Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 3:10
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
10. which bringeth not forth ] Lit. if it bring not forth.
fruit ] The Oriental values trees only as productive of fruit, all others are cut down as cumberers of the ground. He lays his axe literally at the root. Land and Book, p. 341.
the fire ] Rather, fire, there is no definite article in the original.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
The axe is laid at the root of the tree – Laying the axe at the root of a tree is intended to denote that the tree is to be cut down. It was not merely to be trimmed, or to be cut about the limbs, but the very tree itself was to be struck. That is, a searching, trying kind of preaching has been commenced. A kingdom of justice is to be set up. Principles and conduct are to be investigated. No art, no dissimulation, will be successful: People are to be tried by their lives, not by birth or profession. They who are not found to bear this test are to be rejected. The very root shall feel the blow, and the fruitless tree shall fall. This is a beautiful and very striking figure of speech, and a very direct threatening of future wrath. John regarded them as making a fair and promising profession, as trees in blossom do. But he told them, also, that they should bear fruit as well as flowers. Their professions of repentance were not enough. They should show, by a holy life, that their profession was genuine.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Mat 3:10
Axe is laid.
The axe lying at the root
I. The kind of fruit which God requires from us-good fruit.
II. The means which God employs to render us productive of this kind of fruit, and which show how reasonable it is that He should expect it from us.
1. God has endowed you with a capacity to produce this kind of fruit.
2. In order to enable you to bring forth good fruit, God has supplied you with the gospel of His Son, which contains the means, motives, and influences of fruitfulness.
3. God has visited you with various dispensations of providence, and with various convictions of conscience.
III. The continued unfruitfulness of some persons, notwithstanding all the means which the God of mercy has employed.
1. Some of these unfruitful persons are sensual and profane.
2. Some are intellectual, moral, and amiable.
3. Some are professors of the gospel.
IV. The axe which is lying at the root of such unfruitful persons.
1. The axe which is lying at your root reminds you of the patience and long-suffering of God.
2. It reminds you of the critical circumstances in which you are placed.
3. It has sometimes admonished you of its being there.
V. The awful condition to which such unfruitful persons are doomed.
1. The nature of this condition is indescribably terrible: He is hewn down. The certainty that this condition will be incurred: He is hewn, etc. (J. Alexander.)
I. What are we to understand by the axe?
1. It may denote temporal judgments.
2. It may denote church discipline.
3. It may denote eternal wrath and vengeance. The axe laid to the root of the tree seems to imply its utter destruction.
II. By whom is the axe laid?
1. Ministerially, by preachers of the Word.
2. By the inflicting of temporal judgments.
3. By God Himself. Whether it be an act of mercy or of judgment, He directs, strengthens for, and assists in it.
III. The axe is laid.
1. Gods judgments are certain and inevitable.
2. They are near at hand when least expected, least prepared for.
3. These judgments already begin to operate. (B. Beddome.)
Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell
Verse 10. And now also the axe is laid] Or, Even now the axe lieth. As if he had said, There is not a moment to spare – God is about to cut off every impenitent soul – you must therefore either turn to God immediately, or be utterly and finally ruined. It was customary with the prophets to represent the kingdoms, nations, and individuals, whose ruin they predicted, under the notion of forests and trees, doomed to be cut down. See Jer 46:22-23; Eze 31:3, Eze 31:11-12. The Baptist follows the same metaphor: the Jewish nation is the tree, and the Romans the axe, which, by the just judgment of God, was speedily to cut it down. It has been well observed, that there is an allusion here to a woodman, who, having marked a tree for excision, lays his axe at its root, and strips off his outer garment, that he may wield his blows more powerfully, and that his work may be quickly performed. For about sixty years before the coming of Christ, this axe had been lying at the root of the Jewish tree, Judea having been made a province to the Roman empire, from the time that Pompey took the city of Jerusalem, during the contentions of the two brothers Hyrcanus and Aristobulus, which was about sixty-three years before the coming of Christ. See Joseph. Antiq. l. xiv. c. 1-5. But as the country might be still considered as in the hands of the Jews, though subject to the Romans, and God had waited on them now nearly ninety years from the above time, expecting them to bring forth fruit, and none was yet produced; he kept the Romans as an axe, lying at the root of this tree, who were ready to cut it down the moment God gave them the commission.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
A prediction, as some think, of that dreadful destruction which within a few years came by the Romans upon the whole Jewish nation. The sense is, The vengeance of God is very near to be revealed, men must repent now or never, for
every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit shall be hewn down, and cast into the fire; judgment now is as nigh unto men, as the tree is to falling, to the root of which the axe is already applied: whether it be to be understood of the judgment common to all unbelievers, all that know not God, and obey not the gospel of Christ, as 2Th 1:8,9, or the particular destruction of this nation of the Jews. I shall not determine, though I rather judge the latter probable. The latter part of the text is made use of by our Saviour, Mat 7:19, in the latter part of his sermon upon the mount. It letteth us know, that it is not improper, nor dissonant to the style of John Baptist, and Christ, and others the most eminent first gospel preachers, to press repentance, faith, and holiness of life, from arguments of terror.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
10. And now alsoAnd evenalready.
the axe is laid unto“liethat.”
the root of the treesasit were ready to strike: an expressive figure of impending judgment,only to be averted in the way next described.
therefore every tree whichbringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into thefireLanguage so personal and individual as this can scarcelybe understood of any national judgment like the approachingdestruction of Jerusalem, with the breaking up of the Jewish polityand the extrusion of the chosen people from their peculiar privilegeswhich followed it; though this would serve as the dark shadow, castbefore, of a more terrible retribution to come. The “fire,”which in another verse is called “unquenchable,” can be noother than that future “torment” of the impenitent whose”smoke ascendeth up for ever and ever,” and which by theJudge Himself is styled “everlasting punishment” (Mt25:46). What a strength, too, of just indignation is in that word”cast” or “flung into the fire!”
The thirdGospel here adds the following important particulars in Lu3:10-16.
Lu3:10:
Andthe people the multitudes.
askedhim, saying, What shall we do then? that is, toshow the sincerity of our repentance.
Lu3:11:
Heanswereth and saith unto them, He that hath two coats, let him impartto him that hath none; and he that hath meat provisions,victuals.
lethim do likewise Thisis directed against the reigning avarice and selfishness. (Comparethe corresponding precepts of the Sermon on the Mount, Mt5:40-42).
Lu3:12:
Thencame also the publicans to be baptized, and said unto him,Master Teacher.
whatshall we do? In what special way is the genuinenessof our repentance to be manifested?
Lu3:13:
Andhe said unto them, Exact no more than that which is appointed youThis is directed against thatextortion which made the publicans a byword. (See on Mt5:46; Lu 15:1).
Lu3:14:
Andthe soldiers rather, “And soldiers”theword means “soldiers on active duty.”
likewisedemanded asked.
ofhim, saying, And what shall we do? And he said unto them, Doviolence to no man Intimidate. The wordsignifies to “shake thoroughly,” and refers probably to theextorting of money or other property.
neitheraccuse any falsely by acting as informersvexatiously on frivolous or false pretexts.
andbe content with your wages or “rations.”We may take this, say WEBSTERand WILKINSON, as awarning against mutiny, which the officers attempted to suppress bylargesses and donations. And thus the “fruits” which wouldevidence their repentance were just resistance to the reigningsinsparticularly of the class to which the penitentbelongedand the manifestation of an opposite spirit.
Lu3:15:
Andas the people were in expectation in a state ofexcitement, looking for something new
andall men mused in their hearts of John, whether he were theChrist, or not rather, “whether hehimself might be the Christ.” The structure of this clauseimplies that they could hardly think it, but yet could not helpasking themselves whether it might not be; showing both howsuccessful he had been in awakening the expectation of Messiah’simmediate appearing, and the high estimation and even reverence,which his own character commanded.
Lu3:16:
Johnanswered eitherto that deputation from Jerusalem, of which we read in Joh1:19, &c., or on some other occasion, to remove impressionsderogatory to his blessed Master, which he knew to be taking hold ofthe popular mind.
sayingunto them all insolemn protestation.
(We now return to the firstGospel.)
Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible
And now also the axe is laid,…. These words may be rendered, “for now also”, and contain in them a reason why they might expect future wrath; why they should bring forth good fruit; and why they should not trust to nor plead their descent from Abraham, because “the axe is now laid”: by which is meant, not the Gospel which now began to be preached by John; though this was like an axe laid to the root of, and which cut down, their pride and vanity, their self-confidence and glorying in their righteousness, holiness, carnal wisdom, and fleshly privileges: but rather; the axe of God’s judgment and vengeance is here designed, which, because of the certainty and near approach of it, is said to be “now laid”; and that not to some of the branches only, to lop them off, to take away from the Jews some particular privileges, but “to the root” of all their privileges, civil and ecclesiastical; even the covenant which God had made with that people as a nation, who was now about to write “Lo Ammi” upon them; so that henceforward they would have nothing to expect from their being the seed of Abraham, Israelites, or circumcised persons. The time was just at hand, when the Lord would take his “staff Beauty and cut it asunder, that he might break the covenant he had made with all the people”, Zec 11:10 in a short time their civil polity and church state would be both at an end. The Romans, who were already among them and over them, would very quickly come upon them, and cut them off root and branch; and utterly destroy their temple, city, and nation: and this ruin and destruction was levelled not at a single tree, a single person, or family only, as Jesse’s, or any others, but at the root
of the trees: of all the trees of the whole body of the people; for the covenant which was made with them all being broke, and which was their hedge and fence, they were all exposed to the wild boar of the forest.
Therefore every tree, every individual person, though one of Abraham’s children, and made never such a fair show in the
flesh, which bringeth not forth good fruit; does not perform good works from a right principle, to a right end, such as are meet for repentance; particularly, does not believe in the Messiah now ready to be revealed, which is the main and principal work; and does not continue so doing, and thus believing,
is hewn down and cast into the fire. Temporal ruin and destruction shall come upon him; he shall not escape divine vengeance here, and shall be cast into everlasting burnings hereafter; which is quite contrary to a notion of theirs, that “by the merits of Abraham”, the Israelites shall be delivered from the fire of hell d.
d Zohar in Exod. fol. 34. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
Is the axe laid ( ). This verb is used as the perfect passive of . But the idea really is, “the axe lies at (, before) the root of the trees.” It is there ready for business. The prophetic present occurs also with “is hewn down” and “cast.”
Fuente: Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament
Is laid [] . Not, is applied, as “She layeth her hands to the spindle” (Pro 31:19), but is lying.
Is hewn down and cast. The present tense is graphic, denoting what is to happen at once and certainly.
Fuente: Vincent’s Word Studies in the New Testament
1) “And now also the axe,” (ede de he aksine) “And already (at this moment) the axe.” an instrument of wrath and destruction is at hand.
2) “Is laid unto the root of the trees:” (pros ten hrizan ton dendron keitai) “Is laid at, to, or toward the root (stump-root) of the trees,” of all the trees and every tree that is unfruitful, that bears no fruit. This is the doom of every barren tree, every non-productive tree that cumbers the ground, like a leech or a sucker, as the barren fig that Jesus cursed, Luk 13:7.
3) “Therefore every tree,” (pan oun dendron) “Therefore each and every tree,”
4 “Which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down,” (me poioun karpon kalon ekkoptetai) “That does not produce good fruit is cut down,” as a sound principle of a fruit grower. It is wisely used as mere fire-wood for a little value or if what fruit it bears is tainted, blighted, or rotten fruit, Mat 7:16-20. When he found no fruit he set down the basket and took up the axe.
5) “And cast into the fire.” (kai eis pur balletai) “And cast (as refuse) into a fire,” so that it may give warmth in a time of cold, cook food, heat water, or simply not sap the earth of moisture and food. The tree (unfruitful tree) may represent both Israel in her rejection of the Messiah and God’s wrath of judgement in cutting her off and the unfruitful, impenitent, unbelieving individual Pharisee and Sadducee who also personally rejected Jesus Christ as Savior and Lord, Joh 1:11-12; Joh 8:24; Mat 5:20.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 3:10
; Luk 3:9. And now also the axe. After having stripped hypocrites of the covering of a vain confidence, John announces the approaching judgment of God. He had formerly said that, though they were rejected, God would not want a people: and he now adds, that God is just about to drive out unworthy persons from the Church, as barren trees are wont to be cut down. His statement amounts to this, that God has already displayed his power for purifying the Church. The grace of God is never manifested for the salvation of the godly, till his judgment first appears for the destruction of the world: and for two reasons; because God then separates his own people from the reprobate, and because his wrath is kindled anew by the ingratitude of the world. So that we have no reason to wonder, if the preaching of the gospel and the coming of Christ laid the axe for cutting down barren trees, or if the same causes (271) daily advance the wrath of God against the wicked.
(271) “ Ces deux choses mesme;” — “these very two things.”
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(10) Now.Rather, already. The present of an act no longer future.
The ax is laid unto the root of the trees.The symbolism which saw in trees the representatives of human characters, of nations, and institutions, had been recognised in Isaiahs parable of the vine (Isa. 5:1-7), in Jeremiahs of the vine and the olive (Jer. 2:21; Jer. 11:16), and the Baptists application of it was but a natural extension. Judgments that were only partial or corrective were as the pruning of the branches (Joh. 15:2). Now the axe was laid to the root, and the alternative was preservation or destruction. For the unfruitful tree there was the doom of fire.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
10. Axe is laid unto the root of the trees Is about being laid by the axeman’s stroke. The verbs of this verse are in the present, to express a closely approaching future. Root To express utter destruction. It was not to be a simply organic destruction, but individual also. Each individual fruitless tree was to be hewn down by a stroke of death and cast into the subsequent fire of perdition. No Abrahamic descent could save them.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“And even now the axe lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bring forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”
For he wants them to be clear about the fact that his baptism in itself is no protection against the axe of God, nor is their descent from Abraham. The only way of escape is by fruitfulness, by the evidence of changed hearts and lives (resulting from the pouring out (drenching) of the Spirit – Mat 3:15). So they need to recognise that God’s axe is ready to start work (see Isa 10:33-34; and note Jer 46:22, where however the emphasis is more like Mat 3:7), and that He is ready to start cutting at the root of all the trees which do not produce good fruit (compare Mat 13:7-9). And once He has cut them down He will cast them into the fire. Fire is a favourite description of judgment throughout Scripture (compare Mat 7:19; Mat 13:30; Mat 13:42; Mat 18:8-9; Mat 22:7; Mat 25:41; Joh 15:6; Amo 2:5; Amo 5:6; and often in the Old Testament). Its searing heat destroys until nothing is left. Thus it is necessary for them to be totally genuine towards God if they are to escape His judgment.
Being put ‘to the root of the trees’ may indicate the marking of a tree for cutting down, for normally the cutting down would occur above the roots. On the other hand, John may have deliberately been speaking of the roots in order to demonstrate that they would be destroyed from their very roots. Alternately the term for ‘axe’ may indicate a wedge put in place at the base of the tree ready to be driven in so as to bring the tree crashing down.
‘At the root of the trees.’ Compare Isa 5:24. He may especially have in mind here that ‘the Pharisees and Sadducees’ are to be included (they would have agreed wholeheartedly about the common people not bearing sufficient fruit), as the root from whom Israel should have been receiving its life, but who only ministered death to them, because they were barren themselves. Thus it may be that John wants them to know that God’s axe will also be levelled at them, and that unless they do repent God will bring them crashing down because of His holiness.
‘Hewn down and cast into the fire.’ Such trees have only one use, to be burned for cooking purposes, and thus turned to ashes. It may, however, be that John has in mind an even bigger bonfire. He may have been thinking in terms of Isa 66:24. Compare Eze 5:4.
Compare here Jesus’ words in Mat 7:19. This whole picture built up by John is in Jesus’ mind there. He had probably heard this constant message of John and demonstrates that He wholeheartedly approved of it, and concurs with it. In fact Matthew deliberately parallels his summaries of John’s teaching with that of Jesus in this way. See also Mat 3:2 with Mat 4:17. It is his way of indicating that they have brought the same message, and that Jesus is continuing what John had commenced. But he has no doubt that in the end the difference between them is a large one, for he make clear that while John was the Herald, Jesus is the fulfilment. Both brought the good news about the Kingly Rule of Heaven , but only Jesus is the King in Whom that Kingly Rule is physically manifested. John is still a part of ‘the Law and the Prophets’ (Mat 11:13). He is the Elijah who was to precede the Lord’s coming (Mat 11:14).
It will be noted that this verse is paralleled in the chiasmus to the passage (see above) with John’s being in the wilderness of Judaea. Here the thought is of trees that are barren and fruitless, just like trees in the wilderness. It is this latter condition in ‘the wilderness which is Judaea’ which John is seeking to put right and bring back into fruitfulness (compare Isa 5:1-7 with Isa 4:2; Isa 27:1-6; see Jer 2:13; Jer 2:17; Jer 2:21; Jer 11:16-17).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
And this is not all:
v. 10. And now also the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. The ax has been placed, it is even now ready to begin its work of just retribution, of stern justice upon every spurious descendant of Abraham. Every tree which proves itself hopelessly barren cannot escape the near inevitable doom. And John makes use of careful phrasing. Not only is fruit demanded, which may, under circumstances, be unpalatable and even poisonous, but his condition is that the tree produce good fruit. Unless this demand is met, there is no other alternative: The useless tree is condemned to be firewood; the unbelieving Jew will be excluded from the kingdom of the Messiah.
Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann
Mat 3:10. And now also the axe, &c. The axe is already laid to the root of the trees: every tree then, &c. “There is now no more time for delay: God is going to offer the last dispensation of repentance and mercy; which if you accept not, his vengeance hangs over you; destruction will speedily overtake you.” See Isa 10:33-34. It may be proper to observe, once for all, that in Scripture language, what is very sure and very near is spoken of as if it were already done; accordingly, the Baptist speaks here in the present sense. So Christ speaks of himself, as if as man he were already in possession of his glory while upon earth; Joh 17:24. See also Eph 2:16. Beausobre and Lenfant observe, that this verse contains a prophesy of the total ruin and destruction of the temple, the city, and the nation of the Jews, which happened forty years after the death of the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke
Mat 3:10 . Already, however (it is then high time), is the decision near at hand , according to which the unworthy are excluded from Messiah’s kingdom, and are consigned to Gehenna.
In is contained the thought that the hearers did not yet expect this state of things; see Baeumlein, Partik . p. 139; the presents and denote what is to happen at once and certainly , with demonstrative definiteness, not the general idea: is accustomed to be hewn down , against which is decisive (in answer to Fritzsche), the meaning of which is: “that, as a consequence of this, the axe, etc., every tree will be, and so on.” See upon the present , Dissen, ad Pind. Nem . iv. 39 f., p. 401.
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
Ver. 10. And now also is the axe laid to the root of the trees ] q.d. God is now taking aim where to hit, and how to fell you, as a man layeth his axe at that very place that he intends to smite at: he seeth well enough that all his patience and pains in digging, in dunging, and in dressing you, is to no purpose. He comes “seeking fruit from time to time, but findeth none,” Luk 13:7 . Now therefore he hath laid down his basket, and taken up his axe, as resolved to ruin you, unless present course be taken. Neglect not the present “now,” lest ye be cut off for ever. a God will not always serve you for a sinning stock. Since ye have a preacher, repent or perish. Let this spring distinguish between dead and living trees.
Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit ] So God is graciously pleased to style our poor performances; in every of which there is something of his, as well as something of our own (Jerome). That which is his he accepts, that which is ours he pardons. But good it must be, quoad fontem, as long as the souce, the Spirit of God: and quoad finem, as long as the end, the glory of God. Negative goodness serves no man’s turn to save him from the axe. It is said of Ithacius, that the hatred of the Priscillian heresy was all the virtue that he had. (Hooker ex Sulpitio. ) The evil servant did not riot out his talent; those reprobates Mat 25:41-46 robbed not the saints, but relieved them not. Moab and Ammon were bastardized and banished the sanctuary to the tenth generation, for a mere omission, because they met not God’s Israel with bread and water in the wilderness; Deu 23:4 and Edom is forethreatened for not harbouring them when scattered by the Chaldeans. (Obadiah.) Take we heed that live in the last age of the world, lest God hasten the calling of the Jews, and cast us off for our unfruitfulness,Rom 11:17-24Rom 11:17-24 .
a Ultimae desperationis indicium est, quoties securis admovetur radici. Erasmus, Annot.
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
10. ] Of , Klotz says, Devar. p. 606, “Respondent Latinis particulis jam vero , et habent idoneum atque alacrem transitum ab una re ad aliam. Transitum faciunt ill particul, ut nos ad rem prsentem revocent:” Eurip. Med. 772: Rhes. 499: Herodot. vii. 35.
The presents , , , and , imply the law, or habit, which now and henceforward, in the kingdom of heaven, prevails: ‘ from this time it is so .’
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 3:10 . : judgment is at hand. The axe has been placed ( = perfect passive of ) at the root of the tree to lay it low as hopelessly barren. This is the doom of every non-productive fruit tree. : the present tense, expressive not so much of the usual practice (Fritzsche) as of the near inevitable event. , in case it produce not ( conditional) good fruit, not merely fruit of some kind. degenerate, unpalatable. : useless for any other purpose except to be firewood, as the wood of many fruit trees is.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
now = already.
also. Omitted by all the texts (App-94.)
is laid = is lying at. The Jerusalem Talmud (Beracoth, fo Mat 1:5, Mat 1:1) refers Isa 10:33, Isa 10:34 to the destruction of Jerusalem; and argues from Isa 11:1 that Messiah would be born shortly before it
unto = at. Greek. pros. App-104.
is hewn down = getteth hewn down.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
10.] Of , Klotz says, Devar. p. 606, Respondent Latinis particulis jam vero, et habent idoneum atque alacrem transitum ab una re ad aliam. Transitum faciunt ill particul, ut nos ad rem prsentem revocent: Eurip. Med. 772: Rhes. 499: Herodot. vii. 35.
The presents, , , and , imply the law, or habit, which now and henceforward, in the kingdom of heaven, prevails: from this time it is so.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 3:10. , but now) Placed in opposition[126] to , which is to come, in Mat 3:7.-, …, also, etc) Where grace manifests itself, there also is wrath shown to the ungrateful. It is not only possible that you should be punished, but also punishment is nigh at hand.- , the root) The axe was aimed not merely at the branches, but at the root itself.- , of the trees) i.e. the Jews (see Luk 13:7-9), in comparison with whom the Gentiles were mere stones.-, lies) Although the blow has not yet begun to be struck.-, is being cut down) The present tense is used, to show that there will be no delay.-, fire) See Heb 6:8.
[126] In Mat 3:7 he spoke of the wrath of God as future, as yet to come; he now speaks of it as already present, or close at hand.-(I. B.)
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
now: Mal 3:1-3, Mal 4:1, Heb 3:1-3, Heb 10:28-31, Heb 12:25
the ax: Luk 3:9, Luk 23:31
therefore: Psa 1:3, Psa 92:13, Psa 92:14, Isa 61:3, Jer 17:8, Joh 15:2
is hewn: Mat 7:19, Mat 21:19, Psa 80:15, Psa 80:16, Isa 5:2-7, Isa 27:11, Eze 15:2-7, Luk 13:6-9, Joh 15:6, Heb 6:8, 1Pe 4:17, 1Pe 4:18
Reciprocal: Gen 1:11 – fruit Exo 19:15 – Be ready Num 16:3 – all the Deu 20:19 – thou shalt not Deu 25:1 – General 1Sa 4:3 – Let us 2Sa 23:7 – and they shall Job 24:20 – wickedness Psa 7:12 – If Psa 21:9 – the fire Ecc 11:3 – if the tree Isa 1:31 – and they Jer 5:15 – O house Jer 7:4 – Trust Jer 11:16 – with Eze 19:12 – the fire Eze 20:38 – I will purge Eze 21:32 – for fuel Dan 4:14 – Hew Amo 9:10 – the sinners Zec 13:8 – two Mal 3:2 – for Mat 5:20 – ye Mat 8:12 – the children Mat 13:23 – beareth Mat 25:30 – cast Mar 4:19 – unfruitful Mar 11:14 – No Luk 6:43 – General Luk 12:49 – come Luk 13:3 – except Luk 13:7 – cut Luk 13:30 – General Act 3:25 – the children Rom 11:22 – otherwise Heb 10:27 – fiery
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
3:10
Verse 10. This verse is figurative and general and denotes the judgments of God against sin. An ax lying at the root of a tree suggests a probable attack upon it. The instrument is near but inactive, yet ready to be used if and when a decision is made against the tree. The tact on which the decision will be made is that the tree does not produce good fruit. I do not believe this verse applies to the Jewtsh nation as a whole for there was only one “tree” at the Lord tha.t could be considered. The words every tree indicate that John was speaking of indlviduals all of whom were exhorted. to repent and thus escape tbe wrath of God. The condemnation to such wrath was starting through the preaching of John. but the final result of rejecting that preaching would not come until the great judgment day. Being an inspired man John the Baptist was able to predict the future lot at all classes of men who were in his hearing, even to the punishment of fire awaiting the unsaved at the time of the final judgment. ThIs prepares us to understand the following two verses.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
And now also the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[The axe is laid to the root.] These words seem to be taken from Isa 5:23-24. The destruction of the nation was to proceed from the Romans, who had now a great while held them under the yoke. That axe, now laid to the root of the tree, shall certainly cut it down, if from this last dressing by the gospel it bears not fruit. In the Talmud, those words of Isaiah are applied to the destruction of the city; and thence it is argued, that the Messias should be born not much after the time of that destruction, because presently after the threatening of that ruin follows, “A Branch shall arise out of the stock of Jesse,” Isa 11:1.
Fuente: Lightfoot Commentary Gospels
Mat 3:10. And even now, while I am speaking.
The axe is lying at the root of the trees. The figure of Mat 3:8 (fruit) is carried out. The axe (Divine judgments) has not been applied as yet, but is ready for use, implying that the trees were unfruitful, or of a bad kind. A striking declaration of imminent destruction.
Therefore, because of the position of the axe.
Bringeth not forth good fruit. There may be blossoms, professions, and yet no fruit, or the fruit may be bad.
If hewn down. Not will be; the present tense represents a certain and immediate future action, or a general law of the kingdom which John heralded.
Into the fire, continued figure, setting forth the effect, Gods wrath.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
The baptist had preached the doctrine of repentance in the former verses, he backs it with a powerful motive in this verse, drawn from the certainty, the severity, and suddenness of that vengeance which would come upon them, if they continued impentent: Now is the ax laid to the root of the trees.
Learn, 1. That those whose hearts are not pierced and destroyed by the ax of his judgments.
Learn, 2. That it is not unsuitable for gospel preachers to press repentance and holiness of life upon their hearers from arguments of terror: John does it here, and Christ elsewhere.
Observe farther, That forasmuch as the sin here specified, is a sin of omission, which brings this sore and severe judgment, Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, as well as that which bringeth forth evil fruit, is hewn down, and cast into the fire; we may gather, that sins of omission are certainly damning as well as sins of commission; the neglects of duty are as dangerous and damnable as the acts of sin. Such trees as stand in God’s orchard, and bring forth no good fruit, are marked out as fuel for the devil’s fire.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
Mat 3:10. And now, also, the axe, &c. To enforce his exhortation, he informs them that they had no time to delay their repentance, because the patience of God was very near exhausted, and come to an end with respect to them. His judgments were at hand and ready to be inflicted, so that, if they continued unfruitful, notwithstanding the extraordinary means that were now to be tried with them, destruction would speedily overtake them; as if he had said, God now once more offers you his grace in and through his Son, which, if you refuse, he will no longer bear with you. You think of national deliverances, but I am sent to warn you of national judgments; judgments, which even now hang over your heads, and are ready to fall upon you if you still continue barren, or do not bring forth good fruit: for I assure you, the hand of God is lifted up to strike the fatal blow. There is an allusion in the words to a woodman, who, having marked a tree for excision, lays his axe at the root of it, till he puts off his upper garment, and then immediately goes to work to cut it down. Therefore, every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit Every one that, while he professes to be one of Gods people, contradicts that profession by a wicked life, or by the neglect of vital and practical religion, is cut down, &c. Instantly, without further delay; and cast into the fire Of hell: a prediction this, 1st, of that dreadful destruction which, within the short period of forty-four years, came, by the Romans, upon the whole Jewish nation; as if he had said, The Babylonians formerly lopped off your branches, but now the tree shall be cut down; your commonwealth shall be destroyed, and your temple, city, and nation totally ruined: and, 2dly, it is a prediction of that particular destruction which shall soon overtake all that reject the counsel of God against themselves, or, as the apostle expresses it, that obey not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.