite well known to the Jews, and practiced when they admitted proselytes to their religion from paganism. - Lightfoot.
Preaching - The word rendered "preach" means to proclaim in the manner of a public crier; to make proclamation. The discourses recorded in the New Testament are mostly brief, sometimes consisting only of a single sentence. They were public proclamations of some great truth. Such appear to have been the discourses of John, calling people to repentance.
In the wilderness of Judea - This country was situated along the Jordan and the Dead Sea, to the east of Jerusalem. The word translated "wilderness" does not denote, as with us, a place of boundless forests, entirely destitute of inhabitants; but a mountainous, rough, and thinly settled country, covered to some considerable extent with forests and rocks, and better suited for pasture than for tilling. There were inhabitants in those places, and even villages, but they were the comparatively unsettled portions of the country, Sa1 25:1-2. In the time of Joshua there were six cities in what was then called a wilderness, Jos 15:61-62. |
| Vincent's Word Studies, by Marvin R. Vincent [1886] |
In those days
The phrase is indefinite, but always points back to a preceding date; in this case to the date of the settlement of the family at Nazareth. "In those days," i.e., some time during the nearly thirty years since that settlement.
John
Hebrew, meaning God has dealt graciously. Compare the German Gotthold.
Came (παραγίνεται)
Rev., cometh. The verb is used in what is called the historical present, giving vividness to the narrative, as Carlyle ("French Revolution"). "But now also the National Deputies from all ends of France are in Paris with their commissions." "In those days appears John the Baptist."
Preaching (κηρύσσων)
See on Pe2 2:5.
Wilderness (τῇ ἐήμω)
Not suggesting absolute barrenness but unappropriated territory affording free range for shepherds and their flocks. Hepworth Dixon ("The Holy Land") says, "Even in the wilderness nature is not so stern as man. Here and there, in clefts and basins, and on the hillsides, grade on grade, you observe a patch of corn, a clump of olives, a single palm." |
| Explanatory Notes on the Whole Bible, by John Wesley [1754-65] |
| 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. Mar 1:1; Luk 3:1. |
| Adam Clarke Commentary on the Whole Bible - Published 1810-1826 |
John the Baptist - John, surnamed The Baptist, because he required those to be baptized who professed to be contrite because of their sins, was the son of a priest named Zacharias, and his wife Elisabeth, and was born about A. M. 3999, and about six months before our blessed Lord. Of his almost miraculous conception and birth, we have a circumstantial account in the Gospel of Luke, chap. 1: to which, and the notes there, the reader is requested to refer. For his fidelity in reproving Herod for his incest with his brother Philip's wife, he was cast into prison, no doubt at the suggestion of Herodias, the profligate woman in question. He was at last beheaded at her instigation, and his head given as a present to Salome, her daughter, who, by her elegant dancing, had highly gratified Herod, the paramour of her incestuous mother. His ministry was short; for he appears to have been put to death in the 27th or 28th year of the Christian era.
Came - preaching - Κηρυσσων, proclaiming, as a herald, a matter of great and solemn importance to men; the subject not his own, nor of himself, but from that God from whom alone he had received his commission. See on the nature and importance of the herald's office, at the end of this chapter. Κηρυσσειν, says Rosenmuller, de iis dicitur, qui in Plateis, in Campis, in Aere aperto, ut a multis audiantur, vocem tollunt, etc. "The verb κηρυσσειν is applied to those who, in the streets, fields, and open air, lift up their voice, that they may be heard by many, and proclaim what has been committed to them by regal or public authority; as the Kerukes among the Greeks, and the Precones among the Romans."
The wilderness of Judea - That is, the country parts, as distinguished from the city; for in this sense the word wilderness, מדבר midbar or מדבריות midbarioth, is used among the rabbins. John's manner of life gives no countenance to the eremite or hermit's life, so strongly recommended and applauded by the Roman Church. |
1 [1161] In [1722] those [1565] days [2250] came [3854] John [2491] the Baptist [910], preaching [2784] in [1722] the wilderness [2048] of Judaea [2449],
2 And [2532] saying [3004], Repent ye [3340]: for [1063] the kingdom [932] of heaven [3772] is at hand [1448].
3 For [1063] this [3778] is he [2076] that was spoken [4483] of by [5259] the prophet [4396] Esaias [2268], saying [3004], The voice [5456] of one crying [994] in [1722] the wilderness [2048], Prepare ye [2090] the way [3598] of the Lord [2962], make [4160] his [846] paths [5147] straight [2117].
4 And [1161] the same [846] John [2491] had [2192] his [846] raiment [1742] of [575] camel's [2574] hair [2359], and [2532] a leathern [1193] girdle [2223] about [4012] his [846] loins [3751]; and [1161] his [846] meat [5160] was [2258] locusts [200] and [2532] wild [66] honey [3192].
5 Then [5119] went out [1607] to [4314] him [846] Jerusalem [2414], and [2532] all [3956] Judaea [2449], and [2532] all [3956] the region round about [4066] Jordan [2446],
6 And [2532] were baptized [907] of [5259] him [846] in [1722] Jordan [2446], confessing [1843] their [846] sins [266].
7 But [1161] when he saw [1492] many [4183] of the Pharisees [5330] and [2532] Sadducees [4523] come [2064] to [1909] his [846] baptism [908], he said [2036] unto them [846], O generation [1081] of vipers [2191], who [5101] hath warned [5263] you [5213] to flee [5343] from [575] the wrath [3709] to come [3195]?
8 Bring forth [4160] therefore [3767] fruits [2590] meet [514] for repentance [3341]:
9 And [2532] think [1380] not [3361] to say [3004] within [1722] yourselves [1438], We have [2192] Abraham [11] to our father [3962]: for [1063] I say [3004] unto you [5213], that [3754] God [2316] is able [1410] of [1537] these [5130] stones [3037] to raise up [1453] children [5043] unto Abraham [11].
10 And [1161] now [2235] also [2532] the axe [513] is laid [2749] unto [4314] the root [4491] of the trees [1186]: therefore [3767] every [3956] tree [1186] which bringeth [4160] not [3361] forth [4160] good [2570] fruit [2590] is hewn down [1581], and [2532] cast [906] into [1519] the fire [4442].
11 I [1473] indeed [3303] baptize [907] you [5209] with [1722] water [5204] unto [1519] repentance [3341]: but [1161] he that cometh [2064] after [3694] me [3450] is [2076] mightier than [2478] I [3450], whose [3739] shoes [5266] I am [1510] not [3756] worthy [2425] to bear [941]: he [846] shall baptize [907] you [5209] with [1722] the Holy [40] Ghost [4151], and [2532] with fire [4442]:
12 Whose [3739] fan [4425] is in [1722] his [846] hand [5495], and [2532] he will throughly purge [1245] his [846] floor [257], and [2532] gather [4863] his [846] wheat [4621] into [1519] the garner [596]; but [1161] he will burn up [2618] the chaff [892] with unquenchable [762] fire [4442].
1 The beginning [746] of the gospel [2098] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], the Son [5207] of God [2316];
2 As [5613] it is written [1125] in [1722] the prophets [4396], Behold [2400], I [1473] send [649] my [3450] messenger [32] before [4253] thy [4675] face [4383], which [3739] shall prepare [2680] thy [4675] way [3598] before [1715] thee [4675].
3 The voice [5456] of one crying [994] in [1722] the wilderness [2048], Prepare ye [2090] the way [3598] of the Lord [2962], make [4160] his [846] paths [5147] straight [2117].
4 John [2491] did [1096] baptize [907] in [1722] the wilderness [2048], and [2532] preach [2784] the baptism [908] of repentance [3341] for [1519] the remission [859] of sins [266].
5 And [2532] there went out [1607] unto [4314] him [846] all [3956] the land [5561] of Judaea [2449], and [2532] they of Jerusalem [2415], and [2532] were [907] all [3956] baptized [907] of [5259] him [846] in [1722] the river [4215] of Jordan [2446], confessing [1843] their [846] sins [266].
6 And [1161] John [2491] was [2258] clothed [1746] with camel's [2574] hair [2359], and [2532] with a girdle [2223] of a skin [1193] about [4012] his [846] loins [3751]; and [2532] he did eat [2068] locusts [200] and [2532] wild [66] honey [3192];
7 And [2532] preached [2784], saying [3004], There cometh [2064] one mightier than [2478] I [3450] after [3694] me [3450], the latchet [2438] of whose [3739] shoes [846] [5266] I am [1510] not [3756] worthy [2425] to stoop down [2955] and unloose [3089].
8 I [1473] indeed [3303] have baptized [907] you [5209] with [1722] water [5204]: but [1161] he [846] shall baptize [907] you [5209] with [1722] the Holy [40] Ghost [4151].
61 In the wilderness [04057], Betharabah [01026], Middin [04081], and Secacah [05527],
62 And Nibshan [05044], and the city of Salt [05898], and Engedi [05872]; six [08337] cities [05892] with their villages [02691].
1 And Samuel [08050] died [04191]; and all the Israelites [03478] were gathered together [06908], and lamented [05594] him, and buried [06912] him in his house [01004] at Ramah [07414]. And David [01732] arose [06965], and went down [03381] to the wilderness [04057] of Paran [06290].
2 And there was a man [0376] in Maon [04584], whose possessions [04639] were in Carmel [03760]; and the man [0376] was very [03966] great [01419], and he had three [07969] thousand [0505] sheep [06629], and a thousand [0505] goats [05795]: and he was shearing [01494] his sheep [06629] in Carmel [03760].
5 And [2532] spared [5339] not [3756] the old [744] world [2889], but [235] saved [5442] Noah [3575] the eighth [3590] person, a preacher [2783] of righteousness [1343], bringing in [1863] the flood [2627] upon the world [2889] of the ungodly [765];
1 Now [1161] in [1722] the fifteenth [4003] year [2094] of the reign [2231] of Tiberius [5086] Caesar [2541], Pontius [4194] Pilate [4091] being governor [2230] of Judaea [2449], and [2532] Herod [2264] being tetrarch [5075] of Galilee [1056], and [1161] his [846] brother [80] Philip [5376] tetrarch [5075] of Ituraea [2484] and [2532] of the region [5561] of Trachonitis [5139], and [2532] Lysanias [3078] the tetrarch [5075] of Abilene [9],
1 The beginning [746] of the gospel [2098] of Jesus [2424] Christ [5547], the Son [5207] of God [2316];