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and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead who sought the young child's 21 life. And he arose, and took the young child

and his mother, and came into the land of 22 Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus* reigned in Judea, in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither; and being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside 23 into the country of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene. †

CHAP. III.

1 IN those dayst came John the Baptist 2 preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent; for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.§

*

cruel.

Josephus represents this prince also as jealous and

None of the prophets have expressly called Christ a Nazarene But many have described him as such; that is, one devoted to God and religion. See Judges xiii. 5. Acts xx. Num. vi. Some consider it as a term of reproach, proverbially applied, Nazareth being an obscure place.

‡ That is, after the events took place mentioned 4 the former chapter; for our Savior was nearly thirty years old

now."

§ This evangelist often uses the phrase, "kingdom of heaven," to denote the gospel dispensation. The expression is meant to designate the Messiah's kingdom or reign ; which was then about to commence; which the devout Jews were then expecting, and which their holy prophets had long before described.

3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, 4 make his paths straight." And the same John had his raiment of camels' hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins: and his meat was locusts 5 and wild honey.* Then went out to him the people of Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the 6 country about Jordan, and were baptized of him in Jordan,† confessing their sins.‡

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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned 8 you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore the proper fruits of repentance :§ ? And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham for our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up 10 children unto Abraham.¶ And now also the

* In his costume and manner of living, as well as in his exhortations, John was like the ancient Jewish prophet Elijah. He came, indeed, in the power and spirit of that holy man, and announced to the degenerate Jews the approach of the Messiah's reign. But they were so worldly and carnal in their views, that they mistook his character, and rejected his doctrines.

†The word translated in, may be rendered at or by. This baptism was a sign of repentance, and prepara tory to the gospel dispensation, and not appropriately the Christian baptism.

To prove your repentance sincere.

The Jews boasted of being the descendants of Abraham, and thought themselves in no need of instruction or improvement.

That is, God is able now to raise up as great and good men as Abraham was.

ax is laid unto the root of the trees; therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit, 11 is hewn down, and cast into the fire.* 1 indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and 12 with fire.t Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

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Then Jesus cometh from Galilee to Jordan 14 unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptiz15 ed of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering, said unto him, Suffer it to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all 16 righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up immediately from the water and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting 17 upon him. And lo, a voice from heaven,

* A time of reformation and judgment was approaching; and those who should remain unbelieving and impenitent would be destroyed.

With the miraculous gifts of the Spirit, and its sanctifying influences.

To observe every ordinance of God.

§ This extraordinary testimony was given in favor of Christ, several other times in the course of his mission. This voice from heaven the Jews called Bath Col, and is mentioned by their Rabbis as oue mode of evmmunication from God to man.

saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

1

CHAP. IV.

THEN Jesus was led by the spirit into the wilderness,* to be tempted of the devil. 2 And when he had fasted forty days and forty 3 nights, he was afterward hungry. And when the tempter came to him, he said, If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be 4 made bread. But he answered and said, It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the 5 mouth of God. Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pin6 nacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee; and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy 7 foot against a stone. Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shall not tempt the 8 Lord thy God. Again the devil taketh him up into an exceedingly high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, 9 and the glory of them; and saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt 10 fall down and worship me. Then Jesus saith unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is

*That is, solitary and retired places.

written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy 11 God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and behold, angels came and ministered unto him.*

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Now, when Jesus had heard that John was cast into prison, he departed into Galilee. 13 And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is upon the sea coast, in the borders of Zabulon, and Nephthalim:† 14 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken 15 by Isaiah the prophet, saying, The land of Zabulon, and the land of Nephthalim, by the way of the sea, beyond Jordan, Galilee of the Gen16 tiles The people which sat in darkness, saw great light; and to them which sat in the region and shadow of death, light is sprung up.

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From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.‡

* Some crities suppose, that by this account is to be understood no more than this, that Christ was under strong temptations to exert his miraculous ability for his own pleasure and honor, and to direct his supernatural power to the purposes of ambition and wealth, &c. but that he resisted every suggestion of this kind, making it his great and constant business to do the will of GoD, and employing the power given him to the honor and glory of Gon, and the good of men :-And is not this the true meaning? Thus figuratively and allegorically, probably, we are to understand the account of Adam's and Job's temptations.

In the distant parts of Judea, bordering on the territory of heathens, where the people were more ignorant than in other parts of the holy land.

+ Daniel prophesied of a new kingdom, a new dispensation of religion; and the Jews were at this time expecting the Messiah.

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