Matthew 3:4

BIBLE IN TEN

Wednesday, 28 August 2024

Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. Matthew 3:4

“And he, John, had his apparel from camel’s hair, and a leathery girdle around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey” (CG).

In the previous verse, Matthew cited words from Isaiah 40 and stated that John the Baptist was the fulfillment of that particular prophecy. Now, he continues the narrative by describing John, saying, “And he, John, had his apparel from camel’s hair.”

On the surface, the words seem superfluous. However, the words have several important significations. The first is that John is being contrasted to the leaders of Israel –

“When the messengers of John had departed, He began to speak to the multitudes concerning John: ‘What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? 25 But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed those who are gorgeously appareled and live in luxury are in kings’ courts. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is he of whom it is written:
“Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,
Who will prepare Your way before You.”’” Luke 7:24-27

But there is more to the description than this. Matthew’s words note his clothes were from the hair of the camel. This wasn’t a garment cut from a camel’s hide made of its skin and hair, but is rather a coarse, hairy garment.

The words of Matthew rely heavily on an understanding of the Old Testament, both in actual narratives and in typology. For example, the word camel in Hebrew comes from the verb gamal, to deal fully or adequately with. Thus, it can mean to wean, repay, require, reward, ripen, and so forth. As such, it refers to the treatment, either well or ill, that a person will receive.

Hair signifies an awareness, especially of sin. Taken together, the two thoughts tell us that the very appearance of John the Baptist was given as a tangible, visible marker of making people aware of sin and that it would be dealt with fully and adequately. As he was a herald of the Messiah, his appearance pointed to this ultimately being accomplished in the ministry of the Messiah.

Next, Matthew records, “and a leathery girdle around his waist.” The word dermatinos, translated as “leathery” is an adjective, not a noun. One can see the word derma, or skin, in it. As such, it is a belt or girdle of skin. This word will only be seen here and in Mark 1:6 where Mark also describes John. It is a leathery girdle that John pulled his garments tight with.

The skin is what surrounds what is inside. A girdle is used for pulling in and holding. The symbolism here is restraint of the inner man, keeping sin from controlling a person.

Taken together, these two descriptions which focus on the hair of the garment and the leathery nature of the girdle, and which provide such detailed symbolism, are purposefully included to equate John to Elijah –

“Then he said to them, ‘What kind of man was it who came up to meet you and told you these words?’
8 So they answered him, ‘A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.’
And he said, ‘It is Elijah the Tishbite.’” 2 Kings 1:7, 8

The reason this is important is because of what Jesus will later say to His disciples –

“Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead.’
10 And His disciples asked Him, saying, ‘Why then do the scribes say that Elijah must come first?’
11 Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and will restore all things. 12 But I say to you that Elijah has come already, and they did not know him but did to him whatever they wished. Likewise the Son of Man is also about to suffer at their hands.’ 13 Then the disciples understood that He spoke to them of John the Baptist.” Matthew 17:9-13

In Malachi 4:5, Elijah was prophesied to be sent in an attempt to bring restoration to the people of Israel. It would be out of place for such a person to come in a manner unlike Elijah. And so, John came in the form of Elijah, hairy and with a leathery girdle. The people, however, “did not know him” even though he came in such an obvious parallel to how Elijah was described in their own writings. Of John, Matthew’s words continue with,
“and his food was locusts and wild honey.”

The locust was something eaten by the poor. It can be prepared in various ways, but even if it was accompanied with spices, it is not the kind of thing people of any means at all would prepare for a regular meal. Likewise, the honey is described as “wild.” The word signifies “pertaining to the country” and, as in English, it can mean both wild as in nature or wild as in fierce or raging.

Thayer’s Greek lexicon says it is “used of animals in a state of nature which grows without culture.” It is not unlike the description of Elijah as he was tended to during the time of drought in the land –

“So he went and did according to the word of the Lord, for he went and stayed by the Brook Cherith, which flows into the Jordan. 6 The ravens brought him bread and meat in the morning, and bread and meat in the evening; and he drank from the brook. 7 And it happened after a while that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” 1 Kings 17:5-7

Though different food is described, it is the reliance on what the Lord provides through nature that forms the parallel. Elijah was living in a time of drought, being sustained by the Lord. John was living in a time of spiritual drought, likewise, being sustained by the Lord.

The locust signifies judgment. This is seen from the plagues on Exodus (Exodus 10) through to the plagues of the end times (Revelation 9). Honey comes from bees which pollinate flowers and so it implies all sorts of fruit trees, herbs, and flowers – abundance.

In the Bible, honey is equated to the word of God. In the account of Samson, honey in a wild state was found in the carcass of a lion that he had earlier killed. The symbolism there was that of the sustaining power of the word of God.

Understanding these things, John’s appearance and his food are being equated with his ministry. He came in the form of Elijah as a forerunner of Jesus, preparing the way for the messianic ministry of the Lord. His words were words of coming judgment or a reliance on God’s word.

Life application: Everything about how John is described is given to show us hints of what has already been learned from a full study of the Old Testament. It is true that one can know about Jesus and His salvation without ever reading a word of the Old Testament, but Scripture in the New really comes alive by knowing the Old.

Be sure to read the whole word of God. Read it in the morning, read it at night, and read it throughout the day as time permits. Think about what is being said, contemplate each thing that is presented, and consider why God chose certain words – animals, locations, etc. – to describe each account. Information from the Creator is being transmitted to us to understand what He is doing in redemptive history.

In understanding these things, a much richer and fuller understanding of Jesus is then available to us. Let us learn about our Lord, contemplating every facet of His being, by reading and understanding the word that tells us of Him!

Lord God, thank You for the treasure which You have given us in the pages of Scripture. Praises to You for how it is laid out, telling us of JESUS! Yes, thank You for this marvelous superior word. Amen.