Matthew 3:2 (WEB)
“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
Fathers and councils · 47
Jerome
“John the Baptist cries in the desert, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”; and concerning the Saviour it is written, “From that time He began to preach and to say, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: S. Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“John the Baptist cries in the desert: “repent ye; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“For it is of us that the words are said: “Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
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John Cassian
- John Cassian, Conferences XVIII–XXIV XX.8Conference XX
“…says: “Repent and be converted that your sins may be forgiven;” and John the Baptist and the Lord Himself: “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand:” but also by the affection of love is the weight of our sins overwhelmed: for “charity covers a multitude of sins.”” — editor's note: Acts iii. 19; S. Matt. iii. 2.
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Augustine of Hippo
“But because Thy Spirit was “borne over the waters,” Thy mercy forsook not our misery, and Thou saidst, “Let there be light,” “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“Whither flee we, when this sword hath been brandished, “Repent, for near hath drawn the kingdom of Heaven”?” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“Hear of the Lord raining upon her: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“For they are not shut out, nor separated from His Church: nor would He make the Church His spouse, unless by words like these: “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“Then Christ our Lord, “dying for our sins, rising again for our justification,” filling the faithful with His Holy Spirit, sending forth men to proclaim throughout the Gentiles, “Repent ye,” etc. Behold, “He hath magnified His holy Name above all things.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
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.
Read the whole comment“In like manner too John the Baptist and His forerunner began thus; “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“To this tree then is it said, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2.
Read the whole comment“This takes place now, since He has spoken, first by the mouth of his forerunner John, and afterward by His own mouth, saying, “Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”” — editor's note: Matt. iii. 2; iv. 17.
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John Chrysostom
“Matt. III. 1, 2.” — the author cites it
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Catena Aurea on Matthew
- JeromeCatena Aurea on Matthew
“Or surely that kingdom which both John and the Lord Himself had preached above, “Repent ye, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” [Matt 3:2, 4:17]” — 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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Cross-references · 29
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49 and 1 other place.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 12:27–28 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 3:1–3 (5) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
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 Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in Sermons on New Testament Lessons Sermon 59.
Cited together in Remigius of Auxerre on Matthew 3:1–3 (5) (Catena Aurea) and 2 other places.
Cited together in Jerome on Matthew 12:27–28 (2) (Catena Aurea).
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in On Repentance Chapter 2.
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in The City of God XVIII.49.
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.
Cited together in Confessions XIII.12.