From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
Ver. 17. From that time Jesus began to preach] So he had done before John was imprisoned, John 2:13,25; John 3:1; John 3:22,24, but now more freely, and frequently more manifestly, and all abroad, as when the daystar hath done his devoir, the sun shines out to the perfect day, Proverbs 4:18 .
And to say, Repent] Both for sin by contrition, and from sin by conversion. Change your minds and manners, your constitution and conversation, from worse to better (μεταναειτε); recover your lost wits with the prodigal (who repenting is said to come to himself), and become wiser after your folly (from ανοια, dementia, and μετα, after Luk 15:17) Pull down the very frame of the old man, unmake yourselves, as St Peter hath it, ταις αμαρτιαις απογενομενοι, 1 Peter 2:24. Undo what you had done before, and be ye transmentated and metamorphosed "by the renewing of your minds,"Romans 12:2; for, "except a man be born again," not desuper only, but denuo, from above, but a second time, ' Ανωθεν , John 3:3 , as Nicodemus understood our Saviour except he go over all again that is past, rejecting it as unprofitable, and begin anew, he cannot see the kingdom of God: where old things are past, all things are become new, 2 Corinthians 5:17, a whole new creation.
For the kingdom of heaven is at hand] See what is said of this whole verse, Matthew 3:2. For this was the sum and substance of the Baptist's, our Saviour's, and his apostles' sermons; and had need to be daily pressed and preached, since it is our pensum diurnum, the first and continual work of God's Spirit in the faithful, who because they cannot wash their hands in innocence, wash them in tears; and by renewing their repentance, work and wear out all brackish and sinful dispositions, as sweet water will do the salt sea coming into it; as wine or honey casteth out the scum, as fast as it ariseth. Christ biddeth us as often to pray, "Forgive us our trespasses," as we pray, "Give us this day our daily bread." He not only waits for repentance from the wicked, 2 Peter 3:9, but would also have his dearest children daily meet him, condemning themselves, Luke 13:5; "If ye repent not" also more and more, when ye see the examples of God's wrath upon others, "ye shall likewise perish." Besides, some sins are past in time that are not past in deed, if we dwell not in the undoing and reversing of them, Ezra 10:11,12; Ezra 9:15. They were to begin anew their repentance, because they had not considered their marrying of strange wives.