The Preaching of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1–12; Mark 1:1–8; Luke 3:1–18)

The texts below are quoted verbatim from public-domain English translations; nothing is paraphrased.

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St. John Chrysostom (c. 347–407)

Homilies on the Gospel of Matthew, Homilies X and XI (on Matthew 3:1–12) Source: trans. in the Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, First Series, Vol. 10. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/schaff/npnf110.iii.X.html

On the raiment of camel's hair and the angelic strictness of the forerunner (Homily X):

For this cause his very garment was of hair, that by his dress he might instruct men to separate themselves from all things human, and to have nothing in common with the earth, but to hasten back to their earlier nobleness, wherein Adam was before he wanted garments or robe. Thus that garb bore tokens of nothing less than a kingdom, and of repentance.

On what it is to bring forth fruits meet for repentance (Homily X):

But by repentance I mean, not only to forsake our former evil deeds, but also to show forth good deeds greater than those.

On "now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees" (Homily XI):

However, even though He hath brought it so near, He makes its cutting depend upon you. For if ye change and become better men, this axe will depart without doing anything; but if ye continue in the same ways, He will tear up the tree by the roots.

On "He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire" (Homily XI):

at once, by the very figure of speech, declaring the abundance of the grace (for he said not, "He will give you the Holy Ghost," but "He will baptize you with the Holy Ghost"); and by the specification of fire on the other hand indicating the vehement and uncontrollable quality of His grace.

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St. Cyril of Alexandria (c. 376–444)

Commentary on the Gospel of Luke, Sermons VII and X (on Luke 3:7–17) Source: trans. R. Payne Smith, Library of Fathers, 1859. Public domain. Full text: https://www.tertullian.org/fathers/cyril_on_luke_01_sermons_01_11.htm

On the fruit of repentance, over against mere descent from Abraham (Sermon VII):

Moreover, the fruit of repentance is, in the highest degree, faith in Christ: and next to it, the evangelic mode of life, and in general terms the works of righteousness in contradistinction to sin, which the penitent must bring forth as fruits worthy of repentance.

On why to baptize in the Holy Ghost belongs to Christ alone (Sermon X):

For it is the sole and peculiar property of the Substance That transcends all, to be able to bestow on men the indwelling of the Holy Ghost, and make those that draw near unto It partakers of the divine nature.

On the fan, the wheat, and the chaff (Sermon X):

For the wheat is the just, whose faith is established and assured: but the chaff signifies those whose mind is weak, and their heart easy to be ensnared, and unsafe and timorous, and blown about by every wind. The wheat, then, he says, is stored up in the granary: is deemed worthy, that is, of safety at God's hand, and mercy, and protection and love: but the chaff, as useless matter, is consumed in the fire.

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St. Jerome (c. 347–420)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 3:1–11) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iii.html

On John as the first herald of the kingdom:

John Baptist is the first to preach the Kingdom of Heaven, that the forerunner of the Lord may have this honourable privilege.

On "his raiment of camel's hair":

His raiment of camel's hair, not of wool - the one the mark of austerity in dress, the other of a delicate luxury.

On "God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham":

He intimates God's great power, who, as he made all things out of nothing, can make men out of the hardest stone.

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St. Hilary of Poitiers (c. 310–367)

Commentary on Matthew (on Matthew 3:2–12) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iii.html

On "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand":

He therefore preaches repentance when the Kingdom of Heaven approaches; by which we return from error, we escape from sin, and after shame for our faults, we make profession of forsaking them.

On the mystery hidden in the Baptist's rough clothing:

The preacher of Christ is clad in the skins of unclean beasts, to which the Gentiles are compared, and so by the Prophets' dress is sanctified whatever in them was useless or unclean.

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St. Gregory the Great (c. 540–604)

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homilies 7 and 20 (on Matthew 3:3–11) As preserved in the Catena Aurea on Matthew. Public domain. Full text: https://www.ccel.org/ccel/aquinas/catena1.ii.iii.html

On "the voice of one crying in the wilderness" (Homily 7):

It is well known that the Only-begotten Son is called the Word of the Father; as in John, "In the beginning was the Word." But it is by our own speech that we are known; the voice sounds that the words may be heard. Thus John the forerunner of the Lord's coming is called, "The voice," because by his ministry the voice of the Father is heard by men.

On why he says not merely fruits of repentance, but fruits meet for repentance (Homily 20):

Observe, he says not merely "fruits of repentance," but "fruits meet for repentance." For he who has never fallen into things unlawful, is of right allowed the use of all thing lawful; but if any hath fallen into sin, he ought so far to put away from him even things lawful, as far as he is conscious of having used unlawful things.

On why John baptized with water only (Homily 7):

John baptizes not with the Spirit but with water, because he had no power to forgive sins; he washes the body with water, but not at the same time the soul with pardon of sin.