Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
Ver. 5. Then went out to him Jerusalem] Hitherto the description of the Baptist: follows now the resort that was made unto him; for by his divine doctrine and austere life he had merited among many to be taken for the Messiah, John 1:20 .
And all Judea] That is, very many, as the word "all" is many times elsewhere taken in the New Testament.
And all the region round about Jordan] Stirred up by the noise of that new preacher. So various among us will be content to hear, if there go a great report of the man; or if he deliver some new doctrine, or deal in deep points, as Herod, Luke 23:8. But these grow weary and fall off as those Jews did from John, for the which they were justly taxed by our Saviour, John 5:35; Matthew 11:7 .