8<\/strong>. A man clothed in soft raiment<\/em> ] Mr Plumptre (Smith’s Bib. Dic.<\/em> i. 1166) suggests that there may be a historical allusion in these words. A certain Menahem, who had been a colleague of the great teacher Hillel, “was tempted by the growing power of Herod, and with a large number of his followers entered the king’s service they appeared publicly in gorgeous apparel, glittering with gold.” (See Lightfoot, Hor. Hebr.<\/em>, on Mat 22:16<\/span>.)<\/p>\n Clothed in soft raiment – <\/B>The kind of raiment here denoted was the light, thin clothing worn by effeminate persons. It was made commonly of fine linen, and was worn chiefly for ornament. Christ asks them whether they were attracted by anything like that. He says that the desert was not the place to expect it. In the palaces of kings, in the court of Herod, it might be expected, but not in the place where John was. This kind of clothing was an emblem of riches, splendor, effeminacy, feebleness of character. He meant to say that John was a man of a different stamp – coarse in his exterior, hardy in his character, firm in his virtue, suited to endure trials and privations, and thus qualified to be the forerunner of the toiling and suffering Messiah.<\/P> <\/p>\n Verse 8<\/span>. A man clothed in soft raiment?<\/B><\/I>] A second excellency<\/I> in John was, his sober and mortified life. A preacher of the Gospel should have nothing about him which savours of effeminacy<\/I> and worldly pomp<\/I>: he is awfully mistaken who thinks to prevail on the world to hear him and receive the truth, by conforming himself to its fashions<\/I> and manners<\/I>. Excepting the mere colour of his clothes, we can scarcely now distinguish a preacher of the Gospel, whether in the establishment of the country, or out of it, from the merest worldly man. Ruffles, powder, and fribble seem universally to prevail. Thus the Church and the world begin to shake hands, the latter still retaining its enmity to God. How can those who profess to preach the doctrine of the cross act in this way? Is not a worldly-minded preacher, in the most peculiar sense, an abomination in the eyes of the Lord?<\/P> <\/P> Are in kings’ houses.<\/B><\/I>] A third excellency<\/I> in John was, he did not affect high things. He was contented to live in the desert, and to announce the solemn and severe truths of his doctrine to the simple inhabitants of the country. Let it be well observed, that the preacher who conforms to the world in his clothing<\/I>, is never in his element but when he is frequenting the houses<\/I> and tables<\/I> of the rich<\/I> and great<\/I>.<\/P><\/p>\n But what went ye out for to see?<\/strong>…. Since it cannot be thought it was to see the reeds in the wilderness blow to and fro by the wind, or a man like one of them, either in gesture or doctrine; was it to see<\/p>\n a man clothed in soft raiment?<\/strong> In raiment made of soft materials, as fine wool, cotton, silk, c. such as Mecaenos wore, and who was therefore called Malacinus y: one finely dressed, and richly apparelled, draws the eyes of persons to him but such an one is not to be expected in a wilderness: and if the Jews went to see such a person, they were greatly disappointed; for John’s raiment was of camel’s hair, undressed, and he had a leathern girdle about his loins; and as for his diet, it was locusts and wild honey: no,<\/p>\n behold they that wear soft clothing<\/strong>, or, as Luke says, are “gorgeously apparelled”; to which he adds,<\/p>\n and live delicately, are in kings’ houses<\/strong>, or “courts”; not in a desert, where John came preaching, nor in a prison, where he now was: he was no light, inconstant, flattering person, as generally courtiers are; had he, he would not have been in a prison; it was for his uprightness and faithfulness, in reproving Herod the king, that he was in such a place and condition. Thus from his very garb and diet, his character is vindicated from the charge of levity and change.<\/p>\n y Alex. ab Alex. Genial Dier. 1. 5. c. 18.<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n 1) “But what went ye out for to see?” <\/strong>(alla ti ekselthate idein) “But what did you all really go out to see,” to, observe, to perceive, Mr 1:5.<\/p>\n 2) “A man clothed in soft raiment?” <\/strong>(anthropon en malakois emphiesmenon) “Was it a man who had been clothed in soft garments?” or in royal clothing? Luk 7:25<\/span>; Such as was unsuited for a rugged preacher of repentance, and remission of sins, and good fruit, Mat 3:8-11<\/span>.<\/p>\n 3) “Behold they that wear soft clothing,” <\/strong>(idou hoi ta makala phorountes) “Observe that those who wear soft materials,” as their chief garments, Luk 16:19<\/span>.<\/p>\n 4) “Are in king’s houses.” <\/strong>(en tois oikois ton basileon) “They are those who are in households of the kings,” of kings of the earth, Luk 7:25<\/span>, not in coarse clothing, in the field or in the wilderness, Mat 3:4<\/span>; Mr 1:5,6.<\/p>\n 8. Clothed with soft garments Those who think that Christ here condemns the extravagance of a court are mistaken. There are many other passages in which luxury of dress, and excessive attention to outward appearance, are censured. But this passage simply means, that there was nothing in the wilderness to attract the people from every quarter; that every thing there was rude and unpolished, and fitted only to inspire disgust; and that such elegance of dress as delights the eyes is rather to be looked for in the courts of kings. (13) <\/p>\n (13) “ Que pour voir de beaux vestemens et autres choses agencees bien proprement il faut plustost aller es Cours des Rois;” — “that in order to see fine dresses, and other things very neatly arranged, we must rather go to the courts of kings.” <\/p>\n (8) A man clothed in soft raiment?-<\/strong>Had they seen, then, one who shared in the luxury, and courted the favour of princes? No, not so, again. They that wear soft clothing, or, as in St. Lukes report, they that are gorgeously apparelled, and live delicately, are in kings houses. The words had a more pointed reference than at first sight appears. Jewish historians (Jost, Gesch. Jud.<\/em> I. 259.) record how in the early days of Herod the Great a section of the scribes had attached themselves to his policy and party, and in doing so had laid aside the sombre garments of their order, and had appeared in the gorgeous raiment worn by Herods other courtiers. The Herodians of the Gospel history were obviously the successors of these men in policy, and probably also in habits and demeanour; and the reference to kings houses admits of no other application than to the palace of Antipas. We may trace, with very little hesitation, a vindictive retaliation for these very words in the gorgeous robe with which Herod arrayed Him in mockery when the Tetrarch and the Christ stood for one brief hour face to face with each other (Luk. 23:11<\/span>).<\/p>\n 8<\/strong>. <\/strong> Man clothed in soft raiment <\/em> Were you attracted into the wilderness of Judea to see an effeminate courtier, who could not bear the severities of a desert or of a prison, as John now perhaps appears? Certainly not. The very direction <\/em> you took shows the reverse. You would not have gone to the wilderness, but to the palace, perhaps of Herod, to find a soft dressed gentleman.<\/p>\n “But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft clothing? Behold, those who wear soft clothing are in kings’ houses.” <\/p>\n Note how well the pictures fit together, on the one hand the humble reed, on the other the mighty courtier. The one is found in the wilderness, but is hardly worth gong out to see, the other might be worth going out to see, but is not found in the wilderness. John was, however, neither and both. He was both worth going out to see, and was in the wilderness. For he was a prophet of God. He was not a thing to be blown about, nor an arrogant man of earthly authority and power, living at ease and in luxury. He was a true prophet of a kind that Israel had been waiting for.<\/p>\n Mat 11:8-9<\/span> . ] no, on the contrary<\/em> ; it is assumed that what has just been asked was not the intention; Hartung, Partikell<\/em> . II. p. 38. Klotz, ad Devar<\/em> . p. 13. It seems<\/em> , from the fact of his sending those messengers, as if John were (1) a man of hesitating, unstable character, Mat 11:7<\/span> ; or (2) a voluptuary, whose sole concern was how to exchange his condition of hardship for one of luxurious ease, Mat 11:8<\/span> . Jesus removes any impression<\/em> of this sort by appealing to His hearers to consult their own hearts<\/em> as to what they had expected<\/em> , and what they had found<\/em> in John. Certainly they had expected neither a man of fickle mind, nor a voluptuary; but what they had looked for, that they had found in him, namely a prophet (Mat 21:26<\/span> ), indeed more than a prophet! Accordingly, there is no apparent reason for regarding (Oppenrieder, Zeitschr. f. luth. Theologie<\/em> , 1856) the clauses containing a statement of the intention<\/em> as the rhetorical expression of the result<\/em> (as if the words were . ). But even to find in the negative questions an ironical allusion to the character of the Galileans<\/em> (Keim), is foreign to the connection, especially as the real motive is given in the third of these questions.<\/p>\n Mat 11:9<\/span> . confirms<\/em> the which has just been asked (see the critical remarks), and that in accordance with its result<\/em> : “ Certainly, I tell you<\/em> (you saw a prophet), and more<\/em> .” is regarded by Erasmus and Fritzsche as masculine<\/em> (Symmachus, Gen 49:3<\/span> : , excellentior<\/em> ). Nowhere, however, in the New Testament does the simple occur as masculine<\/em> , and in this instance the interrogative tells in favour of its being taken as neuter<\/em> . Comp. Mat 12:41<\/span> f. Therefore to be rendered: something more<\/em> (Vulgate: plus<\/em> ) than a prophet<\/em> , inasmuch, that is, as he is not only the last and greatest of the prophets, but also because he was sent by God to prepare the way of the Messiah<\/em> through the preaching and baptism of repentance, Mat 11:10<\/span> . In a different sense, viz. as the source, the aim, and the fulfiller of all prophecy, is Christ<\/em> more than a prophet. Comp. Kleinschmidt, d. typolog. Citate d. vier Evang<\/em> . p. 45.<\/p>\n 8 But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft clothing<\/em> are in kings’ houses. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n <\/strong><\/p>\n Ver. 8. A man clothed in softs?<\/strong> ] Which most men gaze at, go after, fawn upon. Hunc homines decorant, quem vestimenta decorant.<\/em> Herein they resemble those dogs that kept Vulcan’s temple; of which Hospinian tells us that if any came to the temple with brave clothes, they would fawn upon them; but if in ragged, they would tear them in pieces. Such a vanity as this was crept into the Church, Jas 2:2<\/span> . Fulgent fere monilibus, sordent moribus.<\/em> Cato could say, Cultus magnam curam, magnam virtutis esse incuriam.<\/em> The Baptist was not a man of that make. His heart and his habit were equally plain, simple. Buchanan seldom cared for a better outside than a rug gown girt close about him. <\/p>\n 8. <\/strong> <\/strong> ] If it was not that, ; so in Demosth. Coron. p. 233, ; ; . <\/strong> <\/strong> : see Klotz, Devar. p. 5.<\/p>\n <\/strong> ] The repetition of this question, and the order of the suggestive answers, are remarkable. The first sets before them the scene of their desert pilgrimage the banks of Jordan with its reeds (as Dr. Burton quotes from Lucian Hermotim., ); but no such trifles were the object of the journey: this suggestion is rejected without an answer. The second reminds them that it was a man<\/em> but not one in soft clothing, for such are not found in deserts. The third brings before them the real object of their pilgrimage in his holy office, and even amplifies that office itself. So that the great Forerunner is made to rise gradually and sublimely into his personality, and thus his preaching of repentance is revived in their minds.<\/p>\n <\/strong> ] Contrast this with the garb of John as described ch. Mat 3:4<\/span> . Such an one, in soft raiment, might be the forerunner of a proud earthly prince, but not the preacher of repentance before a humble and suffering Saviour; might be found as the courtly flatterer in the palaces of kings, but not as the stern rebuker of tyrants, languishing in their fortress dungeons.<\/p>\n Mat 11:8<\/span> . assumes the negative answer to the previous question and elegantly connects with it the following = “No; well, then, did you, etc.?” , neuter, not necessary: in precious garments of any material, silk, woollen, linen; the fine garments suggestive of refinement, luxury, effeminacy. . . : points to a well-known truth, serving the same purpose as here; those accustomed<\/em> to wear, ., frequentative, as distinct from , which would mean bearing without reference to habit. . ., in palaces which courtiers frequent. Jesus knows their flexible, superfine ways well; how different from those of the rudely clad and rudely mannered, uncompromising Baptist!<\/p>\n for to see = to see. Greek. eidon. App-133. <\/p>\n soft raiment = soft, or effeminate [raiment]. Mantles are meant, made of silk or linen, as worn by the effendis or gentry, in the East, to-day. <\/p>\n behold. Figure of speech Asterismos. App-6. <\/p>\n 8. ] If it was not that, ; so in Demosth. Coron. p. 233, ; ; . : see Klotz, Devar. p. 5.<\/p>\n ] The repetition of this question, and the order of the suggestive answers, are remarkable. The first sets before them the scene of their desert pilgrimage-the banks of Jordan with its reeds (as Dr. Burton quotes from Lucian Hermotim., );-but no such trifles were the object of the journey: this suggestion is rejected without an answer. The second reminds them that it was a man-but not one in soft clothing, for such are not found in deserts. The third brings before them the real object of their pilgrimage in his holy office, and even amplifies that office itself. So that the great Forerunner is made to rise gradually and sublimely into his personality, and thus his preaching of repentance is revived in their minds.<\/p>\n ] Contrast this with the garb of John as described ch. Mat 3:4. Such an one, in soft raiment, might be the forerunner of a proud earthly prince, but not the preacher of repentance before a humble and suffering Saviour; might be found as the courtly flatterer in the palaces of kings, but not as the stern rebuker of tyrants, languishing in their fortress dungeons.<\/p>\n Mat 11:8. , but) The conjunction is employed to show that the preceding hypothesis has been dismissed.- , clothed in soft raiment) They would have wished the forerunner, and the Messiah Himself, to have been such.-, the) The article refers to the preceding .[515]-, who wear) John, if he had wished it, might have been a courtier.-, houses) Not in the desert or the prison.- ,[516] of palaces) See Est 4:2. The LXX. have in Est 1:9; Est 2:13.- = the halls of the palace.<\/p>\n [515] Thus identifying with , and showing that the soft things, now spoken of are, as in E. V., soft clothing.-(I. B.)<\/p>\n [516] E. M. has which E. V. renders Kings Palaces.-(I. B.)<\/p>\n The reading is regarded as equal to the other in the margin of the larger Ed.: but the margin of Ed. 2, as well as the Germ. Vers., prefer .-E. B. All the primary authorities read . But Griesb. and Scholz, with some inferior Uncial MSS., read or .-ED.<\/p>\n A man: Mat 3:4, 2Ki 1:8, Isa 20:2, Zec 13:4, 1Co 4:11, 2Co 11:27, Rev 11:3 <\/p>\n Reciprocal: 1Ki 18:7 – he knew 1Ki 22:10 – having put 2Ch 18:9 – clothed Est 5:1 – royal Est 8:15 – royal apparel Luk 7:24 – What Joh 4:38 – other 1Ti 2:9 – not Jam 2:2 – goodly<\/p>\n 11:8<\/p>\n A man who was accustomed to the soft and luxurious life of royal palaces would be unsuited for work out in the wilderness. But the prophecy had foretold that the forerunner of Jesus was to operate in the wilderness, hence no surprise should be felt over the rough outdoor raiment of John the Baptist.<\/p>\n Mat 11:8. But what: if it was not that, what was it, etc.<\/p>\n A man clothed in soft raiment? An allusion to the coarseness of Johns clothing (chap. Mat 4:3).<\/p>\n Behold. This is equivalent to, oh no, such are not found in the wilderness.<\/p>\n In kings houses; not in kings prisons. An allusion to the courtiers about Herod Antipas. John was not a flatterer nor had he drawn back from his testimony to Jesus to escape from prison or from any selfish motive. Thus our Lord defends His forerunner from the suspicion of the multitude.<\/p>\n Verse 8 <\/p>\n A man clothed, &c.; a man of feeble and effeminate character, unable to bear trials and hardships.<\/p>\n But what went ye out for to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? behold, they that wear soft [clothing] are in kings’ houses. 8. A man clothed in soft raiment ] Mr Plumptre (Smith’s Bib. Dic. i. 1166) suggests that there may be a historical allusion in these words. A certain Menahem, who had … Continue reading “Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Matthew 11:8”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-23467","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-commentary"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23467","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=23467"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/23467\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=23467"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=23467"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/bible-commentary\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=23467"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Fuente: The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Adam Clarke’s Commentary and Critical Notes on the Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Calvin’s Complete Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Commentary Series on the Bible by Peter Pett<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer’s New Testament Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Henry Alford’s Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Expositors Greek Testament by Robertson<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Greek Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Gnomon of the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Combined Bible Commentary<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: A Popular Commentary on the New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n
Fuente: Abbott’s Illustrated New Testament<\/b><\/i><\/h4>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"