Isaiah 40 and Matthew 3: Voice in the Wilderness
The New Testament interprets the voice in the wilderness mentioned in Isaiah as a reference to John the Baptist. According to Matthew 3:1-3:
In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:
“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,
‘Prepare the way for the Lord,
make straight paths for him.’”
This interpretation also appears in John 1:19-23, Mark 1:2-4 and Luke 3:2-6.
This is in opposition to the Hebrew Bible commentators, such as Rashi, who understood that Isaiah was referring to God’s voice leading the Israelites out of exile and back to the Land of Israel.
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