Matthew Poole Commentary - Matthew 3:3 - 3:3

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Matthew Poole Commentary - Matthew 3:3 - 3:3


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It is not much material whether we understand these words as the words of the evangelist concerning John, as it should seem by Mar_1:3 Luk_3:4, or the words of John himself, for he thus spake, Joh_1:23. As the words of the prophet they are found Isa_40:3. The words are judged literally, but typically, to concern Cyrus and Darius, and either these princes, who were instrumental in the restoring of the Jews to their liberty from the captivity of Babylon, or those prophets who encouraged them to their return, or upon their return to build the temple and city. But they are confirmed by all the four evangelists, Mar_1:3 Luk_3:4 Joh_1:23, to have a special relation also to John the Baptist, who was to come more immediately before Christ, and with the fervency and in the spirit of Elias, Luk_1:17, crying,



Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. As the harbingers of great princes are sent before them to call to persons to remove things out of the way which may hinder their free passage, so John was sent before this great King in Zion, now coming forth to show himself, and to set up his kingdom in the world; to cry fervently to all people, by a true and timely repentance, to cast off those sinful courses, and to reject those false opinions, of which they were possessed, the holding of and to which might hinder the progress of this spiritual kingdom.