Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 11:13
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
13. For ] gives the reason why the wonderful growth of the kingdom should be witnessed now.
Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges
All the prophets … – It is meant by this verse that John introduced a new dispensation; and that the old one, under which the prophets and the law of Moses were the guide, was closed when he preached that the kingdom of heaven was at hand. By the law is meant here the five books of Moses; by the prophets, the remainder of the books of the Old Testament.
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible
Verse 13. All the prophets and the law prophesied until John.] I believe means here, they taught, or continued to instruct. They were the instructers concerning the Christ who was to come, till John came and showed that all the predictions of the one, and the types and ceremonies of the other were now about to be fully and finally accomplished; for Christ was now revealed. The word is taken in this sense, Mt 7:22.
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible
It is no wonder that there was such a heat kindled in the souls of people upon John the Baptists coming, for they understood that Christ, typified in the law, and only foretold by the prophets, was now come. So as the ceremonial law from his time began to die, and all the prophecies of Christ in the prophets began then to have their complement. John showed them with his finger him who before had been only darkly revealed under types and figures, and in the prophecies of the prophets; men came to see that they had not hoped or waited in vain for the salvation of Israel.
Prophesied, in this verse, signifies, made dark revelations of Christ and the kingdom of heaven.
Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole
For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. These words are to be considered in connection with Mt 11:11 and are a further proof of John’s being greater than any of the prophets; because all the inspired writers and prophets, who were before him, prophesied of the Messiah as to come; and either spoke of him in obscure terms, or represented him under dark shadows and figures: whereas John spake of him as already come, and in plain terms, and directed to his very person; and since his time, there have been no prophecies concerning the Messiah and his kingdom; vision and prophecy are now sealed up; all which are acknowledged by the Jews themselves, who b say, , “all the prophets did not prophesy but to, or of the days of the Messiah”. This was the subject, and these the limits of their prophecies; for they own c, that
“from the day that the temple was destroyed,
, “prophecy was taken away from the prophets”.”
Since that time, they confess they have had no prophet d, and that they are not able to observe their signs.
b T. Bab. Beracot, fol. 34. 2. Sabbat, fol. 63. 1. Sanhedrim, fol. 99. 1. c T. Bava Bathra, fol. 12. 1. d Abarbinel in Dan. fol. 63. 4.
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible
1) “For all the prophets and the law,” (pantes gar hoi prophetai kai ho nomos) “Because all the prophets and the law,” the system of worship, Divine service, and proclaiming to the masses morals, ethics, and codes of conduct, under the law, Luk 16:16.
2) “Prophesied until John.” (heos losnnou epropheteusan) “They prophesied (spoke forth) with administrative authority, until John,” until John the Baptist who was sent from God, to prepare the way for Jesus, as set forth, Mat 3:1-3. John closed the Old Testament dispensation. If one says he spoke “until ten a.m.,” it is understood that at 10 a.m. he stopped speaking; Even so the meaning of “until John” means the law and the prophets were to cease, as they had functioned, with him.
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary
Mat 11:13
. All the Prophets and the Law itself Prophesied. The word prophesied is emphatic; for the Law and the Prophets did not present God before the eyes of men, but represented him under figures and shadows as absent. The comparison, we now perceive, is intended to show, that it is highly criminal in men to remain indifferent, when they have obtained a manifestation of the presence of God, who held his ancient people in suspense by predictions. Christ does not class John with the ministers of the Gospel, though he formerly assigned to him an intermediate station between them and the Prophets. But there is no inconsistency here: for although John’s preaching was a part of the Gospel, it was little more than a first lesson.
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary
(13) All the prophets and the law.The usual order is inverted, because stress is laid on the prophetic rather than the legislative aspect of previous revelation. They did their work pointing to the kingdom of heaven in the far-off future of the latter days, but John saw it close at hand, and proclaimed its actual appearance.
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)
13. Until John The parallel passage in Luke runs thus: “The law and the prophets were until John; since that the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.” The word for presseth in the original signifies to force one’s self by violence in. The phrase describes the impatience with which men were entering into the kingdom of God in no genuine way, and truly not at all.
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments
“For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to receive it, this is Elijah, who is to come.”
Again we have the emphasis on the fact that the new age has come. The prophets and the Law prophesied until John. That is, the whole of the Old Testament Scriptures led up to the time of John because he is the last of the prophets, the Elijah who was due to come. All were therefore in the end preparing for the coming of Jesus. The thought that the prophets and the Law were now achieving their end would have been quite startling to the Jews. To them the prophets and the Law were the basis of all their beliefs (at least theoretically). That somehow Jesus was now achieving what they were pointing to, and capping them off, would have huge significance. He was not destroying the Law or the prophets but fulfilling then (Mat 5:17).
Note the prophets are unusually mentioned first (contrast Luk 16:16) because the emphasis is on the prophetic movement ending with John, but the Law is included (that is all the books of Moses) because it was an important part of that prophecy. It was indeed the basis and starting point from which the prophets themselves made their pronouncements. And now the long series is seen as having come to an end in John, the promised Elijah. What happens from now on is the fulfilment, as Matthew constantly makes clear.
‘Until John.’ The ‘until’ may be seen as including or excluding John. But it is doubtful if we can exclude John from being one of the prophets, even though the last and greatest. That would not, however, prevent John being the connecting link between the two ages, issuing out the old, and introducing, in a preliminary way, the new.
What the doubt was about was whether they themselves would believe it, firstly because they were expecting Elijah’s literal return (he had not died but had been taken up into Heaven), and secondly because if they did accept it they would have no choice but to recognise in Jesus Himself, the Coming One. And certainly some did believe that John was the intended Elijah (as had been made clear at John’s birth), and some did enter under the Kingly Rule of Heaven. And when Paul first arrived in Rome the offer of the Kingly Rule of God was still being made, to both Jew and Gentile, an offer closely connected to their response to Jesus Christ (Act 28:23-24; Act 28:31), an offer that was indeed made continually throughout Acts (Mat 1:3; Mat 8:12; Mat 14:22; Mat 19:8; Mat 20:25). So there is no way in which it can be said that the idea of the Kingly Rule of Heaven was set aside to await the future.
Some have argued that John could not be the fulfilment of Mal 4:5 because he was not successful enough, but that is to underestimate John’s impact. ‘There went out to him all the country of Judea, and all the people of Jerusalem’ (Mar 1:5). Even granted the exaggeration, that is some impact, and it would have been even moreso when people visited Jerusalem at the feasts. The widespread nature of his success comes out in the fact that decades afterwards disciples of John were still found around the Roman world.
Nor is there anywhere any suggestion that Jesus did ever offer the Kingly Rule of Heaven to Israel in a way that could either be accepted or rejected as though it was a whole take it or leave it deal. Right from the start He offered the Kingly Rule of Heaven as being available to those who would respond, knowing full well that they would only be a minority (Mat 7:13-27). He never expected wholesale acceptance, even though He was grieved that the cities of Galilee that were closest to Him on the whole refused to repent. But that was because of His compassion and because His heart longed for them, not because He was really expecting them all to respond. The only change of tack that He would make was that He would offer it to others because those to whom it was first offered had not on the whole accepted it (Mat 21:42) (but that was in fact in accordance with His expectations as Mat 7:13-27 demonstrates).
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett
Mat 11:13-14 are by way of showing how it happens that, since the commencement of the Baptist’s ministry , the Messiah’s kingdom has been the object toward which such a violent movement has been directed. All the prophets, and even the law, have prophesied up till John’s time; John was the terminus ad quem of the period of prophecy which he brought to a close, and he who forms the termination of this epoch then steps upon the scene as the immediate forerunner of the Messiah as the Elias who was to come. Accordingly, that new violent stirring of life among the people must be connected with this manifestation of Elias. Others interpret differently, while Bleek and Holtzmann are even inclined to suppose that originally Mat 11:13 was uttered before Mat 11:12 .
] for even with this the era of prophecy began, Joh 5:46 ; Act 7:37 ; Rom 10:6 ; Rom 11:19 ; although prophecy was not the principal function of the law, for which reason the prophets are here mentioned first. Different in Mat 5:17 .
] if you and on this it depends whether by you also he is taken for what he is will not reject this assurance (see on 1Co 2:14 ), but are disposed to receive it with a view to fuller consideration. The reason for interposing this remark is to be found in the fact that the unhappy circumstances in which John was then placed appeared to be inconsistent with such a view of his mission.
] no other than He.
] in accordance with Mal. 3:23 (Mal 4:5 ), on which the Jews founded the expectation that Elias, who had been taken up into heaven, would appear again in bodily form and introduce the Messiah (Wetstein on this passage; Lightfoot on Mat 17:10 ; Schoettgen, p. 148), an expectation which Jesus regarded as veritably fulfilled in the person and work of the Baptist; in him , according to the ideal meaning of the prophecy, he saw the promised Elias; comp. Luk 1:17 .
] the usual predicate. Bengel: “sermo est tanquam e prospectu testamenti veteris in novum.”
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary
13 For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.
Ver. 13. For all the prophets and the law, &c. ] i.e. The ministry of the prophets and the shadows of the law determined in John’s preaching. As for the substance of the law, Christ came not to destroy, but fulfil it, Mat 5:17-18 . See Trapp on “ Mat 5:17 “ See Trapp on “ Mat 5:18 “
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)
13, 14. ] The whole body of testimony as yet has been prophetic , the Law and Prophets, from the first till Zacharias the priest and Simeon and Anna prophesied; and according to the declaration of prophecy itself, John, in the spirit and power of Elias, was the forerunner of the great subject of all prophecy. Neither this nor the testimony of our Lord, ch. Mat 17:12 is inconsistent with John’s own denial that he was Elias, Joh 1:21 . For (1) the question there was evidently asked as assuming a re-appearance of the actual Elias upon earth: and (2) our Lord cannot be understood in either of these passages as meaning that the prophecy of Mal 4:5 received its full completion in John. For as in other prophecies, so in this, we have a partial fulfilment both of the coming of the Lord and of His forerunner, while the great and complete fulfilment is yet future at the great day of the Lord. Mal 4:1 .
here may not be = (as Bengel, ‘sermo est tanquam e prospectu testamenti veteris in novum’), but is perhaps strictly future , who shall come. Compare ch. Mat 17:11 , where the future is used. The must be taken as referring to the partial sense of the fulfilment implied: for it was (and is to this day) the belief of the Jews that Elias in person should come before the end.
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament
Mat 11:13-15 . Conclusion of speech about John.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
Mat 11:13 . he thought here is hinted rather than fully expressed. It has been suggested that the sense would become clearer if Mat 11:12-13 were made to change places (Maldonatus). This inversion might be justified by reference to Luk 16:16 , where the two thoughts are given in the inverse order. Wendt (L. J., i. 75) on this and other grounds arranges the Mat 11:13-14 ; Mat 11:12 . But even as they stand the words can be made to yield a fitting sense, harmonising with the general aim, the eulogy of John. The surface idea is that the whole O. T., prophets of course, and even the law in its predictive aspects (by symbolic rites and foreshadowing institutions) pointed forward to a Kingdom of God. The kingdom coming the burden of O. T. revelation. But what then? To what end make this observation? To explain the impatience of the stormers: their determination to have at last by all means, and in some form, what had so long been foretold? (Weiss). No; but to define by contrast John’s position. Observe l. goes not with the subject, but with the verb Prophets (and even law) till John prophesied . The suggestion is that he is not a mere continuator of the prophetic line, one more repeating the message: the kingdom will come . His function is peculiar and exceptional. What is it? Mat 11:14 explains. He is the Elijah of Malachi, herald of the Great Day, usherer in of the kingdom, the man who says not merely “the kingdom will come,” but “the kingdom is here”; says it, and makes good the saying, bringing about a great movement of repentance. : the identification of John with Elijah to be taken cum grano , not as a prosaic statement of fact. Here, as always, Christ idealises, seizes the essential truth. John was all the Elijah that would ever come, worthy to represent him in spirit, and performing the function assigned to Elijah redivivus in prophecy. Some of the Fathers distinguished two advents of Elijah, one in spirit in the Baptist, another literally at the second coming of Christ. Servile exegesis of the letter. has no expressed object: the object is the statement following. Lutteroth supplies “him” = the Baptist. In the Weiss finds a tacit allusion to the impenitence of the people: Ye are not willing because ye know that Elijah’s coming means a summons to repentance.
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson
all the prophets. See Act 3:21.
the law. See note on Mat 5:17.
until John. And all would have been fulfilled then had the nation repented.
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics
13, 14.] The whole body of testimony as yet has been prophetic,-the Law and Prophets, from the first till Zacharias the priest and Simeon and Anna prophesied; and according to the declaration of prophecy itself, John, in the spirit and power of Elias, was the forerunner of the great subject of all prophecy. Neither this-nor the testimony of our Lord, ch. Mat 17:12-is inconsistent with Johns own denial that he was Elias, Joh 1:21. For (1) the question there was evidently asked as assuming a re-appearance of the actual Elias upon earth: and (2) our Lord cannot be understood in either of these passages as meaning that the prophecy of Mal 4:5 received its full completion in John. For as in other prophecies, so in this, we have a partial fulfilment both of the coming of the Lord and of His forerunner, while the great and complete fulfilment is yet future-at the great day of the Lord. Mal 4:1.
here may not be = (as Bengel, sermo est tanquam e prospectu testamenti veteris in novum), but is perhaps strictly future, who shall come. Compare ch. Mat 17:11, where the future is used. The must be taken as referring to the partial sense of the fulfilment implied: for it was (and is to this day) the belief of the Jews that Elias in person should come before the end.
Fuente: The Greek Testament
Mat 11:13. , for) Now is fulfilled that which had been predicted up to the time of John.—, prophets-law-John) Cf. Mal. 1:1, 3:22, 23; and see Gnomon on Mat 3:12. There were prophets also before Moses; and the law being put in the second place, makes a regular gradation; for Moses was the greatest of the prophets of the Old Testament. The law also is mentioned in this passage on account of its prophetic office. Where the Old Testament concludes at the end of Malachi, there the New Testament commences at the beginning of Mark. This phrase, therefore, even until John, holds good of Scripture. Its application extends also beyond Malachi, even to the father of John. Sec Luk 1:67. Even until, without change. Here was the boundary of prophecy and of the Old Testament dispensation; thenceforward is the fulfilling.-, prophesied) This was the whole of their office, to bear witness to future things. John was something more. See Mat 11:9.
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament
Mat 5:17, Mat 5:18, Mal 4:6, Luk 24:27, Luk 24:44, Joh 5:46, Joh 5:47, Act 3:22-24, Act 13:27, Rom 3:21
Reciprocal: Dan 9:24 – seal up Mal 4:5 – I will Mat 11:9 – A prophet Mat 17:3 – Moses Mar 9:4 – appeared
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge
1:13
After Malachi completed his book, there was not one word of inspiration from heaven recorded until the voice of John was heard in the wilderness. That is, there was silence until his teaching about the kingdom introduced the new subject.
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary
Mat 11:13. For. A proof of the coming in of the new era.
All the prophets and the law, i.e., the whole Old Testament.
Prophesied. Only prophesied. The law is also a prophecy, even its ceremonies point to Christ.
Until John. Including him as the last of the series, still belonging to the old dispensation, but closing its prophecy, when he ushered in the Messiah. The joining of John with the prophets is a further support of his high position.
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament
Here is still a farther commendation of John. The law and the prophets till the coming of John, did foretell the Messiah, but not so determinately, not so nearly, not so clearly as John did: and accordingly, he was that Elias which Isaiah and Malachi foretold should be the barbinger and forerunner of Christ. But why hath John the Baptist the name of Elias? Possibly because they were alike zealous in the work of God; they were alike successful in that work, and they were alike persecuted for their work: the one by Jezebel, the other by Herodias.
Fuente: Expository Notes with Practical Observations on the New Testament
11:13 For all the prophets and the law {d} prophesied until John.
(d) They prophesied of things to come, which are now present, and clearly and plainly seen.