For this is he of whom it is written: Behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

For this is he concerning whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee.

This is he of whom it is written, "'See I am sending My messenger before Thy face, and he will make Thy road ready before Thee.'

This is he of whom it has been said, See, I send my servant before your face, who will make ready your way before you.

This is the one of whom it is written, 'Look, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'

This is the man of whom scripture says – 'I am sending my messenger ahead of you, and he will prepare your way before you.'

For this is he - The passage of Scripture here quoted is found in Malachi 3:1. The substance of it is contained also in Isaiah 40:3.
Prepare thy way - That is, to prepare "the people;" to make them ready, by proper instructions, to receive the Messiah.

Behold, I send my messenger - A fifth excellency of the Baptist was, his preparing the way of the Lord; being the instrument, in God's hand, of preparing the people's hearts to receive the Lord Jesus; and it was probably through his preaching that so many thousands attached themselves to Christ, immediately on his appearing as a public teacher.

For this is he of whom it is written,.... Malachi 3:1
Behold I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee. That these words belong , to the world to come, or the times of the Messiah, that is, the Gospel dispensation, the Jews (z) themselves own; but as to the particular person meant by the "messenger", or "angel", because they are not willing to acknowledge the right person, are at the utmost loss. Jarchi makes him to be the angel of death, who is to destroy the wicked; Aben Ezra conjectures it may be Messiah the son of Joseph, who they fancy will come before Messiah the son of David. Kimchi thinks an angel from heaven is designed; and Abarbinel Malachi himself: but the more ancient sense of the synagogue was, that the same person is meant, as in Mark 9:5 under the name of Elijah the prophet; and some have thought, that Elijah the Tishbite himself, is intended; though others think, that some great prophet of equal degree with him, and who is called by his name, is what the prophecy has regard unto (a); which last is the true sense of the passage: nor should it be once called in question, when our Lord himself has applied it to John the Baptist; to whom the things said in it perfectly agree. He was an "angel", not by nature, but by office; a "messenger" sent by God, "before the face" of the Messiah; six months before him: such a space of time he was born before him; and such a space of time he entered on his public ministry before him; and "prepared" his "way before" him, by preaching the doctrine of repentance, administering the ordinance of baptism, pointing at the Messiah, and exhorting persons to believe on him. All which proves him to be, what Christ says he was, "more than a prophet".
(z) Bemidbar Rabba, sect. 15. fol. 219. 4. (a) Vid. Pocock in Malachi. iii. 1.

This is he, of whom it is written. Of whom Malachi and Isaiah prophesied. See note on Matthew 3:3.

Malachi 3:1.