(3) And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins; (4) As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (5) Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth: (6) And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (7) Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come? (8) Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. (9) And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. (10) And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then? (11) He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. (12) Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do? (13) And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you. (14) And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? and he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages. (15) And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not; (16) John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water: but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptise you with the Holy Ghost and with fire: (17) Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable. (18) And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people. (19) But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done, (20) Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison. (21) Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptised, and praying, the heaven was opened, (22) And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.
Having very largely dwelt upon the most prominent features of the person and office of John the Baptist, on the parallel account given of him in Matthew's statement, Matthew 3:1 to the end; I think it unnecessary to enlarge on the subject here, but rather refer the Reader to my Poor Man's Commentary, in that place. In addition to what was there offered, I would only beg further to observe, on what is here said of the consternation into which John's ministry threw his auditory, whether he was the Christ, or not; certain it was, that a general expectation had been raised about this very time, by all orders of the people, for the coming of the Messiah. The prophecies concerning Christ, when he should appear, according to Daniel's seventy weeks, was now arrived: Daniel 9:24. where he should be born, according to Micah, had been fulfilled in Christ's instance. Micah 5:2; Matthew 2:4-6; John 7:42. And his forerunner, which Malachi described, now arrested their attention. Malachi 3:1. So that it is not to be wondered at, that the multitude of the people which read their prophets, pondered over John's preaching. See John 1:19-34. I beg the Reader's particular attention to what was offered on the subject of Christ's baptism, and the testimony of the three heavenly witnesses on that occasion, as stated Matthew 3:16-17.