Judĉa, within a few hours' distance from Jerusalem. No wonder Pharisee and Sadducee
flocked to the spot. How many of them came to inquire, how many remained to be
baptized, or how many went away disappointed in their hopes of 'the Kingdom,' we know
not.4 But they would not see anything in the messenger that could have given their
expectations a rude shock. His was not a call to armed resistance, but to repentance, such
as all knew and felt must precede the Kingdom. The hope which he held out was not of
earthly possessions, but of purity. There was nothing negative or controversial in what he
spoke; nothing to excite prejudice or passion. His appearance would command respect,
and his character was in accordance with his appearance. Not rich nor yet Pharisaic garb
with wide Tsitsith,5 bound with many-coloured or even priestly girdle, but the old
prophet's poor raiment held in by a leathern girdle. Not luxurious life, but one of meanest
fare.6 And then, all in the man was true and real. 'Not a reed shaken by the wind,' but
unbendingly firm in deep and settled conviction; not ambitious nor self-seeking, but most
humble in his self-estimate, discarding all claim but that of lowliest service, and pointing
away from himself to Him Who was to come, and Whom as yet he did not even know.
Above all, there was the deepest earnestness, the most utter disregard of man, the most
firm belief in what he announced. For himself he sought nothing; for them he had only
one absorbing thought: The Kingdom was at hand, the King was coming - let them
prepare!
4. Ancient commentators supposed that they came from hostile motives; later writers that
curiosity prompted them. Neither of these views is admissible, nor does St. Luke vii. 30
imply, that all the Pharisees who come to him rejected his baptism.
5. Comp. St. Matt. xxiii. 5. The Tsitsith (plural, Tsitsiyoth), or borders (corners, 'wings')
of the garments, or rather the fringes fastened to them. The observance was bas ed on
Numb. xv. 38 -41, and the Jewish practice of it is indicated not only in the N.T. (u. s.,
comp. also St. Matt. ix. 20; xiv. 36) but in the Targumim on Numb. xv. 38, 39 (comp.
also Targ. Pseudo-Jon. on Numb. xvi. 1, 2, where the peculiar colour of the Tsitsith is
represented as the cause of the controversy between Moses and Korah. But see the
version of this story in Jer. Sanh. x. p. 27 d, end). The Tsitsith were originally directed to
be of white threads, with one thread of deep blue in each fringe. According to tradition,
each of these white fringes is to consist of eight threads, one of them wound round the
others: first, seven times with a double knot; then eight times with a double knot (7 + 8
numerically = ηψ ); then eleven times with a double knot (11 numerically = ηω;) and
lastly, thirteen times (13 numerically = δξ); or, altogether δξ) ηωηψ , Jehovah One).
Again, it is pointed out that as Tsitsith is numerically equal to 600 ( τψχψχ), this, with the
eight threads and five knots, gives the number 613 , which is that of the Commandments.
At present the Tsitsith are worn as a special undergarment (the τωπνκ (βρ)) or on the
Tallith or prayer-mantle, but anciently they seem to have been worn on the outer garment
itself. In Bemidbar R. 17, end (ed. Warsh, vol. iv. p. 69 a), the blue is represented as
emblematic of the sky, and the latter as of the throne of God (Ex. xxiv. 10). Hence to look
upon the Tsitsith was like looking at the throne of glory (Schürer is mistaken in
supposing that the tractate Tsitsith in the Septem Libri Talmud. par. pp. 22, 23, contains
much information on the subject).
6. Such certainly was John the Baptist's. Some locusts were lawful to be eaten, Lev. xi.
22. Comp. Terum. 59 a; and, on the various species, Chull. 65.
Such entire absorption in his mission, which leaves us in ignorance of even the details of
his later activity, must have given force to his message.7 And still the voice, everywhere