Mateus 3

¹ InNot when Joseph went to dwell at Nazareth, but a great while after, about fifteen years: for in the 30th year of his life Jesus was baptized by John: therefore «those days» means the time when Jesus remained as an inhabitant of the town of Nazareth.those days cameJohn, who through his singular holiness and rare austerity of life caused men to cast their eyes on him, prepares the way for Christ who is following fast on his heels, as the prophet Isaiah foretold, and delivers the sum of the gospel, which a short time later would be delivered more fully.John the Baptist, preaching in theIn a hilly country, which was nonetheless inhabited, for Zacharias dwelt there, (Luk_1:39-40), and there was Joab's house, (1Ki_2:34); and besides these, Joshua makes mention of six towns that were in the wilderness, (Jos_15:61-62).wilderness of Judaea,

² And saying,The word in the greek signifies a changing of our minds and heart from evil to better.Repent ye: for theThe kingdom of Messiah, whose government will be heavenly, and nothing but heavenly.kingdom of heaven is at hand.

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 him a plain and smooth way.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 wasLocusts were a type of meat which certain of the eastern people use, who were therefore called devourers of locusts.locusts and wild honey.

⁵ Then went out to himThe people of Jerusalem.Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,

⁶ And were baptized of him in Jordan,Acknowledging that they were saved only by free remission and forgiveness of their sins.confessing their sins.

⁷ There is nothing that shuts up the way of mercy and salvation from us so much as the opinion of our own righteousness does.But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸ True repentance is an inward thing which has its seat in the mind and heart.Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:

⁹ The faith of the fathers does not benefit you unbelieving children at all: and yet for all that, God does not play the liar, nor deal unfaithfully in his covenant which he made with the holy fathers.AndThink not that you have any reason to be proud of Abraham.think not to sayIn your hearts.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 is the axe put to the roote of the trees: therfore euery tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, is hewen downe, & cast into ye fire.

¹¹ We may neither dwell upon the signs which God has ordained as means to lead us into our salvation, neither upon those that minister them: but we must climb up to the matter itself, that is to say, to Christ, who inwardly works that effectually, which is outwardly signified to us.I indeed baptize you with water untoThe outward sign reminds us of this, that we must change our lives and become better, assuring us as by a seal, that we are ingrafted into Christ; by which our old man dies and the new man rises up; (Rom_6:4).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 Spirit, and [with] fire:

¹² The triumphs of the wicked will end in everlasting torment.Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will throughlyWill clean it thoroughly, and make a full riddance.purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

¹³ Christ sanctified our baptism in himself.Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

¹⁴ But Iohn earnestly put him backe, saying, I haue neede to be baptized of thee, and commest thou to me?

¹⁵ And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfilAll such things as it has appointed for us to keep.all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

¹⁶ And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened untoTo John.him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

¹⁷ Christ's full consecration and authorization to the office of mediator is shown by the Father's own voice and a visible sign of the Holy Spirit.And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I amThe Greek word signifies a thing of great worth and such as highly pleases a man. So then the Father says that Christ is the only man whom when he beholds, looking at what opinion he had conceived of us, he lays it clean aside.well pleased.