Introduction
In chapter three, Matthew points to John the Baptist as the forerunner of the Christ. God sent John to prepare the hearts of people for their coming Messiah. The former tax collector uses prophecy once again, this time that made by the prophet Malachi to help his people see Jesus as their long awaited King (Malachi 4:5).
The second part of this chapter describes Jesus’ baptism. I like to think of Jesus’ baptism as His coronation. He is crowned or anointed with the Holy Spirit descending upon Him and blessed with the Father’s affirming words! Matthew’s recording of John the Baptist as fulfillment of Jewish prophecy and the miraculous sign at Jesus’ baptism furthers his case for Jesus as the Christ for his Jewish peers.
The King’s Prophet (3:1-12)
3:1-2 For four centuries, God had not sent a prophet. But now, John the Baptist emerged, looking much like Elijah in his camel-hair clothing and leather belt. He was the first prophet to speak since then, and his message was clear and powerful. Luke’s Gospel tells us that John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth, were from Aaron’s priestly line (Luke 1:5–10). Zechariah served as a priest, which meant John could have also been a priest.
John was born miraculously to elderly parents who had been unable to have children (Luke 1:7). He was also related to Jesus through their mothers, likely making them cousins (Luke 1:36). Mary, Jesus’ mother, visited Elizabeth during her pregnancy (Luke 1:39–40), so Jesus and John likely knew each other growing up. John was about six months older than Jesus (Luke 1:36), and they may have been close (as seen when Jesus grieves John’s death in Matthew 14:12–13).
John’s message was similar to Elijah’s: calling for repentance because God’s kingdom was near (Matthew 3:2). Jesus preached this same message when He started His ministry after John was imprisoned (Matthew 4:17). John was fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy about preparing the way for the Messiah (Isaiah 40:3–5). He boldly confronted the Jewish leaders of his time, who thought they were secure in their relationship with God just because they were descendants of Abraham. But John emphasized that being part of God’s covenant people wasn’t enough if they were not following God’s ways.
The religious leaders in Jesus’ time were corrupt and had strayed far from God’s covenant. This was exactly what Isaiah had warned about (Isaiah 28). Peter, who was close to Matthew, also pointed out the nation’s unfaithfulness by quoting Isaiah about Jesus’ coming (1 Peter 2:6). Paul also noted how Israel stumbled over Jesus as the cornerstone, which Isaiah had predicted (Romans 9:32–33; Isaiah 8:14).
John called for repentance, meaning people had to change their ways and return to God for the kingdom of heaven to come. But many in Israel were spiritually blind and worldly. As John’s Gospel says, Jesus came to His own people, but they did not accept Him (John 1:11–13). Matthew’s Gospel explains how and why the Jewish people missed recognizing their own Messiah-King. While Israel’s covenant was not forgotten, it wasn’t fulfilled in that generation. A future generation of Jews will respond to Jesus, fulfilling the covenant promise (Romans 11:25–27).
John and Jesus both began their ministries with the call to “Repent” (Matthew 3:2, 4:17). For God’s kingdom to come, people needed to change their minds and behavior. True repentance involves not only a change in thinking but also a change in actions, as John made clear (Matthew 3:8). This is similar to what James says about faith needing works (James 2:14–26). Repentance involves seeing God and sin differently and deciding to turn away from wrongdoing.
John’s mission was more about calling the nation of Israel back to God so the kingdom could come to them, rather than offering individual eternal salvation. The Bible indicates that the Messiah’s kingdom on earth will not happen until Israel turns back to God in faith. This will occur in the future during what the Bible calls the “day of Jacob’s trouble” (the Tribulation). Afterward, the Messiah will establish His kingdom on earth for a thousand years.
Matthew often uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” (33 times) instead of “kingdom of God,” which is more common in other Gospels. Matthew used this phrase for his Jewish audience, who avoided saying “God” out of reverence. “Kingdom of heaven” and “kingdom of God” are essentially interchangeable.
The concept of the kingdom has three parts:
- John’s Announcement: John said the kingdom was near because Jesus, the King, was about to reveal it to Israel and the world.
- A Hidden Kingdom: When Israel rejected Jesus, He revealed the kingdom as something that some people recognize, but others do not. This hidden kingdom represents God’s rule in believers’ hearts between Jesus’ first and second comings.
- The Kingdom’s Full Realization: In the future, as predicted by Daniel and other prophets, Jesus will rule the entire world. This will be the fulfillment of God’s kingdom coming to earth (Matthew 6:10). Revelation tells us this reign will last a thousand years (Revelation 20:3).
3:3-4 The quote in Matthew 3:3 comes from Isaiah 40:3. In Isaiah, this passage is part of the prophecy about the end-times restoration of Israel. In Matthew, the verse shows that John was the voice preparing the way for the Lord, just as Isaiah had predicted. John’s clothing was similar to Elijah’s, highlighting his role in addressing Israel’s spiritual crisis. The people knew there had been no prophet for 400 years since Malachi, and John’s arrival marked the return of God’s voice. His unconventional lifestyle, much like Elijah’s, emphasized his prophetic message.
3:5 Matthew emphasizes that people came from all over—Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordan region—to see John the Baptist. This is an exaggeration, but it shows how popular John was. Some scholars even suggest his audience could have been in the hundreds of thousands. When God moves, many people respond with enthusiasm and conviction, a sign of the Holy Spirit at work. While many were sincere, the presence of Pharisees and Sadducees suggests that not everyone had pure intentions.
3:6 Baptism was familiar to the Jewish people as one of the four steps for a Gentile to convert to Judaism (the others were sacrifice, circumcision, and learning parts of the Law). The term “baptize” means to “dip” or “immerse.” Different cultures had similar practices for ritual washing, symbolizing a new identity. For Jews, this change of identity was relatable, like dyeing a piece of cloth, where the cloth takes on the color of the dye. When Gentiles converted, they left behind their old identity and joined the Jewish community.
John’s baptism was about showing a willingness to turn from sin and rejecting the belief that simply being born Jewish meant a right relationship with God. John warned that Israel was in spiritual trouble and on the brink of judgment. When people repented, they showed their sincerity by being baptized, publicly identifying as faithful members of God’s people.
To “confess” means to acknowledge the truth or agree with God. It was part of repentance, where people recognized the specific sins they needed to change. True repentance required them to focus on these sins and commit to changing their ways.
3:7
When John saw many Pharisees (strict, law-focused Jews) and Sadducees (more liberal Jews) at the baptism site, he knew some people were not sincere. These leaders were probably there just to observe or challenge John. John confronted their hypocrisy, hoping they would genuinely repent and lead others to do the same. By addressing them as a “brood of vipers” (a term Jesus also used later), John warned others of their hypocrisy. Hypocrisy, especially among leaders, is harmful and dangerous, like a poisonous snake.
3:8–10
John accused these religious leaders of being hypocrites. They claimed to be repentant but continued in their sins. They thought their connection to Abraham guaranteed God’s favor, but John told them that simply being Jewish was not enough. He warned that judgment was near, using the image of an ax ready to cut down unfruitful trees. The Pharisees and Sadducees’ lack of genuine repentance showed they were spiritually fruitless and in danger of judgment.
3:10–12
John spoke of fire as a symbol of judgment. He said the fruitless tree would be burned (3:10), and the coming Messiah would baptize people with both the Holy Spirit and fire (3:11). This “fire” symbolized judgment, separating the genuine from the false. Later, fire is used in the New Testament as a test of truth and faith.
John’s mission was to point people to the Messiah. He understood that his role was to prepare the way for someone greater. To show the difference between himself and the Messiah, John compared his role to a lowly task (removing sandals), saying he was not even worthy of that. John baptized with water, but the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The Holy Spirit baptism refers to a new, permanent relationship with God, fulfilling the promise in Ezekiel 36:26–27. The fire refers to judgment. The Messiah would bring both salvation and judgment.
The baptism with the Holy Spirit occurred at Pentecost, and the baptism with fire refers to judgment at the Messiah’s second coming. The winnowing fork (3:12) was an image of judgment, separating good grain from worthless chaff. It shows that the Messiah’s judgment will be thorough, with no mistakes in distinguishing believers from non-believers.
The King’s Baptism (3:13-17)
3:13–15
The last time we saw Jesus in Matthew 2, he was still a child, living in Nazareth. Now, in Matthew 3, the use of “then” right after John’s talk about the Messiah’s role in judgment and salvation shows that Jesus is that Messiah. His arrival signals the start of the messianic age of judgment and salvation as he approaches John at the Jordan River.
Jesus had lived almost 30 years in quiet obscurity in Galilee, a small, less important region of Israel. Matthew’s wording suggests that Jesus was now “coming out” to begin his public ministry. Jesus’ baptism was essential because it served as an example and a way for him to represent the faithful people of Israel. It was a necessary step for him to “fulfill all righteousness” (3:15). Unlike John’s “baptism of repentance” or the Christian baptism practiced today, Jesus’ baptism was a unique act of obedience at the start of his ministry. Although it seemed unnecessary to John (3:14), it was crucial for Jesus to complete this step.
3:16–17
When Jesus came out of the water after being baptized, he immediately received confirmation from God. He saw the Spirit of God, and he heard his Father’s approval. It was like a proud family showing support at a graduation.
This moment was like a family reunion with all three members of the Trinity—the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—present in a visible and audible way. It was a sign for everyone present, showing them that Jesus is the Messiah. This event serves as one of many proofs in Matthew’s Gospel that Jesus is the chosen one.
It was also a personal affirmation for Jesus from God the Father and the Holy Spirit. This reminds us that there is a relational and emotional side to God. Even Jesus, the Son, received encouragement from his Father. It was also important for the people to hear God’s voice (see John 11:42).
In Matthew’s Gospel, the Father speaks from heaven twice. Each time, he speaks in the third person, addressing those around rather than directly speaking to Jesus (unlike in Mark and Luke where he uses “you are”). The second instance is in Matthew 17 during the Transfiguration. The warm, fatherly message is similar to God’s expression of love for Isaac in Genesis 22:2. No father has ever been prouder than God the Father was of Jesus.
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