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At the start of this chapter, concerning the baptism of John, begins the gospel (Mar 1:1); what went before is but preface or introduction; this is "the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ." And Peter observes the same date, Act 1:22, beginning from the baptism of John, for then Christ began first to appear in him, and then to appear to him, and by him to the world. Here is, I. The glorious rising of the morning-star - John the Baptist (Mat 3:1). 1. The doctrine he preached (Mat 3:2). 2. The fulfilling of the scripture in him (Mat 3:3). 3. His manner of life (Mat 3:4). 4. The resort of multitudes to him, and their submission to his baptism (Mat 3:5, Mat 3:6). 5. His sermon that he preached to the Pharisees and Sadducees, wherein he endeavours to bring them to repentance (Mat 3:7-10), and so to bring them to Christ (Mat 3:11, Mat 3:12). II. The more glorious shining forth of the Sun of righteousness, immediately after: where we have, 1. The honour done by him to the baptism of John (Mat 3:13-15). 2. The honour done to him by the descent of the Spirit upon him, and a voice from heaven (Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17).

In those days came John the Baptist,.... The Evangelist having given an account of the genealogy and birth of Christ; of the coming of the wise men from the east to him; of his preservation from Herod's bloody design against him, when all the infants at Bethlehem were slain; of the flight of Joseph with Mary and Jesus into Egypt, and of their return from thence, and settlement in Nazareth, where Christ continued till near the time of his baptism, and entrance on his public ministry; proceeds to give a brief relation of John, the harbinger and forerunner of Christ, and the administrator of baptism to him: and he describes him by his name John, in Hebrew "Jochanan", which signifies "gracious", or "the grace of the Lord", or "the Lord has given grace"; which agrees with him, both as a good man, on whom the Lord had bestowed much grace, and as a preacher, whose business it was to publish the grace of God in Christ, Luk 16:16. This name was given him by an angel before his conception, and by his parents at his birth, contrary to the mind of their relations and neighbours, Luk 1:13. He is called by some of the Jewish writers (m), John the "high priest"; his father Zacharias was a priest of the course of Abia, and he might succeed him therein, and be the head of that course, and for that reason be called a "high" or "chief priest"; as we find such were called, who were the principal among the priests, as were those who were chosen into the sanhedrim, or were the heads of these courses; and therefore we read of many chief priests, Mat 2:4. From his being the first administrator of the ordinance of baptism, he is called John the Baptist; and this was a well known title and character of him. Josephus (n) calls him "John", who is surnamed , "the Baptist"; and Ben Gorion having spoken of him, says (o), this is that John who , "made", instituted, or practised "baptism"; and which, by the way, shows that this was not in use among the Jews before, but that John was the first practiser this way. He is described by his work and office as a preacher, he "came" or "was preaching" the doctrines of repentance and baptism; he published and declared that the kingdom of the Messiah was at hand, that he would quickly be revealed; and exhorted the people to believe on him, which should come after him. The place where he preached is mentioned, in the wilderness of Judea; not that he preached to trees and to the wild beasts of the desert; for the wilderness of Judea was an habitable place, and had in it many cities, towns, and villages, in which we must suppose John came preaching, at least to persons which came out from thence. There were in Joshua's time six cities in this wilderness, namely Betharabah, Middin, and Secacah, and Nibshan, and the city of Salt, and Engedi, Jos 15:61. Mention is made in the Talmud (p) of this wilderness of Judea, as distinct from the land of Israel, when the doctors say, that "they do not bring up small cattle in the land of Israel, but they bring them up , "in the wilderness which is in Judea".'' The Jews have an observation (q) of many things coming from the wilderness; "the law, they say, came from the wilderness; the tabernacle from the wilderness; the sanhedrim from the wilderness; the priesthood from the wilderness; the office of the Levites from the wilderness; the kingdom from the wilderness; and all the good gifts which God gave to Israel were from the wilderness.'' So John came preaching here, and Christ was tempted here. The time of his appearance and preaching was in those days: not when Christ was newly born; or when the wise men paid their adoration to him; or when Herod slew the infants; or when he was just dead, and Archelaus reigned in his room; or when Christ first went to Nazareth; though it was whilst he dwelt there as a private person; but when John was about thirty years of age, and Christ was near unto it, Luk 3:23 an age in which ecclesiastical persons entered into service, Num 4:3. It was indeed, as Luke says, Luk 3:1 in the "fifteenth" year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar; Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea; and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee; and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturea; and of the region of Trachonitis; and Lysanias, the tetrarch of Abilene; Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests. (m) Ganz. Tzemach David, par. 1. fol. 25. 2. Chronicon Regum, fol. 54. 4. (n) Antiq. l. 18. c. 7. (o) L. 5. c. 45. (p) T. Bab. Bava Kama, fol, 79. 9. 2. (q) Shirhashirim Rabba, fol. 13. 3.

For this is he that was spoken of,.... These are not the words of the Baptist himself, as in Joh 1:23 but of the Evangelist, who cites and applies to John a passage in the Prophet Isaiah, Isa 40:3 and that very pertinently, since that "chapter" is a prophecy of the Messiah. The consolations spoken of in Isa 40:3, were to be in the days of the king Messiah, as a writer of note (y) among the Jews observes. The Messiah is more expressly prophesied of in Isa 40:9 as one that should appear to the joy of his people, and "come with a strong hand", vigorously prosecute his designs, faithfully perform his work, and then receive his reward; he is spoken of under the "character" of a "shepherd", who would tenderly discharge the several parts of his office as such, which character is frequently given to the Messiah in the Old Testament: now the person spoken of in Isa 40:3 was to be his harbinger to go before him, proclaim and make ready for his coming; and what is said of him agrees entirely with John the Baptist, as the character given of him, the voice of one crying, lowing like an ox; which expresses the austerity of the man, the roughness of his voice, the severity of his language; that he called aloud and spoke out, openly, publicly, and freely; and that he delivered himself in preaching with a great deal of zeal and fervency. The place where he preached was "in the wilderness", that is, of Judea, where he is said before, in Mat 3:1 to come preaching. The doctrine he preached was, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight, which is best explained by what is said before, in Mat 3:2 repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The Lord whom ye have sought, the Messiah whom you have expected, is just coming, he will quickly appear; prepare to meet him by repentance, and receive him by faith, relinquish your former notions and principles, correct your errors, and amend your lives, remove all out of the way which may be offensive to him. The allusion is to a great personage being about to make his public appearance or entrance; when a harbinger goes before him, orders the way to be cleared, all impediments to be removed, and everything got ready for the reception of him. (y) R. David Kimchi in Isa. xl. 1.

Thus, too, does the angel, the witness of baptism, "make the paths straight" for the Holy Spirit, who is about to come upon us, by the washing away of sins, which faith, sealed in (the name of) the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, obtains.

Conceive, for example, how great a thing it was to see a man after thirty years coming down from the wilderness, being the son of a chief priest, who had never known the common wants of men, and was on every account venerable, and had Isaiah with him. For he too was present proclaiming him, and saying, "This is he who I said should come crying, and preaching throughout the whole wilderness with a clear voice." For so great was the earnestness of the prophets touching these things, that not their own Lord only, but him also who was to minister unto Him, they proclaimed a long time beforehand, and they not only mentioned him, but the place too in which he was to abide, and the manner of the doctrine which he had to teach when he came, and the good effect that was produced by him. See, at least, how both the prophet and the Baptist go upon the same ideas, although not upon the same words. Thus the prophet saith that he shall come saying, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." And he himself when he was come said, "Bring forth fruits meet for repentance," which corresponds with, "Prepare ye the way of the Lord." Seest thou that both by the words of the prophet, and by his own preaching, this one thing is manifested alone; that he was come, making a way and preparing beforehand, not bestowing the gift, which was the remission, but ordering in good time the souls of such as should receive the God of all? But Luke expresses somewhat further: not repeating the exordium, and so passing on, but setting down likewise all the prophecy. "For every valley," saith he, "shall be filled; and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Dost thou perceive how the prophet hath anticipated all by his words; the concourse of the people. Thus, when he saith, "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;" he is signifying the exaltation of the lowly, the humiliation of the self-willed, the hardness of the law changed into easiness of faith. For it is no longer toils and labors, saith he, but grace, and forgiveness of sins, affording great facility of salvation. Next he states the cause of these things, saying, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God;" no longer Jews and proselytes only, but also all earth and sea, and the whole race of men. Because by "the crooked things" he signified our whole corrupt life, publicans, harlots, robbers, magicians, as many as having been perverted before afterwards walked in the right way; much as He Himself likewise said, "publicans and harlots go into the kingdom of God before you," because they believed. And in other words also again the prophet declared the self-same thing, thus saying, "Then wolves and lambs shall feed together." For like as here by the hills and valleys, he meant that incongruities of character are blended into one and the same evenness of self-restraint, so also there, by the characters of the brute animals indicating the different dispositions of men, he again spoke of their being linked in one and the same harmony of godliness. Here also, as before, stating the cause. That cause is, "There shall be He that riseth to reign over the Gentiles, in Him shall the Gentiles trust:" much the same as here too he said, "All flesh shall see the salvation of God," everywhere declaring that the power and knowledge of these our Gospels would be poured out to the ends of the world, converting the human race, from a brutish disposition and a fierce temper to something very gentle and mild.

He prepared the souls of believers in whom the Lord would walk, so he might walk in purity along the purest of paths, saying, “I will live in them and move among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people.”

(Verse 3.) For this is he who is spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: 'The voice of one crying out in the wilderness, prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.' He was preparing the souls of the believers, in whom the Lord was going to walk, to walk in the purest ways, saying: 'I will dwell in them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people' (Leviticus 26:12). Porphyry compares this passage to the beginning of the Gospel of Mark, where it is written: 'The beginning of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God, as it is written in the prophet Isaiah: Behold, I send my angel before your face, who will prepare your way.' The voice of one crying in the wilderness: Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. (Isa. XL, 3). For even though the testimony is from Malachi (Chap. III) and connected to Isaiah, it is asked how we can consider it as an example taken from one Isaiah. This question was answered fully by learned scholars. However, we think that the name of Isaiah was added by mistake of the scribes, which we can also prove in other places, or certainly from the fact that different testimonies of the Scriptures have become one body. Read the thirteenth Psalm, and you will find the same.

(In. Is. 40:3.) Consider how the salvation of God, and the glory of the Lord, is preached not in Jerusalem, but in the solitude of the Church, in the wilderness to multitudes.

(De Cons. Ev. ii. 12.) The other Evangelists omit these words of John. What follows, This is He, &c. it is not clear whether the Evangelist speaks them in his own person, or whether they are part of John's preaching, and the whole from Repent ye, to Esaias the prophet, is to be assigned to John. It is of no importance that he says, This is he, and not, I am he; for Matthew speaking of himself says, He found a man sitting at the toll-office; (Mat. 9:9.) not He found me. Though when asked what he said of himself, he answered, as is related by John the Evangelist, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness.

Hence John prepared these ways of mercy and truth, faith and justice. Concerning them, Jeremiah also declared, “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is, and walk in it.” Because the heavenly kingdom is found along these ways, not without good reason John adds, “The kingdom of heaven is near.” So do you want the kingdom of heaven to also be near for you? Prepare these ways in your heart, in your senses and in your soul. Pave within you the way of chastity, the way of faith and the way of holiness. Build roads of justice. Remove every scandal of offense from your heart. For it is written: “Remove the stones from the road.” And then, indeed, through the thoughts of your heart and the very movements of your soul, Christ the King will enter along certain paths.

The voice is a confused sound, discovering no secret of the heart, only signifying that he who utters it desires to say somewhat; it is the word that is the speech that openeth the mystery of the heart. Voice is common to men and other animals, word peculiar to man. John then is called the voice and not the word, because God did not discover His counsels through him, but only signified that He was about to do something among men; but afterwards by His Son he fully opened the mystery of his will. As a great King going on a progress is preceded by couriers to cleanse what is foul, repair what is broken down; so John preceded the Lord to cleanse the human heart from the filth of sin, by the besom of repentance, and to gather by an ordinance of spiritual precepts those things which had been scattered abroad.

In these words we have not only time, place, and person, respecting St. John, but also his office and employment. First the time, generally; “In those days.”. The man is mentioned in the words “came John,” that is, showed himself, having abodeso long in obscurity. ap. Anselm: His office; “the Baptist;” in this he prepared the way of the Lord, for had not men been used to be baptized, they would have shunned Christ’sbaptism.His employment; “Preaching.”. The place; “the desert of Judaea.”Maximus, Hom. in Joan. Bap. nat. 1: Where neithera noisy mob would interrupt his preaching, and whither no unbelieving hearer would retire; but those only would hear, who sought to his preaching from motives of divine worship. “The Kingdom of Heaven” has a fourfold meaning. It is said, of Christ, as “The Kingdom of God is within you.” And all these significations may be here understood. Though as far as historical fact is concerned, he chose the desert, to be removed from the crowds of people. What the purport of his cry was is insinuated, when he adds, “Make ready the way of the Lord.”

Though as far as historical fact is concerned, he chose the desert, to be removed from the crowds of people. What the purport of his cry was is insinuated, when he adds, Make ready the way of the Lord.

"I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: Make straight the way of the Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said." You know, dearest brothers, that the only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father, as John testifies when he says: "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." And from your own manner of speaking you recognize that the voice sounds first, so that the word may afterward be heard. Therefore John asserts that he is the voice, because he precedes the Word. And so, going before the coming of the Lord, he is called a voice, because through his ministry the Word of the Father is heard by men. He also cries out in the wilderness, because he announces the comfort of the Redeemer to abandoned and forsaken Judea. But what he cries out he indicates when he adds: "Make straight the way of the Lord." The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart when the word of truth is humbly heard. The way of the Lord is made straight to the heart when one's life is prepared according to his commandment.

As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Indeed, the same John the Baptist, when asked who he was, answered, saying: I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness. He, as was said by us before, was called a voice by the prophet because he preceded the Word. But what he cried out is revealed when it is added: Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. Everyone who preaches right faith and good works, what else does he do but prepare a way for the coming Lord into the hearts of his hearers? So that the power of grace may penetrate, so that the light of truth may illuminate, so that he may make straight paths for God, while he forms pure thoughts in the mind through the word of good preaching.

(Hom. in Ev. i. 7. 2.) It is well known that the Only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father; as in John, In the beginning was the Word. (John 1:1.) But it is by our own speech that we are known; the voice sounds that the words may be heard. Thus John the forerunner of the Lord's coming is called, The voice, because by his ministry the voice of the Father is heard by men.

(Hom. in Ev. i. 7. 2.) Crying in the desert, because he shows to deserted and forlorn Judæa the approaching consolation of her Redeemer.

(Hom. in Ev. i. 20. 3.) Every one who preacheth right faith and good works, prepares the Lord's way to the hearts of the hearers, and makes His paths straight, in cleansing the thoughts by the word of good preaching.

(Gloss. ord. in cap. iv. 1.) In like manner has He cried from the beginning through the voice of all who have spoken aught by inspiration. And yet is John only called, The voice; because that Word which others showed afar off, he declares as nigh.

He is rightly called, The voice of one crying, on account of the loud sound of his preaching. Three things cause a man to speak loud; when the person he speaks to is at a distance, or is deaf, or if the speaker be angry; and all these three were then found in the human race.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight (Is. 40:3). "The way," that is, the highway, means the Gospel. The "paths" are the ordinances of the law, which are well-trodden and ancient. He is saying, therefore, "Prepare yourselves for the evangelic life, the life that is lived according to the Gospel, and make the commandments of the law straight, that is, make them spiritual." For the Spirit is straight and right. So then, when you see a Jew who understands the content of the law in a fleshly manner, you may say, "This man has not made straight the paths," that is, he does not understand the law spiritually.

(ord.) John then is, as it were, the voice of the word crying. The word is heard by the voice, that is, Christ by John. (interlin.) Or, faith is the way by which the word reaches the heart; when the life is amended the paths are made straight.

Then this preaching is confirmed: "This is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah..." And, as Augustine says, this can be explained in two ways: first, so that the words, "This is he who was spoken of," are the words of the evangelist; and then the sense is plainer. Secondly, that they are introduced by Matthew as being the words of John doing penance. Hence, "this is he," i.e., "I am"; and he speaks of himself as of another, as John (c. 1) speaks of another as of himself. But it is not important whose words they are, because they have the same sense. He is the one, therefore, of whom it was written, "the voice of one crying in the wilderness. Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." Three facts are presented to support the three details mentioned: first, the place of John's preaching: "the voice of one crying in the wilderness"; secondly, the coming of the kingdom of heaven: "prepare the way"; thirdly, penance: "make straight his paths." He says this for three reasons: first, because, as Gregory says, "The voice precedes the word and John, Christ: 'He will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah'" (Lk 1:17); secondly, because by the voice the word is known: for as the voice brings the word into knowledge, so John, Christ: "For this I came baptizing with water, that he might be revealed in Israel" (Jn 1:31). Thirdly, because the voice without a word does not give certitude to the mind: "If the bugle gives an uncertain sound, who will get ready for battle?" (1 Cor 14:8). And the revelation of divine mysteries was not made by John, except in so far as he announced Christ; but through Christ was the word: "The only begotten Son who is in the bosom of the Father, he has made him known" (Jn 1:18). Therefore, "the voice of one crying..." This can be understood in two ways: first, of Christ crying: "Since you desire proof that Christ is speaking in me" (2 Cor 13:3). This is the way he cried in all the prophets. Hence, it always says: "The word of the Lord was made to Jeremiah or Isaiah, etc." Yet none is called a voice, because they did not immediately precede Christ: "Behold, I sent my messenger to prepare a way before me, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight" (Mal 3:1). Or "the voice of one crying," i.e. John shouting. It should be noted that a shout is made to the deaf: "Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see. Who is blind but my servant, or deaf as my messenger whom I sent?" (Is 42:18). Secondly, from indignation: "Then the anger of the Lord was kindled against his people, and he abhorred his heritage" (Ps 106:40). Thirdly, to those who are distant; and they were far from God. "Prepare the way of the Lord." Now it seems more suitable to have said, "prepare your way" to receive the Lord. But it should be noted that we were so weak that we could not get near God, unless he came to us. Therefore, John said above, "The kingdom of heaven is at hand" and this is "prepare." But what is that way? Faith, which comes by hearing: "That Christ may dwell by faith in your hearts" (Eph 3:17). Gregory: "The way of faith is devout hearing; 'Prepare to meet your God, O Israel'" (Am 4:12). Faith is common and one, but it directs one in diverse works. Therefore, "make straight." The ways of our works are straight, when they are not in conflict with the divine law, which is the rule of human acts, just as according to the will of the potter is the rule of goodness of earthen vessels, as is clear from Jeremiah (18:4). Or this, i.e., "prepare," pertains to charity, which is necessary for salvation: "This is the way, walk in it, and turn neither to the right nor to the left" (Is 36:21). Therefore, "way" is taken to mean the sum total of all that pertains to general salvation: "I show you a more excellent way" (1 Cor 12:31). But the paths are submission to the counsels, which are called straight paths, because they should not be observed for the sake of vainglory: "Beware of practicing your piety before men in order to be seen by them" (Mt 6:1); "Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace" (Pr 3:17).

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.

For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying-- (Mat 11:3). The voice of one crying in the wilderness--(See on Luk 3:2); the scene of his ministry corresponding to its rough nature. Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight--This prediction is quoted in all the four Gospels, showing that it was regarded as a great outstanding one, and the predicted forerunner as the connecting link between the old and the new economies. Like the great ones of the earth, the Prince of peace was to have His immediate approach proclaimed and His way prepared; and the call here--taking it generally--is a call to put out of the way whatever would obstruct His progress and hinder His complete triumph, whether those hindrances were public or personal, outward or inward. In Luke (Luk 3:5-6) the quotation is thus continued: "Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; and all flesh shall see the salvation of God." Levelling and smoothing are here the obvious figures whose sense is conveyed in the first words of the proclamation--"Prepare ye the way of the Lord." The idea is that every obstruction shall be so removed as to reveal to the whole world the salvation of God in Him whose name is the "Saviour." (Compare Psa 98:3; Isa 11:10; Isa 49:6; Isa 52:10; Luk 2:31-32; Act 13:47).