The Pulpit Commentary — Matthew — Volume 1 — Section 104

prophet before the coming of the great nnd dreadful day of the Lord : and he shall turn the heart of the fathC'rs to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers," etc. (Mai. iv. 5, 6). (3) "Elijah," in these passages, comes in two senses, and on the i;ame principle it is evident that the place in Isaiah (xl. 1-3), in the text applied to John, is in its ultimate sense also applicable to the Tishbite. 2. John accordingly behai•ed like Elijah. (1) His d1velling was in the wilderness. There he was brought up (Luke i. SO). There be exercised his ministry. Note: We get our moral strength for the rough work of life by retirement with God. (2) John applied to himself the words of Isaiah, "I am the voice," etc. (see John i. 23). Note: (a) John was simply the "voice," Jesus is the "Word." (b) This voice arose out of silence. Zacharias was dumb until he pronounced the name of "John." So we, until visited by the pledges of his mercy and grace, are dumb before God. (3) His diet was the wild food of nature. "Locusts" were "clean" (Lev. xi. 22). Our conversation should be pure. "Wild honey," whether from the rock in which the bee ha.d swarmed, or the saccharine exudation from the palm, date, or olive trees (see Deut. xxxii. 13; 1 Sam. :xiv. 26). Note: Men of heavenly tempers are not epicures in earthly food. (4) He wore a rough garment. This appears to have been the usual dress of the prophets (seo Isa. x:x. 2; Heb. xi. 37). Therefore psuedo-prophets assumed it (Zech. xiii. 4). John's garb particularly resembled that of Elijah (2 Kings L 8). The girdle of dried skin, rongh and strong, denoted the wearer to be a man of resolution, like his prototype (Luke xii. 35; 1 Pet. i. 13). Note: If John's dress was plain in the sight of men, he was himself" great in the sight of God" (Luke i. 15). Let us not plume ourselves upon our clothes, or value onr fellows by outward appearances. 3. Yet is John distin- guished from that prophet. (1) He distinguished himself. When priests and Levites demanded if he were Elijah, he said," I am not" (John i. 21). (2) Jesus also dis- tinguished him. "If ye are willing to receive it, this is Elijah which is to come." So after John's death he said, " Elijah indeed cometh first and restoreth all things" ( eh. xi. 14; Mark iL 12). John Baptist did not "restore all things." (3) It is evident that in tbese prophecies there is a double sense. They point to two advents of Jesus. In the first he came to set np a spiritual kingdom, and was heralded by Elijah in "spirit and power." In the second he will come to establish a visible kingdom, and will be heralded by Elijah in person. II. THAT Jom. CAME TO HERALD THE Kmo MESSIAH. 1. _His testimony was unequivocal. (1) The" Lord" whom he proclaimed is styled "Jehovah" in Isaiah. John pointed out Je.o;ns of Nazareth as that very personage (see John i. 15, 29). (2) Herein was John the greatest of all the prophets (eh. xi. 9-11). Other prophets gave marks and tokens by which Christ might be known. John pointed him out in Person. The greatest triumph of prophecy is to bring men to the personal Jesus, in their very soul to see him as the saving Christ. 2. Bis qualifications were unim- peachable. (1) John was indicated as a prophet of 'the Lord in the extraordinary circumstances of his birth (Luke i. 5-25). In these he resembled Samson and Jere- miah (Judg. xiii; Jer. L 5). (2) He had his commission immediately from heave~ (Luke iii. 2). (3) The Jews acknowledged him. Multitudes of them came to his baptil!m (ver. 6). No one disputed his claims (eh. xxi. 26; Mark xi. 32; Luke xx. 6). (4) The testimony of John to Jesus is therefore most valuable. The marks by which John identified Jesus a.s the Christ were Divine and inimiu.ble (John i. 32-34), It is difficult to conceive how the unbelieving Jews can dispose of John's testimony. III. JOHN CAME ALSO TO HERALD MESSIAH's KINGDOM. 1. He heralded it as tlie kingdom of the heavens. (1) The Christian discipleship is a kingdo~. (a) It has subjects. (b) It has a King. (c) It haH laws. (2) It is called the_ kmsdom of the heavens. (a) Its principles a.re those of heaven. (b) In the heavens its pnnc1ple~ are ma.de eternal. (c) It prepares its subjects for translation to tho_hcavens. (~) I~. 1s in "spirit and power" the "kingdom of the God of heaven" descnbed by Daniel (11. 44; vii. 13, 14). In the other Gospels it is called the "kingdom of God." (4) John, though a priest, never officiated in the temple. But he introduc~ the Lord of the temple (Mai. iii. 1). Was there not here an intimation that the pnesthood of Aaron was now to give place to that of Melchizedek? 2. Be proclaimed its near app7:oach. (1) Tbe coming of the kingdum in "spirit and power" date~ from the ascension of Cl,rist (cf. Pd. CL 1, 2; Luke xix. 12-14). '!'hat event waa rndeed "at hand," but OD, m.1-17.J 'l'HE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO S'r. MATTHEW. 93