John the Baptist Prepares the Way
Matthew 3:4 “And the same John had his raiment of camel’s hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.”
of
camel’s hair,...
Compare 2Kgs. 1:8. Rough garments were a mark of prophets (Zec. 13:4;
Mat. 11:8). Practical and long wearing clothes, but far from
comfortable or fashionable, John evokes the image of Elijah (2Kgs.
1:8), and the Israelites were expecting Elijah before the Day of the
Lord (Mal. 4:5).
leathern girdle about... Worn only by the poor. The rich used girdles of silk or linen, decorated with gold, silver, and precious stones.
locusts and wild... A clean food (Lev. 11:22). Only the poor ate locusts with butter or honey after they were salted and dried. These were an allowed food (Lev. 11:22).
Verse 4 brings a message of the simple life John lived, not one dressed in finery. The appearance was simple, but he brought the most important message. John was not concerned about what he wore, or what he had to eat, just enough to sustain him.
He dressed similarly to Elijah (clothes… of camel’s hair and… a leather belt; cf. 2Kgs. 1:8; Zec. 13:4). And he ate locusts and wild honey. Locusts were eaten by the poor (Lev. 11:21). Like Elijah he was a rough outdoors-man with a forthright message.
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