CuapTer Ill. Tue MInistrRy or THE BAPTIST, AND THE Baptism OF Jesus. This chapter and part of the next, containing the narrative of the temptation (iv. 1-11), form the prelude to the public ministry of Jesus. John, of whom we have not heard before, appears as consecrating Jesus to His Messianic calling by baptism, and from the baptism Jesus passes to the scene of moral trial. In what year of Christ’s life these events happened is not indicated. The new narrative begins with the vague phrase,
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III. τ. "Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις * ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ιωάννης 6a Cf. Εκ. ii.
κα», ἵς
Βαπτιστής, "κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμω τῆς ‘loudaias, 2. kai! λέγων,, xx xviii. τ.
‘““Metavoeite* Ἱἤγγικε yap ἡ βασιλεία τῶν odpavar.” c passim in Mt. Mk. & Lk. is ref. to the kingdom of God.
solute use.
Cf. Heb.
3. Οὗτος ix. 11 for same ab- Cf. Ex. xxxii. 5. d Cf.
eyyiGouer, Heb. vii. 19, and ἔγγνος, ver. 22 (=one who keeps us near to God),
1 και omitted in $B and Egypt. verss,
‘‘in those days”. But it is obvious from the contents that Jesus has now reached manhood; His thoughts and experiences are those of mature years. From childhood to manhood is an ab- solute blank in our Gospel. The evange- list gives a genesis of Christ's body, but no genesis of His mind. Δε we see it in the sequel, it is a miracle of wisdom. It too, doubtless, had its genesis and history, but they are not given or even hinted at. Christ is ushered on the scene an unexplained prodigy. One would like to know how He reached this unprecedented height of wisdom and grace (Luke ii. 52). The only pos=‘ble source of knowledge is reasoning back from the outcome in the full-grown man. Jesus grew, and the final result may reveal in part the means and process of growth. The anti-Pharisaic spirit and clean-cut descriptions of Pharisaic ways imply antecedent study, perhaps in Rabbinical schools. The parables may not have been so extempore as taey seem, but may be the ripe fruit of long brooding thought, things new and yet old.
Vv. 1-6. Fohn the Baptist appears (Mark i. 1-6, Luke iii. 1-6). Ver. 1. ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις: the time when most vaguely indicated. Luke’s narrative here (iii. 1) presents a great contrast, as if with conscious intent to supply a want. John’s ministry is there dated with reference to the genera. history of the world, and Christ’s age at His baptism is given. Luke’s method is more Satistactory in a historical point of view, but Matthew’s manner of narra- tion is dramatically effective. He passes abruptly to the new theme, and leaves you to guess the length of the interval. A similarly indefinite phrase occurs in the story of Moses (Ex. ii. 11). There has been much discussion as to what period of time the evangelist had in view. Some say none, except that of the events to be related. ‘In those days,” means simply, ‘‘in the days when the following events hapened ” (so Euthy. Zig.). Others suggest explana- tions based on the relation of our Gospel
to its sources, ¢.g., use of a source in which more was told about John, or anticipation of Mark i. 9, where the phrase is used in reference to Christ’s coming to be baptised. Probably the best course is to take it as referring back from the apostolic age to the great creative epoch of the evangelic history = ‘In those memorable years to which we look back with wistful reverent gaze ”.— παραγίνεται 6 |.: John appears on the stage of history—historical present, used “to give a more animated statement of past events” (Goodwin’s Syntax, p. 11). John 6 βαπτιστής, well known by this epithet, and referred to under that de- signation by Josephus (Antiq., xviii. 5, 2, on which vide Schirer; ¥ewish History, div. i., vol. ii., p. 23). Its currency naturally suggests that John’s baptism was partly or wholly an originality, not to be confounded with proselyte baptism, which perhaps did not even exist at that time.— κηρύσσων, preaching, as well as baptising, heralding the approach of the Kingdom of Heaven, standing especially in N. T. for proclamation of the good news of God, distinct from διδάσκων (iv. 23): a solemn word for a momentous matter.—év τῇ ἐρήμω τ. Ιουδαίας: scene of the ministry, the pasture lands lying between the central range of hills and the Jordan and the Dead Sea, not all belonging to Judaea, but of the same character; suitable scene for such a ministry.