John the Baptist

INTRO

Good morning, friends, we’re so glad you have tuned in to hear God’s Precepts and Promises this morning brought to you by the Rome Church of Christ.

We’re examining Christianity systematically--taking all the Bible has to say on a subject and putting it together as best as possible. Letting the Bible speak

We want to consider the forerunner to Christ

Discussion

John the Baptist

βαπτιστής = Baptist, Baptizer (BDAG)

Clothing--camel’s hair and leather girdle (Mt 3:4)

Food: locusts and wild honey (Mt 3:4)

Locusts were clean (Lev 11.22); seasoned with honey or milk

The Location of John’s preaching (Mt 3:1)

The wilderness of Judea

country about Jordan (Lk 3:3)

The Message of John (Mt 3:2)

The Prophecy of John (Mt 3:3)

Is 40:3-4 Figurative for preparing the way before a king; construction crews fixing roads; accomplished through John’s preaching

Is 52:10

Lk 1:76

Mal 3:1

A similar one to Elijah was to appear before Messiah (Mal 4:5)

The audience of John (Mt 3:5).

All of Judea and Jerusalem (Mk1.5)

The baptism of John (Mt 3:6)

Baptism of repentance (Mk 1:4)

For the remission of sins (Mk 1:4)

ID and Q & A

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Q: Did John the Baptist found the Baptist Church?

A: Absolutely not. John Smyth is generally credited with founding the Baptist Church in the early 1600s. Don’t read of a Baptist Church prior to the 1600s.

We note that John is called “the Baptist.” Simply means he was the one who baptized or immersed people. “The” indicates there is only one in Bible times. Friends, the church we read of in the Bible started on Pentecost. Any church that started after Pentecost is one that did not start Scripturally. Dan 2:44 looks to the time of the Romans when the kingdom or the church would be established.

John calls the Pharisees and Sadducees a “generation of vipers”

Pharisees

from the Heb. parush meaning separate or interpret (BEC 514)

Possibly emerged “out of the Hasidim at the time of the Maccabean revolt” (BEC 514)

Emphasized Torah and Tradition

Traditions were interpretations of the Torah

Pharisees claimed the interpretations to have divine authority

Scribes and Pharisees were not identical but Scribes were the official interpreters of the Torah and generally accepted the principles of the Pharisees; thus often connected in the Gospel records

Sadducees

Uncertain origin of the name Sadducee; thought to be connected to the priest “Zadok” under David or another Zadok, or perhaps “just ones” from the Hebrew tsedek.

Generally the party of the wealthy priests Acts 5:17

The Sadducees did not attribute divine authority to the Tradition--in this sense the Sadducees were actually the conservative party and the Pharisees liberal.

Known through the eyes of their opponents, Pharisees and Christians

Acts 23:6-9 The difference has to do with which books the considered Torah. The Sadducees did not consider useful for doctrine (c.f. 2 Tim 3:16). They accepted the Prophets and Writings but not for doctrine, which came only from the Law of Moses.

They came to investigate John and his authority to baptize (Jn 1:24-25)

Repentance

requires fruit (Mt 3:8; Lk 3:8)

Change of mind

“The word “repentance” literally means “a change of mind.” This, however, may mislead the English reader. The Greek concept of “mind” included the will as well as the thoughts. Thus, the mind controlled both the thoughts and the behavior of a person. Just as faith without works is dead, so repentance without appropriate changes in behavior is meaningless (cf. Acts 17:30–31; 26:20). This is not to say that you have to be sinless or you have not really repented. The issue is not the level of a person’s holiness, but his direction. Are we moving toward the nature of God, or away from it?” Mark E. Moore, The Chronological Life of Christ (Joplin, MO: College Press Publishing Company, 2011), 71.

Mt 3:9--John preparing them for the message of salvation--not who gave birth to you but as Jesus will say being born again.

Mt 3:10--urgency of repentance is emphasized because the ax ready to chop any non-fruit bearing tree

3 Baptisms (Mt 3:11-12)

John’s baptism

with water

unto repentance

Administered by John and Jesus’ disciples

Valid until Pentecost

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

Administered by Christ

Only two occurences (Acts 2:1-4; Acts 11:15-16)

Always a promise to be received; never a command to obeyed

Baptism of Fire

Not Holy Spirit baptism

Baptism can mean an overwhelming

Overwhelmed with fire

Fire baptism is eternal punishment

Fan = the winnowing fan

Floor is the threshing floor

Wheat stored in the garner.

Garner is a storehouse or barn

chaff is destroyed in fire

Righteous saved; unrighteous destroyed

CONCLUSION

Sum:

Next Week: Continue thinking about the Christ

Until then, We encourage you to hear His precepts and trust His promises