John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-4)

“He was of priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of Abia (1 Chr. 24:10), and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the daughters of Aaron (Luke 1:5) . . . His birth, which took place six months before that of Jesus, was foretold by an angel. Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a token of God’s truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with reference to the birth of his son, had the power of speech restored to him on the occasion of his circumcision (Luke 1:64). After this no more is recorded of him for thirty years than what is mentioned in Luke 1:80. John was a Nazarite from his birth (Luke 1:15; Num. 6:1–12).” (Easton’s Bible Dictionary)

• “The Baptist” (ὁ βαπτιστὴς) is more appropriately translated “the baptizer.”

• John’s ministry was located in the wilderness of Judea, which refers to lower Jordan. This area was    mountainous and lay to the west of the Dead Sea. 

• John came preaching (κηρύσσων), which is the same word for preaching that is used throughout the NT. His message was: Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (v. 2).

→ “Repent” (μετανοεῖτε) means “to change one’s life, based on complete change of attitude and thought concerning sin and righteousness.” Confession and forsaking of sin is necessary.

→ “The Kingdom of Heaven” (ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν) appears 33 times times in the NT, all in the Book of Matthew. The similar phrase “heavenly kingdom” (τὴν βασιλείαν αὐτοῦ τὴν ἐπουράνιον) is used once in 2 Timothy 4:18. Elsewhere in the NT the term is “Kingdom of God.” 

• Verse 3 explains that Isaiah prophesied John’s ministry: "THE VOICE OF ONE CRYING IN THE WILDERNESS, 'MAKE READY THE WAY OF THE LORD, MAKE HIS PATHS STRAIGHT!'" (cf. Isa. 40:3).

• The point of this prophecy is that “John is thus heralding the beginning of the full restoration and blessing of God’s people. Just as roads were often repaired in the ancient world in preparation for royalty traveling on them, so John calls his listeners to rebuild highways of holiness (cf. Isa 35:8), i.e., to return to moral living in preparation for God’s coming in Jesus” (Blomberg, Matthew, vol. 22 NAC Commentary, 75).

• John’s clothing (garment of camel’s hair and leather belt), as well as his eating habits (locusts and wild honey) are reminiscent of the prophet Elijah: They answered him, “He was a hairy man with a  leather girdle bound about his loins.”And he said, “It is Elijah the  Tishbite.” (2 Kings 1:8).

Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming  of the great and terrible day of the LORD (Mal. 4:5).

“But I say to you that Elijah has indeed come, and they did to him whatever they wished, just as it is written of him.” (Mark 9:13).