Quotes & Notes
- Waxed strong in spirit. That is, in courage, understanding, and
purposes of good, fitting him for his future work. The word wax means to
increase, to grow, from an old Saxon word. In the deserts. In
Hebron, and in the hill country where his father resided. He dwelt in
obscurity, and was not known publicly by the people. Until the day
of his showing. Until he entered on his public ministry, as recorded in
Mt 3:1-17; --that is, probably, until he was about thirty years of age.
See Lu 3:1-38.
- Albert Barnes Commentary
- The child grew] Increased in stature and bodily vigour. And waxed
strong in spirit-had his understanding Divinely illuminated and
confirmed in the truths of God. And was in the deserts-the city of
Hebron, the circumjacent hill country, and in or near Nazareth. Till the
time of his showing, or manifestation-till he was thirty years of age,
before which time the law did not permit a man to enter into the public
ministry, Nu 4:3. See also Lu 3:23. -
Adam Clarke Commentary
- And the child, &c.--"a concluding paragraph, indicating, in strokes
full of grandeur, the bodily and mental development of the Baptist; and
bringing his life up to the period of his public appearance" [OLSHAUSEN].
in the deserts--probably "the wilderness of Judea" (Mt 3:1), whither he
had retired early in life, in the Nazarite spirit, and where, free from
rabbinical influences and alone with God, his spirit would be educated,
like Moses in the desert, for his future high vocation.
his showing unto Israel--the presentation of himself before his nation,
as Messiah's forerunner.
- Jamieson-Faucett-Brown Commentary
- Grew (êuxane). Imperfect active, was growing. Waxed strong (ekrataiouto).
Imperfect again. The child kept growing in strength of body and spirit.
His shewing (anadeixeôs autou). Here alone in the N.T. It occurs in
Plutarch and Polybius. The verb appears in a sacrificial sense. The boy,
as he grew, may have gone up to the passover and may have seen the boy
Jesus (Lu 2:42-52), but he would not know that he was to be the Messiah.
So these two boys of destiny grew on with the years, the one in the
desert hills near Hebron after Zacharias and Elisabeth died, the other,
the young Carpenter up in Nazareth, each waiting for "his shewing unto
Israel."
- Robertson's Word Pictures
- Great minds are reared in solitude. Lone places are fit nurses for
God's heroes. We should be all the better if we were oftener alone; in
the solemn silence of nature sanctified spirits find a congenial
atmosphere.
- Spurgeon Devotional Commentary
- Here we have a short account of John's private life before he
entered upon his public ministry, which was at thirty years of age; "He
grew," that is, in bodily stature, "and waxed strong in spirit;" that
is, in the gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit, which increased with his
age, and shewed themselves in him every day more and more. "And he was
in the deserts; "that is, in the mountainous country of Judea, where he
was born, till the time of his preaching to and amongst the Jews; not
that he lived like a hermit, recluse from all society with men, but
contented himself to continue in an obscure privacy, till called forth
to promulge and preach the gospel: and when that time was come, John
leaves the hill country, and enters with resolution and unwearied
diligence upon his public ministry; teaching us, by his example, that
when we are fit and ripe for public service, we should no less willingly
leave our obscurity, than we took the benefit of it for our preparation.
John abode in the deserts till his shewing unto Israel; that is, till
the time of his setting forth to execute his office among the Jews.
- William
Burkitt's Notes
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