Mark 1:3

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

EXPOSITORY (ENGLISH BIBLE)

Ellicott's Commentary for English Readers

(3) The voice of one crying in the wilderness.—See Note on Matthew 3:3.

Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary

1:1-8. Isaiah and Malachi each spake concerning the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ, in the ministry of John. From these prophets we may observe, that Christ, in his gospel, comes among us, bringing with him a treasure of grace, and a sceptre of government. Such is the corruption of the world, that there is great opposition to his progress. When God sent his Son into the world, he took care, and when he sends him into the heart, he takes care, to prepare his way before him. John thinks himself unworthy of the meanest office about Christ. The most eminent saints have always been the most humble. They feel their need of Christ's atoning blood and sanctifying Spirit, more than others. The great promise Christ makes in his gospel to those who have repented, and have had their sins forgiven them, is, they shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost; shall be purified by his graces, and refreshed by his comforts. We use the ordinances, word, and sacraments without profit and comfort, for the most part, because we have not of that Divine light within us; and we have it not because we ask it not; for we have his word that cannot fail, that our heavenly Father will give this light, his Holy Spirit, to those that ask it.

Barnes' Notes on the Bible

As it is written in the prophets - Mark mentions "prophets" here without specifying which. The places are found in Malachi 3:1, and in Isaiah 41:3. See the notes at Matthew 3:3.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary

3. The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight—The second of these quotations is given by Matthew and Luke in the same connection, but they reserve the former quotation till they have occasion to return to the Baptist, after his imprisonment (Mt 11:10; Lu 7:27). (Instead of the words, "as it is written in the Prophets," there is weighty evidence in favor of the following reading: "As it is written in Isaiah the prophet." This reading is adopted by all the latest critical editors. If it be the true one, it is to be explained thus—that of the two quotations, the one from Malachi is but a later development of the great primary one in Isaiah, from which the whole prophetical matter here quoted takes its name. But the received text is quoted by Irenæus, before the end of the second century, and the evidence in its favor is greater in amount, if not in weight. The chief objection to it is, that if this was the true reading, it is difficult to see how the other one could have got in at all; whereas, if it be not the true reading, it is very easy to see how it found its way into the text, as it removes the startling difficulty of a prophecy beginning with the words of Malachi being ascribed to Isaiah.) For the exposition, see on [1395]Mt 3:1-6; [1396]Mt 3:11.

Matthew Poole's Commentary

See Poole on "Mark 1:2"

Gill's Exposition of the Entire Bible

The voice of one crying in the wilderness,.... This is the other testimony in proof of the same, and may be read in Isaiah 40:3. See Gill on Matthew 3:3.

Geneva Study Bible

The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.

EXEGETICAL (ORIGINAL LANGUAGES)

Expositor's Greek Testament

Mark 1:3. Quotation from Isaiah 40:3 as in Matthew 3:3.

Bengel's Gnomen

Mark 1:3. Φωνὴ, the voice) see Luke 3:4, notes.—ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, in the wilderness) This is repeated in the following verse, where presently after also that expression, preaching (κηρύσσων), answers to, the voice of one crying, in this ver.

Mark 1:3

Vincent's Word Studies

A voice (φωνὴ)

No article as A. V. and Rev., "the voice." It has a sort of exclamatory force. Listening, the prophet exclaims, Lo! a voice.