Matthew Chapter Three
Introducing John the Baptist
[Verses 1-6 parallel Mark 1:2-6 and Luke 3:3-6; verses 7-10 parallel Luke 3:7-14; verses 11-12 parallel Mark 1:7-8 and Luke 3:15-18]
3:1 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’ ”
Matthew fast forwards several years to a period just before Jesus’ ministry began. We are introduced to an unusual man who God sent to precede Jesus to prepare the people of Israel for the coming Messiah, he is referred to in Scriptures as John the Baptist. His message was simple, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew connects John the Baptist to the person who Isaiah wrote about in Isaiah 40:3 crying in the wilderness and calling for people to prepare the way of the Lord, to make His paths straight. The last half of Isaiah 40:3 says, “make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” A reference to an ancient custom that when royalty was to visit a community, the highway to that community was to be rebuilt so that it would be as straight as possible and all hills would be leveled and low places filled in (see also Isaiah 40:4). A crooked and unleveled road is an appropriate analogy for a sinful lifestyle, the prophet calls for his listeners to prepare for the “Kingdom of Heaven,” by first repenting.
3:4 Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem and all Judea and all the region about the Jordan were going out to him, 6 and they were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins.
Matthew’s description of John the Baptist is very similar to how Elijah the prophet was described in 2 Kings 1:8, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” We will discover that there are a number of parallels between John the Baptist and Elijah, some have even speculated that John may have worn Elijah’s mantle (a sleeve-less garment). We are also told here that John ate locusts and honey, giving us a clear picture of a man of humility and one who is certainly in stark contrast with Israel’s religious leaders of the time.
The Jordan River flows southward from near the base of Mount Hermon north of the Sea of Galilee through to the Dead Sea, a significant distance. In the gospel according to John, he places John the Baptist’s activities at “Bethany across the Jordan” (see John 1:28). The reason John would have noted it being “across the Jordan,” was to clarify the location as there were many towns named Bethany. Whenever the Bible references “beyond the Jordan” or “across the Jordan,” it is always a reference to the east side of the Jordan River. This Bethany would be nearly due east on the opposite side of the Jordan from Jericho. John did not need to move around preaching as the people of Jerusalem and all around Judea came out to hear him. This would not have been a casual walk, the distance from Jerusalem to the Jordan River would be around 18-20 miles one-way depending on route with difficult terrain including dramatic elevation differences.
John not only preached the need to repent and prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven, he offered to baptize those that took his warning seriously. The word translated here as ‘baptized’ is the Greek word ‘ebaptizonto’,[1] a verb meaning to wash, to dip or to immerse (see Appendix for further discussion regarding baptism). This is the first reference to baptism in the New Testament, but it is not the first in the Bible. In the Old Testament there are several purification rituals that pertain to being “ceremonially clean.” The same word (and many of its variants) can also be found in the Septuagint (for example see Numbers 19:18-19; 2 Kings 5:13-14). The noun ‘baptismós’[2] (from the verb ‘baptizō’) was used in Hellenistic Judaism (Greek Jews) to refer to ritual washing. John’s baptism gave the people an external, yet tangible, action that mirrored their internal feeling of being forgiven of their sins.
3:7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father,’ for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham. 10 Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.
The Pharisees and Sadducees were two very influential Jewish sects, they had very little in common (see below) and would normally be at odds with each other but found in John the Baptist a common concern, perhaps even an enemy. As they approached, John spots them and immediately calls them a “brood of vipers,” referring to their sharp tongues and false teaching. He asks them who warned them to flee from the coming wrath, perhaps thinking they were there seeking repentance for themselves. He told them to bear fruit in keeping with repentance, as a person with a penitent and forgiven heart would certainly reflect that change in their actions. But if they think they did not need to repent since they are children of Abraham, he warns them that will not help them. Undoubtedly pointing to some stones in or near the river, he says that God could raise from these stones children for Abraham, meaning that they are not exempt from judgment. Many believe that John was pointing to the stones the people of Israel erected when they crossed over the Jordan River into the Promised Land for the first time as a nation (see Joshua 4:1-10). John then expands his warning regarding judgment by saying that an axe is currently at the root of the trees, referring to judgment being imminent. If a tree does not bear good fruit it will be cut down and burned in fire (see also Matthew 7:19; Luke 13:6-9; John 15:1-11).
3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
John states that he washes with water for repentance, but there is one that will come after him that is greater than he is, so much so that he is not even worthy to carry His shoes. Referring to Jesus, John says He will wash with the Holy Spirit and fire, providing insight on the two routes of judgment, accepting Jesus for salvation or eternal damnation.
Regarding the Holy Spirit, the apostle Paul tells us that, “Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.” (1 Corinthians 2:12-16) In other words, salvation requires the presence of the Holy Spirit.
Regarding washing with fire, we see that fire has three primary roles in Scripture (besides showing God’s great power and being used for sacrifices): 1) as a revealer of the things that withstand judgment (see 1 Corinthians 3:13; James 5:3; 1 Peter 1:7); 2) to strengthen or refine (see Zechariah 13:9; Malachi 3:2; Mark 9:49-50; Revelation 3:18); and 3) to judge (see Genesis 9:24; Psalm 11:16; 140:10; isaiah 1:7; 30:27, 30; 66:15, 16, 24; Jeremiah 15:14; 17:4; Ezekiel 39:6; Amos 1:4-2:5; Nahum 1:6; Zephaniah 1:18; 3:8; Zechariah 9:4; Matthew 3:10, 12; 5:22; 7:19; 13:40, 42, 50; 18:8-9; 25:41; Mark 9:42-48; Luke 3:17; John 15:6; 2 Thessalonians 1:8; Hebrews 10:27; 2 Peter 3:7; Jude 7, 23; Revelation 9:17-18; 13:13; 17:16; 18:8; 19:20; 20:9-15; 21:8). Here the application of fire in cleansing would be as a form of refining, the removal of the dross (such as removing any lusts, corruption due to sin, etc.)[3]
John then illustrates the process of God’s judgment using the analogy of winnowing wheat. God is pictured using a winnowing fork to clear His threshing floor and gather His wheat (those saved) into the barn and the chaff (those that reject the gospel message) will burn in a never-ending fire.
Considerations
Isaiah chapter forty and through to the end of the book (chapter 66) is about restoration. Since these chapters were written later in Isaiah’s life and read like they were written by a different author, many believe that there were two Isaiahs. However that is easily refuted as Jesus spoke about Isaiah as being a single prophet, as He quoted both his earlier writing and later writing and attributing them both to the same person (see Luke 4:16-21; John 12:37-41).
God created a perfect world, but due to the fall of man and sin, all of creation was cursed and has been corrupted. But God never intended to leave all that He created remain corrupt, and since no human can save themselves, God sent His Son to save humanity and to restore the world from death, destruction, and judgment to the life that He initially planned and created. Isaiah offers hope through a series of prophecies regarding restoration.
Chapter forty is the first chapter of the transition from judgment to restoration and the first verse of that chapter truly certainly sets the mood, “Comfort, comfort my people, says your God.” It is God’s desire to begin restoration with the hope of comfort.
All four gospel accounts connect John the Baptist’s ministry to Isaiah 40:3-4,”A voice cries: “In the wilderness prepare the way of the LORD; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be lifted up, and every mountain and hill be made low; the uneven ground shall become level, and the rough places a plain.” Another prophecy[4] that may not when read in Isaiah alone would have been recognized to be a reference to John the Baptist’s ministry. Instead of the physical practice of making a king’s travel more comfortable, these verses point to one proclaiming the arrival of the King of Kings and how His people are to prepare by removing any spiritual obstacle that would prevent embracing the King and accepting His gracious offer of salvation.
John was sent by God as a precursor for the coming Messiah. We are not told much about John the Baptist in Matthew, most of what we do know of him comes from the first chapter of Luke. He was the son of Zechariah, a priest, and Elizabeth, a close relative to Mary who was Jesus’ mother. Due to Elizabeth being barren until late in her life, the birth of John is considered to be miraculous.
John’s message was short and simple, repent now since the Kingdom of God was close at hand (see “Kingdom of Heaven” below).
His message was one of repentance, and as a symbol of it he used the traditional miqvah, a ritual washing away of sin. Before entering the main sanctuary of the temple (the court where only faithful Jewish men were allowed), a man had to go into a ritual pool called a miqvah, where he completely immersed himself in clean water as a symbol of his ritual purification. By John’s time this had become a very profitable enterprise. Every pilgrim to the temple had to enter the miqvoth (the plural of miqvah), and, of course, there was a healthy fee for this. The nicest miqvoth (for the “nicest” people) were in the homes of the priests, and the wealthy paid dearly to use these beautiful pools instead of having to mix with the common folk. The very poor couldn’t afford even the cheap ones and therefore could not enter the court of the faithful.
Near what is believed to be John’s cave at the Jordan is a crude miqvah fed by the waters of the Jordan, where John baptized anyone who came to him without fee. All that was required was that they repent of their past lives and intend to follow a better path. The word “baptize” comes from the Greek baptizein (βαπτίξειν), “to dip” or “to wash.” By doing this John gave a whole new meaning to the miqvah. Previously it simply symbolized ritual purity in accordance with the standards of the Mosaic Law. John turned it around to symbolize the forgiveness of sins. This was a threat to the establishment of the time, which held that the forgiveness of sins could be confirmed only by the temple priests (usually for a fee). John declared that God gave forgiveness freely to anyone who repented and asked for it. This, along with his continued condemnation of the hypocrisy and corruption of the establishment, put him on a collision course with the religious and political authorities.[5]
The phrase “Kingdom of Heaven” (Greek ‘basileia tōn ouranōn’)[6] is only used by Matthew. All other writers in the New Testament use similar terms, such as the “Kingdom of God” (‘basileia tou theou’)[7] but not the “Kingdom of Heaven.” But it is clear that both of these phrases are equivalent. So, what is the kingdom these writers are referring to? It is a kingdom that consists of believers with Jesus as their King. While generally referring to the ultimate destination being heaven, Christians alive today currently represent His kingdom now on earth. Matthew often uses the phrase in reference to the body of believers, namely the church (for example see Matthew chapter 13).
However, many Jews believed that heaven was reserved for them and as a result did not feel they needed to repent or accept Jesus. Thus setting the stage for the animosity between the Jewish leadership and Jesus in each of the gospel accounts.
The Greek word translated as ‘prepare’ in verse three is ‘hetoimasate’[8], meaning to make ready. The word can be found in each gospel account and is used forty times in the New Testament (14 times in Luke alone) and is primarily used to refer to any preparations needed for a meal, festival, or some other event. But it can also refer to the process someone might use to make a decision. While we might not today consider our thinking process as some form of preparation, our decisions are based on our worldview,[9] which has been uniquely prepared through our experiences. How does one prepare for God’s kingdom? Several points need to be considered, including (but not exhaustive): 1) recognize that there is a God; 2) that He has established what is right and what is wrong; 3) that we have violated that law; 4) that we are eternally condemned for that sin; 5) that we cannot save ourselves; 6) that we are sincerely sorry for our sins and desire to repent; and 7) that we need to seek God’s mercy. Once the mind is ready to accept God’s plan for salvation, whose heart has been opened by God, one can then accept the free gift of salvation offered through the blood of Jesus.
In each of the gospel accounts Jesus is preparing the people for a time that will soon come for them where they can be completely saved through their belief (faith) in Him. The biggest hurdle for those listening to Jesus is that even though they have no problem accepting most of the points discussed above, there is some reluctance in accepting the last three points. From an early age they were taught the importance of protocol and now Jesus says it no longer matters. When all is done (Jesus living a sinless life, suffering, dying, and rise to life again, which He did) He would have done everything to fulfill the law and would be in a position to offer the gift of salvation to anyone desiring it. Accepting that as fact would not be an easy task for someone brought up with man-made protocols. Sadly, many still wrestle with their upbringings and traditions that get in the way of a true relationship with Jesus.
The Pharisees (meaning “separate ones”) observed the law daily and believed in divine providence, resurrection, and promoted an elaborate angelology. They also believed God gave the Jews both a written and oral law. This sect survived only a few years after the destruction of the Temple. The Pharisees were consumed with the daily practice of meeting the “letter” of the law, in an attempt to earn their way to heaven. Their entire focus was on the law and as such had no concept of grace, nor the need for atonement. In their “keeping of the law” most believed that they were better than everyone else.
Evolving out of the Hellenistic elements of Judaism (also known as the Zadokites), this movement embraced the ways of Greek culture. During Jesus’ time many of the priests and aristocrats were from the Sadducee sect. Unlike the Pharisees, the Sadducees deny the authority of the oral law and do not believe in a bodily resurrection, future punishment, future rewards, or the existence of angels or spirits (see Acts 23:8). Josephus writes that the Sadducees promoted “freedom of the will” which was denied by the Pharisees. Since the Temple was the center of life and worship, the Sadducee sect did not survive the Temple’s destruction.
The phrase, “Baptism by Fire,” has become a metaphor for either a lesson learned the hard way or as a reference to a direct approach (just doing it), but neither one is the Biblical meaning. Many interpret verse eleven where Matthew reports John the Baptist saying, “He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire” (see also Luke 3:16), that there are two kinds of baptisms. Some have even developed elaborate theologies around these two different methods (or modes) of baptism. Since Jesus did all of the work for our salvation, there is nothing more that is needed and that includes baptism. Therefore there would not be any “side benefits” or additional abilities attained through any form of special anointing or unique baptism. God will determine what gifts and abilities that are needed, while one can desire other gifts, like what the apostle Paul suggested (see 1 Corinthians 12:31), God still has the final word.
The apostle Paul and the author of the book of Hebrews often wrote about the importance of Spiritual discernment (see Romans 12:1-2; 1 Corinthians 2:14; 11:29; Ephesians 5:10; Philippians 1:19; Hebrews 4:12; 5:14). In the passage referenced above (1 Corinthians 2:12-16), Paul emphasizes the fact that the Holy Spirit’s involvement is necessary for someone to accept Jesus. We also read how the Holy Spirit provides discernment for other matters (see Mark 13:11; Luke 12:12; John 14:26; 1 Corinthians 1:5; 2:6-7). Typically as Christians we don’t have any problem with that as we understand that the ways of God are often contrary to our own human reasoning. But what about all the variations of Christian theology, the many points of view, especially related to eschatology? Since many of the concepts embraced by Christians are contrary and largely incompatible, how can two or more Christians filled with the same Holy Spirit be polar opposites on so many theological issues? We may be given discernment but we need to process information wisely. The key seems to be a matter of maturity.
The author of Hebrews wrote to an audience that apparently did not take the time to grow in God’s Word and so he admonishes them, “About this we have much to say, and it is hard to explain, since you have become dull of hearing. For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the basic principles of the oracles of God. You need milk, not solid food, for everyone who lives on milk is unskilled in the word of righteousness, since he is a child. But solid food is for the mature, for those who have their powers of discernment trained by constant practice to distinguish good from evil.” (Hebrew 5:11-14) Our ability to discern right from wrong is dependent on our regular devotion to study the Bible for ourselves and not rely on some dead theologian’s or a Christian denomination’s preconceived set of beliefs. Just like how maturity in life requires time, so does Spiritual maturity. Don’t let pride or some presupposition get in the way of your Spiritual growth (see James 4:1-12). Seek God and His truth! Remember, there are no shortcuts.
Jesus Baptized
[Text parallels Mark 1:9-11 and Luke 3:21-23a]
3:13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Jesus traveled south to the location where John the Baptist was preaching and baptizing. When John saw Him he immediately recognized who He was and said that the roles should be reversed. John was truly puzzled by Jesus’ request to be baptized. Jesus asks John to allow Him to be baptized, as it was the right thing to do. The action still puzzles people as Jesus was without sin and therefore did not need to repent and be baptized. So why did He insist? The text implies that it was both fitting and the right thing to do, Jesus will later instruct that Christians should be baptized, here He is leading by example. John understood and proceeded to baptize Jesus.
After Jesus was baptized and as He was rising from the water, the heavens were opened over Him (Greek ‘ouranoi’,[10] heaven, sky, air, can refer to the earth’s atmosphere, to what we call space where stars and planets reside, or to God’s realm, here it means that the sky opened and exposed God’s realm) and the Holy Spirit, which appeared like a dove, came down and rested on Jesus. Then a voice was heard coming from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son. With whom I am well pleased.” This event inaugurated Jesus’ ministry with the presence of God the Father speaking, the sight of the Holy Spirit, and Jesus, the Son of God together. This is the first time in the New Testament where the text presents the Trinity together (see below).
Considerations
The Bible records several events and actions (such as creation) where all three members of the Godhead, God the Father, His Son, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit, are mentioned together. Scholars call this three-person phenomenon, the Trinity. While the word is not found in Scripture, the concept of the Trinity is clearly taught throughout the Bible.
Earlier we discussed how as humans we cannot understand how Jesus can be both 100% God and 100% man simultaneously, it is equally troublesome to our logic to think that God can be “Three in One,” but that is what the Bible teaches. Just like it takes faith to believe in Creation (making something from nothing) and Jesus being more than a man, it also takes faith to believe in the Trinity. In a way it should be comforting for us to know that our God, who is infinitely greater than us, exists and does things that are well beyond our ability to comprehend. We need to remember if we could understand all aspects of God, then He would not be “big enough” to be our Lord and God.
As discussed in the introduction, each gospel writer tells the story about Jesus a little differently. There are some events that are recorded in each gospel account and other stories that are unique to each book. In order to hear the whole gospel story all four gospels will need to be read. There are a number of books, most often referred to as ‘harmonies’, that lay out the text in chronological order that make it easier to follow the story. In the following chapter of Matthew, the author refers to John the Baptist being arrested with little to no detail, most of the events regarding John the Baptist are recorded in the book of John. However, the arrest of John the Baptist is recorded in Luke’s account: “But Herod the tetrarch, who had been reproved by him for Herodias, his brother’s wife, and for all the evil things that Herod had done, added this to them all, that he locked up John in prison.” (Luke 3:19-20, see also Matthew 14:3-4)
⇐Previous Chapter (Introduction/Index) Next Chapter⇒
[1] Strong’s Greek 907.
[2] Strong’s Greek 909.
[3] See also commentary under Acts 1:4-5 in the Supplemental section.
[4] See Considerations under Matthew 1:22-25 "Prophetic Text Overview No. 1."
[5] Losch, R. R. (2008). In All the People in the Bible: An A–Z Guide to the Saints, Scoundrels, and Other Characters in Scripture (pp. 223–224). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
[6] Strong’s Greek 932, 3588 and 3772.
[7] Strong’s Greek 932, 3588 and 2316.
[8] Strong’s Greek 2090.
[9] See Considerations under Matthew 18:5-6 for a definition of worldview.
[10] Strong’s Greek 3772.