Matthew 3:4 - The Mission of John the Baptist

John wore a garment of camel’s hair
John the Baptist's clothing is reminiscent of the prophet Elijah, who also wore a garment of hair and a leather belt (2 Kings 1:8). This connection is significant because John is often seen as the forerunner to Christ, fulfilling the prophecy of Elijah's return (Malachi 4:5-6). Camel's hair was a coarse material, indicating John's ascetic lifestyle and his separation from the comforts of society. This attire symbolized his prophetic role and his call to repentance, aligning with the tradition of prophets who often lived on the fringes of society to deliver God's message.

with a leather belt around his waist
The leather belt further emphasizes John's connection to Elijah, reinforcing his role as a prophet in the tradition of the Old Testament. In biblical times, a leather belt was practical for securing garments and carrying small items, reflecting John's simple and utilitarian lifestyle. This detail highlights John's focus on his mission rather than material wealth or status, embodying the call to repentance and humility.

His food was locusts and wild honey
Locusts were considered a permissible food according to Levitical law (Leviticus 11:22), and they were a common source of protein in the region. Wild honey, likely gathered from bees in the wilderness, provided natural sweetness and sustenance. John's diet underscores his ascetic lifestyle and his reliance on God's provision in the wilderness. This choice of food also connects to the theme of living simply and being sustained by God, paralleling the Israelites' experience in the desert. John's lifestyle and diet serve as a physical manifestation of his message of repentance and preparation for the coming Messiah.

Persons / Places / Events

1. John the Baptist
A prophetic figure and forerunner to Jesus Christ, known for his ascetic lifestyle and powerful preaching of repentance and baptism for the forgiveness of sins.

2. The Wilderness
The setting for John's ministry, symbolizing a place of spiritual preparation and encounter with God, reminiscent of Israel's time in the desert.

3. Camel’s Hair Garment
A rough, humble attire that signifies John's prophetic role, echoing the attire of Old Testament prophets like Elijah.

4. Leather Belt
A simple accessory that further emphasizes John's ascetic lifestyle and connection to the prophetic tradition.

5. Locusts and Wild Honey
The diet of John, highlighting his reliance on God's provision and his separation from worldly comforts.

Teaching Points

Prophetic Identity
John's attire and lifestyle were not just personal choices but were deeply symbolic, connecting him to the prophetic tradition and emphasizing his role as a herald of the Messiah.

Simplicity and Focus
John's simple lifestyle serves as a model for Christians to prioritize spiritual over material wealth, focusing on God's mission rather than worldly comforts.

Repentance and Preparation
Just as John prepared the way for Jesus, believers are called to prepare their hearts through repentance and spiritual discipline.

Reliance on God
John's diet of locusts and wild honey illustrates a life of dependence on God's provision, encouraging believers to trust in God's care and sustenance.

Counter-Cultural Witness
John's life challenges Christians to live counter-culturally, bearing witness to the truth of the Gospel through distinct and holy living.

Lists and Questions

Top 10 Lessons from Matthew 3Is John’s attire of camel hair and his diet of locusts and wild honey historically realistic, or does it contradict local cultural practices? (Matthew 3:4) Who was John the Baptist and what was his role?What did John mean by "Repent, Kingdom of Heaven near"?What is the connection between John the Baptist and Elijah?

(4) His raiment of camel's hair.--The dress was probably deliberately adopted by the Baptist as reviving the outward appearance of Elijah, who was "a hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather" (2Kings 1:8); and the "rough garment," that had been characteristic of the prophet's life even at a later period (Zechariah 13:4), as contrasted with the "long garments" of the Pharisees (Mark 12:38), and the "gorgeous apparel" of the scribes who attached themselves to the court of Herod (Luke 7:25). The Nazarite vow of Luke 1:15 probably involved long and shaggy hair as well.

Locusts and wild honey.--Locusts were among the articles of food permitted by the Law (Leviticus 11:21), and were and are still used by the poor in Palestine and Syria. They are commonly salted and dried, and may be cooked in various ways, pounded, or fried in butter, and they taste like shrimps. It is needless, when the facts are so clear, to go out of the way to seek the food of the Baptist in the sweet pods of the so-called locust-tree (Ceratonia Siliqua), with which it has been sometimes identified. The "wild honey" was that found in the hollows of trees (as in the history of Jonathan, 1Samuel 14:25), or in the "rocks" (Deuteronomy 32:13; Psalm 81:16). Stress is laid on the simplicity of the Baptist's fare, requiring no skill or appliances, the food of the poorest wanderer in the wilderness, presenting a marked contrast to the luxury of the dwellers in towns. The life of Banus, the hermit-master of Josephus, who lived only on herbs and water (Life, c. 2) presented analogous though not identical features. . . .

Verse 4. - With this verse we begin to meet with matter peculiar to Matthew and Mark. And the same John (αὐτὸς δὲ ὁ Ἰωάνης). (For the phrase, cf. Mark 6:17 Luke 3:23.)

(1) If the Revised Version "Now John himself," holds good, the phrase seems to mean that not only did Isaiah speak of him in terms that implied that he was the forerunner of Messiah, the true Elijah (Mark 1:2), but also he himself had his very food and dress consistent with his office.

(2) But it is safer, with Thayer's 'Grimm' (1:2, a), to take αὐτός as merely recalling the person before mentioned. "Now he, whom I spoke of, John" (cf. 2 Chronicles 32:30). Had; during all that time (εϊχεν). His habitual dress, etc., was as follows. Of (ἀπό) camel's hair. Not, as Dgr Old Lat. a in the parallel passage in Mark, δέῥῤην, pellem, "a camel's hide," but coarse cloth made from the hair. So probably," hairy man" (2 Kings 1:8; el. Zechariah 13:4). And a leathern girdle. Probably of sheep or goatskin, worn over the garment. Mentioned because

(1) it formed another point of similarity to Elijah (2 Kings 1:8); . . . Parallel Commentaries ...

Greek

John
Ἰωάννης (Iōannēs)
Noun - Nominative Masculine Singular
Strong's 2491: Of Hebrew origin; Joannes, the name of four Israelites.

wore
εἶχεν (eichen)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 2192: To have, hold, possess. Including an alternate form scheo skheh'-o; a primary verb; to hold.

a garment
ἔνδυμα (endyma)
Noun - Accusative Neuter Singular
Strong's 1742: A garment, raiment, clothing. From enduo; apparel.

of
ἀπὸ (apo)
Preposition
Strong's 575: From, away from. A primary particle; 'off, ' i.e. Away, in various senses.

camel’s
καμήλου (kamēlou)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Singular
Strong's 2574: A camel or dromedary. Of Hebrew origin; a 'camel'.

hair,
τριχῶν (trichōn)
Noun - Genitive Feminine Plural
Strong's 2359: Hair (of the head or of animals). Genitive case trichos, etc. of uncertain derivation; hair.

with
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

[a] leather
δερματίνην (dermatinēn)
Adjective - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 1193: Made of hide, leathern. From derma; made of hide.

belt
ζώνην (zōnēn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 2223: Probably akin to the base of zugos; a belt; by implication, a pocket.

around
περὶ (peri)
Preposition
Strong's 4012: From the base of peran; properly, through, i.e. Around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time.

his
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

waist.
ὀσφὺν (osphyn)
Noun - Accusative Feminine Singular
Strong's 3751: The loins. Of uncertain affinity; the loin, i.e. The hip; internally procreative power.

His
αὐτοῦ (autou)
Personal / Possessive Pronoun - Genitive Masculine 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 846: He, she, it, they, them, same. From the particle au; the reflexive pronoun self, used of the third person, and of the other persons.

food
τροφὴ (trophē)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Singular
Strong's 5160: Food, nourishment, maintenance. From trepho; nourishment; by implication, rations.

was
ἦν (ēn)
Verb - Imperfect Indicative Active - 3rd Person Singular
Strong's 1510: I am, exist. The first person singular present indicative; a prolonged form of a primary and defective verb; I exist.

locusts
ἀκρίδες (akrides)
Noun - Nominative Feminine Plural
Strong's 200: A locust. Apparently from the same as akron; a locust.

and
καὶ (kai)
Conjunction
Strong's 2532: And, even, also, namely.

wild
ἄγριον (agrion)
Adjective - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 66: Wild, fierce. From agros; wild, literally or figuratively.

honey.
μέλι (meli)
Noun - Nominative Neuter Singular
Strong's 3192: Honey. Apparently a primary word; honey.

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