One Year Journey Through the New Testament
Matthew 3
Welcome to our journey through the New Testament!
The Person of John the Baptist
Mark 1:2–6; Luke 3:3–6
3 In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” 3 For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying:
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness:
‘Prepare the way of the Lord;
Make His paths straight.’ ”
4 Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. 5 Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
Points to Ponder:
John the Baptist (backstory to come in Luke’s gospel) was prophesied to be the forerunner of Jesus Christ. He was also the cousin of Jesus.
He called people to repentance. He announced the coming of the Messiah. He called out sin.
He was strange, but multitudes were baptized by him for repentance.
The Preaching of John the Baptist
Mark 1:7–9; Luke 3:7–9, 16, 17
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto 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 fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
Points to Ponder:
He became so popular and influential, that the religious leaders came to see what was going on.
He called them out as well, exposing their sinfulness and the reckoning that would come soon.
He also announced the coming of Jesus, characterizing Him as the judge and the Holy Spirit baptizer.
The Baptism of Jesus Christ
Mark 1:9–11; Luke 3:21–23
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Points to Ponder:
Out of nowhere—at least as far as John was concerned—Jesus came to John one day requesting to be baptized.
John felt unworthy and tried to dissuade Him.
Jesus insisted, and as Jesus came up from the water, a dove (Holy Spirit) descended and a voice (God the Father) spoke. This Trinitarian simultaneous appearance was meant to be a powerful endorsement of the ministry of Jesus Christ (the Son).
This removed any doubt for some that John and Jesus were of God, and made the religious leaders even more suspect of what was happening at the Jordan river with that weird man named John.
This was the inauguration of the public ministry of Jesus Christ, and put everyone on notice that the kingdom of heaven was absolutely at hand!
Publication Info
The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982), Mt 3:1–17.
See you this afternoon for Live@5 (Facebook: Dr. Greg Sloop) for a discussion of Matthew, Chapter 3, and Monday morning (gregsloop.com) for Matthew, Chapter 4 with notes!
Devoted To You 