Matthew 4:17

Verse 17. Jesus began not to preach till Saint John had announced his coming to the world, that the dignity of his sacred person might thus be manifested, and the incredulous Jews be without excuse. If after the preaching of Saint John, and his express testimony of the divinity of our Redeemer, they could still say: thou givest testimony of thyself; thy testimony is not true: what would they not have said, if, without any precursor, he had, all on a sudden, appeared amongst them. He did not begin to preach till Saint John was cast into prison, that the people might not be divided. On this account also Saint John wrought no miracle, that the people might be struck with the miracles of our Saviour, and yield their assent to him. S. Chry. hom. 14.—It may here be remarked, how different were the motives of the prophets from those which the baptist and Christ made use of to exhort to repentance. The former menaced evil, and held out a promise of good, but the good or evil was temporal. Saint John begins his exhortations with the threat of eternal punishments—but Christ sweetens the hardships of penance by reminding us of the reward. “The kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Jan.