John Gill's Bible Commentary Ver. 3. For this is he that was spoken of , etc.] These are not the words of the Baptist himself, as in ( John 1:23) but of the Evangelist, who cites and applies to John a passage in the Prophet Isaiah, ( Isaiah 40:3) and that very pertinently, since that chapter is a prophecy of the Messiah.
The consolations spoken of in ( Isaiah 40:3), were to be in the days of the king Messiah, as a writer of note F143 among the Jews observes. The Messiah is more expressly prophesied of in ( Isaiah 40:9-11) 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 ( Isaiah 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 , Bowntov , 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 ( Matthew 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 ( Matthew 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.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 1-6 - After Malachi there was no prophet until John the Baptist came. He appeared first in the wilderness of Judea. This was not an uninhabite desert, but a part of the country not thickly peopled, nor muc enclosed. No place is so remote as to shut us out from the visits of Divine grace. The doctrine he preached was repentance; "Repent ye." The word here used, implies a total alteration in the mind, a change in the judgment, disposition, and affections, another and a better bias of the soul. Consider your ways, change your minds: you have thought amiss think again, and think aright. True penitents have other thoughts of God and Christ, sin and holiness, of this world and the other, tha they had. The change of the mind produces a change of the way. That is gospel repentance, which flows from a sight of Christ, from a sense of his love, and from hopes of pardon and forgiveness through him. It is great encouragement to us to repent; repent, for your sins shall be pardoned upon your repentance. Return to God in a way of duty, and he will, through Christ, return unto you in the way of mercy. It is stil as necessary to repent and humble ourselves, to prepare the way of the Lord, as it then was. There is a great deal to be done, to make way for Christ into a soul, and nothing is more needful than the discovery of sin, and a conviction that we cannot be saved by our own righteousness The way of sin and Satan is a crooked way; but to prepare a way for Christ, the paths must be made straight, Heb 12:13. Those whose business it is to call others to mourn for sin, and to mortify it ought themselves to live a serious life, a life of self-denial, an contempt of the world. By giving others this example, John made way for Christ. Many came to John's baptism, but few kept to the professio they made. There may be many forward hearers, where there are few tru believers. Curiosity, and love for novelty and variety, may bring man to attend on good preaching, and to be affected for a while, who neve are subject to the power of it. Those who received John's doctrine testified their repentance by confessing their sins. Those only ar ready to receive Jesus Christ as their righteousness, who are brough with sorrow and shame to own their guilt. The benefits of the kingdo of heaven, now at hand, were thereupon sealed to them by baptism. Joh washed them with water, in token that God would cleanse them from all their iniquities, thereby intimating, that by nature and practice all were polluted, and could not be admitted among the people of God unless washed from their sins in the fountain Christ was to open, Ze 13:1.
Greek Textus Receptus
ουτος 3778 D-NSM γαρ 1063 CONJ εστιν 2076 5748 V-PXI-3S ο 3588 T-NSM ρηθεις 4483 5685 V-APP-NSM υπο 5259 PREP ησαιου 2268 N-GSM του 3588 T-GSM προφητου 4396 N-GSM λεγοντος 3004 5723 V-PAP-GSM φωνη 5456 N-NSF βοωντος 994 5723 V-PAP-GSM εν 1722 PREP τη 3588 T-DSF ερημω 2048 A-DSF ετοιμασατε 2090 5657 V-AAM-2P την 3588 T-ASF οδον 3598 N-ASF κυριου 2962 N-GSM ευθειας 2117 A-APF ποιειτε 4160 5720 V-PAM-2P τας 3588 T-APF τριβους 5147 N-APF αυτου 846 P-GSM
