The Great Commentary (Mossman/Cobb English)

Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Casar 9 Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaa , and Herod being tetrarch Digitized by Google ANNAS AND CAIAPHAS, THE HIGH PRIESTS. 143 of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Iturcea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene

And he came into all the country about Jordan , preaching the baptism of repentance (ue., stirring them up to do penance) for the remission of sins — to be obtained in the baptism of Christ John was preaching penance, that by it they might dispose themselves for the reception of pardon and grace from Christ See Matt. iii

As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet , sayings The voice cf one crying in the wilderness , Prepare ye the way of the Lord , make His paths straight

And he said unto them% Exact no more than that which is appointed you — in the exaction of taxes. In the Greek it is rpfartn, which can be translated both make and exact , but in this place is more clearly rendered exact as the Syriac and the Greek render it So Jansenius, Maldonatus, Francis Lucas, and others. For tax-gatherers are wont to increase the tribute out of avarice, and to exact more than is appointed by the Ruler, which is theft or rapine, wherefore John here charges them with it “He lays a moderate command on them,” says S. Augustine (Serin. 3 de Diversis ), “ that both iniquity may have no place, and the appointed tribute may have effect” “So the Baptist,” says S. Ambrose, “gives to each generation of men the answer suitable to them.” Let the preacher do the same, and prescribe to wives, to husbands, to sons, to maidservants, to menservants, to merchants, farmers, and lawyers, what each in particular onght to do, and give each one the directions proper to his state of life.”

And the soldiers likewise demanded of him, saying And what shall we do t And he said unto them, Do violence to no man , neither accuse any falsely ; and be content with your wages . Soldiers who were serving some of them under Herod Antipas against Aretas, the king of the Arabs, some under the prefect of the Temple, and some under Pilate, the Roman Governor ; these men, hearing John thundering against their vices, and threatening them with hell, conscious of rapine and other crimes, which soldiers are wont to commit, becoming, together with the publicans, contrite, at the word of John, seek from him the remedy of penance, of a good life, and of salvation. John, therefore, tacitly gives it to be understood that it is lawful to be a soldier, and that war is lawful, as S. Ambrose teaches ( Serm. 7), and S. Augustine ( Contra Faustum , bk. xxil ch. lxxiv.)