Matthew 3:17 - Exposition

Lo ; peculiar to St. Matthew—a reminiscence of Aramaic diction. A voice . Similarly in Matthew 17:5 (Transfiguration, cf. 2 Peter 1:17 , 2 Peter 1:18 ); John 12:28 (like thunder); [possibly Acts 2:6 , Pentecost]; Acts 9:4 (Paul's conversion); Acts 10:13 , Acts 10:15 (Peter). Talmudic and rabbinic writings often mention the Bath-Qol as speaking from heaven. The character of the occasions on which the voice is heard in the New Testament on the one hand, and in the Jewish writings on the other, shows the complete difference in the moral aspect of the two voices. The latter is at best little more than a parody of the former. From heaven ; out of the heavens (Revised Version), pointing to the phrase in Acts 10:16 . Saying . Western authorities add, "unto him," mostly reading the following words in the second person. This is my beloved Son . Very similar if not identical words were spoken at the Transfiguration ( Matthew 17:5 ), Matthew giving precisely the same, Mark and Luke only omitting "in whom I am well pleased," and Luke also reading "chosen" instead of "beloved." It would seem more natural to suppose that the words spoken on the two occasions were really slightly different, and that therefore Matthew is the less accurate. My .. Son (cf. Psalms 2:7 ). My beloved Son. The expression is probably based on Isaiah 42:1 (cf. infra , Matthew 1:1-25 , Matthew 2:18 , note); but this does not necessitate the punctuation of the Revised Version margin, and Westcott and Herr margin: "My Son; my beloved in whom," etc.; Ephesians 1:6 .) In whom I am well pleased; rather, in whom I have delight (cf. Isaiah 62:4 , Authorized Version). The tense ( εὐδόκησα ) is equivalent to "my delight" fell on him, he became the object of my love" (Winer, 40:5, b, 2). The Spirit came, the Father bore witness. "Thus the Baptist receives through a revelation the certainty of the Messiahship of Jesus, and thus the reader learns that the Son of David, who through his birth ( Ephesians 1:1-23 .) and the fortunes of his childhood ( Ephesians 2:1-22 .) was certified as the Messiah, now also is announced to the last of the prophets as the Son of God, to whom Jehovah, in Psalms 2:7 , etc., had promised the Messianic dominion of the world" (Weiss, 'Matthaus-Evang.'). Yet not only so; the words probably revealed to the Lord Jesus himself more of his exact relationship to the Father than he had before as Man realized. Such an assurance of his true nature, and of the Father's delight in him, would be of essential service in strengthening him for his work (cf. Matthew 17:5 ). There are two other matters connected with our Lord's baptism recorded by tradition -additional words spoken, and an additional sign given. The words spoken are found in "Western" authorities of Luke 3:22 , "Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee," evidently with a desire to emphasize the application of the second psalm. The additional sign is the light or fire. The simplest form of this is (Tatian's 'Diatessaron,' edit. Zahn), "A light rose upon the waters;" and in the Ebionite Gospel apud Epiph., "Immediately a great light shone round about the place;" more fully in Justin Martyr ('Trypho,' § 88), "When Jesus had gone down into the water, fire was kindled in the Jordan;" also in a now lost 'Pred. Paul,' "When he was being baptized, fire was seen upon the water;" and in the Cod. Vercellensis of the Old Latin, "When he was being baptized, an immense light shone round from the water, so that all who had come thither were afraid." Although there is no intrinsic objection to this symbol having taken place, it is very improbable that in this case the evangelists would not have recorded it. The legend may have arisen from Luke 3:11 , or, and more probably, from an endeavour to make the baptism parallel to the Transfiguration ( Matthew 17:2 ); cf. Ephraem, in Resch, "John drew near and worshipped the Son, whose form an unwonted lustre surrounded."