ohn the Baptist's ministry. (1-14) John the Baptist testifies
concerning Christ. (15-20) The baptism of Christ. (21,22) The
genealogy of Christ. (23-38)
Verses 1-14: The scope and design of John's ministry were, to bring the
people from their sins, and to their Saviour. He came preaching,
not a sect, or party, but a profession; the sign or ceremony was
washing with water. By the words here used John preached the
necessity of repentance, in order to the remission of sins, and
that the baptism of water was an outward sign of that inward
cleansing and renewal of heart, which attend, or are the effects
of true repentance, as well as a profession of it. Here is the
fulfilling of the Scriptures, (Isa 40:3), in the ministry of
John. When way is made for the gospel into the heart, by taking
down high thoughts, and bringing them into obedience to Christ,
by levelling the soul, and removing all that hinders us in the
way of Christ and his grace, then preparation is made to welcome
the salvation of God. Here are general warnings and exhortations
which John gave. The guilty, corrupted race of mankind is become
a generation of vipers; hateful to God, and hating one another.
There is no way of fleeing from the wrath to come, but by
repentance; and by the change of our way the change of our mind
must be shown. If we are not really holy, both in heart and
life, our profession of religion and relation to God and his
church, will stand us in no stead at all; the sorer will our
destruction be, if we do not bring forth fruits meet for
repentance. John the Baptist gave instructions to several sorts
of persons. Those that profess and promise repentance, must show
it by reformation, according to their places and conditions. The
gospel requires mercy, not sacrifice; and its design is, to
engage us to do all the good we can, and to be just to all men.
And the same principle which leads men to forego unjust gain,
leads to restore that which is gained by wrong. John tells the
soldiers their duty. Men should be cautioned against the
temptations of their employments. These answers declared the
present duty of the inquirers, and at once formed a test of
their sincerity. As none can or will accept Christ's salvation
without true repentance, so the evidence and effects of this
repentance are here marked out.
Verses 15-20: John the Baptist disowned being himself the Christ, but
confirmed the people in their expectations of the long-promised
Messiah. He could only exhort them to repent, and assure them of
forgiveness upon repentance; but he could not work repentance in
them, nor confer remission on them. Thus highly does it become
us to speak of Christ, and thus humbly of ourselves. John can do
no more than baptize with water, in token that they ought to
purify and cleanse themselves; but Christ can, and will baptize
with the Holy Ghost; he can give the Spirit, to cleanse and
purify the heart, not only as water washes off the dirt on the
outside, but as fire clears out the dross that is within, and
melts down the metal, that it may be cast into a new mould. John
was an affectionate preacher; he was beseeching; he pressed
things home upon his hearers. He was a practical preacher;
quickening them to their duty, and directing them in it. He was
a popular preacher; he addressed the people, according to their
capacity. He was an evangelical preacher. In all his
exhortations, he directed people to Christ. When we press duty
upon people, we must direct them to Christ, both for
righteousness and strength. He was a copious preacher; he
shunned not to declare the whole counsel of God. But a full stop
was put to John's preaching when he was in the midst of his
usefulness. Herod being reproved by him for many evils, shut up
John in prison. Those who injure the faithful servants of God,
add still greater guilt to their other sins.
Verse 21,22: Christ did not confess sin, as others did, for he had
none to confess; but he prayed, as others did, and kept up
communion with his Father. Observe, all the three voices from
heaven, by which the Father bare witness to the Son, were
pronounced while he was praying, or soon after, (Lu 9:35; Joh
12:28). The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove
upon him, and there came a voice from heaven, from God the
Father, from the excellent glory. Thus was a proof of the Holy
Trinity, of the Three Persons in the Godhead, given at the
baptism of Christ.
Verses 23-38: Matthew's list of the forefathers of Jesus showed that
Christ was the son of Abraham, in whom all the families of the
earth are blessed, and heir to the throne of David; but Luke
shows that Jesus was the Seed of the woman that should break the
serpent's head, and traces the line up to Adam, beginning with
Eli, or Heli, the father, not of Joseph, but of Mary. The
seeming differences between the two evangelists in these lists
of names have been removed by learned men. But our salvation
does not depend upon our being able to solve these difficulties,
nor is the Divine authority of the Gospels at all weakened by
them. The list of names ends thus, "Who was the son of Adam, the
son of God;" that is, the offspring of God by creation. Christ
was both the son of Adam and the Son of God, that he might be a
proper Mediator between God and the sons of Adam, and might
bring the sons of Adam to be, through him, the sons of God. All
flesh, as descended from the first Adam, is as grass, and
withers as the flower of the field; but he who partakes of the
Holy Spirit of life from the Second Adam, has that eternal
happiness, which by the gospel is preached unto us.
ohn the Baptist's ministry. (1-14) John the Baptist testifies
concerning Christ. (15-20) The baptism of Christ. (21,22) The
genealogy of Christ. (23-38)