John the Baptist Preaches Penance Matt 3:1-6 Mark 1:2-6 Luke 3:1-6 John 1:19-23 | Matthew 3 1 AND in those days came John the Baptist preaching in the desert of Judea, 2 and saying, Do penance: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. 3 For this is he that was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, A voice of one crying in the desert, prepare the way of our Lord, make straight his paths. 4 And the same John had his garment of camel’s hair and a girdle of a skin about his loins: and his meat was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then went forth to him Jerusalem and all Judea, and all the country about Jordan: 6 and were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins. | Mark 1 2 As it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold I send mine angel before your face, who shall prepare your way before you. 3 A voice of one crying in the desert, Prepare the way of our Lord, make straight his paths. 4 John was in the desert baptizing, and preaching the baptism of penance unto remission of sins. 5 And there went forth to him all the country of Judea, and all they of Jerusalem: and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and a girdle of a skin about his loins: and he did eat locusts and wild honey. | Luke 3 1 AND in the fifteenth year of the empire of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and Philip his brother tetrarch of Ituraea and the country Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abiline, 2 under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas: the word of our Lord was made upon John the son of Zachariah, in the desert. 3 And he came into all the country of Jordan, preaching the baptism of penance unto remission of sins: as it is written in the book of the sayings of Isaiah the prophet: 4 A voice of one crying in the desert: prepare the way of our Lord, make straight his paths, 5 Every valley shall be filled: and every mountain and hill shall be made low, and crooked things shall become straight: and rough ways, plain: 6 and all flesh shall see the Salvation of God. | John 1 19 And this is John’s testimony, when the Jews sent from Jerusalem priests and Levites to him, that they should ask him, Who are you? 20 And he confessed, and did not deny and he confessed, That I am not Christ. 21 And they asked him, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not. Are you the Prophet? And he answered, No. 22 They said therefore unto him, Who are you, that we may give an answer to them that sent us? What do you say of yourself? 23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the desert, make straight the way of our Lord, as Isaiah the prophet said. |
| St. Augustine Matthew proceeds in these terms: In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa. Matt. iii. 1. Mark has not used the phrase “In those days,” because he has given no recital of any series of events at the head of his Gospel immediately before this narrative, so that he might be understood to speak in reference to the dates of such events under the terms, “In those days.” Mark i. 4. Luke, on the other hand, with greater precision has defined those times of the preaching or baptism of John, by means of the notes of the temporal power. For he says: Now, in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Cæsar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judæa, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene, Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness. Luke iii. 1–3. We ought not, however, to understand that what was actually meant by Matthew when He said, “In those days,” was simply the space of days literally limited to the specified period of these powers. On the contrary, it is apparent that he intended the note of time which was conveyed in the phrase “In those days,” to be taken to refer to a much longer period. For he first gives us the account of the return of Christ from Egypt after the death of Herod,—an incident, indeed, which took place at the time of His infancy or childhood, and with which, consequently, Luke’s statement of what befell Him in the temple when He was twelve years of age is quite consistent. Luke ii. 42–50. Then, immediately after this narrative of the recall of the infant or boy out of Egypt, Matthew continues thus in due order: “Now, in those days came John the Baptist.” And thus under that phrase he certainly covers not merely the days of His childhood, but all the days intervening between His nativity and this period at which John began to preach and to baptize. At this period, moreover, Christ is found already to have attained to man’s estate; Concerning the Words Ascribed to John by All the Four Evangelists Matthew makes up his account of John in the following manner:—Now in those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is He that is spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight. Matt. iii. 1–3. Mark also and Luke agree in presenting this testimony of Isaiah as one referring to John. Mark i. 3; Luke iii. 4. Luke, indeed, has likewise recorded some other words from the same prophet, which follow those already cited, when he gives his narrative of John the Baptist. The evangelist John, again, mentions that John the Baptist did also personally advance this same testimony of Isaiah regarding himself. John i. 23. And, to a similar effect, Matthew here has given us certain words of John which are unrecorded by the other evangelists. For he speaks of him as “preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, and saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand;” which words of John have been omitted by the others. In what follows, however, in immediate connection with that passage in Matthew’s Gospel,—namely, the sentence, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight,”—the position is ambiguous; and it does not clearly appear whether this is something recited by Matthew in his own person, or rather a continuance of the words spoken by John himself, so as to lead us to understand the whole passage to be the reproduction of John’s own utterance, in this way: “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand; for this is He that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah,” and so on. For it ought to create no difficulty against this latter view, that he does not say, “For I am He that was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah,” but employs the phraseology, “For this is He that was spoken of.” For that, indeed, is a mode of speech a man sitting at the receipt of custom,” Matt. ix. 9. instead of “He found me.” John, too, says, “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true,” John xxi. 24. instead of “I am,” etc., or, “My testimony is true.” a man sitting at the receipt of custom,” Matt. ix. 9. instead of “He found me.” John, too, says, “This is the disciple which testifieth of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true,” John xxi. 24. instead of “I am,” etc., or, “My testimony is true.” Matthew has the words, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance;” whereas Luke brings in the questions put by the multitudes as to what they should do, and represents John to have replied to them with a statement of good works as the fruits of repentance,—all which is omitted by Matthew. So, when Luke tells us what reply the Baptist made to the people when they were musing in their hearts concerning Him, and thinking whether He were the Christ, he gives us simply the words, “I indeed baptize you with water,” and does not add the phrase, “unto repentance.” Which Evangelists words are most accurate? If now the question is asked, as to which of the words we are to suppose the most likely to have been the precise words used by John the Baptist, whether those recorded as spoken by him in Matthew’s Gospel, or those in Luke’s, or those which Mark has introduced, among the few sentences which he mentions to have been uttered by him, while he omits notice of all the rest, it will not be deemed worthwhile creating any difficulty for oneself in a matter of that kind, by anyone who wisely understands that the real requisite in order to get at the knowledge of the truth is just to make sure of the things really meant, whatever may be the precise words in which they happen to be expressed. For although one writer may retain a certain order in the words, and another present a different one, there is surely no real contradiction in that. Nor, again, need there be any antagonism between the two, although one may state what another omits. For it is evident that the evangelists have set forth these matters just in accordance with the recollection each retained of them, and just according as their several predilections prompted them to employ greater brevity or richer detail on certain points, while giving, nevertheless, the same account of the subjects themselves. Weaved Together John 1:19 And this is the witness of John when the Jews sent to him from Jerusalem priests and Levites to ask him, Who are you? John 1:20 And he acknowledged, and denied not; and he confessed that he was not the Messiah. John 1:21 And they asked him again, What then? Are you Elijah? And he said, I am not he. Are you a prophet? He said, No. John 1:22 They said unto him, Then who are you? That we may answer them that sent us. What do you say of yourself? John 1:23 And he said, I am the voice that cries in the desert, Repair ye the way of the Lord, as said Isaiah the prophet. John 1:24 And they that were sent were from the Pharisees. John 1:25 And they asked him and said unto him, Why do you baptize now, when you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet? John 1:26 John answered and said unto them, I baptize with water: among you is standing one whom you know not: John 1:27 this is he who I said comes after me and was before me, the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. John 1:28 And that was in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. Matthew 3:4 Now John's raiment was camel's hair, and he was girded with skins, and his food was of locusts and honey of the wilderness. Matthew 3:5Then went out unto him the people of Jerusalem, and all Judæa, and all the region which is about the, Jordan; Matthew 3:6 and they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. |
John Criticizes the
Pharisees and Sadducees
Matt 3:7-12 Mark 1:7-8 Luke 3:7-18
John 1:24-34
| Matthew 3
7
And seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said
to them, You vipers brood, who has
showed you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Yield therefore fruit worthy of
penance. 9 And delight not to say
within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father, for I tell you that God is
able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. 10 For now the axe
is put to the roots of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not yield good
fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you
in water unto penance, but he that shall come after me, is stronger then I,
whose shoes I am not worthy to bear, he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and
fire. 12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he shall clean purge his floor: and he
will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with
unquenchable fire.
| Mark 1
7
And he preached, saying, There comes a stronger than I after me: whose latchet
of his shoes I am not worthy stooping down to unloose. 8 I have baptized you
with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
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Luke 3
7 He said therefore to the multitudes that went forth to be
baptized of him, You vipers broods, who has showed you to flee from the wrath
to come? 8 Yield therefore fruits worthy of penance, and do not begin to say,
We have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, that God is able of these stones
to raise up children to Abraham. 9 And now the axe is put to the root of the
trees. Every tree therefore that yields not good fruit, shall be cut down and
cast into fire. 10 And the multitudes asked him saying what shall we do then?
11 And he answering, said unto them: He that has two coats, let him give to him
that has not: and he that has food let him do likewise. 12 And the publicans
also came to be baptized, and said to him, Master, what shall we do? 13 But he
said to them, Do nothing more than that which is appointed you. 14 And the
soldiers also asked him, saying, What shall we also do? And he said to them,
Vex not, neither calumniate any man: and be content with your stipends. 15 And
the people imagining, and all men thinking in their hearts of John, lest
perhaps he were Christ: 16 John answered, saying unto all, I indeed baptize you
with water: but there shall come a mightier than I whose latchet of his shoes I
am not worthy to unloose, he shall baptize you in the Holy Ghost and fire. 17
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will purge his floor: and will gather the
wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. 18 Many
other things also exhorting did he evangelize to the people.
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John 1
24 And they that were sent were of the Pharisees. 25 And
they asked him, and said to him, Why then do you baptize, if you be not Christ,
nor Elijah, nor the Prophet? 26 John answered them, saying, I baptize in
water: but there has stood in the midst of you whom you know not. 27 The same
is he that shall come after me that is made before me: whose latchet of his
shoe I am not worthy to unloose. 28 These things were done in Bethany beyond
Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29 The next day John saw Jesus coming to
him, and he said, Behold the Lamb of God, behold him that takes away the sin of
the world. 30 This is he of whom I said, After me there comes a man, which is
made before me: because he was before me. 31 And I knew him not, but that he
may be manifested in Israel, therefore I came baptizing in water. 32 And John
gave testimony, saying, That I saw the Spirit descending as a dove from heaven,
and he remained upon him. 33 And I knew
him not: but he that sent me to baptize in water, he said to me, He upon whom
you shall see the Spirit descending and remaining upon him, he it is that
baptizes in the Holy Ghost. 34 And I saw: and I gave testimony that this is the
Son of God.
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St.
Augustine Matthew has the words, “I
indeed baptize you with water unto repentance;” whereas Luke brings in the
questions put by the multitudes as to what they should do, and represents John
to have replied to them with a statement of good works as the fruits of repentance,—all
which is omitted by Matthew. So, when Luke tells us what reply the Baptist made
to the people when they were musing in their hearts concerning Him, and
thinking whether He were the Christ, he gives us simply the words, “I indeed
baptize you with water,” and does not add the phrase, “unto repentance.
Weaved
Together John 1:24 And they that were sent were from
the Pharisees. John 1:25 And they asked him and said unto him, Why do you
baptize now, when you are not the Messiah, nor Elijah, nor a prophet? John 1:26
John answered and said unto them, I baptize with water: among you is standing
one whom you know not: John 1:27 this is he who I said comes after me and was
before me, the latchets of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose. John 1:28 And
that was in Bethany beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing. Matthew 3:4 Now John's raiment was camel's
hair, and he was girded with skins, and his food was of locusts and honey of
the wilderness. Matthew 3:5Then went out unto him the people of Jerusalem, and
all Judæa, and all the region which is about the Jordan; Matthew 3:6 and they
were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:7
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to be baptized, he
said unto them, You children of vipers, who has led you to flee from the wrath
to come? Matthew 3:8 Do now the fruits which are worthy of repentance; Matthew
3:9 and think and say not within yourselves, We have a father, even Abraham;
for I say unto you, that God is able to raise up of these stones children unto
Abraham. Matthew 3:10 Behold, the axe has been laid at the roots of the trees,
and so every tree that bears not good fruit shall be taken and cast into the
fire. Luke 3:10 And the multitudes were asking him and saying, What shall we
do? Luke 3:11 He answered and said unto them, He that has two tunics shall give
to him that has not; and he that has food shall do likewise. Luke 3:12 And the
publicans also came to be baptized, and they said unto him, Teacher, what shall
we do? Luke 3:13 He said unto them, Seek not more than what you are commanded
to seek. Luke 3:14 And the servants of the guard asked him and said, And we
also, what shall we do? He said unto them, Do not violence to any man, nor
wrong him; and let your allowances satisfy you. And when the people were
conjecturing about John, and all of them thinking in their hearts whether he
were haply the Messiah, Luke 3:16 John answered and said unto them, I baptize
you with water; there comes one after me who is stronger than I, the latchets
of whose shoes I am not worthy to loosen; he will baptize you with the Holy
Spirit and fire: who takes the fan in his hand to cleanse his threshing-floors,
and the wheat he gathers into his garners, while the straw he shall burn in
fire which can not be put out. Luke 3:18
And other things he taught and preached among the people.
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The Baptism of Jesus
Matt. 3:13-17 Mark 1:9-11 Luke 3:21-22
John 1:32-34
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Matthew 3
13 Then came Jesus from Galilee
to Jordan, unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John tried to deter him,
saying, I ought to be baptized by you, and you come to me? 15 And Jesus answering, said to him, Suffer me for
this time, for so it becomes us to fulfill all justice. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus being baptized, forthwith came out
of the water: and lo the heavens were opened to him: and he saw the Spirit of
God descending as a dove, and coming upon him. 17 And behold a voice from heaven saying, This is my
beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
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Mark 1
9 And it came to pass: in those
days came Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee: and was baptized by John in Jordan.
10 And forthwith coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the
Spirit as a dove descending, and remaining on him. 11 And a voice was made from
heaven, You are my beloved Son, in you I am well pleased.
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Luke
3
21 And it came to pass when all the people were baptized,
Jesus also being baptized and praying, heaven was opened: 22 and the Holy Ghost
descended in corporeal shape as a dove upon him: and a voice from heaven was
made: You are my beloved Son in you I am well pleased.
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John
1
32 And John gave testimony, saying, That I saw the Spirit
descending as a dove from heaven, and he remained upon him. 33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to
baptize in water, he said to me, He upon whom you shall see the Spirit
descending and remaining upon him, he it is that baptizes in the Holy Ghost. 34
And I saw: and I gave testimony that this is the Son of God. |
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St.
Augustine Matthew
then continues his narrative in the following terms: “Then cometh Jesus from
Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade Him,
saying, I have need to be baptized of Thee, and comest Thou to me? And Jesus
answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now; for thus it becometh us to
fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered Him.” The others also attest the
fact that Jesus came to John. The three also mention that He was baptized. But
they omit all mention of one circumstance recorded by Matthew, namely, that
John addressed the Lord, or that the Lord made answer to John. Matt. iii.
13-15; Mark i. 9; Luke iii. 21; John i. 32–34.
These words Mark and Luke give in the same way; in the words of the
voice that came from Heaven, their expression varies though the sense is the
same. For both the words as Matthew gives them, “This is my beloved Son,” and
as the other two, “Thou art my beloved Son,” express the same sense in the
speaker; (and the heavenly voice, no doubt, uttered one of these,) but one
shows an intention of addressing the testimony thus borne to the Son to those
who stood by; the other of addressing it to Himself, as if speaking to Christ
He had said, “This is my Son.” Not that Christ was taught what He knew before,
but they who stood by heard it, for whose sake the voice came. Again, when one
says, “in whom I am well-pleased;” another, “in thee it hath pleased me,” if
you ask which of these was actually pronounced by that voice; take which you
will, only remembering that those who have not related the same words as were
spoken have related the same sense. That God is well-pleased with His Son is
signified in the first; that the Father is by the Son pleased with men is
conveyed in the second form, “in thee it hath well-pleased me.” Or you may
understand this to have been the one meaning of all the Evangelists, In Thee
have I put My good pleasure, i.e. to fulfill all My purpose. Again, the account
of the dove given in the Gospel according to John does not mention the time at
which the incident happened, but contains a statement of the words of John the
Baptist as reporting what he saw. In this section, the question rises as to how
it is said, “And I knew Him not: but He that sent me to baptize with water, the
same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending and remaining
on Him, the same is He which baptizeth with the Holy Spirit.” John i. 33. For
if he came to know Him only at the time when he saw the dove descending upon
Him, the inquiry is raised as to how he could have said to Him, as He came to
be baptized, “I ought rather to be baptized of Thee.” Matt. iii. 14. For the
Baptist addressed Him thus before the dove descended. From this, however, it is
evident that, although he did know Him [in a certain sense] before this
time,—for he even leaped in his mother’s womb when Mary visited Elisabeth, Luke
i. 41. —there was yet something which was not known to him up to this time, and
which he learned by the descending of the dove,—namely, the fact that He
baptized in the Holy Spirit by a certain divine power proper to Himself; so
that no man who received this baptism from God, even although he baptized some,
should be able to say that that which he imparted was his own, or that the Holy
Spirit was given by him.
Weaved
Together Matt 3:13 Then came Jesus
from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized of him. Luke 3:23a And Jesus was
about thirty years old, and it was supposed that he was the son of Joseph. John
1:29-31 And John saw Jesus coming unto him, and said, This is the Lamb of God,
that taketh on itself the burden of the sins of the world! This is he
concerning whom I said, There cometh after me a man who was before me, because
he was before me. And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to
Israel, for this cause came I to baptize with water. Matt 3:14-15 And John was
hindering him and saying, I have need of being baptized by thee, and comest
thou to me? Jesus answered him and said, Suffer this now: thus it is our duty
to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. Luke 3:21b And when all the
people were baptized, Jesus also was baptized. Matt 3:16b And immediately he
went up out of the water, and heaven opened, to him, Luke 3:22a and the Holy
Spirit descended upon him in the similitude of the body of a dove; Matt 3:17and
lo, a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well
pleased. John 1:32-34And John bare witness and said, I beheld the Spirit
descend from heaven like a dove; and it abode upon him. But I knew him not; but
he that sent me to baptize with water, he said unto me, Upon whomsoever thou
shalt behold the Spirit descending and lighting upon him, the same is he that
baptizeth with the Holy Spirit. And I have seen and borne witness that this is
the Son of God.
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