Mark 1:2

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As it is written in the prophets, Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who shall prepare your way before you.

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Augustine of Hippo

AD 430

The efficacy of John’s baptism is attested by the holy way he lived as a person. His baptism was in accord with the justice of a just man, yet still a mere man, but one who had received extraordinary grace from the Lord, a grace so great that he was deemed worthy to precede the final Judge of history, and to point him out with his finger, and to fulfill the words of that prophecy: “The voice of one crying out in the desert, prepare the way for the Lord.” .

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Eusebius of Caesarea

AD 339

He emerged from the desert clothed in a strange garment, refusing all ordinary social intercourse. He did not even share their common food. For it is written that from childhood John was in the deserts until the day of his public appearance to Israel. Indeed, his clothing was made of camel’s hair! His food locusts and wild honey! … It is understandable that they should have been alarmed when they saw a man with the hair of a Nazarite of God, and a divine face, suddenly appearing from the lonely wilderness dressed in bizarre clothing, who after preaching to them, he disappeared again into the wilderness, without eating or drinking or mingling with the people? Must they not have suspected that he was a little more than human? For how could a human being go without food? And so they understood him to be a divine messenger, the very angel foretold by the prophet.

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George Leo Haydock

AD 1849

In Isaias, the prophet. That in the ancient copies was read Isaias, and not Malachi as, is confirmed by the Syriac version, and also by St. Iren us, Origen, St. Jerome It is also proved from an objection of Porphyrius, who says, St. Mark mistook Isaias for Malachi as. In the ordinary Greek copies at present, we read in the prophets, not naming either Isaias or Malachi as. The words seem taken partly out of one, and partly out of the other. These words, behold I send my angel before thy face, who shall prepare thy way before thee, are found Malachi as iii.

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Irenaeus of Lyons

AD 202

How plainly does the beginning of the gospel focus upon the expectations of the holy prophets. At once it points out that the One whom they confessed as God and Lord, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who had also made promise to him, would send his messenger before his face. This was John, crying in the wilderness, in “the spirit and power of Elijah,” ”Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.” For the prophets did not announce first one God and then another, but one and the same God under complementary aspects, and with many various names. .

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Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220

Now he called him an “angel” on account of the great consequence of the mighty deeds which he was to accomplish, comparable to those mighty deeds of Joshua the son of Nun about whom you have read. John served in the office of a prophet to announce God’s will, as the forerunner of the Anointed One. The Spirit, speaking in the voice of the Father, called John an “angel” in accord with the promise declared by Malachi: “Behold, I send my messenger to prepare the way before me.” It is not a novelty that the Holy Spirit would call those he has appointed ministers of his power “angels.”

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Tertullian of Carthage

AD 220

Alled him an "angel "on account of the magnitude of the mighty deeds which he was to achieve (which mighty deeds Joshua the son of Nun did, and you yourselves read), and on account of his office of prophet announcing (to wit) the divine will; just as withal the Spirit, speaking in the person of the Father, calls the forerunner of Christ, John, a future "angel "through the prophet: "Behold, I send mine angel before Thy"-that is, Christ's-"face, who shall prepare Thy way before Thee."

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Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation - 2 Peter 1:20