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Click a verse to see commentary1. Baptism, Temptation and Miracles
1The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. 2Even as it is written in Isaiah the prophet, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, Who shall prepare thy way. 3The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make ye ready the way of the Lord, Make his paths straight; 4John came, who baptized in the wilderness and preached the baptism of repentance unto remission of sins. 5And there went out unto him all the country of Judaea, and all they of Jerusalem; And they were baptized of him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. 6And John was clothed with camel's hair, and had a leathern girdle about his loins, and did eat locusts and wild honey. 7And he preached, saying, There cometh after me he that is mightier than I, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose. 8I baptized you in water; But he shall baptize you in the Holy Spirit. 9And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in the Jordan. 10And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens rent asunder, and the Spirit as a dove descending upon him: 11And a voice came out of the heavens, Thou art my beloved Son, in thee I am well pleased. 12And straightway the Spirit driveth him forth into the wilderness. 13And he was in the wilderness forty days tempted of Satan; And he was with the wild beasts; And the angels ministered unto him. 14Now after John was delivered up, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of God, 15and saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe in the gospel. 16And passing along by the sea of Galilee, he saw Simon and Andrew the brother of Simon casting a net in the sea; for they were fishers. 17And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men. 18And straightway they left the nets, and followed him. 19And going on a little further, he saw James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, who also were in the boat mending the nets. 20And straightway he called them: and they left their father Zebedee in the boat with the hired servants, and went after him. 21And they go into Capernaum; and straightway on the sabbath day he entered into the synagogue and taught. 22And they were astonished at his teaching: For he taught them as having authority, and not as the scribes. 23And straightway there was in their synagogue a man with an unclean spirit; and he cried out, 24saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus thou Nazarene? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God. 25And Jesus rebuked him, saying, Hold thy peace, and come out of him. 26And the unclean spirit, tearing him and crying with a loud voice, came out of him. 27And they were all amazed, insomuch that they questioned among themselves, saying, What is this? a new teaching! with authority he commandeth even the unclean spirits, and they obey him. 28And the report of him went out straightway everywhere into all the region of Galilee round about. 29And straightway, when they were come out of the synagogue, they came into the house of Simon and Andrew, with James and John. 30Now Simon's wife's mother lay sick of a fever; and straightway they tell him of her: 31and he came and took her by the hand, and raised her up; and the fever left her, and she ministered unto them. 32And at even, when the sun did set, they brought unto him all that were sick, and them that were possessed with demons. 33And all the city was gathered together at the door. 34And he healed many that were sick with divers diseases, and cast out many demons; and he suffered not the demons to speak, because they knew him. 35And in the morning, a great while before day, he rose up and went out, and departed into a desert place, and there prayed. 36And Simon and they that were with him followed after him; 37and they found him, and say unto him, All are seeking thee. 38And he saith unto them, Let us go elsewhere into the next towns, that I may preach there also; for to this end came I forth. 39And he went into their synagogues throughout all Galilee, preaching and casting out demons. 40And there cometh to him a leper, beseeching him, and kneeling down to him, and saying unto him, If thou wilt, thou canst make me clean. 41And being moved with compassion, he stretched forth his hand, and touched him, and saith unto him, I will; be thou made clean. 42And straightway the leprosy departed from him, and he was made clean. 43And he strictly charged him, and straightway sent him out, 44and saith unto him, See thou say nothing to any man: but go show thyself to the priest, and offer for thy cleansing the things which Moses commanded, for a testimony unto them. 45But he went out, and began to publish it much, and to spread abroad the matter, insomuch that Jesus could no more openly enter into a city, but was without in desert places: and they came to him from every quarter.
The Baptism of Jesus.
9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan. 10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him: 11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. 12 And immediately the Spirit driveth him into the wilderness. 13 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.
We have here a brief account of Christ's baptism and temptation, which were largely related Matt. iii. and iv.
I. His baptism, which was his first public appearance, after he had long lived obscurely in Nazareth. O how much hidden worth is there, which in this world is either lost in the dust of contempt and cannot be known, or wrapped up in the veil of humility and will not be known! But sooner or later it shall be known, as Christ's was.
1. See how humbly he owned God, by coming to be baptized of John; and thus it became him to fulfil all righteousness. Thus he took upon him the likeness of sinful flesh, that, though he was perfectly pure and unspotted, yet he was washed as if he had been polluted; and thus for our sakes he sanctified himself, that we also might be sanctified, and be baptized with him, John xvii. 19.
2. See how honourably God owned him, when he submitted to John's baptism. Those who justify God, and they are said to do, who were baptized with the baptism of John, he will glorify, Luke vii. 29, 30.
(1.) He saw the heavens opened; thus he was owned to be the Lord from heaven, and had a glimpse of the glory and joy that were set before him, and secured to him, as the recompence of his undertaking. Matthew saith, The heavens were opened to him. Mark saith, He saw them opened. Many have the heavens opened to receive them, but they do not see it; Christ had not only a clear foresight of his sufferings, but of his glory too.
(2.) He saw the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. Note, Then we may see heaven opened to us, when we perceive the Spirit descending and working upon us. God's good work in us is the surest evidence of his good will towards us, and his preparations for us. Justin Martyr says, that when Christ was baptized, a fire was kindled in Jordan: and it is an ancient tradition, that a great light shone round the place; for the Spirit brings both light and heat.
(3.) He heard a voice which was intended for his encouragement to proceed in his undertaking, and therefore it is here expressed as directed to him, Thou art my beloved Son. God lets him know, [1.] That he loved him never the less for that low and mean estate to which he had now humbled himself; "Though thus emptied and made of no reputation, yet he is my beloved Son still." [2.] That he loved him much the more for that glorious and kind undertaking in which he had now engaged himself. God is well pleased in him, as referee of all matters in controversy between him and man; and so well pleased in him, as to be well pleased with us in him.
II. His temptation. The good Spirit that descended upon him, led him into the wilderness, v. 12. Paul mentions it as a proof that he had his doctrine from God, and not from man—that, as soon as he was called, he went not to Jerusalem, but went into Arabia, Gal. i. 17. Retirement from the world is an opportunity of more free converse with God, and therefore must sometimes be chosen, for a while, even by those that are called to the greatest business. Mark observes this circumstance of his being in the wilderness—that he was with the wild beasts. It was an instance of his Father's care of him, that he was preserved from being torn in pieces by the wild beasts, which encouraged him the more that his Father would provide for him when he was hungry. Special protections are earnests of seasonable supplies. It was likewise an intimation to him of the inhumanity of the men of that generation, whom he was to live among—no better than wild beasts in the wilderness, nay abundantly worse. In that wilderness,
1. The evil spirits were busy with him; he was tempted of Satan; not by any inward injections (the prince of this world had nothing in him to fasten upon), but by outward solicitations. Solicitude often gives advantages to the tempter, therefore two are better than one. Christ himself was tempted, not only to teach us, that it is no sin to be tempted, but to direct us whither to go for succour when we are tempted, even to him that suffered, being tempted; that he might experimentally sympathize with us when we are tempted.
2. The good spirits were busy about him; the angels ministered to him, supplied him with what he needed, and dutifully attended him. Note, The ministration of the good angels about us, is matter of great comfort in reference to the malicious designs of the evil angels against us; but much more doth it befriend us, to have the indwelling of the spirit in our hearts, which they that have, are so born of God, that, as far as they are so, the evil one toucheth them not, much less shall be triumph over them.