And preaches the baptism of repentance. 95 SECT. XV. Luke to the tribe of Manasseh): and Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene, a fair city of Syria, whose territories reached even to Lebanon and Damascus, and were peopled with great numbers of III. 2. 2 Annas and Cai- Jews. In those days, while Annas and Caiaaphas being the high phas were high priests, the word of God, by proGod [in those days] phetic inspiration, came unto John the Baptists, came unto John [the the son of Zacharias and Elizabeth, who had Baptist] the son of lived for several years retired in the wilderness derness [of Judea.] of Judea. Compare Luke i. 80. p. 31. priests, the word of Zacharias, in the wil [MAT. III. 1.] John did baptize in And John, at the first opening of his ministry, 3 And [MARK. did preach with great power, and baptize in the the wilderness, and] wilderness; and perceiving the people inclined came into all the to pay an attentive regard to his doctrine, he did country about Jor- not confine himself to that wilderness alone, but dan, preaching the baptism of repentance came into all the country about Jordan, and went for the remission of a progress over it, from one place to another, sins; [MAT. III. 1. on both sides the river, preaching every where, MARK I. 4.] as he went along, the baptism of repentance for the Lysanias was tetrarch of Abilene.] Some have thought this Lysanias another son of Herod the Great; but it seems much more probable that he was descended from a prince of that name, who had been governor of that country several years before. See Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xiv. cap. 13. (al. 23.) § 3. p. 722. Havercamp. e In those days.] This is supplied from Mat. iii. 1. where it is proper to observe that the phrase iv tais nuiigais exuvais is used in a very extensive sense for that age of which he had spoken in the preceding words, though these events happened near thirty years after those recorded in the former chapter of that gospel. And the phrase is here used with the greater propriety, as John did indeed appear under his public character while Christ continued to dwell at Nazareth; which was the event that Matthew had last mentioned. While Annas and Caiaphas were high priests. As it was not Caiaphas but Ishmael that immediately succeeded Annas or Ananus (Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. cap. 2. (al. 3.) § 2. p. 873.) I cannot suppose, as some have done, that Annas was high priest the former part of this year, K And and Caiaphas the latter; much less that 8 The word of God came unto John the 96 SECT. XV. The design of his coming foretold by Isaiah. for the kingdom of And while he was thus urging his exhort- MAT. III. 2. And ation, and saying, Repent ye, he pleaded with saying, Repent ye; them a very new and important argument: For heaven is at hand. III. 2. (said he, the long-expected kingdom of heaven is Mat. Luke III. 4. now approaching; and God is about to appear, LUKE III. 4. As it is written in the was The voice of one cry paths straight. [MAT. And upon this occasion he failed not to repeat and to insist upon that passage of scripture, book of the words of (which has in part been just now mentioned,) Esaias the prophet [for making it evident that this was all exactly as it this is he that is written in the book of discourses and prophe- spoken of] saying, cies of the prophet Isaiah; for this indeed is he ing in the wilderness, who was spoken of so expressly by that sacred wri- Prepare ye the way of ter (chap. xl. 3, 4, 5.) when he is saying, with the Lord, make his a manifest reference to the Messiah's kingdom, III. 3.] "There shall be heard the voice of one crying aloud in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord with the most thankful readiness, and chearfully set yourselves to make his paths straight and plain, by removing every thing which might prove an obstruction when he 5 comes on so gracions a design. Every val ley shall therefore be filled up, and every moun- be brought low; and terpretation of Dan. ix. 26, an aversion to It h The kingdom of heaven is approaching.] Dr. Sykes, in his Essay on the Truth of the Christian Religion, chap. iii. has largely proved that this phrase refers to those texts in Daniel quoted in the paraphrase. properly signifies the gospel dispensation, in which subjects were to be gathered to God by his Son, and a society to be formed, which was to subsist first in more imperfect circumstances on earth, but afterwards was to appear complete in the world of glory. In some places of scripture the phrase more particularly signifies the former, and denotes the state of it on earth (see Mat. xiii. throughout, especially ver. 41, 47, and Mat. xx. 1.) and sometimes signifies only the state of glory (1 Cor. vi. 9. and xv. 50.) but it generally tain 5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall the includes both. It is plain that the Jews understood it of a temporal monarchy which God would erect; the seat of which they supposed would be Jerusalem, which would become, instead of Rome, the capital of the world; and the expected Sovereign of this kingdom they learned from Daniel to call the Son of man; by which title they understood a very excellent person, who was the promised Messiah, the Christ, or the Anointed One of God. Both John the Baptist then and Christ took up this phrase, and used it as they found it, and gradually taught the Jews to affix right ideas to it, though it was a lesson they were remarkably unwilling to learn. This very demand of repentance shewed it was a spiritual kingdom; and that no wicked man, how polite or brave, how learned or renowned soever, could possibly be a genuine member of it. See my Sermons on Regeneration, Numb. IV. p. 106-117. The remarkable manner of his appearance. made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; God. the crooked shall be tain and hill shall be brought down before him1; even the crooked roads shall be made into a straight way, and the rough places shall be laid smooth and level: for by the mighty power of his grace, which shall be now remarkably displayed, such a victorious way shall be made for his gospel, and it shall be propagated with such speed and success, that it shall seem as if the whole face of nature were miraculously changed; and mountains and valleys and forests and rocks were to spread themselves into a spacious plain before the messenger of 6 And all flesh shall it. And thus, not the land of Israel alone, but 6 see the salvation of all flesh, or the whole human race, not excepting the remotest Gentile nations, shall see and admire the great salvation of God." MAT. III. 4. And Now, that this extraordinary message might the same John had meet with the greater regard, God was pleased his raiment of camel's to send it by a person on many accounts remarkgirdle about his loins; able, and especially for the temperance and even and his meat was lo- the severity of his manner of living. For this custs and wild honey. John wore (as the ancient prophets used to do) [MARK. I. 6.] a rough garment which was made of camel's hair, and so indeed was but a kind of sackcloth; and he had a leathern girdle about his waist (compare 2 Kings i. 8. Zech. xiii. 4. Rev. vi. 12. and xi. 3.) And as for his food, it was such as the wilderness afforded, which was frequently nothing but a large kind of locusts, which the law allowed hair, and a leathern i Every mountain and hill shall be brought down before him.] Grotius has most elegantly illustrated the reference that appears so plainly in this passage to the custom of sending pioneers to level the way before princes when they are coming with numerous attendants: but, by the import of the language that the prophet uses, it is plainly to be seen that the main work is God's, though men are called to concur with him in it; which is every where the scheme of scripture, as it certainly is of sound reason. Compare Phil. ii. 12, 13. A large kind of locusts.] Though it may be allowed, on the authority of the accurate Sandys (see his valuable Travels, p. 183) and many others, that there is in these parts a shrub called the Locust-Tree, the buds of which something resemble asparagus; yet, notwithstanding all the pains Sir Norton Knatchbull has taken to prove it, I cannot imagine the word axides is here to be understood as referring to the product of it. It is certain the word in the Septuagint and elsewhere generally signifies the animal which we call a locust, too. What need have we to keep a guard good upon our spirits when so great and so natured a man could be angry in a debate of so small importance !—1 shall add only on this point, with respect to the use of locusts for food, what Dr. Shaw tells us, that, when sprinkled with salt and fried, they taste much like the river cray fish; who justly contends for this signification of the word anges in his excellent Travels, p. 258; where he also observes that, as the months of April and May are the time when these insects abound, it may probably 97 SECT. XV. Luke 1.6. Mat. III. 4. 98 XV. Reflections on the preaching of John. SECT. allowed him to eat (Lev. xi. 21, 22,) and wild honey, often to be found in hollow trees or in the clefts of the rocks. (Compare 1 Sam. xiv. 26. IIL 4. Judg. xiv. 8. and Psal. lxxxi. 16.) Mat. 5 5 Then went out to him [they of] Jerusalem, and all [the land of] Judea, and 1.5.1 These uncommon circumstances of his public appearance concurred with the time of it to awaken in the people a great regard for his preaching for their uneasiness under the Ro- all the region round about Jordan [MARK man yoke, which then bore hard upon them, raised the most impatient desire of the Messiah's arrival; by whom they expected not only deliverance, but conquest and universal monarchy. They therefore attentively listened to this proclamation of his approach; so that the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and multitudes out of all the land of Judea, and all the region round about Jordan, went out to hear him, and were attentive 6 to him. And great numbers of them were brought under very serious impressions by his faithful remonstrances, expostulations and warnings and those that were awakened to repentance were all baptized by him in the river Jordan; expressing the convictions they were under by confessing their sins, and, by submitting to this rite, engaging themselves for the future to reformation and obedience. 6 And were [all] baptized of him in [the river of] Jordan, confessing their sins. MARK I. 5.] Mark IMPROVEMENT. With what pleasure should we hear the gospel of Jesus Christ i. 1. the Son of God! and with what reverence remember the dignity of his Divine nature amidst all the condescensions of his incarnate state! Mat. It is surely matter of unspeakable thankfulness that the kingii. 2 dom of heaven should be erected among men! that the great God should condescend so far as to take to himself a people from our mean and sinful world, and appoint his own Son to be the governor of that kingdom! How happy are we that it is preached among us and we are called into it! Let it be our great care that we be not only nominal but real members of it. For this purpose let us remember and consider that, to become the subjects of this kingdom, we are to enter into it by the probably be conjectured that John began Went out to him.] The novelty of a way prophet's appearance in Israel, the family of John, the circuinstances of his birth, and the extraordinary character he had, no doubt, maintained for strict and undissembled piety, all concurred with the causes mentioned in the paraphrase to draw such vast multitudes after him. The Pharisees and Sadducees come to hear John. way of repentance; humbly confessing our sins, and resolutely for- SECT. saking them, if we do indeed desire to find mercy. XV. 99 Let us bless God, both for the promises of pardon and for the Luke appointment of the seals of it, particularly of baptismal washing; III. 3. always remembering the obligation it brings upon us to cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God. (2 Cor. vii. 1.) And, being ourselves become members of Christ's kingdom, let Ver. us pray that it may be every where extended. May Divine 4, 6 Grace remove every obstruction, and make a free course for his gospel, that it may every where run and be glorified, so that all flesh may see the salvation of God! John, with this awful severity of manners and of doctrine, was sent before Christ to prepare his way. Let us learn to reflect how necessary it is that the law should thus introduce the gospel; and let all the terrors of Moses and Elias render the mild and blessed Redeemer so much the more welcome to our souls! SECT XVI. John the Baptist addresses suitable admonitions to those that attended his ministry, and proclaims the approach of the Messiah. Mat. III. 7-12. Mark I. 7, 8. Luke III. 7—18. MAT. III. 7. BUT when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees W MAT. III. 7. HEN John opened his ministry there were two different sects among the Jews; that come to his baptism, of the Pharisees, who were exceeding strict in he said unto them, O ceremonial institutions and in the observation generation of vipers, who hath warned you of human traditions; and that of the Sadducees, to fice from the wrath who, among other very obnoxious notions, deto come? [LUKE III. nied the existence of spirits and a future state of rewards and punishments: yet some of both these sects, out of curiosity or popular custom, or for some other unknown reason, attended on the preaching of this holy man : And when he saw among the multitudes that came to be baptized by him, that many both of the Pharisees and Sadducees were coming to receive his baptism, as he well knew the open profaneness of the one and the secret wickedness of the other, * Pharisees and Sadducees.] The most authentic account of these sects may be seen in Joseph. Antiq. Jud. lib. xviii. cap. 1. (al. 2) & Bell. Jud. lib. ii. cap. 8. (al. 7) Havere. All writers of Jewish Antiquities describe them largely; but, I think on the whole, none better than Dr. Prideaux, Connect. Vol. II. p. 335-343. b Coming to receive his baptism.] Lex he press it in this manner, for though some O ye SECT. xvi. Mat. 111. 7. |