Matthew 3:1 (WEB)
In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
Fathers and councils · 38
Augustine of Hippo
“…be called a Nazarene,—Matthew proceeds immediately to give us this recital: “In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judæa,” etc. And Mark, who has told us nothing of the nativity or infancy or youth of the Lord, has made his Gospel begin with the same event,—that is to say, with the…” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 1.
Read the whole comment“For this is He that is spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His paths straight.” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 1–3.
Read the whole comment“For thus it is written, “In those days came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judæa, saying, Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 1, 2.
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John Chrysostom
“Matt. III. 1, 2.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment“So also when it is said, “In those days cometh John the Baptist,”he is not speaking of the time that should straightway follow, but that many years after, and that in which these things were done, of which He was about to speak.” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 1. See the comment on that place.
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
“As above, the Evangelist said, “In those days came John the Baptist,” [Matt 3:1] not implying immediately after what had gone before, but thirty years after; so here, when He says, “Then,” He passes over the whole interval of time between the taking of Jerusalem and the beginnings of the consummation of the world.” — the author cites it
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The Sun as he approaches the horizon, and before he is yet visible, sends out his rays and makes the eastern sky to glow with light, that Aurora going before may herald the coming day. Thus the Lord at His birth in…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
In these words we have not only time, place, and person, respecting St. John, but also his office and employment. First the time, generally; “In those days.”
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Luke describes the time by the reigning sovereigns. [Luke 3:1] But Matthew must be understood to speak of a wider space of time by the phrase ‘those days,’ than the fifteenth year of Tiberius. Having related Christ’s…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
The man is mentioned in the words “came John,” that is, shewed himself, having abode so long in obscurity.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
But why must John thus go before Christ with a witness of deeds preaching Him? First; that we might hence learn Christ’s dignity, that He also, as the Father has, has prophets, in the words of Zacharias, “And thou,…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
His office; “the Baptist;” in this he prepared the way of the Lord, for had not men been used to be baptized, they would have shunned Christ’s baptism. His employment; “Preaching.”
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
For because Christ was to preach, as soon as it seemed the fit time, that is, about thirty years of age, he began by his preaching to make ready the way for the Lord.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
The place; “the desert of Judaea.”
Read the whole comment - Maximus the ConfessorCatena Aurea on Matthew
Where neither a noisy mob would interrupt his preaching, and whither no unbelieving hearer would retire; but those only would hear, who sought to his preaching from motives of divine worship.
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
consider how the salvation of God, and the glory of the Lord, is preached not in Jerusalem, but in the solitude of the Church, in the wilderness to multitudes.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, he came to Judaea, desert by the absence of God, not of population, that the place of preaching might witness the few to whom the preaching was sent.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
The desert typically means a life removed from the temptations of the world, such as befits the penitent.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
Unless one repent him of his former life, he cannot begin a new life.
Read the whole comment - Hilary of PoitiersCatena Aurea on Matthew
He therefore preaches repentance when the Kingdom of Heaven approaches; by which we return from error, we escape from sin, and after shame for our faults, we make profession of forsaking them.
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
In the very commencement he shews himself the messenger of a merciful Prince; he comes not with threats to the offender, but with offers of mercy. It is a custom with kings to proclaim a general pardon on the birth…
Read the whole comment - JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
John Baptist is the first to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, that the forerunner of the Lord may have this honourable privilege.
Read the whole comment - John ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
And he preaches what the Jews had never heard, not even from the Prophets, Heaven, namely, and the Kingdom that is there, and of the kingdoms of the earth he says nothing. Thus by the novelty of those things of which…
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
“The Kingdom of Heaven” has a fourfold meaning. It is said, of Christ, as “The Kingdom of God is within you.” [Luke 17:21] Of Holy Scripture, as, “The Kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and shall be given to a…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
“The Kingdom of Heaven” shall come nigh you; for if it approached not, none would be able to gain it; for weak and blind they had not the way, which was Christ.
Read the whole comment - Augustine of HippoCatena Aurea on Matthew
The other Evangelists omit these words of John. What follows, “This is He, &c.” it is not clear whether the Evangelist speaks them in his own person, or whether they are part of John’s preaching, and the whole from…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
It is well known that the Only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father; as in John, “In the beginning was the Word.” [John 1:1] But it is by our own speech that we are known; the voice sounds that the words may…
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
The voice is a confused sound, discovering no secret of the heart, only signifying that he who utters it desires to say somewhat; it is the word that is the speech that openeth the mystery of the heart. Voice is…
Read the whole comment - Rabanus MaurusCatena Aurea on Matthew
He is rightly called, “The voice of one crying,” on account of the loud sound of his preaching. Three things cause a man to speak loud; when the person he speaks to is at a distance, or is deaf, or if the speaker be…
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
John then is, as it were, the voice of the word crying. The word is heard by the voice, that is, Christ by John.
Read the whole comment - BedeCatena Aurea on Matthew
In like manner has He cried from the beginning through the voice of all who have spoken aught by inspiration. And yet is John only called, “The voice;” because the Word which others shewed after off, he declares as nigh.
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Crying in the desert,” because he shews to deserted and forlorn Judaea the approaching consolation of her Redeemer.
Read the whole comment - Remigius of AuxerreCatena Aurea on Matthew
Though as far as historical fact is concerned, he chose the desert, to be removed from the crowds of people. What the purport of his cry was is insinuated, when he adds, “Make ready the way of the Lord.”
Read the whole comment - Pseudo-ChrysostomCatena Aurea on Matthew
As a great King going on a progress is preceded by couriers to cleanse what is foul, repair what is broken down; so John preceded the Lord to cleanse the human heart from the filth of sin, by the besom of repentance,…
Read the whole comment - Gregory the GreatCatena Aurea on Matthew
Every one who preacheth right faith and good works, prepares the Lord’s way to the hearts of the hearers, and makes His paths straight, in cleansing the thoughts by the word of good preaching.
Read the whole comment - Glossa OrdinariaCatena Aurea on Matthew
Or, faith is the way by which the word reaches the heart; when the life is amended the paths are made straight.
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Tertullian
“John holds not his peace, saying, “Enter upon repentance, for now shall salvation approach the nations”—the Lord, that is, bringing salvation according to God’s promise.” — editor's note: Comp. Matt. iii. 1, 2; Mark i. 4; Luke iii. 4–6.
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Catena Aurea on Mark
- Theophylact of OhridCatena Aurea on Mark
“But when He says, “then,” think not that it means immediately after these things are fulfilled about Jerusalem; as Matthew also says after the birth of Christ, “In those days came John the Baptist;” [Matt 3:1] does he mean immediately after the birth of Christ?” — the author cites it
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Cross-references · 28
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 3:1–3 (5) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 24:23–28 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Theophylact of Ohrid on Mark 13:21–27 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 3:1–3 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Augustine of Hippo on Matthew 3:1–3 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 3:1–3 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in John Chrysostom on Matthew 3:1–3 (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.