And as the people were in expectation, and all men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were the Christ, or not;
The verse reflects the long waiting of the faithful in Israel for the coming of the Messiah, and the forerunner of Christ arose from among those faithful waiters. The people were in eager expectation that the promised Messiah would appear soon, and all mused inwardly in their hearts whether John was the Christ.
John's preaching put the people in that expectation: the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight, bringing forth works worthy of repentance instead of trusting in having Abraham as father, the ax laid to the root with every tree without good fruit hewn down and cast into the fire, and practical duties for the people, publicans, and soldiers. They wondered whether John was the promised Messiah because his life was unselfish, humble, and marked by self-denial and his teaching was fervent, sincere, courageous, and earnest. He did not seek favor, applause, or worldly honor.
John humbly assured his followers that he was not the Christ and directed their attention to Christ, Jesus the Saviour of the world, as the One mightier than himself. He answered the expectation by declaring that One mightier than he was coming, the latchet of whose shoes he was not worthy to unloose, who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose fan is in His hand to thoroughly purge His floor and gather the wheat into the garner but burn the chaff with fire unquenchable. The message containing this questioning is one that workers should study to advantage.
The verse's call to repentance and fruitfulness urges people to be converted and to bear fruit in the Lord's vineyard, warning that continued failure to meet Christ's expectation brings the judgment pictured by a fruitless tree being cut down.
The verse reflects the long waiting of the faithful in Israel for the coming of the Messiah, and the forerunner of Christ arose from among those faithful waiters. The people were in eager expectation that the promised Messiah would appear soon, and all mused inwardly in their hearts whether John was the Christ.
John's preaching put the people in that expectation: the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins, preparing the way of the Lord and making His paths straight, bringing forth works worthy of repentance instead of trusting in having Abraham as father, the ax laid to the root with every tree without good fruit hewn down and cast into the fire, and practical duties for the people, publicans, and soldiers. They wondered whether John was the promised Messiah because his life was unselfish, humble, and marked by self-denial and his teaching was fervent, sincere, courageous, and earnest. He did not seek favor, applause, or worldly honor.
John humbly assured his followers that he was not the Christ and directed their attention to Christ, Jesus the Saviour of the world, as the One mightier than himself. He answered the expectation by declaring that One mightier than he was coming, the latchet of whose shoes he was not worthy to unloose, who would baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire, whose fan is in His hand to thoroughly purge His floor and gather the wheat into the garner but burn the chaff with fire unquenchable. The message containing this questioning is one that workers should study to advantage.
The verse's call to repentance and fruitfulness urges people to be converted and to bear fruit in the Lord's vineyard, warning that continued failure to meet Christ's expectation brings the judgment pictured by a fruitless tree being cut down.