When all the people and the tax collectors heard this, they declared God to be just, having been baptized with John’s baptism.
ExplanationCommentary
Verse 29. Justified God; that is feared and worshipped God, as just, merciful, and so forth Witham.—There are only two different sets of men, who glorified God for the baptism of John, and these seemed the most remote from works of piety; that is the ignorant multitude, who scarcely knew the law; and the publicans, who were in general the most avaricious of mortals, and were looked upon as public sinners. If the preaching of the Baptist had such an effect upon these men; what kind of hearts must not the Scribes have had, who, with all the advantage of the knowledge of the law, still refused to believe? This verifies the saying of our Lord, in S. Matt. chapter 21:31: Amen, I say unto you, that the publicans and harlots shall go into the kingdom of heaven before you. Maldon.—God has hidden these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them to little ones; (Saint Luke, 10:21) for so it hath seemed good in his sight. Ibid.