Mateus 3
Kenneth Wuest · Citado em PreceptAustin
Mateus 3
Wuest says this obedience "should be a habit with Israel, a constant attitude, not a formal. abrupt welcome and that is all, but a welcome that would extend on and on, an habitual welcome that would be the natural expression of their heart."
Mateus 3
Wuest says "That was the character of the preaching of the Baptist. His was no pussy-footing, no beating about the bush, no smooth, oily, namby-pamby preaching. The Baptist was a man among men, and his preaching was straight from the shoulder." He is speaking figuratively of course and not calling for them to make a literal path but to make their hearts ready to receive the Lord Jesus. Wuest adds "The Ancient of Days was to incarnate Himself in humanity, grow up from a little child to manhood, and offer Himself to Israel as its Messiah, its King. His road needed to be prepared, that is, the hearts of His Chosen People must be ready. John’s ministry was to see to it that Israel was ready to welcome its Messiah." Broadus - Great public roads were rare in the East until introduced by the Romans. When an Oriental monarch was designing to Journey into a certain region, he sent messengers in advance to require that a graded road should be prepared. Hence the image, here denoting spiritual preparation. Notice that in Isa. 40:4, every part of the process of grading is mentioned. (Commentary) Literally the idea was to fill in the holes, remove the rocks and debris and knock down the hills, to make the king's passage pleasant and easy. In this context of course the commands (make ready and prepare) convey a figurative meaning. So how were John's Jewish hearers to accomplish what he was commanding? John is calling for heart work! As
Mateus 3
Wuest notes that "The expression does not refer to a literal path or road down which the Lord would travel, but to the hearts of the people of Israel, and His entrance among them." In Ps 25:4 David prays "Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths (Lxx = tribos)." (A GOOD PRAYER FOR ALL OF US!) (cf other uses of tribos in Lxx = Ps 44:18, Ps 139:3 = another good prayer) Ps 119:105 " Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path (Lxx = tribos)." Jer 6:16 Jehovah says “Stand by the ways and see and ask for the ancient paths (Lxx = tribos)..." Micah 4:2+ (IN THE MESSIANIC KINGDOM) "Many nations will come and say, “Come and let us go up to the mountain of the LORD And to the house of the God of Jacob, That He may teach us about His ways And that we may walk in His paths (Lxx = tribos).” For from Zion will go forth the law, Even the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. Tribos in the Septuagint - Gen. 49:17; Jdg. 5:6; Jdg. 5:20; 1 Sam. 6:12; 2 Sam. 20:12; 2 Sam. 20:13; 1 Chr. 26:18; Job 18:10; Job 22:15; Job 28:7; Job 30:12; Job 30:13; Job 34:11; Job 38:20; Ps. 8:8; Ps. 17:5; Ps. 18:45; Ps. 23:3; Ps. 25:4; Ps. 27:11; Ps. 44:18; Ps. 77:19; Ps. 78:50; Ps. 119:35; Ps. 119:105; Ps. 139:3; Ps. 139:23; Ps. 140:5; Ps. 142:3; Prov. 1:15; Prov. 2:15; Prov. 2:19; Prov. 2:20; Prov. 3:17; Prov. 8:2; Prov. 8:20; Prov. 15:21; Prov. 16:17; Prov. 30:19; Isa. 3:12; Isa. 30:11; Isa. 40:3; Isa. 42:16; Isa. 43:16; Isa. 49:9; Isa. 49:11; Isa. 58:12; Isa. 59:8; Jer. 6:16; Jer. 9:10; Jer. 18:15; Lam. 3:9; Dan. 4:37; Hos. 2:6 Straight (2117)(euthus) when used as an adjective as it is here in Mark 1:3, euthus literally means straight or a straight line and figuratively to what is proper or right. For example, in Acts 9:11+ euthus described a literal roadway "the street called Straight (euthus)" which was literally straight through Damascus. The use of euthus in Mark 1:3 is figurative calling for "straight paths" (so to speak) in one's heart and life (cf Mt 3:3+, Lk 3:4+). Euthus is used again in Luke 3:5+ (quoting the Septuagint reading of Isaiah 40:4), where we read "the crooked (skolios - "crooked" lives) will be straight (euthus)" which speaks of heart change, moral/ethical transformation. Euthus is also used as adverb meaning immediately which is a key word in the Gospel of Mark as evidenced by 11 uses in the first chapter! All Matthew's uses of euthus - Matt. 3:3; Matt. 3:16; Matt. 13:20; Matt. 13:21; Matt. 14:27; Matt. 21:2; Matt. 21:3; Matt. 26:74 THOUGHT - The cry of the prophet is: (1) Man has an inadequate righteousness; therefore, repentance is needed. (2) The present world is an inadequate world; therefore, the Kingdom of Heaven is needed. (3) Man has prepared an inadequate life for the Lord; therefore, he must prepare the way for the Lord. (POSB) Matthew 3:4 Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. NET Matthew 3:4 Now John wore clothing made from camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his diet consisted of locusts and wild honey. GNT Matthew 3:4 Αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχεν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ ἦν αὐτοῦ ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον. NLT Matthew 3:4 John's clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around his waist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. KJV Matthew 3:4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. ESV Matthew 3:4 Now John wore a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. NIV Matthew 3:4 John's clothes were made of camel's hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. ASV Matthew 3:4 Now John himself had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his food was locusts and wild honey. CSB Matthew 3:4 John himself had a camel-hair garment with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. NKJ Matthew 3:4 And John himself was clothed in camel's hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. NRS Matthew 3:4 Now John wore clothing of camel's hair with a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. YLT Matthew 3:4 And this John had his clothing of camel's hair, and a girdle of skin round his loins, and his nourishment was locusts and honey of the field. NAB Matthew 3:4 John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. NJB Matthew 3:4 This man John wore a garment made of camel-hair with a leather loin-cloth round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. had a garment - Mt 11:8 2Ki 1:8 Zec 13:4 Mal 4:5 Mk 1:6 Lu 1:17 Rev 11:3 his food was locusts - Mt 11:18 Lev 11:22 wild honey - Dt 32:13 1Sa 14:25-27 Matthew 3 Resources - Multiple Sermons and Commentaries John the Baptist JOHN'S ODD CLOTHES AND UNUSUAL DIET Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist - "He was outfitted for survival in the wilderness—like a desert monk." (Barton) In the parallel description in Mark 1:6+ the verb "clothed" is in the perfect tense that indicates John's garb was not his occasional dress when he preached (like a pastor might put on a suit), but his permanent attire. He probably would not make the front cover of "GQ Magazine!" John's attire was a striking contrast to the flowing robes and lengthened phylacteries of the prideful Jewish religious leaders who do all their deeds to be noticed by men (Mt 23:5) John's distinctive dress would also presage a different declaration than that of the self-righteous Jewish leaders. Broadus writes that the "clothing of camel’s hair was a coarse cloth made by weaving camel’s hair, and such cloth is still often worn in the East by the poor." The wealthy of John's day wore girdles of costly linen or silk, often wrought with silver or gold. John scorned such embellishments preferring instead a simple leather belt. A leather belt is referred to in the KJV a leathern girdle which "was a necessary and almost universal part of an Oriental’s dress (Mt 10:9, Acts 21:11), being required to bind the long, loose robe (Mt 5:40), in order to active labor, or rapid locomotion, and it was often very costly and showy (cp. Rev. 1:13). John’s girdle was made of leather, cheap and rude, as was Elijah’s, (2 Ki 1:8)" (Broadus) "A camel hair garment bound with a leather belt might suggest poverty in another context, but here it is suggestive of John’s prophetic role and stern message of repentance....All in all, John’s clothing and diet modeled the message he preached. He was unconcerned with the niceties of wardrobe and food (Mt 11:8, 18), and he called Israel away from preoccupation with such things and toward the Kingdom." (David Turner) As D A Carson said "Both Elijah and John had stern ministries in which austere garb and diet confirmed their message and condemned the idolatry of physical and spiritual softness.” (EBC) Undoubtedly John's father had told him of the prophetic pronouncement over his life and ministry that he would "go as a forerunner before Him (MESSIAH) in the spirit and power of Elijah." (Lk 1:17+). THOUGHT - Would such an uncouth figure be welcome today in any pulpit in our cities? In the wilderness it did not matter. It was probably a matter of necessity with him, not an affectation. (Robertson) Also consider that some Jews undoubtedly came out of curiosity and heard a call to repent. Are unbelievers curious about your Christian lifestyle and values? As Peter exhorts the believers in his first epistle "Sanctify (aorist imperative) Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence" (1 Pe 3:15+, cf Ro 11:11NLT+). Garment (1742)(enduma from enduo = put on from en = in + duo = to sink) literally refers to clothing, especially an outer garment or cloak. In Mt 22:11-12 enduma refers to clothes that one wears to a wedding. Enduma refers to Jesus' clothing after His resurrection (Mt 28:3). Sheep's clothing in Mt 7:15 refers figuratively to false teachers. Enduma refers to clothing as something we should not be anxious about (Mt 6:25, 28, Lk 12:23). Used to describe the Lord Jesus when He returns and His "garments (Lxx = enduma) (are) like the one who treads in the wine press." (Isa 63:2). Enduma - 8x - clothes(2), clothing(5), garment(1). Mt. 3:4; Mt. 6:25; Mt. 6:28; Mt. 7:15; Mt. 22:11; Mt. 22:12; Mt. 28:3; Lk. 12:23. Enduma in the Septuagint - 2 Sa 1:24; 2 Sa 20:8; 2 Ki. 10:22; Ps. 69:11; Ps. 133:2; Pr 31:22; Isa. 63:2; Lam 4:14; Da 3:21; Da 7:9; Zeph 1:8; THOUGHT - John’s message was the message of a prophet: he dressed and ate as a prophet. The believer is to be disciplined and to live moderately (Lu. 9:23+; Ro. 12:1+) The believer’s dress and habits should be adapted to meet the needs of his people (POSB)