Matthew 3:1
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
Matthew 3:1 in other translations
| BSB | In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea |
|---|---|
| WEB | In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, |
| ASV | And in those days cometh John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying, |
| YLT | And in those days cometh John the Baptist, proclaiming in the wilderness of Judea, |
| DARBY | Now in those days comes John the baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, |
| BBE | And in those days John the Baptist came preaching in the waste land of Judaea, |
| Webster | In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, |
What does Matthew 3:1 mean?
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown
Mt 3:1-12. Preaching and Ministry of John. ( = Mr 1:1-8; Lu 3:1-18).
For the proper introduction to this section, we must go to Lu 3:1, 2. Here, as Bengel well observes, the curtain of the New Testament is, as it were, drawn up, and the greatest of all epochs of the Church commences. Even our Lord's own age is determined by it (Lu 3:23). No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as the peculiar recommendation of his Gospel, that "he had traced down all things with precision from the very first" (Mt 1:3). Here evidently commences his proper narrative. Lu 3:1: Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar--not the fifteenth from his full accession on the death of Augustus, but from the period when he was associated with him in the government of the empire, three years earlier, about the end of the year of Rome 779, or about four years before the usual reckoning. Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea--His proper title was procurator, but with more than the usual powers of that office. After holding it for about ten years, he was summoned to Rome to answer to charges brought against him; but ere he arrived, Tiberius died (A.D. 35), and soon after miserable Pilate committed suicide. And Herod being tetrarch of Galilee--(See on Mr 6:14). and his brother Philip--a very different and very superior Philip to the one whose name was Herod Philip, and whose wife, Herodias, went to live with Herod Antipas (see on Mr 6:17). tetrarch of Ituræa--lying to the northeast of Palestine, and so called from Itur or Jetur, Ishmael's son (1Ch 1:31), and anciently belonging to the half-tribe of Manasseh. and of the region of Trachonitis--lying farther to the northeast, between Iturea and Damascus; a rocky district infested by robbers, and committed by Augustus to Herod the Great to keep in order. and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene--still more to the northeast; so called, says Robinson, from Abila, eighteen miles from Damascus. Lu 3:2: Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests--The former, though deposed, retained much of his influence, and, probably, as sagan or deputy, exercised much of the power of the high priesthood along with Caiaphas, his son-in-law (Joh 18:13; Ac 4:6). In David's time both Zadok and Abiathar acted as high priests (2Sa 15:35), and it seems to have been the fixed practice to have two (2Ki 25:18). the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness--Such a way of speaking is never once used when speaking of Jesus, because He was Himself The Living Word; whereas to all merely creature-messengers of God, the word they spoke was a foreign element. See on Joh 3:31. We are now prepared for the opening words of Matthew. 1. 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.Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset & David Brown, 1871 · public domain
Barnes' Notes
Verse 1. 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 extend his narrative to the whole time that Jesus dwelt 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 at the close of the second chapter, to that mentioned in the beginning of the third, an interval of twenty-five or more years 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 practised when they admitted proselytes to their religion from heathenism.--Lightfoot.
Preaching. The word rendered to 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 a single sentence. They were public proclamations of some great truth. Such appear to have been the discourses of John, calling men 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 fitted for pasture than for tilling. There were inhabitants in those places, and even villages, but they were the comparatively unsettled portions of the country, 1Sam 25:1,2. In the time of Joshua there were six cities in what was then called a wilderness, Josh 15:61,62.
(l) "came John" Lk 3:2, Jn 1:18
Albert Barnes, 1834 · public domain
Adam Clarke's Commentary
Introduction
John the Baptist begins to preach, Mat 3:1. The subject of his preaching, Mat 3:2, Mat 3:3. Description of his clothing and food, Mat 3:4. The success of his ministry, Mat 3:5, Mat 3:6. His exhortation to the Pharisees, Mat 3:7-9. He denounces the judgments of God against the impenitent, Mat 3:10. The design of his baptism, and that of Christ, Mat 3:11, Mat 3:12. He baptizes Christ in Jordan, Mat 3:13-15; who is attested to be the Messiah by the Holy Spirit, and a voice from heaven, Mat 3:16, Mat 3:17. Verse 1 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.Adam Clarke, 1831 · public domain
Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on Matthew 3:1-6
Matthew Henry, 1706 · public domain
Matthew 3:1 in the original Greek
Word-by-word with transliteration, English gloss and Strong's number. Tap a number for the full definition and every place the word is used.
Source: STEPBible TAHOT/TAGNT (Tyndale House, CC BY 4.0).
Cross references for Matthew 3:1
- Isaiah 40:3-6
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain: And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:
- John 1:6-8
There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.
- Luke 1:13-17
But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John. And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth. For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother’s womb. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. …
- Luke 1:76
And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;
- Luke 3:1-20
Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cesar, 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, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness. And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. …
- Matthew 11:11
Verily I say unto you, Among them that are born of women there hath not risen a greater than John the Baptist: notwithstanding he that is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he.
- Acts 19:3-4
And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John’s baptism. Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.
- Matthew 16:14
And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets.
- Mark 1:15
And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
- Acts 13:24-25
When John had first preached before his coming the baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. And as John fulfilled his course, he said, Whom think ye that I am? I am not he. But, behold, there cometh one after me, whose shoes of his feet I am not worthy to loose.
- Mark 6:16-29
But when Herod heard thereof, he said, It is John, whom I beheaded: he is risen from the dead. For Herod himself had sent forth and laid hold upon John, and bound him in prison for Herodias’ sake, his brother Philip’s wife: for he had married her. For John had said unto Herod, It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother’s wife. Therefore Herodias had a quarrel against him, and would have killed him; but she could not: …
- Luke 7:24
And when the messengers of John were departed, he began to speak unto the people concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness for to see? A reed shaken with the wind?
Ranked by reader votes · OpenBible.info cross references (CC BY).
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
7 He reprehends the Pharisees,
13 and baptizes Christ in Jordan.
those.
Lu 3:1,2
John.
11:11; 14:2-14; 16:14; 17:12,13; 21:25-27,32; Mr 1:4,15; 6:16-29
Lu 1:13-17,76; 3:2-20; Joh 1:6-8,15-36; 3:27-36; Ac 1:22; 13:24,25
Ac 19:3,4
preaching.
Isa 40:3-6; Mr 1:7; Lu 1:17
the wilderness.
11:7; Jos 14:10; 15:61,62; Lu 7:24
Treasury of Scripture Knowledge (Samuel Bagster, c. 1836) · public domain
Context
- Matthew 3:1
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea,
- Matthew 3:2
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Matthew 3:1 in other languages
| Spanish Reina-Valera 1909 | Y EN aquellos días vino Juan el Bautista predicando en el desierto de Judea, |
|---|---|
| French Bible J.N. Darby 1885 | Or, en ces jours-là vient Jean le baptiseur, prêchant dans le désert de la Judée, |
| German Elberfelder 1871 | In jenen Tagen aber kommt Johannes der Täufer und predigt in der Wüste von Judäa |
| Latin Clementine Vulgate | In diebus autem illis venit Joannes Baptista prædicans in deserto Judææ, |