Matthew 3

Scripture Reading: Isaiah 40:1-11

Last Time:

We Saw the Wise Men from the East Go on the Search for the Baby Messiah

Their Search Unintentionally Led King Herod on the Warpath Against Baby Jesus

Joseph Takes His Family to Egypt and Then Comes Back to Israel to Stay in Nazareth

And this is Where Jesus Grew Up

We Looked at a Lot of Interesting Stuff in Chapter 2

You Can Go Back and Listen to that Lesson on Our Website

Matthew 3

Matthew Fast-Forwards Time on Us

We are Immediately Introduced to a Very Strange Man Named John

Matthew 3:1–3 (NASB)

Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord, Make His paths straight!’ ”

Luke Goes into Much More Detail on Who this John Guy is

Matthew’s Agenda isn’t Focused on John

He’s Focused on the Promised Messianic King Bringing His Kingdom (Reign and Rule) of Heaven to Earth

John the Baptizer Started Proclaiming a Message Out in the Wilderness

“Repent” - Change Your Mind; Turn from Sinful Ways to Righteous Ways

Why Should People Repent?

“For the Kingdom of Heaven is Near”

Jews Have Been Expecting a Messianic King Sent from God/Heaven to Rule Over Them

This Crazy Guy John is Telling Them that it is Finally Near to Happening

But They Must Repent if They Want to be Ready for it

Matthew Quotes a Prophecy from Isaiah 40:3 and Tells Us that John is the Fulfillment of it

In Isaiah’s Context, God is Speaking Comforting Words of How He will Lead His People Out of Babylonian Exile

So John is the One Proclaiming a Message of Rescue to Those Who Repent

Luke 1:17 Describes John’s Mission as “to make ready a people prepared for the Lord”

Before a King Makes a Journey, He Expects to Have Nice Straight and Flat Roads

He Expects an Easy Transition from Where He is to Where He is Going

John is Making the Messiah’s Transition Easier for Him

He is Making Servants to the King Before the King Arrives…

So that When the King Does Arrive, People are Already Prepared for Him

John is Saying, “The King is Coming and You Need to Make Yourselves Ready for His Rule by Repenting!”

Matthew 3:4 (NASB)

Now John himself had a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

Later in Matthew’s Account, He will Mention that John was a Fulfillment of a Prophecy about Elijah’s Second Coming in Malachi 4:5-6

We’ll Talk about the Specifics of that Prophecy When We Get There

But Here We See One Aspect of Why John is Called Elijah

He Wore Camel’s Hair

Zechariah 13:4 Tells Us that Prophets Commonly Wore Hairy Robes

2 Kings 1:8 Tells Us that Elijah Wore a Leather Belt

And Elijah Spent a Great Deal of His Time in the Wilderness

John is the First Prophet that Anyone had Seen in 400 Years

And He Shows Up Looking Like the Great Elijah

No Wonder People Were Excited about Him

His Diet was Typical of a Poor Person Living in the Deserted Wilderness

Matthew 3:5–6 (NASB)

Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

Lots of People Made Their Journey Out into the Wilderness from Judea to See and Hear this New Prophet like Elijah

Once Hearing His Message of Repentance and the Nearness of God’s Kingdom…

They Would be Baptized and Confess Their Sins

As 21st Century Christians, We Easily can Skip Right Over the Significance of What is Taking Place Here

In John’s Day, the Jewish People Were Very Familiar with Immersion and Ceremonial Washings

But I Want to Focus Especially on Proselyte Baptism

If a Gentile Wanted to Become a Jew, He Would Need to Do a Few Things:

One of Which Would be to be Circumcised

And Another Would be Baptism

When a Circumcised Gentile Would Immerse Himself in Water, He Would Come Up Out of the Water Being Considered an Israelite in All Ways

He is Now Considered Part of the Family of Abraham and Heir to the Promises

John is Bringing Something Similar But More Substantial

He is Telling Israelites that They Must Repent (which Included Confession of Sins) and then be Immersed, Taking on an Entirely New Identity

Baptism was a Sort of New Birth into a Life of Committed, Repentant Kingdom People

Just Like the Gentiles had to be “Reborn” into Judaism…

John Told the Jews They Must be Reborn into Kingdom People

Just Being a Physical Descendant of Abraham Wasn’t Good Enough to be Considered Part of God’s Kingdom

Though the Kingdom Wasn’t Here Yet, Those Who Were Baptized Were Now Prepared for it When it Did Come

By Repenting, Confessing Sins, and Being Baptized, These People Have Prepared Themselves for the King’s Coming

Matthew 3:7–9 (NASB)

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, “You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

“Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father’; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham.

We Now Meet the Notorious Jewish Leaders Who Make Themselves Enemies of the Messiah Throughout His Ministry

They Were Apparently Coming to be Baptized

But John Calls Them “Children of Vipers”

Many in Ancient Times Believed that Some Vipers Would Eat Their Way Out of Their Mother’s Belly

Murdering Your Parents was One of the Most Heinous of Crimes

John was Calling Them in Very Vivid Terms, “Wicked Sinners”

Everyone Who Came to John was a Sinner Wanting to Flee the Wrath that Would come Upon the King’s Enemies…

Why Would John Treat the Jewish Leaders so Harshly?

Because They Weren’t There to Repent

They Believed the Kingdom Belonged to Them Simply Because They are Descendants of Abraham

But John Destroyed Their Prideful Thinking

“God Could Make These Worthless Rocks into Descendants of Abraham if He Wanted. Being Born of Abraham Doesn’t Make You Anything Special.”

Matthew 3:10–12 (NASB)

“The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John Already Told Them to Bear Fruit that Proved Their Repentance

Now He Tells Them that All Trees that Don’t Bear Good Fruit are Getting Ready to be Chopped Down and Thrown in the Fire

The Messiah-King is Not Just Coming to Save but to Destroy as Well

John Tells Us a Little Bit about His Baptism in Verse 11

It is with Water for Repentance

His Baptism is a Rebirth Toward a Continued Repentant, Fruit Bearing Life

But There is a Greater One Coming that is Bringing a Greater Baptism

He is Mightier than John

One of the Lowliest Jobs of a Slave was to Take Off and Carry His Masters Sandals

John Said He was Unworthy to Even be the Messiah’s Slave

This Messiah’s Baptism Will Not Only Consist of Repentance and Rebirth into the Kingdom…

The Holy Spirit Himself will be Given to Those Who are Baptized

But Those Who Refuse to Repent and be Baptized will be Immersed in Unquenchable Fire

Matthew 3:13–17 (NASB)

Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”

But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him.

After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

Now Here is Something Strange

Everything We Know about John’s Baptism Tells Us that the Messiah Doesn’t Need it, Right?

He Didn’t Need to Repent of or Confess Any Sins

So Why Did He Insist on John Baptizing Him?

Several Possible Reasons:

As He has Been Replaying OT Israel’s History, It Makes Sense that He Must be Immersed in Water (Red Sea) at the Jordan River

As with All Christians, this was to Begin His Service to God

He is Also Given the Holy Spirit at His Baptism as All of His Believers Still are Today

To Identify with the Sinful People He Came to Save

Everyone Baptized by John was Doing so for the Purpose of Being a Part of the Kingdom of Heaven

Jesus’ Baptism May Have Been for the Purpose of Identifying with the Kingdom He was Preparing to Establish

Whatever the Reason(s), Jesus Saw it as Something that Had to Happen in Order for Righteousness to be Fulfilled

After His Baptism, the Sky Opened and the Holy Spirit, like a Dove, Came Down On Him

Then God’s Voice Spoke from the Opening in the Sky

These Words Would Likely Have Been Very Significant to the Listeners and Readers

Notice How Similar 2 Messianic Prophecies are to These Words

Psalm 2:7 (NASB)

“I will surely tell of the decree of YHWH: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

Isaiah 42:1 (NASB)

“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations.

Psalm 2 is about the Anointed King

Isaiah 42 is about the Servant of God

In Jesus’ Baptism, We See His Obedience to Do God’s Will as His Pleasing Servant

And Proof from Heaven that He is the Messianic King, the Son of God Himself

Application

Bear Fruit in Keeping with Repentance

Repentance is an Inward Change that Results in Outward Change

That Means Bearing Fruit is an Essential Part of Repentance

If a Pear Tree Says that it is Now an Apple Tree, You’d Expect Proof in the Form of Apples

If a Sinner Says He is Now a Follower of Christ with the Holy Spirit Living Within Him, You Should Expect Proof

Their Lifestyle Should Begin to Resemble that of Jesus’

You Should Begin to See the Fruit of the Spirit in Their Lives

Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, and Self-Control

This is so Similar to What James Said about Faith in James 2:17-18

James 2:17–18 NASB95

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself. But someone may well say, “You have faith and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works.”

Just Like Faith Without Outward Proof is Not True Faith at All…

Repentance Without Outward Proof is Not True Repentance at All

If Those Who Knew You Before You Gave Your Life to Christ Can’t Tell a Difference in the Old You and the New You…

You Haven’t Truly Repented at All

Paul Gives One of the Most Vivid Examples from Scripture of What Repentance Looks Like in Ephesians 4:28-32

Ephesians 4:28–32 NASB95

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you.

When We are Baptized into Christ, We are Taking on a New Identity

We are Born Again as a New Creation

If That Doesn’t Show in Our Lives, We Need to Repent Right Now