Matthew 11:10

Matthew 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.

a. NLT: John is the man to whom the Scriptures refer when they say, ‘Look, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.

b. NIV: This is the one about whom it is written: “ ‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.’

c. Young’s Literal Translation: for this is he of whom it hath been written, Lo, I do send My messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

d. Amplified Bible: This is the one of whom it is written, Behold, I send My messenger ahead of You, who shall make ready Your way before You.

e. Worrell Translation: This is he of whom it has been written, ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Thy face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee.’

1. “For this is he, of whom it is written…”

a. for [1063 * gar] [Strong: a primary particle; properly, assigning a reason (used in argument, explanation or intensification; often with other particles):--and, as, because (that), but, even, for, indeed, no doubt, seeing, then, therefore, verily, what, why, yet.]

b. this [3778 * houtos] [Strong:  including nominative masculine plural houtoi hoo'-toy, nominative feminine singular haute how'-tay, and nominative feminine plural hautai how'-tahee from the article 3588 and 846; the he (she or it), i.e. this or that (often with article repeated):--he (it was that), hereof, it, she, such as, the same, these, they, this (man, same, woman), which, who.]

c. is [2076 * esti] [Strong: third person singular present indicative of 1510; he (she or it) is; also (with neuter plural) they are:--are, be(-long), call, X can(-not), come, consisteth, X dure for a while, + follow, X have, (that) is (to say), make, meaneth, X must needs, + profit, + remaineth, + wrestle.]

d. of whom [4012 * peri] [Strong: from the base of 4008; properly, through (all over), i.e. around; figuratively with respect to; used in various applications, of place, cause or time (with the genitive case denoting the subject or occasion or superlative point; with the accusative case the locality, circuit, matter, circumstance or general period):--(there-)about, above, against, at, on behalf of, X and his company, which concern, (as) concerning, for, X how it will go with, ((there-, where-)) of, on, over, pertaining (to), for sake, X (e-)state, (as) touching, (where-)by (in), with. In comparative, it retains substantially the same meaning of circuit (around), excess (beyond), or completeness (through).]

e. whom [3739 * hos] [Strong: including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

f. it is written [1125 * grapho] [Strong: a primary verb; to "grave", especially to write; figuratively, to describe:--describe, write(-ing, -ten).]

1). John’s ministry as a prophet was the greatest of any of the prophets because he was the forerunner of the Messiah. What a thing to be said of John! His ministry was the greatest of all the prophets because his ministry was to be God’s messenger to prepare the way for the Messiah! Wow! His birth announcement by the angel Gabriel to his father was filled with such words.

a). Luke 1:11-17 And there appeared unto him an angel of the Lord standing on the right side of the altar of incense.

And when Zacharias saw him, he was troubled, and fear fell upon him.

But the angel said unto him, Fear not, Zacharias: for thy prayer is heard; and thy wife Elisabeth shall bear thee a son, and thou shalt call his name John.

And thou shalt have joy and gladness; and many shall rejoice at his birth.

For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

2). At John’s circumcision his father prophesied that his birth was a fulfillment of prophetic promises.

a). Luke 1:67-79 And his father Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,

Blessed be the Lord God of Israel; for he hath visited and redeemed his people,

And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David;

As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets, which have been since the world began:

That we should be saved from our enemies, and from the hand of all that hate us;

To perform the mercy [promised] to our fathers, and to remember his holy covenant;

The oath which he sware to our father Abraham,

That he would grant unto us, that we being delivered out of the hand of our enemies might serve him without fear,

In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

And thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Highest: for thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to prepare his ways;

To give knowledge of salvation unto his people by the remission of their sins,

Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

2. “…Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.”

a. behold [2400 * idou] [Strong: second person singular imperative middle voice of 1492; used as imperative lo!; --behold, lo, see.]

b. I [1473 * ego] [Strong:  primary pronoun of the first person I (only expressed when emphatic):--I, me. For the other cases and the plural see 1691, 1698, 1700, 2248, 2249, 2254, 2257, etc.]

c. send * [649 * apostello] [Strong: from 575 and 4724; set apart, i.e. (by implication) to send out (properly, on a mission) literally or figuratively:--put in, send (away, forth, out), set (at liberty).]

d. my [3450 * mou] [Strong: the simpler form of 1700; of me:--I, me, mine (own), my.]

e. messenger [32 * aggelos] [Strong: from aggello (probably derived from 71; compare 34) (to bring tidings); a messenger; especially an "angel"; by implication, a pastor:--angel, messenger.]

f. before [4253 * pro] [Strong:  primary preposition; "fore", i.e. in front of, prior (figuratively, superior) to:--above, ago, before, or ever. In the comparative, it retains the same significations.]

g. thy [4675 * sou] [Strong: genitive case of 4771; of thee, thy:--X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]

h. face [4383 * prospon] [Strong: from 4314 and ops (the visage, from 3700); the front (as being towards view), i.e. the countenance, aspect, appearance, surface; by implication, presence, person:--(outward) appearance, X before, countenance, face, fashion, (men's) person, presence.]

1). Here Jesus was quoting from Malachi and affirming that John was the forerunner of the Messiah.

a). Malachi 3:1  Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts.

b). Notice Malachi writes, “my messenger (John the Baptist)…shall prepare the way before Me”. In other words, the pre-incarnate Christ was inspiring Malachi to write these words.

2). Another forerunner passage is found in Isaiah.

a). Isaiah 40:3-8 The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.

40:4 Every valley shall be exalted, and every mountain and hill shall be made low: and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough places plain:

40:5 And the glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.

40:6 The voice said, Cry. And he said, What shall I cry? All flesh is grass, and all the goodliness thereof is as the flower of the field:

40:7 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: because the spirit of the Lord bloweth upon it: surely the people is grass.

40:8 The grass withereth, the flower fadeth: but the word of our God shall stand for ever.

3). John knew he was the forerunner. His father surely instructed him on the words of God that came from the angel announcing his birth but also the inspired words Zacharias himself spoke, when he was filled with the Holy Ghost at his circumcision. See quotations of Luke 1:11-17 & Luke 1:67-79 in first section of the Matthew 11:10 text. When one studies the portions of his preaching made available to us in Scripture it is clear he knew he was the forerunner of the Messiah.

a). Mark 1:1-11 The beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God;

1:2 As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

1:3 The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

1:4 John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.

1:5 And there went out unto him all the land of Judaea, and they of Jerusalem, and were all baptized of him in the river of Jordan, confessing their sins.

1:6 And John was clothed with camel's hair, and with a girdle of a skin about his loins; and he did eat locusts and wild honey;

1:7 And preached, saying, There cometh one mightier than I after me, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to stoop down and unloose.

1:8 I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.

1:9 And it came to pass in those days, that Jesus came from Nazareth of Galilee, and was baptized of John in Jordan.

1:10 And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him:

1:11 And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

b). Luke 3:1-6 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judaea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of Ituraea and of the region of Trachonitis, and Lysanias the tetrarch of Abilene,

3:2 Annas and Caiaphas being the high priests, the word of God came unto John the son of Zacharias in the wilderness.

3:3 And he came into all the country about Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins;

3:4 As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

3:5 Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth;

3:6 And all flesh shall see the salvation of God.

(1) Notice in Luke 3:2-4 the inspired writer says the word of God came unto John and he begins to quote Isaiah. It has been said that John’s preaching has been saturated with Isaiah.

c). John 1:19-27 And this is the record of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, Who art thou?

1:20 And he confessed, and denied not; but confessed, I am not the Christ.

1:21 And they asked him, What then? Art thou Elias? And he saith, I am not. Art thou that prophet? And he answered, No.

1:22 Then said they unto him, Who art thou? that we may give an answer to them that sent us. What sayest thou of thyself?

1:23 He said, I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness, Make straight the way of the Lord, as said the prophet Esaias.

1:24 And they which were sent were of the Pharisees.

1:25 And they asked him, and said unto him, Why baptizest thou then, if thou be not that Christ, nor Elias, neither that prophet?

1:26 John answered them, saying, I baptize with water: but there standeth one among you, whom ye know not;

1:27 He it is, who coming after me is preferred before me, whose shoe's latchet I am not worthy to unloose.

i. which [3739 * hos] [Strong: including feminine he hay, and neuter ho ho probably a primary word (or perhaps a form of the article 3588); the relatively (sometimes demonstrative) pronoun, who, which, what, that:--one, (an-, the) other, some, that, what, which, who(-m, -se), etc.]

j. shall prepare [2680 * kataskeuazo; kata-intensive; skeuos-implement, vessel] [Strong: from 2596 and a derivative of 4632; to prepare thoroughly (properly, by external equipment; whereas 2090 refers rather to internal fitness); by implication, to construct, create:--build, make, ordain, prepare.] [Zodhiates: to prepare fully, put in readiness.]

k. thy [4675 * sou] [Strong: genitive case of 4771; of thee, thy:--X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]

l. way [3598 * hodos] [Strong: apparently a primary word; a road; by implication, a progress (the route, act or distance); figuratively, a mode or means:--journey, (high-)way.]

m. before [1715 * emprosthen] [Strong: from 1722 and 4314; in front of (in place (literally or figuratively) or time):--against, at, before, (in presence, sight) of.]

n. thee [4675 * sou] [Strong: genitive case of 4771; of thee, thy:--X home, thee, thine (own), thou, thy.]