therefore every tree which bring- | that cometh after me is mightier eth not forth good fruit, isb hewn down, and cast into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he b Jno.15.6. c Lu.3.16. Ac. 19 4. than I, whose shoes I am not 12 Whose fan is in his hand, d Ac.1.5. uses looks toward a repentance which he cannot impart. Christ shall pour out the Holy Ghost, who shall renew the heart; and He shall come with fire, which shall try and purify the reins. Again the reference is to Malachi. He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver." Mal. 3. 3. "He is like a refiner's fire," &c. (3. 2). Acts 1.5, and 11. 16. And He shall consume the incorrigible and worthless-"shall burn as an oven." Mal. 4. 1. an outward show of ceremonies and pretensions. Now, the rule that is to be pressed is this, "By their fruits ye shall know them." Men must give substantial and actual evidence of their being Christians, or they will be cut down. Nor is this a dispensation for mere outward reform-lopping off bad branches-putting aside offensive habits-as the end to be reached. But it is a time for judging of real character, and for coming to final decisions.- - Every tree. A Shoes. The shoes or sandals then man that lacks piety is here represented by the tree that bears no good fruit. Corruption and wickedness are the natural fruits of the human heart (Mark 7. 21-23); and he on whom the good fruit of true piety is not found, will be cut down and cast into the fire, as rotten and worthless trees are used for fire-wood. Still the reference to Malachi's prophecy is kept up (Mal. 4. 1). "The day cometh that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be as stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch." In Luke's narrative, we find that this sentiment started a general inquiry, "What shall we do, then?" He directed them to honesty, benevolence, and mercy. 11. Cometh after me. "The messenger of the covenant," of whom John was the forerunner. Mal. 3. 1. - Mightier. His extra prerogative and power are pointed to. He is the Master whom John only served, and whose greater work he introduced. The difference between the two baptisms is, that John's is outward-Christ's inward. John sprinkles nothing but water, and cannot reach the heart. The ordinance he worn were loose slippers, consisting of a piece of wood or leather, like the sole of a shoe, bound to the bottom of the feet by thongs (called the latchet, Mark 1. 7), as a boy's skate is fastened. These were put off on entering the house, and to unloose them was the most menial work-troublesome, and often filthy. John declares that he is not worthy to do even this lowest service to such a one as Christ (John 3. 30). This cut is taken from the Union Bible Dictionary. 12. Whose fan. This carries out the idea. This is a winnowing instrument (Jer. 15. 7). A handscoop by which the grain could be so thrown up and exposed to the win' e Mal.3 2,3. f Ps.1.4. Mal.4.1. Mar 9.44. as to separate the chaff. Wheat and chaff were to be most strictly separated. Again the reference is to Malachi. "Then shall ye return and dis "For cern between the righteous and the wicked," &c. (Mal. 3. 18). behold the day cometh that shall burn as an oven (Mal. 4. 1), &c. Thus He will thoroughly cleanse His threshing-floor (Isa. 21. 10)—that is, His church, so as to have it pure; and the merely nominal and hollow professors should be sifted out, and blown away like chaff before the wind. Jer. 15. 7. Luke 22. 31.- - His wheat. The sincere and true children of God should be gathered like good grain into the granary, or place of preservation. God will house His people. "They shall be kept (or garrisoned, as the term is) by the power of God through faith unto salvation" (1 Pet. 1. 5). But the chaff-the wicked that are mixed with the good in the church -He shall burn (Isa. 5. 24) with inextinguishable fire (parable of the tares, Matt. 11); which, because it is unquenchable, must be eternal. Matt. 25.41, 46. Mark 9. 48. 2 Thess. 1. 8,9. See Job 26. "A fire not blown (not to be blown out), shall consume him." "The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away." Ps. 1. 4. This was the last process of cleansing grain "thoroughly." 1 Luke. 3. 13-17. 1. 9-11. 3. 21-23. John. He had been He was enter 13. Then cometh Jesus from Galilee. We learn from John 1. 28, that John the Baptist was baptizing at Bethabara, beyond Jordan. This was a town in the tribe of Reuben, and near the Dead Sea. Here, it is supposed, over against Jericho, the Jordan was crossed by the Israelites, under Joshua. The name means, "a place of passage." From Galilee, in a southerly direction, Christ came. at Nazareth till now. ing His thirtieth year (Luke 3. 23). And here we have his submission to John's ordinance, to " fulfil all (legal) righteousness." See Exodus 29. 4. It was also a formal inauguration, and public entrance upon His gospel offices, as sanctioned by the law. John could introduce Christ. office was that of a forerunner and herald. Our Lord was now at the age of the priests at their entrance into office (Numbers 4. 3). There was an analogy also in the personal types. It was the age of Joseph at his appearing before Pharaoh (Gen. 41. 46), and the age of David when he began to reign (2 Sam. 5. 4). This was now about the feast of Tabernacles, at which time of the year Christ was born. The most exalted piety will earnestly seek the appointed ordinances. Psalm 27. 4. His 14. I have need, &c. John evidently looked for Christ, and was led to recognize Him, before the baptism, on of thee, and comest thou to for thus it becometh us to fulfil me? all righteousness. Then he suffered him. 15 And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: 16 And Jesus, when he was the Christian membership, who are de- His application for the ordinance. That is, to comply with all the legal But there was yet a Divine certificate ceremonial requirements. This was to be given, for his own full assurance, the legal ceremony for induction to the and for the faith of ages. In John 1. priest's office. He would honour the 31, he says, “I knew Him not," which typical ordinance, and submit himrefers to the fact of their having been self to that appointed institution. personally apart-that Christ had a "Jesus Christ was a minister of the long time come, yet had not presented circumcision." Rom. 15. 8. He would himself, and was dwelling so many also consecrate the ordinance, as a peryears in Galilee, unknown to the peo-petual institution in the church, for ple, or even to John, His forerunner, as the Messiah-not yet manifested, but to be manifested. He alludes to the fact, that His obscurity at Nazareth had almost obliterated the impressions of His miraculous birth and its circumstances. John knows Him now, and objects to the request, on the ground of Christ's superiority to him, and especially of His superior office work. "If one of us is to be baptized | of the other, I am the one that needs to be baptized of thee." He knows him now, but not as he shall know Him soon from heaven. John recognized Christ's work as better than his. The gospel baptism is better than that of the law. The gospel hope is better than that of Sinai. 15. Suffer it. Our Lord insisted, and it was not in John's right or power to refuse. A sense of personal unfitness should never keep us from performing any enjoined duty. He who commands, also warrants and helps. It became them both, for in the great plan of redemption they co-operated. This act was now required. It was admitted because of its propriety in the view of our Lord. He was not obligated to the law, but put himself voluntarily under it. He was "made of a woman, made under the law" (Gal. 4. 4). Yet He was no mere man, but the God-man. He submitted to the law's requiremenst in His official work. It becometh us. It was becoming as they were related, and as they held their respective offices, thus to do. To fulfil all righteousness. 16. Out of the water-literally, ascended from the water. The same words are used as in Luke 2. 4, "Joseph went up from Galilee." And Acts 25. 1, "He ascended from Cæsarea to Jerusalem." Hence there is no proof in this of their having gone the farther into the water, much less of Christ's having gone under the water. We may readily suppose, that in that hot country, they even walked into the shallow edge of the stream, for the greater convenience of applying the water by sprinkling. So Philip and the eunuch went both into the water. Acts 8.38. And, lo. Christ prayed at His baptism (see Luke 3. 21), and possibly it was for some open and public recognition, such as this which He received from heaven, "while He was praying."- -T The heavens were opened unto him. This was given for His own assurance, and personal recognition, while it served also as a testimony to his Divine Sonship, and the acceptance of His official work. Mark 1. 11, presents it as occurring to Christ, with this additional, that the language is addressed personally to Him, "Thou art my beloved Son, in Thee I am well pleased." John the Baptist also saw the descent of the Spirit upon Matt. CHAPTER IV. Desert of Judea. Mark. Luke. 1. 12, 13. 4. 1-13. John. 66 for example of prayer, and the splendid 16. THE TEMPTATION OF CHRIST.-answer is our encouragement.The Spirit of God. The Holy Ghost, Third Person of the Blessed Trinity. This was His special anointing by the Spirit, for the Messianic offices 1. Jesus, after thus being openly (Isaiah 61. 1). Here the symbol and acknowledged and inducted, both perits signification met. The descent sonally and officially, at His baptism, upon Him was "in a bodily shape like enters at once upon His work, and ena dove" (Luke 3. 22), so that John ters into temptation. He was "led could be witness to it, and have his up by the Spirit" (i. e., the Holy confidence assured by this most re- Ghost), which shows that this whole markable phenomenon. Note the transaction was founded in the plan personality of the Holy Ghost. Christ of God. He "was full of the Holy saw the Spirit descending. The voice Ghost" (Luke 4. 1), who had minisof God the Father out of heaven tered so prominently at His concepwas doubtless heard by all, as a tion and baptism, and had just appearpublic testimony (See John 12. 28-ed descending on Him. And as 30). This formula of recognition was repeated when Christ was transfigured. Matt. 17. 5. Luke 9. 35, 36. 2 Pet. 1. 17. It was an open declaration of Christ's being the Messiah predicted, and that He was accepted in heaven as Mediator. Thus, at the opening of His public work, a public exhibition is given of the adorable Trinity. The Father speaks-the Son is baptized-the Holy Ghost alights upon Him. The Father is here declared as fully satisfied with Christ's official work of mediation for sinners. Observe, "In him," not in us-in the Saviour, not in the sinner -God is well pleased. Observe, Christ's atoning office, and the Spirit's quickening, renewing work, go together. "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost." this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (1 John 3. 8), the conflict opens at once.-- -T Led up. This term is the same used in Luke 4. 5, of the tempter's agency. This temptation was an act of Christ's sacrificial work." Who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself without spot to God." Heb. 9. 14. - To be tempted. Not as "a man is tempted when he is drawn away of his own lust and enticed" (James 1. 14), but to be tried, proved, and especially here to be assaulted with most malignant efforts to seduce Him to evil. This was done by the devilthe adversary, accuser, and enemy of mankind. He is a real person, and not merely an influence. He is called the Old Serpent (Rev. 12. 9); Satar. Son of God, command that these stones be made bread. (Job 1. 6-12); Beelzebub (Matt. 12. 21); The Prince of the power of the air (Ephes. 2. 2). He is the leader of the legions of fallen angels, and of the wicked spirits in hell (Rev. 12. 9. and 20. 10). He tempts men by suggesting evil thoughts, or stirring up evil desires through the senses (as our first parents, Gen. 3)—the children of disobedience (Ephes. 2. 2)—and David to number the people (1 Chron. 21. 1). Or by instigating to wicked acts, as Judas (Luke 22. 3)—Ananias (Acts 5. 3). Or by deceiving (Rev. 12. 9). See 1 Pet. 5. 8. Our depraved nature aids him in his temptation. We fall in, naturally, with his schemes, and yield to the motives he urges. He gets an advantage of us if we are not constantly on the watch against his devices (2 Cor. 2 11). Hence, in the Scripture, we are charged to "watch and pray, that we enter not into temptation," and to "resist the devil" (1 Pet. 5. 9), with the promise, that so doing, "he shall flee from us" (James 4. 7). Christ was tempted, so as " to be able to succour them that are tempted" (Heb. 2. 18). As the first Adam had been tempted, and had fallen, the second Adam enters (by the Divine plan) into temptation, to show His steadfastness and superiority to the first Adam. "He was tempted in all points, like as we are, yet without sin." See Heb. 2. 18 and 4. 15. 2. Fasted. Abstained from food. There was a fast required by the Mosaic law, on the great day of annual atonement (Levit. 23. 27, 29). This exercise of fasting seems always to have retained some prominence (Acts 27. 9). There were also private fasts, though the law did not require them. After the exile, fasts became very frequent, as a regular part of the current religious worship. Fasts were regarded as a useful exercise, to prepare the mind for special religious impressions (Dan. 10. 2, sq. Matt. 27. 21. Acts 13. 3; 14. 23). From one day to forty days had been observed; but the last period, with a special sanctity, in reference to certain events in Jewish history. Thus Moses fasted on the Mount (Exod. 34. 28, Deut. 9. 9, 18); and Elijah (1 Kings 19. 8). Yet it was greatly abused in the prophet's day (Isa. 58. 4), and by the Pharisees in our Saviour's time (Matt. 6. 16). It may be abused by its excesses, in weakening the flesh-by making a virtue or merit of the exercise-and by mistaking the outward humiliation for the inward mortification before God. Our Lord seems to have abstained utterly from food, as Luke declares expressly, that “ He did eat nothing (Luke 4. 2). This was part of Christ's humiliation-Being found in fashion as a man, He humbled himself even beneath the common lot of men. It was also part of His induction to office-“ A prophet like unto Moses." And He submitted to our personal woes as part of His mediatorial work—“ Himself took our infirmities and bare our sicknesses." Matt. 8. 17. The first Adam fell by eating-Christ begins by fast ing. 3. Satan is here called the tempter, as his business was temptation; and by this work he is known among men. So he assaulted the first Adam (Gen. 3). Hence we may know that solícitations to evil are always of the devil. Observe, he suits himself to our circumstances, and we need always to be on our guard. We should specially fear his suggestions when he pretends friendship, and offers his plans for our help. We should pray not to be led into temptation, because we are not yet delivered from evil. to the temptation of Christ, we are to remember that it was by the Divine plan for His official work, and that He was " led by the Spirit into the wilderness" with this in view.—¶ If thou be the Son of God. He had just been proclaimed the Son of God by a As |