Matthew 3

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:8

Matthew 3:8. Fruits meet for repentance— That is, "Do such works as may manifest the truth and sincerity of your repentance." See Acts 26:20. read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:9

Matthew 3:9. Think not to say, &c.— Dr. Whitby has shewn fully how great was the presumption of the Jews, on their relationship to Abraham. Munster upon this text quotes a remarkable passage from the Talmud, wherein it is said, "That Abraham sits next the gates of hell, and does not permit any wicked Israelite to go down into it." These Jews might perhaps pervert the promise in Jer 31:35-36 to support this vain and dangerous confidence, in opposition to the most express and awful warnings;... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:10

Matthew 3:10. And now also the axe, &c.— The axe is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then, &c. "There is now no more time for delay: God is going to offer the last dispensation of repentance and mercy; which if you accept not, his vengeance hangs over you; destruction will speedily overtake you." See Isaiah 10:33-34. It may be proper to observe, once for all, that in Scripture language, what is very sure and very near is spoken of as if it were already done;... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:11

Matthew 3:11. I indeed baptize you— This is the answer which John made to the question put to him, Joh 1:19-27 in which he shews what difference there was between him and the Messiah. "I indeed, says he, baptize you with water, to bring you to repentance; for they who were baptized, not only declared that they had repented of their sins, but they bound themselves never to commit the like again, and to lead a life of holiness and virtue;" which is the meaning of the Baptist in this place. He... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:12

Matthew 3:12. Whose fan is in his hand, &c.— This expression is taken from the prophetical writings. See Isaiah 41:16; Isaiah 41:29. Dr. Shaw observes, that in the eastern countries, after the grain is trodden out, they winnow it, by throwing it up against the wind with a shovel, answering the original word το πτυον here, and Luk 3:17 rendered a fan, or van, too cumbersome a machine to be thought of. The text should rather run; whose shovel or fork is in his hand; for this is a portable... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:13

Matthew 3:13. To be baptized him— By this he intended to do an honour to John's ministry, and to conform himself to what he appointed for his followers. It was for this last reason, that he drank of the sacramental cup. See Diodati. And certainly our Lord's baptism tended to promote the ends both of his own mission and of his forerunner's, as it established the authority of both. It established John'smission; great honour being done him by the Messiah's receiving his baptism. It established our... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:14-15

Matthew 3:14-15. But John forbad him, &c.— But John excused himself. See the note on John 1:31. Doddridge and others have it, Would have hindered or prevented him, saying, I have need to be baptized of you, and do you come to me? But Jesus was, in his own person, to pass through and sanctify all states; and, although the last stage wherein holiness and virtue attain their higher purity was his reserved province with regard to others, yet he himself began in the first; so that there was no... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:16

Matthew 3:16. The heavens were opened unto him— That is to say, to John; to whose view, as well as to that of the Saviour, this wonderful vision was presented. St. Mark has so expressed it, as plainly to refer the seeing it to Christ; and John the Baptist has in another place assured us, that he saw it, and took particular notice of it, as the sign he was directed to observe, as the distinguishing characteristic of the Messiah. See John 1:32; John 1:34. The Greek word ευθυς, rendered... read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:17

Matthew 3:17. This is my beloved Son— As both St. Mark and St. Luke have it, Thou art my beloved Son, one would be inclined to follow those copies of St. Matthew which agree with them, rather than the more common reading. See Mills and Wetstein. Chemnitz, however, and some others, imagine that both sentences were pronounced, the voice uttering the words, Thou art my beloved Son, &c. while the Spirit was descending, as if they had been directed to Jesus alone; and that after the Spirit... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3

CHAPTER 3 :-. PREACHING AND MINISTRY OF JOHN. ( = Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-18). For the proper introduction to this section, we must go to Luke 3:1; Luke 3:2. 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 (Luke 3:2- :). No such elaborate chronological precision is to be found elsewhere in the New Testament, and it comes fitly from him who claims it as... read more

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:8

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:9

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:10

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:11

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:12

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:13

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:14-15

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:16

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:17

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3

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