Talk:Matthew 3:4

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This page was kept after a deletion debate. For a record of that July 2005 debate see Wikipedia:Votes for deletion/Individual Bible verses.

"This verse played an important role in the development of Christian monasticism" no, in actuality this verse reflects a Greek foreigner's misperception of the traditions of John the Baptist. The important role played in Christian monasticism was the example of Saint Anthony and the anchorites of the Egyptian desert, in a tradition related to the Therapeutae and published in the third century hagiographies and miracle romances, all quite unrelated to this verse of the Greek Matthew. The author's characteristic technique of invented detail and anecdote providing seeming fulfillment of selected texts, typical of the Greek author of Matthew, has resulted here in utterly impossible clothing for a Nazirite such as John the Baptist. No point in intruding ideas into the text, however. --Wetman 01:04, 27 May 2005 (UTC)

That section comes pretty much entirely from Clarke. Note that neither he nor this passage claims that Mat 3:4 is the only cause of Christian monasticism, just an important one. If you could provide some citeable sources for your criticism of his view and for your other points it would be great to add them to this article. - SimonP 01:49, May 27, 2005 (UTC)