The Voice in the Wilderness

The words

1. Baptist

   Matthew calls him John the Baptist, shows him preaching in Judaea’s wilderness and describes people being baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

   Matthew 3:1; Matthew 3:5–6 (opens a new tab)

2. Camel's Hair

   Matthew describes John’s clothing as camel’s hair and notes a leather girdle around his waist, pairing the clothing with locusts and wild honey.

   Matthew 3:4 (opens a new tab)

3. Chaff

   Plant material removed from threshed grain during winnowing.

   In Matthew, John pictures the threshing floor being cleared, wheat gathered and chaff burned; the image follows his words about one mightier than himself.

   Did you know?

   The NET’s note describes a winnowing fork tossing threshed grain into the air, so wind carries off the chaff while the grain falls back down.

   Matthew 3:11–12 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 3:7-12 (opens a new tab)

4. Garner

   Matthew and Luke both place the garner in John’s winnowing image: wheat is gathered into it while chaff is separated for burning.

   Matthew 3:12 (opens a new tab) · Luke 3:17 (opens a new tab)

5. Girdle

   A belt.

   Matthew describes a leather girdle around John’s waist, alongside his clothing of camel’s hair and his food of locusts and wild honey.

   Did you know?

   A leather belt also appears in 2 Kings 1:8’s description of Elijah. The KJV calls it a “girdle of leather,” compared with John’s “leathern girdle” in Matthew.

   Matthew 3:4 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 3:1-6 (opens a new tab) · 2 Kings 1:8 (opens a new tab)

6. Latchet

   Luke gives John’s words about being unworthy to loosen a shoe latchet; Matthew gives his words about being unworthy to bear the coming one’s shoes.

   Luke 3:16 (opens a new tab) · Matthew 3:11 (opens a new tab)

7. Locusts

   Matthew names locusts among John’s food; Leviticus 11:22 includes locusts among the winged creatures permitted as food in that passage’s dietary instructions.

   Matthew 3:4 (opens a new tab) · Leviticus 11:21–22 (opens a new tab)

8. Pharisees

   Matthew names Pharisees among those coming to John’s baptism; John addresses them with the warning about “wrath to come” and calls for fruits worthy of repentance.

   Matthew 3:7–8 (opens a new tab)

9. Repentance

   Matthew records John’s call to repent; Luke gives his replies about sharing clothes and food, collecting only what is appointed, and avoiding violence and false accusations.

   Matthew 3:2 (opens a new tab) · Luke 3:8–14 (opens a new tab)

10. Sadducees

    Matthew pairs Sadducees with Pharisees at the baptism scene; John warns those approaching not to rely on calling Abraham their father.

    Matthew 3:7–9 (opens a new tab)

11. Tiberius

    Luke dates John’s wilderness call to the fifteenth year of Tiberius Caesar, naming provincial rulers and high priests before describing John’s preaching.

    Luke 3:1–3 (opens a new tab)

12. Unquenchable

    Unable to be put out.

    Matthew and Luke both describe John’s image of wheat stored and chaff burned with unquenchable fire, following his words about one coming after him.

    Matthew 3:11–12 (opens a new tab) · Luke 3:16–17 (opens a new tab) · NET Bible: Matthew 3:7-12 (opens a new tab)

13. Vipers

    Matthew gives John’s “generation of vipers” warning to Pharisees and Sadducees; Luke gives it to the multitude coming to be baptized.

    Matthew 3:7 (opens a new tab) · Luke 3:7 (opens a new tab)

14. Wild Honey

    Matthew pairs wild honey with locusts as John’s food, alongside his camel’s hair clothing and leather belt.

    Matthew 3:4 (opens a new tab)

15. Wilderness

    Matthew and Luke both link John’s wilderness preaching with Isaiah’s call to prepare the Lord’s way; Luke continues the quotation through valleys, mountains and salvation.

    Matthew 3:1–3 (opens a new tab) · Luke 3:3–6 (opens a new tab) · Isaiah 40:3–5 (opens a new tab)