Reflections on Matthew 3

Matthew 03 (Contemporary English Version)


1. Years later, John the Baptist started preaching in the desert of Judea.
   
2. He said, "Turn back to God! The kingdom of heaven will soon be here."
   
3. John was the one the prophet Isaiah was talking about, when he said, "In the desert someone is shouting, 'Get the road ready for the Lord! Make a straight path for him.' "
   
4. John wore clothes made of camel's hair. He had a leather strap around his waist and ate grasshoppers and wild honey.
   
5. From Jerusalem and all Judea and from the Jordan River Valley crowds of people went to John.
   
6. They told how sorry they were for their sins, and he baptized them in the river.
   
7. Many Pharisees and Sadducees also came to be baptized. But John said to them: You bunch of snakes! Who warned you to run from the coming judgment?
   
8. Do something to show that you have really given up your sins.
   
9. And don't start telling yourselves that you belong to Abraham's family. I tell you that God can turn these stones into children for Abraham.
   
10. An ax is ready to cut the trees down at their roots. Any tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into a fire.
    
11. I baptize you with water so that you will give up your sins. But someone more powerful is going to come, and I am not good enough even to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
    
12. His threshing fork is in his hand, and he is ready to separate the wheat from the husks. He will store the wheat in a barn and burn the husks in a fire that never goes out.
    
13. Jesus left Galilee and went to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
    
14. But John kept objecting and said, "I ought to be baptized by you. Why have you come to me?"
    
15. Jesus answered, "For now this is how it should be, because we must do all that God wants us to do." Then John agreed.
    
16. So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as he came out of the water, the sky opened, and he saw the Spirit of God coming down on him like a dove.
    
17. Then a voice from heaven said, "This is my own dear Son, and I am pleased with him."
    

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Matthew suddenly takes us from Christ's birth in chapters 1 and 2 to John the Baptist in chapter 3. We have jumped some 30 years. Matthew continues to tie the events of his gospel to prophecy, pointing out the prophet Isaiah's mention of John who was to be "A voice of one crying out in the wilderness." The message he was to preach being to "Prepare the way for the Lord; make His paths straight!"

While Jesus' birth drew small-scale, though significant, attention, people flocked to John. They were more than curiosity seekers as well. Curiosity may have drawn many to John, but having heard his message, they confessed their sins and were baptized by him. The attention John received drew the Pharisees and Sadducees who, to our knowledge, had paid no attention to Jesus' birth. No doubt these men came primarily to check him out and determine if he should be permitted to continue. Given John's message of repentance and the message he gave the Pharisees and Sadducees, it becomes apparent that John was preparing the way not only for the Messiah but was ushering in a new day, a new era in God's dealings with mankind. He was announcing the approaching kingdom of heaven.

Through God's covenant with Abraham and the nation of Israel He demonstrated His desire for a personal relationship with man and that this relationship must be based in man's righteousness and faithfulness to God as the one god. This covenant with Abraham's people also demonstrated that man's relationship with God was not based on man's merit but on God's mercy and choice. It further demonstrated that man was incapable through religious practices to attain the righteousness necessary for this relationship with God. John's message of repentance introduced a new concept to the Jewish people and religious leaders of his day. The concept of repentance and the producing of fruit consistent with that repentance. Entry into this kingdom of heaven required such repentance and fruit.

John challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees to produce this fruit. He made no assumption that because of all their religiousity this fruit was present. Furthermore, John told the religious leaders not to presume their heritage as children of Abraham was sufficient or that it was appropriate fruit. In 3:10 he said to them, "Therefore every tree that doesn't produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire." This is understood as a reference to Judaism. Unless it produced fruit in keeping with repentance God was about to remove it. It was about to be cut down.

The chapter concludes with Jesus' baptism. Jesus came on the scene of John's preaching and baptizing. To all those present He would have been just another Jew coming to hear John preach. Was there a large crowd present? Were the Pharisees and Sadducees still present? We don't know. But those who were present were in store for a wondrous event. The initial exchange between Jesus and John probably made little sense to those present, but what followed no doubt got their attention. Why did Jesus allow John to baptize Him if the baptism represented repentance and Jesus had no sin of which to repent? One thought is that if Messiah were to "provide righteousness for sinners, He must be identified with sinners." (The Bible Knowledge Commentary)

Of greater significance, though, is what happened when Jesus emerged from the water. The heavens opened and He saw "the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on Him." (3:16) Then a voice from heaven said, "This is My beloved Son. I take delight in Him!" Present in this scene was the trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus was officially authenticated on that occasion and His ministry begun.