1 The preaching and baptism of John;
15 his testimony of Christ;
19 Herod imprisons John;
21 Christ, baptized, receives testimony from heaven.
23 The age and genealogy of Christ from Joseph upwards.

A.M. 4030. A.D. 26.
Tiberius Caesar. 2:1

Pontius Pilate. 23:1-4,24 Ge 49:10 Ac 4:27 23:26 24:27 26:30

Herod. 19 9:7 23:6-11

his. Mt 14:3 Mr 6:17

Ituraea. Ituraea was a province of Syria east of Jordan, now called Djedour, according to Burckhardt, and comprising all the flat country south of Djebel Kessoue as far as Nowa, east of Djebel el Sheikh, or mount Hermon, and west of the Hadj road. Trachonitis, according to Strabo and Ptolemy, comprehended all the uneven country on the east of Auranitis, now Haouran, from near Damascus to Bozra, now called El Ledja and Djebel Haouran. Abilene was a district in the valley of Lebanon, so called from Abila its chief town, eighteen miles N. of Damascus, according to Antoninus.

2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

Annas. Joh 11:49-51 18:13,14,24 Ac 4:6

the word. 1:59-63 Jer 1:2 2:1 Eze 1:3 Ho 1:1,2 Jon 1:1 Mic 1:1 Zep 1:1

in. 1:80 Isa 40:3 Mt 3:1 11:7 Mr 1:3 Joh 1:23

3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

the country. Mt 3:5 Mr 1:4,5 Joh 1:28 3:26

preaching. Mt 3:6,11 Mr 1:4 Joh 1:31-33 Ac 13:24 19:4 22:16

for. 1:77

4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

The voice. Isa 40:3-5 Mt 3:3 Mr 1:3 Joh 1:23

Prepare. 1:16,17,76-79 Isa 57:14 62:10 Mal 4:6 Joh 1:7,26-36 3:28-36

5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

valley. 1:51-53 Isa 2:11-17 35:6-8 40:4 49:11 61:1-3 Eze 17:24 Jas 1:9

and the crooked. Isa 42:16 45:2 Heb 12:12,13

6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

2:10,11,30-32 Ps 98:2,3 Isa 40:5 49:6 52:10 Mr 16:15 Ro 10:12 Ro 10:18

7 Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

O generation. Ge 3:15 Ps 58:4,5 Isa 59:5 Mt 3:7-10 23:33 Joh 8:44 Ac 13:10 1Jo 3:8

to flee. 1Th 1:10 Heb 6:18

8 Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, That God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.

fruits. Isa 1:16-18 Eze 18:27-31 Ac 26:20 2Co 7:10,11 Ga 5:22-24 Php 1:11 Heb 6:7,8

worthy of. or, meet for. We. 13:28,29 16:23-31 Isa 48:1,2 Jer 7:4-10 Joh 8:33 Ro 4:16 9:7

of these. 19:40 Jos 4:3-8 Mt 8:11,12 21:43 Ga 3:28,29

9 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: every tree therefore which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

13:7,9 23:29-31 Isa 10:33,34 Eze 15:2-4 31:18 Da 4:14,23 Mt 3:10 7:19 Joh 15:6 Heb 10:28 12:29

10 And the people asked him, saying, What shall we do then?

What. 8 Ac 2:37 9:6 16:30

11 He answereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise.

He that hath two. 11:41 18:22 19:8 Isa 58:7-11 Da 4:27 Mt 25:40 Mr 14:5-8 Joh 13:29 Ac 10:2,4,31 2Co 8:3-14 1Ti 6:18 Heb 6:10 Jas 1:27 Jas 2:15-26 1Jo 3:17 4:20

12 Then came also publicans to be baptized, and said unto him, Master, what shall we do?

7:29 15:1,2 18:13 Mt 21:31,32

13 And he said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

Exact. 19:8 Ps 18:23 Pr 28:13 Isa 1:16,17 55:6,7 Eze 18:21,22,27,28 Mic 6:8 Mt 7:12 1Co 6:10 Eph 4:28 Tit 2:11,12 Heb 12:1

14 And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Do violence to no man, neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages.

the soldiers. Mt 8:5 Ac 10:7

Do violence to no man. or, Put no man in fear. Ro 13:9,10 Php 2:15

accuse. 19:8 Ex 20:16 23:1 Le 19:11 Tit 2:3 Re 12:10

and be. Php 4:11 1Ti 6:8-10 Heb 13:5,6

wages. or, allowance.

15 And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;

expectation. or, suspense. Joh 10:24

mused. or, reasoned, or debated. Joh 1:19 *etc: Joh 3:28,29

16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

I indeed. Mt 3:11 Mr 1:7,8 Joh 1:26,33 Ac 1:5 11:16 13:24,25 19:4,5

he shall. Pr 1:23 Isa 32:15 44:3,4 Eze 36:25 Joe 2:28,29 Joh 7:38 Ac 2:33 10:44 11:15 1Co 12:13

and with. Isa 4:4 Zec 13:9 Mal 3:2,3 Ac 2:3,4,17,18

17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

fan. Jer 15:7 Mt 3:12

and will. Mic 4:12 Mt 13:30

but. Ps 1:4 21:9,10 Mr 9:43-49

18 And many other things in his exhortation preached he unto the people.

Joh 1:15,29,34 3:29-36 Ac 2:40

19 But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him for Herodias his brother Philip's wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,

Pr 9:7,8 15:12 Mt 11:2 14:3,4 Mr 6:17,18

20 Added yet this above all, that he shut up John in prison.

13:31-34 2Ki 21:16 24:4 2Ch 24:17-22 36:16 Ne 9:26 Jer 2:30 Mt 21:35-41 22:6,7 23:31-33 1Th 2:15,16 Re 16:6

21 Now when all the people were baptized, it came to pass, that Jesus also being baptized, and praying, the heaven was opened,

that. Mt 3:13-15 Mr 1:9 Joh 1:32 *etc:

and praying. 9:28,29 Joh 12:27,28

the heaven. Mt 3:16,17 Mr 1:10 Joh 1:32-34

22 And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased.

Thou art. 9:34,35 Ps 2:7 Isa 42:1 Mt 12:18 17:5 27:43 Col 1:13 1Pe 2:4 2Pe 1:17,18

23 And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, being (as was supposed) the son of Joseph, which was the son of Heli,

thirty. Ge 41:46 Nu 4:3,35,39,43,47

being. 4:22 Mt 13:55 Mr 6:3 Joh 6:42

which. The real father of Joseph was Jacob (Mat. 1:16); but having married the daughter of Heli, and being perhaps adopted by him, he was called his son, and as such was entered in the public registers; Mary not being mentioned, because the Hebrews never permitted the name of a woman to enter the genealogical tables, but inserted her husband as the son of him who was, in reality, but his father-in-law. Hence it appears that Matthew, who wrote principally for the Jews, traces the pedigree of Jesus Christ from Abraham, through whom the promises were given to the Jews, to David, and from David, through the line of Solomon, to Jacob the father of Joseph, the reputed or legal father of Christ; and that Luke, who wrote for the Gentiles, extends his genealogy upwards from Heli, the father of Mary, through the line of Nathan, to David, and from David to Abraham, and from Abraham to Adam, who was the immediate 'son of God' by creation, and to whom the promise of the Saviour was given in behalf of himself and all his posterity. The two branches of descent from David, by Solomon and Nathan, being thus united in the persons of Mary and Joseph, Jesus the son of Mary re-united in himself all the blood, privileges, and rights, of the whole family of David; in consequence of which he is emphatically called 'the Son of David.'

24 Which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi, which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Janna, which was the son of Joseph,

25 Which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Amos, which was the son of Naum, which was the son of Esli, which was the son of Nagge,

26 Which was the son of Maath, which was the son of Mattathias, which was the son of Semei, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Juda,

27 Which was the son of Joanna, which was the son of Rhesa, which was the son of Zorobabel, which was the son of Salathiel, which was the son of Neri,

28 Which was the son of Melchi, which was the son of Addi, which was the son of Cosam, which was the son of Elmodam, which was the son of Er,

29 Which was the son of Jose, which was the son of Eliezer, which was the son of Jorim, which was the son of Matthat, which was the son of Levi,

30 Which was the son of Simeon, which was the son of Juda, which was the son of Joseph, which was the son of Jonan, which was the son of Eliakim,

31 Which was the son of Melea, which was the son of Menan, which was the son of Mattatha, which was the son of Nathan, which was the son of David,

of Nathan. 2Sa 5:14 1Ch 3:5 14:4 Zec 12:12

32 Which was the son of Jesse, which was the son of Obed, which was the son of Booz, which was the son of Salmon, which was the son of Naasson,

was the son of Jesse. Ru 4:18-22 1Sa 17:58 20:31 1Ki 12:16 1Ch 2:10-15 Ps 72:20 Isa 11:1,2 Mt 1:3-6 Ac 13:22,23

which was the son of Obed. Nu 1:7 2:3 7:12 1Ch 2:11,12

Nahshon, Salma, Boaz.

33 Which was the son of Aminadab, which was the son of Aram, which was the son of Esrom, which was the son of Phares, which was the son of Juda,

Aminadab. Ru 4:19,20 1Ch 2:9,10

Aminadab, Ram, Hezron. Mt 1:3,4

Esrom. Ge 46:12 Nu 26:20,21

Hezron.
Phares. Ge 38:29 Ru 4:12 1Ch 2:4,5 9:4

Pharez.
of Juda. Ge 29:35 49:8

Judah. Mt 1:2

Judas.

34 Which was the son of Jacob, which was the son of Isaac, which was the son of Abraham, which was the son of Thara, which was the son of Nachor,

which was the son of Isaac. Ge 21:3 25:26 1Ch 1:34 Mt 1:2 Ac 7:8

Thara. Ge 11:24-32 Jos 24:2 1Ch 1:24-28

Terah, Nahor, Reu, Serug, Peleg, Eber, Shelah.

35 Which was the son of Saruch, which was the son of Ragau, which was the son of Phalec, which was the son of Heber, which was the son of Sala,

Saruch. Ge 11:18-21

Serug, Reu.
Phalec. Ge 10:25

Peleg.
Heber. Ge 11:16,17

Eber.
Sala. Ge 10:24 11:12-15

Salah.

36 Which was the son of Cainan, which was the son of Arphaxad, which was the son of Sem, which was the son of Noe, which was the son of Lamech,

Cainan. This Cainan is not found in the Hebrew text of any of the genealogies, but only in the Septuagint; from which, probably, the evangelist transcribed the register, as sufficiently exact for his purpose, and as more generally suited to command attention. (See on Ge. 11:12.) It may here be remarked, that though some of the same names occur here, from Nathan downwards, as in Joseph's genealogy, yet there appears no sufficient evidence that the same persons were intended, different persons often bearing the same name.

Sem. Ge 5:32 7:13 9:18,26,27 10:21,22 11:10 *etc: 1Ch 1:17

Shem.
Noe. 17:27 Ge 5:29,30 6:8-10,22 7:1,23 8:1 9:1 Eze 14:14 Heb 11:7 1Pe 3:20 2Pe 2:5

Noah.

37 Which was the son of Mathusala, which was the son of Enoch, which was the son of Jared, which was the son of Maleleel, which was the son of Cainan,

Mathusala. Ge 5:6-28 1Ch 1:1-3

Methuselah, Mahalaleel.

38 Which was the son of Enos, which was the son of Seth, which was the son of Adam, which was the son of God.

which was the son of Adam. Ge 4:25,26 5:3

of God. Ge 1:26,27 2:7 5:1,2 Isa 64:8 Ac 17:26-29 1Co 15:45,47