Matthew 3:10

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

The forerunner. I. HIS ANNOUNCEMENT . 1 . His sudden appearance. It is the first mention of John the Baptist in St. Matthew's Gospel. He flashes upon us suddenly, like his prototype Elijah in the Old Testament. St. Luke tells us of his birth, of his solitary life: he "was in the deserts till the day of his showing unto Israel." Now the time was come. "In those days," St. Matthew says, while the Lord was still at Nazareth, living a family life with brethren and sisters—the children,... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

The forerunner. I. JOHN 'S APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER . He claimed to belong to the old prophetic line by appearing clad in the prophetic garb, the single rough garment of skin. His manner of life harmonized with his dress; leaving the comfortable home and well-provided life and fair prospects of a priestly family, he adopted the meagre, comfortless life of an ascetic. To entangle himself with the world would have tended to blind him to its vices and silence his remonstrance. He... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-15

The appearance of John the Baptist. The interval between the last verse of the second chapter and the first verse of this chapter measures the period of the life of Christ stretching from his earliest childhood to his entrance on his public ministry, or close thereupon. Meantime we are here brought to the time when appeared one of the most distinctly marked, most honoured, characters of all history. John the baptist, son of Zacharias and Elisabeth, was the child of prophecy. He was one of... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:5-12

Religious revival. When the Baptist opened his commission the Jewish nation was in a woeful state of degeneracy. In connection with his ministry there was a remarkable revival of religion. This may be viewed as a specimen of revivals of religion in general. I. IT WAS A SEASON OF FAITHFUL PREACHING . 1 . Christ was prominent in the sermon. 2 . It insisted upon essential things. "Heart's sorrow, And a clear life ensuing." Those are not true penitents who... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:7-12

The faithful warning. (Parallel passage: Luke 3:7-9 , Luke 3:16 , Luke 3:17 .) Observe that this is before the baptism of our Lord, while the witness in John 1:19-27 is after. read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:9-10

The axe at the root. Here we have an insight into the method of John the Baptist. We see how he led his hearers to repentance. He found them too often soothing their consciences in a false security, and quite blind to the danger that threatened them. So he set to work first to destroy the false security and then to reveal the imminent danger. I. A GREAT DELUSION . ( Matthew 3:9 .) 1 . Its excuse . The Jews prided themselves in their pedigree. They were Abraham's children, and... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:10

And now also ; Revised Version, and even now. "And" ( δὲ ), slightly adversative. In contrast to the delay supposed in Matthew 3:9 a , preparations have already been made for your destruction. The axe is laid ; Revised Version, is the axe laid ; bringing out more emphatically its present position. The American Revisers propose, "the axe lieth at," avoiding the suggestion of an agent; but κεῖμαι often implies one, being used of vessels set ready for use; e.g. John... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:10

The axe is laid at the root of the tree - Laying the axe at the root of a tree is intended to denote that the tree is to be cut down. It was not merely to be trimmed, or to be cut about the limbs, but the very tree itself was to be struck. That is, a searching, trying kind of preaching has been commenced. A kingdom of justice is to be set up. Principles and conduct are to be investigated. No art, no dissimulation, will be successful: People are to be tried by their lives, not by birth or... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 3:10

Matthew 3:10. And now, also, the axe, &c. To enforce his exhortation, he informs them that they had no time to delay their repentance, because the patience of God was very near exhausted, and come to an end with respect to them. His judgments were at hand and ready to be inflicted, so that, if they continued unfruitful, notwithstanding the extraordinary means that were now to be tried with them, destruction would speedily overtake them; as if he had said, God now once more offers you... read more

Donald C. Fleming

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

15. Preaching of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12; Mark 1:1-8; Luke 3:1-17; John 1:19-28)The preaching of John soon attracted opposition from the Jewish religious leaders. They sent representatives to question him and then report back on what he taught and who he claimed to be. John denied that he was promoting himself as some new leader in Israel. He did not consider himself to be either the prophet of Deuteronomy 18:15,Deuteronomy 18:18 or the ‘Elijah’ promised in Malachi 4:5. He was only a... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:5-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:7-12

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:9-10

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:10

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:10

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 3:10

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

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