Word Pictures in the New Testament - David Cox

Word Pictures in the NT [Matthew: Chapter 3].
hypocritical superstition; the Sadducees carnal unbelief." One
cannot properly understand the theological atmosphere of
Palestine at this time without an adequate knowledge of both
Pharisees and Sadducees. The books are numerous besides articles
in the Bible dictionaries. I have pictured the Pharisees in my
first (1916) Stone Lectures, _The Pharisees and Jesus_. John
clearly grasped the significance of this movement on the part of
the Pharisees and Sadducees who had followed the crowds to the
Jordan. He had welcomed the multitudes, but right in the presence
of the crowds he exposes the hypocrisy of the ecclesiastics. {Ye
offspring of vipers} (\genn•mata echidn•n\). Jesus (Mt 12:34;
23:33) will use the same language to the Pharisees. Broods of
snakes were often seen by John in the rocks and when a fire broke
out they would scurry (\phugein\) to their holes for safety. "The
coming wrath" was not just for Gentiles as the Jews supposed, but
for all who were not prepared for the kingdom of heaven (1Th
1:10). No doubt the Pharisees and Sadducees winced under the
sting of this powerful indictment.
3:8 {Fruit worthy of repentance} (\Karpon axion t•s metanoias\).
John demands proof from these men of the new life before he
administers baptism to them. "The fruit is not the change of
heart, but the acts which result from it" (McNeile). It was a
bold deed for John thus to challenge as unworthy the very ones
who posed as lights and leaders of the Jewish people. "Any one
can do (\poi•sate, vide\ Ge 1:11) acts externally good but only
a good man can grow a crop of right acts and habits" (Bruce).
3:9 {And think not to say within yourselves} (\kai m• dox•te
legein en heautois\). John touched the tender spot, their
ecclesiastical pride. They felt that the "merits of the fathers,"
especially of Abraham, were enough for all Israelites. At once
John made clear that, reformer as he was, a breach existed
between him and the religious leaders of the time. {Of these
stones} (\ek t•n lith•n tout•n\). "Pointing, as he spoke to the
pebbles on the beach of the Jordan" (Vincent).
3:10 {Is the axe laid} (\h• axin• keitai\). This verb \keitai\ is
used as the perfect passive of \tith•mi\. But the idea really is,
"the axe lies at (\pros\, before) the root of the trees." It is
there ready for business. The prophetic present occurs also with
"is hewn down" and "cast."
3:11 {Mightier than I} (\ischuroteros mou\). Ablative after the
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