Chapter III.
Third, on the nativity outside the womb in three ways.
1. In the fifteenth year etc. Above the Evangelist treated the mystery of the incarnation of Christ with regard to the nativity in the womb and from the womb: here he treats of it with regard to the nativity outside the womb, according to that saying of Ambrose, who says that he was reborn by the Sacraments, namely when he was baptized. And this part has three sections, in the first of which he treats of the baptism and preaching of John in general regard to the whole people: in the second, in special regard to special persons, there: And they asked him etc.
In the third, in singular regard to Christ, there: And it came to pass, while he was being baptized. And the order is clear, because the general directs to the special, the special to the singular.
First, on the baptism and preaching of John in general with regard to three things.
With regard to the first it should be noted that the doctrine and preaching of John is commended on three grounds: first, from the opportuneness of the time: second, from the authority of the office, there: The word of the Lord came etc.; third, from the severity of zeal, there: He said therefore to the crowds etc. The first regards what is outside, the second, what is above, the third, what is within. And thus in every way his preaching and doctrine is perfect.
The preaching of John is first commended with regard to the opportuneness of the time in three ways.
With regard to the first it should be noted that the opportuneness of the time is gathered from three things, namely from the union of the Roman Empire, from the partition of the Jewish kingdom and from the division of the Levitical priesthood: from which the opportuneness of the time is gathered, because John was announcing him who was scattering the synagogue of the Jews and gathering the varieties of the nations into the unity of the Church.
2. (Verse 1). With regard to the union of the empire it is said: In the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, in which, namely, the time of the coming of Christ had already arrived, because, namely, before Tiberius there were Julius and Pompey; and Julius crushed Pompey, and after these Tiberius succeeded. And thus that saying of Daniel, chapter two, concerning the fourth kingdom, namely of the Romans, had already been verified, that "it was partly solid and partly crushed"; and therefore it was the time for the verification of what follows in the same place: "In those days the God of heaven will raise up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed, and its power shall not be delivered to another people."
3. As for the partition of the Jewish kingdom, there is added: Pontius Pilate being procurator of Judea, under whom, namely, the Lord was crucified, according to what the history of all the Evangelists narrates; and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee: this was the one under whom the Lord was also crucified, below in the twenty-third chapter, and who killed John the Baptist, according to what is said in Matthew fourteen, because he said to him: "It is not lawful for you to have the wife of Philip, your brother"; concerning which Philip it is added: Philip, his brother, being tetrarch of the region of Iturea and Trachonitis. And thus that word of Isaiah one was already verified: "Strangers devour your land before your face"; and Proverbs twenty-eight: "Because of the sins of the land, many are its princes." And therefore there is added: And Lysanias being tetrarch of Abilene, that is, of another region, which was a fourth part of the kingdom. For a tetrarchy is called a fourth part of a kingdom; for it is derived from tetra, which means four, and archos, which means rule. For when Archelaus, the son of Herod the Great, was deported into exile at Lyons on account of his pride, the kingdom was divided into four tetrarchies, so that the pride of the Jews might thus be diminished. Whence Bede: "Three tetrarchies were governed by the three sons of Herod the Great, under whom the Lord was born. Pilate, however, was procurator of the other tetrarchy." And note that there were two men named Lysanias: one the son of Hyrcanus, about whom Josephus writes; and the other of Herod, about whom Bede speaks.
4. (Verse 2). As for the division of the priesthood, there is added: Under the high priests Annas and Caiaphas, who, moved by ambition, as Bede says, were purchasing the high priesthood from the Romans. Whence, because according to Bede and Josephus priests were no longer being instituted through anointing but through earthly power, therefore the priestly anointing and the royal anointing had ceased. Already, therefore, the time had come for Christ to arrive, according to that passage in the penultimate chapter of Genesis: "The scepter shall not be taken away from Judah," etc. — Likewise, the anointing of the Levitical priesthood had already ceased, and therefore it was the time for the "priest according to the order of Melchizedek" to come, so that that word of Isaiah twenty-two might be fulfilled, which was spoken concerning the Levitical priesthood and the priesthood of Christ: "I will expel you from your station and depose you from your ministry"; and afterwards, concerning Christ in figure: "And it shall be in that day, I will call my servant Eliakim and I will clothe him with your robe"; and below: "And I will lay the key of David upon his shoulder." In this it is shown that this Eliakim must be king and priest, which was fulfilled in Christ alone, who was "a priest according to the order of Melchizedek," who was at once king and priest, according to that passage in Hebrews seven. And because "when the priesthood is transferred, it is necessary that a transfer of the Law also be made," already it was the time for the Gospel to be preached; and at such a time the Gospel ought to have begun and been preached starting from the preaching of John.
5. It is therefore clear how sufficiently, according to the Scriptures, the Evangelist showed the opportune time in the coming of Christ and the preaching of the precursor, which the blind Jews did not see. Therefore Jeremiah 8: "The kite in the sky has known its time; the turtledove and the swallow and the stork have kept the time of their coming; but my people have not known the judgment of the Lord"; and below in the twelfth chapter: "Hypocrites, you know how to test the face of the sky and the earth, but how do you not test this time?" — Moreover, they could have known this time not only through the Scriptures, but also through the very events carried out in those times, according to what Gregory says: "It is clear that Judea had come to its end, which lay subject, divided among so many rulers." And since they were already subject to a foreign empire, it was already time for the Lord to restore the Israelite kingdom, which he had promised to establish forever in every way. — It is also clear how reasonably the Evangelist, although he intends to treat of the priesthood of Christ, nevertheless announces the time of kings and priests, so as to show that Christ's priesthood and kingdom are joined together: and through both the time of his coming is proven; and at once the kingdom of the Jews and of the Gentiles, because he had come to unite both together into one; likewise the former divided and the latter one, because the fullness of the Gentiles was to enter in and the multitude of the Jews was to be scattered on account of the sin of unbelief.
The preaching of John is secondly commended from the authority of his office in two ways.
6. The word came to pass etc. Here the preaching of John is commended from the authority of his office, which the Evangelist first commends from itself; and secondly, from prophetic attestation, at the passage: As it is written etc. — As to the first, it should be noted that the authority entrusted to John is commended on three grounds, namely: from the gift of heavenly grace, from the ministry of humble obedience, and from the sign of sacramental remedy.
7. As for the gift of heavenly grace, it is said: The word of the Lord came upon John, the son of Zechariah, in the desert. It came, namely through divine inspiration, and therefore it says: Upon John: because, in Second Peter 1, "Inspired by the Holy Spirit, the holy men of God spoke." Whence upon signifies authority, according to that passage of Isaiah 61: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me; he has sent me to announce to the meek." And for this he was worthy by reason of the gift of divine grace; therefore it says: Upon John, "in whom, namely, is grace," because in Wisdom 7 it is said that "wisdom transfers itself into holy souls." — Worthy also by the merit of his father, and therefore it says: The son of Zechariah: whence that passage of Tobit 7 could be said to him: "Blessing be upon you, my son, because you are the son of a good and excellent man." — Worthy also by the merit of his own virtue: whence it says: In the desert, in a harsh and hard place: Deuteronomy 32: "He found him in a desert land, in a place of horror," etc.; and Hosea 13: "I knew you in the desert, in a land of solitude"; in which land the word of God was accustomed to come to man, as to Moses: Exodus 3: "He called him from the midst of the bush," etc., when "he drove the flock to the interior of the desert"; Hosea 2: "I will lead her into the wilderness, and there I will speak to her heart."
8. (Verse 3). As for the ministry of humble obedience, it is added: And he came into the whole region of the Jordan. Whence Chrysostom says: "John came as the preparer and faithful herald of the great King." And then was fulfilled that passage of Malachi 3: "Behold, I send my Angel, and he will prepare your way." And he says pointedly: Into the whole region, to signify true obedience, which makes no exceptions but is ready for all things: Jeremiah 1: "To all things to which I shall send you, you shall go," etc.
9. As for the sign of sacramental medicine, it is added: Preaching the baptism of repentance, as is said in Acts 19: "John baptized the people with the baptism of repentance." He calls it the baptism of repentance because it instructed unto repentance; Matthew 3: "Jerusalem and all Judea went out to him, and they were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins." But although it instructed unto repentance, nevertheless it did not effect the remission of sins, but prepared for that baptism. And therefore it is added: For the remission of sins, that is, unto the baptism of Christ, in which is remission: whence Acts 2: "Let each one of you be baptized in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins." And concerning this Zechariah 13 says: "There shall be a fountain open to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for the washing of the sinner and of the unclean"; and Ezekiel 36: "I will pour clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your defilements," etc.
10. (Verse 4.). As it is written etc. Here the authority of John is commended from the prophetic attestation, in which John preaching is shown to have the office of arousing, admonishing, and consoling. - He is shown, I say, first to have the office of arousing through exclamation: and therefore it is said: As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet: The voice of one crying in the wilderness: for this is written in Isaiah forty. Moreover, John is called a voice, because, just as the voice precedes the word, so John preceded Christ: and the voice of one crying, because it arouses the sleeping, that they may awaken to the light, according to that passage in Isaiah fifty-eight: "Cry out, cease not, lift up your voice like a trumpet"; and Job thirty-seven: "The Lord will thunder wondrously with his voice," "and he shall not be searched out, when his voice has been heard." This is the voice of which it is said in the Psalm: "The voice of the Lord is upon the waters, the God of majesty has thundered." Whence John, in John one, responded to those asking: "I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness." The voice therefore is an expressive sign of the word: whence the prophecies of others were as it were a nod with respect to Christ, but John's was as it were a voice with respect to the Word, because he showed him visibly.
11. It is also shown secondly that he has the office of admonishing through exhortation, when it is added: Prepare the way of the Lord, namely through the observance of the commandments. Psalm: "I have run the way of your commandments"; and Baruch 3: "If you had walked in the way of God, you would surely have dwelt in peace upon the earth." Make straight his paths, through the observance of the counsels: Proverbs 4: "I have shown you the way of wisdom and led you through the paths of equity, which when you have entered, your steps shall not be straitened, and running you shall have no stumbling block"; Isaiah 26: "The path of the just is right, the right way of the just to walk in," etc. Psalm: "Direct me in the path of your commandments," etc. — Make straight, namely the intentions: Job 1: "And that man was simple and upright and fearing God and departing from evil." — The thoughts: Psalm: "The innocent and the upright have adhered to me"; and Ecclesiastes 7: "This I have found, that God made man upright." — The affections: Song of Songs 1: "The upright love you"; and Psalm: "How good is the God of Israel to those who are upright of heart"! — The words: Proverbs 8: "All my words are just; they are right to those who understand." — The actions: Proverbs 20: "By his pursuits a child is known, whether his works are clean and right"; Job 8: "If you walk clean and upright, he will presently awake unto you." — The sufferings: Job 4: "Remember, I beseech you, who ever perished being innocent? Or when were the upright destroyed?" — The rewards: Proverbs 11: "The justice of the upright shall deliver them." For justice, according to Tully, is "the constant and perpetual will to render to each one his right." — Those who walk by these rectitudes are understood through those living creatures of which Ezekiel 1 says: "Their feet were straight," etc.
12. (Vers. 5.). It is also shown thirdly to have the office of consoling through promise, when it is added: Every valley etc.; in which he foretells the effect of Christ's coming with respect to the humble just, with respect to sinners, and with respect to all. - Because he will exalt the humble; on account of which it is said: Every valley shall be filled, that is, the humble one: Psalm: "The valleys shall abound with grain"; above in the first chapter: "He has exalted the humble"; below in the eighteenth chapter: "Everyone who humbles himself shall be exalted." The figure of this is in Fourth Kings, chapter four, where Elisha filled the empty vessels. - He will humble the proud; on account of which is added: And every mountain and hill shall be brought low: Isaiah forty-five: "I will go before you and will humble the glorious ones of the earth"; Job forty: "Look upon every arrogant one and humble him." - He will set straight those who go astray: on account of which he adds: And the crooked shall be made straight: Bede: That is, the hearts of the wicked, twisted through injustice, shall be made straight, that is, they shall be directed to the rule of justice: Proverbs sixteen: "Reveal your works to the Lord, and your thoughts shall be directed." This moreover is against hypocrites, who hide their counsels from the Lord: Second Thessalonians three: "But may the Lord direct your hearts" etc. - He will calm the turbulent: on account of which he says: And the rough ways into smooth paths, that is, wrathful minds shall be converted to meekness; Isaiah eleven: "The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid: the calf and the lion and the sheep shall abide together."
13. (Vers. 6.). He will illuminate all who approach: on account of which he adds: And all flesh shall see the salvation of God, that is, from every kind of flesh, as the distribution gives for the classes of individuals, according to that of the Psalm: "All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God";
In Isaiah forty, after the aforementioned words, it is added: "And all flesh together shall see that the mouth of the Lord has spoken." But in the fifty-second chapter it is said: "All the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God." And note that the very same one who is the mouth or Word of the Father according to his Divinity, is the salvation according to his humanity.
The preaching of John is commended for the severity of his zeal.
14. He said therefore to the crowds etc. Here the preaching of John is commended for the severity of his zeal. And because piety ought to be joined to severity, therefore first a rebuke is set forth; second, an exhortation is added, at the words: Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of penance; third, a threat is subjoined, at the words: For now the axe is laid to the root etc. The rebuke is of fault, the admonition is of penance, but the threat is of penal punishment. - The rebuke moreover is concerning two things, namely concerning the certain malice of fault and concerning the ignorance or inconsideration of punishment.
15. (Vers. 7.). He rebukes therefore concerning the certain malice of fault under the metaphor of the viper, when it is said: He said therefore to the crowds that went out to be baptized by him: Brood of vipers, etc. And note that he compares them to vipers on account of a threefold property: "For the viper, when it has bitten a man, immediately runs to water: so these, confessing mortal sins, were running to baptism." Against which, Sirach thirty-four: "He who is baptized from the dead and again touches the dead, what does his washing profit"? Likewise, the broods of vipers are born by rupturing the maternal entrails: so these, by persecuting the Prophets, violated their maternal entrails: Matthew twenty-three: "You are witnesses against yourselves that you are sons of those who killed the Prophets." "Serpents, brood of vipers, how will you flee from the judgment of Gehenna"? "Likewise, outwardly they are beautiful and as if painted, but inwardly filled with venom"; so also these: Matthew twenty-three: "You are like whitewashed sepulchres, which outwardly appear beautiful to men, but inwardly are full of the bones of the dead".