Matthew 11:10
This is he of whom it is written, “‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you.’
English Standard Version (ESV)
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The prophecy Jesus quotes here is intentionally adapted from its original form in Malachi. Malachi says "prepare the way before ME," but Jesus applies it to John the Baptist preparing the way before "THEE" (meaning the Messiah). This subtle shift highlights Jesus' divine authority, showing He's applying God's own words to Himself in a way that points to His unique identity.
Jesus is addressing crowds who came to see John the Baptist, and he uses this moment to exalt John’s unique role. He quotes a prophecy from Malachi, identifying John as the messenger who would prepare the way for the Lord, thus highlighting John’s crucial mission as the forerunner of the Messiah. This declaration serves to bolster John’s credibility and emphasize the significance of his ministry in light of potential doubts or misunderstandings about him.
Jesus declared John the Baptist the greatest of men born of women. Yet, he also said the 'least in the kingdom of heaven' is greater than John. How can both be true?
Jesus elevates John the Baptist to an unprecedented status, calling him 'higher than a prophet' and 'more than a prophet.' He's the culmination of the Old Covenant, fulfilling prophecies and bridging the gap to the new.
The Pinnacle of the Old
The Dawn of the New
John's task was monumental: to clear the path for the King. What did this 'preparation' actually involve?
The prophecy Jesus quotes speaks of preparing the way. This wasn't about building roads or clearing physical obstacles. It was a spiritual and societal preparation for the arrival of God's presence in the person of Jesus.
Divine Foreknowledge and Action
Understand the original words
angelos · Greek Noun
One sent by God with a specific mission to act as a herald or forerunner. This term implies authorized representation, carrying the authority of the one who sent them.
This verse directly quotes Malachi 3:1, a prophecy written centuries earlier. Jesus applies it to John the Baptist, highlighting John's crucial role as the divinely appointed forerunner who prepared the way for the Messiah's arrival.
c. 700-400 BC
Prophecy of Malachi
The prophet Malachi delivers his prophecies, including the one about a messenger preparing the way before the Lord, which would later be applied to John the Baptist.
c. 63 BC
Herod the Great Appointed King
Herod the Great, a non-Jewish king who would rule Judea, is appointed king by the Romans, establishing a period of foreign rule that created deep nationalistic and religious expectations among the Jewish people.
c. 2 BC
Birth of John the Baptist
John the Baptist, destined to be the forerunner of the Messiah, is miraculously born to elderly parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth.
c. AD 27-28
Beginning of John the Baptist's Ministry
John the Baptist begins his public ministry in the wilderness of Judea, preaching repentance and baptizing people, fulfilling the prophecies that heralded the coming of the Messiah.
This is the direct Old Testament prophecy that Matthew is quoting, identifying John the Baptist as the messenger sent to prepare the way for the Lord.
Isaiah 40:3This passage from Isaiah also foretells a voice crying in the wilderness to prepare the way of the Lord, a prophecy that John the Baptist clearly fulfilled, thus echoing the theme of preparation.
Luke 1:16-17This passage describes John the Baptist's ministry in terms of restoring people to the Lord and preparing a people for Him, aligning perfectly with the concept of preparing the way.
Matthew 3:3This verse from Matthew's own account of John the Baptist's ministry directly quotes the same prophecy from Isaiah, reinforcing John's role as the forerunner.
Mark 1:2-3Mark also includes this prophecy, linking the Baptist's ministry to the fulfillment of Old Testament promises about preparing the way for God's coming.
barnesMatthew 11:10: "For this is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee."
For this is he ... - The passage of Scripture here quoted is found in Malachi 3:1 . The substance of it is contained also in Isaiah 40:3 . Prepare thy way - That is, to prepare "the people;" to make them ready, by proper instructions, to receive the Messiah.
calvinMatthew 11:7-15: "And as they departed, Jesus began to say unto the multitudes concerning John, What went ye out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken with the wind?"
- And as they were departing, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John, What went you out into the wilderness to see? A reed, which is shaken by the wind? 8. But what went you out to see? A man clothed in soft raiment? [8] Lo, they who wear soft clothing are in the houses of kings. 9. But what went you out to see?…
The prophecy Jesus quotes here is intentionally adapted from its original form in Malachi. Malachi says "prepare the way before ME," but Jesus applies it to John the Baptist preparing the way before "THEE" (meaning the Messiah). This subtle shift highlights Jesus' divine authority, showing He's applying God's own words to Himself in a way that points to His unique identity.
Jesus is addressing crowds who came to see John the Baptist, and he uses this moment to exalt John’s unique role. He quotes a prophecy from Malachi, identifying John as the messenger who would prepare the way for the Lord, thus highlighting John’s crucial mission as the forerunner of the Messiah. This declaration serves to bolster John’s credibility and emphasize the significance of his ministry in light of potential doubts or misunderstandings about him.
Jesus is addressing crowds who came to see John the Baptist, and he uses this moment to exalt John’s unique role. He quotes a prophecy from Malachi, identifying John as the messenger who would prepare the way for the Lord, thus highlighting John’s crucial mission as the forerunner of the Messiah. This declaration serves to bolster John’s credibility and emphasize the significance of his ministry in light of potential doubts or misunderstandings about him.
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The Nature of Preparation
c. AD 28— this verse
Jesus Begins His Public Ministry
Jesus is baptized by John the Baptist and immediately begins His public ministry, traveling and teaching throughout Galilee and Judea.
c. AD 30
Imprisonment and Death of John the Baptist
John the Baptist is imprisoned by Herod Antipas for condemning his unlawful marriage and is later beheaded. His imprisonment leads to his questioning of Jesus' identity.
"This is he of whom it is written,
“‘Behold, I send my messenger before your face,
who will prepare your way before you.’" — The prophecy Jesus quotes here is intentionally adapted from its original form in Malachi. Malachi says "prepare the way before ME," but Jesus applies it to John the Baptist preparing the way before…