Matthew 21:25 Cross References - Mace

²⁵ the baptism of John, whence was it? was it a divine or a human Institution? and they reasoned thus with themselves, if we say, it was divine; he will say, then, why did ye not believe him?

¹ At that time appeared John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, ² and saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of the Messiah draws nigh." ³ for it is of John the prophet Esaias spoke, when he said, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear." ⁴ now John wore a coat made of camels hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist; and his food was locusts and wild hony. ⁵ Then the inhabitants of Jerusalem, of all Judea, and the whole country about Jordan, came to him: ⁶ and having confess'd their sins, they were baptized by him in Jordan. ⁷ but when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadduces come to his baptism, he said to them, "Ye brood of vipers, who has warned you to fly from the wrath to come? ⁸ Let your actions then show your repentance: ⁹ and don't pretend to say within your selves, We have Abraham for our father: for I tell you, that God is able out of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham: ¹⁰ the ax is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then which does not produce good fruit, will be hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water to lead you to repentance; but he that cometh after me, is my superiour, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry: he shall baptize you with the effusion of the holy Ghost, in the appearance of fire: ¹² and with the fan in his hand, he will throughly cleanse his floor, and gather the wheat into his grainery, but the chaff will he burn with unquenchable fire."

⁷ As they departed, Jesus said to the people, speaking of John, what did ye go to see in the desert? a reed shaken with the wind? ⁸ what did ye go to see? a man dress'd in rich apparel? why, they that are so array'd belong to the court: ⁹ or did you go to see a prophet? yes, and be assured, one superiour to a prophet. ¹⁰ for it is he that is meant in that passage, "behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee." ¹¹ I declare unto you, among the whole race of prophets, there never appear'd a greater than John the Baptist: (notwithstanding, he that is least in the kingdom of the ¹² Messiah is greater than he.) for ever since the appearance of John the Baptist the gospel kingdom is as it were invaded, and people of the most violent passions enter into it with zeal. ¹³ for all the prophets and the law were your guides, till the coming of John. ¹⁴ and if ye will believe me, he is the Elias that was to come. ¹⁵ he that hath ears to hear, let him hear.

¹² but I tell you, that Elias is already come, tho' they knew him not, but treated him in an arbitrary manner; with such usage as the son of man shall likewise suffer at their hands. ¹³ then the disciples perceiv'd, that what he said was meant of John the Baptist.

¹ The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ the son of God. ² It is written in the prophet, "behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee. ³ The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight." ⁴ accordingly, John baptized in the desart, and preach'd the baptism of repentance, for the remission of sins. ⁵ all Judea, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, went out to meet him, and having confess'd their sins, he baptized them in the river Jordan. ⁶ now John was clothed with camels hair, with a leathern girdle about his waist: and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁷ among other things he said, there comes one after me, who is superiour to me, I am not worthy to stoop down and untie his shoes. ⁸ I indeed have baptized you with water, but he shall baptize you with the effusion of the holy Ghost. ⁹ At that time Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized by John in Jordan. ¹⁰ and as soon as he was got out of the water, he saw the heavens open, and the spirit lighting upon him, like a dove. ¹¹ when this voice from heaven was heard, "thou art my beloved son, in whom I am well pleased."

²⁷ Then they entred again into Jerusalem: and as he was walking in the temple, the chief priests, the Scribes, and rulers of the Jews came about him, ²⁸ and asked him, by what authority do you behave thus? and who gave you that authority? ²⁹ Jesus replied to them, if you will answer one question, that I shall propose to you, then I will tell you by what authority I act thus. ³⁰ the baptism of John, was it of divine, or of human institution? ³¹ answer me that. upon this they reasoned thus with themselves; if we should say, it was divine, he will urge, why then did you not believe him? ³² if we should say, it was a human institution, we run a risk from the people. (for they all believed John was a true prophet.) ³³ they therefore gave Jesus this answer, we cannot tell. neither do I, said Jesus, acquaint you by what authority I act thus.

¹¹ when there appear'd to him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the incense-altar. ¹² Zacharias startled at the sight and was seized with fear. ¹³ but the angel said to Zacharias, don't be afraid, Zacharias, for your prayer is heard: and your wife Elizabeth shall bear you a son, whom you shall name John: ¹⁴ he shall be your joy and transport, and numbers shall rejoice at his birth. ¹⁵ he shall appear as a divine messenger. he shall drink neither wine, nor any other strong liquor: he shall be filled with the holy spirit, even from his infancy: ¹⁶ he shall convert many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God. ¹⁷ and he shall march before him, in the spirit and power of Elias, to reconcile parents and children together, and the unruly to the practice of justice, that the people may be duly dispos'd to receive the Lord.

⁶⁷ Then Zacharias his father, inspired by the holy spirit, vented his divine enthusiasm in these words. ⁶⁸ "blessed be the Lord, the God of Israel, for he hath regarded and wrought a deliverance for his people: ⁶⁹ he hath rais'd up a powerful saviour for us, in the family of his servant David, ⁷⁰ according to the antient promise he made by the mouth of the holy prophets, ⁷¹ to deliver us from our enemies, and from the power of all that hate us: ⁷² to show regard to our forefathers, in performing his holy covenant, ⁷³ the oath which he made to our father Abraham, to grant us this favour, ⁷⁴ that we should be delivered from the power of our enemies, and serve him with security, ⁷⁵ in the sincere practice of holiness and justice, all our days. ⁷⁶ and you, dear babe, you shall be the prophet of the most high: for you shall go before the Lord, in order to prepare his way, ⁷⁷ by acquainting his people how they may be saved by the remission of their sins, ⁷⁸ through the tender mercy of our God, by which the rising sun has visited us from on high, ⁷⁹ to enlighten those, who are in darkness, and in the shadow of death, and to direct our steps into the ways of peace." ⁸⁰ Now the child continued to grow, and greatly improv'd in sense; and was in the desarts till the time, when he was to be manifested to Israel.

² under the pontificate of Annas and Caiaphas, JOHN, the son of Zacharias, received his divine commission in the wilderness. ³ in pursuance of which, he went into all the country about Jordan, exhorting all to repent and be baptized, in order to obtain the remission of their sins. ⁴ as it is written in the book of the prophecies of Esaias, "the voice of one crying in the desart, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths clear. ⁵ every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be level'd: the crooked shall be made strait, and the rough ways shall be made smooth, ⁶ and all men shall behold the divine saviour." ⁷ he said therefore to the people that crowded to be baptized by him, ye brood of vipers, who has prompted you to flee from approaching wrath? ⁸ let your actions therefore show your repentance, and don't pretend to say within yourselves, "we have Abraham for our father:" for I tell you that God is able of these stones to raise up children to Abraham. ⁹ the ax is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then, which does not produce good fruit, shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire. ¹⁰ Upon which the people asked him, what then shall we do? ¹¹ he answer'd them, let him that hath two coats give one to him that hath none; and let him that has plenty of provisions act in like manner. ¹² the Publicans likewise came to be baptized, and said to him, master, how are we to act? ¹³ exact, said he, no more than what the law requires. ¹⁴ the soldiers too made the same demand, how are we to act? he answer'd them, injure no man either by violence or by fraud, and be content with your pay. ¹⁵ As the people were in suspence, every man imagining in his own mind that John might be the Messiah; ¹⁶ he address'd himself to them all, saying, I indeed baptize you with water; but there is one coming, who is superiour to me, whose shoes I am unworthy to untie: he shall baptize you with the holy spirit, under the appearance of fire. ¹⁷ and with the fan in his hand he will thoroughly cleanse his floor, and will lay up the wheat in his grainery: but the chaff he will burn with inextinguishable fire. ¹⁸ many other things he delivered to the people in his exhortations. ¹⁹ but having reproved Herod the tetrarch upon account of Herodias, the wife of his brother Philip, and for all the mischiefs that Herod had done; ²⁰ to compleat all the rest, Herod confin'd John in prison.

²⁸ I declare unto you, among the whole race of mankind, there is not a prophet, who is superiour to John the Baptist: yet he that is most inferiour in the kingdom of the Messiah, is greater than he. ²⁹ all the people, even the publicans, upon hearing him, gave glory to God, by receiving the baptism of John; ³⁰ but the Pharisees and the doctors of the law rejected the divine offers made to them, refusing to be baptized by John. ³¹ To what therefore shall I compare the men of this generation? who are they like? ³² they are like children playing together in the street, who cry, we have play'd to you on the flute, but you have not danced: we have sung mournful dittys, but you have not lamented. ³³ for John the Baptist, when he came, abstain'd from bread and wine; yet you say, he is possess'd with a demon. ³⁴ the son of man appears indifferent to any kind of meat or drink: yet you say, he is a glutton and a tipler, a friend of publicans and loose people. ³⁵ "but wisdom is justified by all her different followers."

⁵ but they reason'd thus with themselves, if we should say, it was divine, he will reply, why then did not you believe him?

⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John.

¹⁵ it was of him that John bare witness, when he made this declaration, "this was he of whom I said, he that cometh after me, was before me; for he did indeed exist before me."

²⁵ "why then do you baptize, if you are not the Christ, nor Elias, nor any other prophet?" ²⁶ John answered them, I baptize with water: but there is one among you, whom ye know not; he it is who coming after me, ²⁷ is preferred before me, the latchet of whose sandals I am not worthy to unloose. ²⁸ these things were transacted at Bethabara, near Jordan, where John used to baptize. ²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming to him, and said, "behold the lamb of God, who taketh away the sin of the world." ³⁰ this is he of whom I said, after me cometh a man, who was before me: for he did indeed exist before me. ³¹ I knew him not: but therefore am I come baptizing with water, that he might be manifest to Israel. ³² and John testified, saying, I saw the spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. ³³ I had not known him: but he that sent me to baptize with water, had told me, "upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending and remaining on him, the same is he who baptizeth with the holy spirit." ³⁴ this I saw, and testify'd, that he is the son of God.

¹⁸ he that believeth on him, shall not be condemned: but he that believeth not, is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the only begotten son of God.

²⁶ who thereupon went to John, and said, master, he that was with you beyond Jordan, to whom you bore testimony, he himself does now baptize likewise, and the people flock to him. ²⁷ but John made them this answer, a man can have no authority, but what he derives from heaven. ²⁸ you yourselves can bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but was only sent before him: ²⁹ the bridegroom is he that hath a right to the bride: as for the friend of the bridegroom, who is nigh his person and heareth him, he greatly rejoyces at the voice of the bridegroom: upon this account my joy is compleat. ³⁰ he must advance, ³¹ but I must decline. he that cometh from above, is above all: he that is from the earth, is earthly, and his language is likewise earthly: he that cometh from heaven is above all. ³² and what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; but his testimony doth no man receive. ³³ he that hath received his testimony, hath set his seal to this, that God is true. ³⁴ for he whom God hath sent, saith nothing but what is divine: for God hath given him the spirit without restriction. ³⁵ the father loveth the son, and hath given all things into his hand. ³⁶ he that believeth on the son, hath a right to everlasting life: and he that disobeys the son, shall not enjoy life; but be expos'd to divine wrath.

³³ you yourselves sent to John, and he bore witness to the truth. ³⁴ not that I need the testimony of men: but this I tell you, for your own security. ³⁵ he was a burning and a shining light: and you were willing to be entertain'd for a while with his light. ³⁶ but I have a better witness than that of John: for the works which my father hath order'd me to finish, those very works that I do, bear me witness, that 'tis the father who sent me.

⁴⁴ how can you believe, who are catching at honour one from another, regardless of that glory that comes from God only? ⁴⁵ don't imagine that I shall accuse you to my father: even Moses himself in whom you confide, will be your accuser. ⁴⁶ for had you believed Moses, you would have believed me: since he has spoke of me in his writings. ⁴⁷ but if you don't believe what he has writ, how should you believe what I say?

²⁵ Jesus answered them, I told you, and ye did not believe me: the works that I do in my father's name, they testify of me. ²⁶ but, as I said before, you do not believe; because ye are not of my sheep.

³⁷ But though he had done so many miracles in their presence, yet they did not believe on him: ³⁸ so that the passage of Esaias the prophet was fulfilled, where he says, "Lord, who hath believed our report? and to whom hath the arm of the Lord been revealed? ³⁹ therefore they could not believe, according to what Esaias said in another place, "he hath blinded their eyes, ⁴⁰ and hardned their heart; that they should not see with their eyes, nor understand with their heart, and be converted, and I should heal them." ⁴¹ these things said Esaias, when he saw his glory, and spake of him. ⁴² nevertheless there were many even among the chief rulers, who believed on him; but they did not own it publickly for fear the Pharisees should excommunicate them. ⁴³ for they preferr'd their own reputation to the glory of God.

²⁰ for if our conscience condemn us, God knows us better than we do our selves, he knoweth all things.