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Mat 3:4. Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης, κ.τ.λ., And the same John, etc.) A remarkable description. Even the dress and food of John preached, being in accordance with his teaching and office. Such as should be that of penitents, such was always that of this minister of penitence.-Cf. Gnomon on ch. Mat 9:14, and Mat 11:18.-ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου, of camels’ hair) His dress was mean,[121] and rough, and coarsely woven.-Cf. Mar 1:6.-καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, and a girdle of skin around his loins) Thus the LXX. in 2Ki 1:8, of Elijah, καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περιεζωσμένος τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, and girt around his loins with a girdle of skin. The girdle of John, like that of Elijah, was not of leather, but of skin rudely dressed. It is not without object that Scripture records the dress of many saints, of the Baptist, and of Jesus Christ Himself.-τροφὴ, food) We gather the nature of his drink from Luk 1:15.-ἀκρίδες, locusts) IN Lev 11:22, the LXX. render חגב (an animal which the Jews were permitted to eat), by ἈΚΡΊς, locust.-μέλι ἄγριον, wild honey) flowing spontaneously.-See 1Sa 14:25.-Locusts might sometimes fail.
[121] “Parabilis.” It is curious to see the changes which took place in the meaning of this word. In classical Latin, it signified (1) procurable, (2) easy to be procured, (3) ordinary, cheap, not costly, mean.-(See Ainsworth, in voc.) In the middle ages, as we learn from the Glossarium Manuale ad Scriptores Mediœ et Infimœ Latinitatis, it had a very different signification. The abbreviator of Du Cange writes thus: “PARABILIS. Testamentum Perpetui Episcopi Turonensis: Equum meum Parabilem, et mulum quem elegeris do, lego. Equus forte qui Gallis dicitur Cheval de parade, ad pompam, ad apparatum.”-(I. B.)