Matthew 3:2 KJV

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 3:2

And (omitted by the Revised Version) saying . The parallel passages give the substance of John's preaching—the baptism of repentance. St. Matthew takes, as it seems, a sentence that actually fell from his lips, and presents it as the kernel of his message ("preaching … saying"). This is the more interesting as nowhere else are we told any words uttered by him in this the first stage of his ministry before crowds flocked to hear him. Repent ye … at hand ; said word for word by our Lord ( ... read more

Spence, H. D. M., etc.

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:2

The plea by which repentance is urged. "For the kingdom of heaven is at hand." There seems to be evidence that Judaea was in a very low moral condition when John the Baptist appeared. Ceremonial religion took the place of practical righteousness, rabbinical rules covered personal indulgence and iniquity, luxury enervated the wealthy, and restlessness led to crime among the masses. It was a time when a moral reformation was needed, and John was, first of all, a national reformer. What John... read more

Albert Barnes

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:2

Repent ye - Repentance implies sorrow for past offences 2 Corinthians 7:10; a deep sense of the evil of sin as committed against God Psalms 51:4; and a full purpose to turn from transgression and to lead a holy life. A true penitent has sorrow for sin, not only because it is ruinous to his soul, but chiefly because it is an offence against God, and is that abominable thing which he hates, Jeremiah 44:4. It is produced by seeing the great danger and misery to which it exposes us; by seeing the... read more

Joseph Benson

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 3:2

Matthew 3:2. Repent ye, &c. Be sorry for your sins, and amend your lives; for the original word, μετανοειτε , here used, implies this. It properly signifies, says Beza, to be wise after the action, and so to grieve for a fault committed as to amend it, which, in Latin, is properly expressed by resipiscere. In this respect it differs from another Greek word, which the evangelists sometimes use, viz., μεταμελομαι , which simply signifies to be distressed, and anxious after any... 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

E.W. Bullinger

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 3:2

Repent. Greek. metanoeo. See App-111 . the kingdom of heaven. See App-114 . of. Genitive of origin = from. App-17 . heaven = the heavens (plural) See note on Matthew 6:9 , Matthew 6:10 . is at hand = had drawn nigh. What draws nigh may withdraw. See Matthew 21:43 .Acts 1:6 ; Acts 3:20 . read more

Thomas Coke

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:2

Matthew 3:2. Repent ye— This was only the substance and result of his preaching. The kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God, are but two phrases for the same thing, agreeably to the style of the Hebrews; who frequently used the word heaven to denote God himself who dwells there. Hence what is here called by St. Matthew the kingdom of heaven, is by St. Mark and St. Luke called the kingdom of God; Mark 1:15.Luke 6:20; Luke 6:20. The kingdom of heaven, therefore, signifies here the kingdom of... read more

Robert Jamieson; A. R. Fausset; David Brown

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:2

2. And saying, Repent ye—Though the word strictly denotes a change of mind, it has respect here (and wherever it is used in connection with salvation) primarily to that sense of sin which leads the sinner to flee from the wrath to come, to look for relief only from above, and eagerly to fall in with the provided remedy. for the kingdom of heaven is at hand—This sublime phrase, used in none of the other Gospels, occurs in this peculiarly Jewish Gospel nearly thirty times; and being suggested by... read more

Thomas Constable

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 3:1-2

John appeared "in those days" (Matthew 3:1). This phrase is a general term that says little about specific time but identifies what follows as historical. It is a common transitional statement in Matthew’s narrative. [Note: Robertson, p. 708.] John’s ministry, as Matthew described it here, occurred just before the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, approximately 30 years after the events of chapter 2."John" became a popular name among the Jews following the heroic career of John Hyrcanus... read more

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:1-15

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:2

The Pulpit Commentary - Matthew 3:2

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:2

Joseph Benson's Commentary of the Old and New Testaments - Matthew 3:2

Bridgeway Bible Commentary - Matthew 3:1-12

E.W. Bullinger's Companion Bible Notes - Matthew 3:2

Thomas Coke Commentary on the Holy Bible - Matthew 3:2

Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible - Matthew 3:2

Expository Notes of Dr. Thomas Constable - Matthew 3:1-2

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