29 The multitude therefore, who stood by and heard it, said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to him."
*Minor differences ignored. Grouped by changes, with first version listed as example.
That it thundered. It was truly monstrous, that the assembled multitude were unmoved by so evident a miracle. Some are so deaf, that they hear as a confused sound what God had distinctly pronounced. Others are less dull of caring, but yet take away much from the majesty of the Divine voice, by pretending that it was an angel who spoke. But the same thing is practiced every day; for God speaks plainly enough in the Gospel, in which is also displayed the power and energy of the Spirit, which ought to shake heaven and earth; but many are as little affected by the doctrine, as if it only proceeded from a mortal man, and others consider the word of God to be confused and barbarous, as if it were nothing else than thunder. But a question arises: Did that voice sound from heaven without any profit or advantage? I reply, what the Evangelist here ascribes to the multitude belongs only to a part of them; for there were some besides the Apostles who did not interpret it so badly. But the Evangelist intended to point out briefly what is commonly done in the world; and that is, that the greater part of men, while they hear God, do not hear him though he speak plainly and distinctly.
The people - A part of the people.
It thundered - The unexpected sound of the voice would confound and amaze them; and though there is no reason to doubt that the words were spoken distinctly Matthew 3:17, yet some of the people, either from amazement or envy, would suppose that this was a mere natural phenomenon.
An angel spake - It was the opinion of many of the Jews that God did not speak to men except by the ministry of angels, Hebrews 2:2; "The word spoken by angels;" Galatians 3:19; "It was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator."
The people - said that it thundered: others - an angel spake to him - Bishop Pearce says, Probably there was thunder as well as a voice, as in Exodus 19:16, Exodus 19:17, and some persons, who were at a small distance, might hear the thunder without hearing the voice; while others heard the voice too; and these last said, "An angel hath spoken to him."
Wetstein supposes that the voice was in the language then in use among the Jews; which the Greeks, not understanding, took for thunder; the others, the Jews, who did understand it, said it was the voice of an angel. In Revelation 6:1, the voice of one of the living creatures is compared to thunder; and in Revelation 10:3, the voice of an angel is compared to seven thunders. The voice mentioned was probably very loud, which some heard distinctly, others indistinctly; hence the variety of opinion.
The people therefore that stood by and heard it,.... Some more confusedly, who were farthest off; others more distinctly, who were nearer: the first of these,
said that it thundered; as it used to do when "Bath Kol" was heard, which, as the Jews say (a),
"is a voice that comes out of heaven proceeding from the midst of another voice,''
as thunder; wherefore some took this for thunder, and others for the voice of an angel out of the thunder:
others said, an angel spoke to him; these being nearer, perceived it was an articulate voice, which expressed certain distinct words, which they thought were delivered by an angel; for the Jews had a mighty notion of the discourse and conversation of angels with men, which their doctors pretended to understand; particularly R. Jochanan ben Zaccai, a Rabbi, who was living at this time, had learned their speech, and was well versed in it (b).
(a) Piske Tosephot in T. Bab. Sanhedrin, art. 30. (b) T. Bab. Succa, fol. 28. 1. & Bava Bathra, fol. 134. 1.
The people therefore that stood by, said, It thundered; others, An angel spake to him--some hearing only a sound, others an articulate, but to them unintelligible voice.
An angel spake to him. All heard the sound of the divine voice, but it was not clear to all what it was.
The multitude who stood and heard - A sound, but not the distinct words - In the most glorious revelations there may remain something obscure, to exercise our faith. Said, It thundered - Thunder did frequently attend a voice from heaven. Perhaps it did so now.
*More commentary available at chapter level.