Matthew

As we open Matthew 3 we see John the Baptist comes on the scene after 400 silent years to bring the prophetic word of God to the people.  Although Jesus was had been born He was growing up and living in Nazareth.  John the Baptist is an Old Testament prophet and essentially comes on the scene to close the Old Testament days and bring Jesus on the scene.  God's story (His-tory) moves from the old covenant to this new thing God is doing.  

John introduces Jesus to the world.  This was a world much like ours.  We are about our business, stuck in our ways, trusting in what we can control.  We are influenced by the world around us.  Israel had been 400 years of hearing from Greek philosophers and were now under the iron rule of Rome.  Were they ready to hear about their messiah, their savior?  Some were and some weren't.  God established this as the perfect time that Jesus would come to the world.  Much like our today, some will hear, most will not.  Either way, truth had come into the world.

Diogenes said, 'The truth is like the light to sore eyes.'  Israel's eyes were sore from the 400 silent years.  They had grown cold toward God and established rituals and traditions we see played out in the Pharisees.  John the Baptists is the right guy to speak into this time.  Diogenes also said, 'He who never offended anyone, never did anyone any good.'  We would say John the Baptizer called a spade a spade.  He spoke truth to a world that was more interested in its appearance and comforts.

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.' "

John enters the scene in the wilderness of Judea.  Judea is the area around Jerusalem.  We know John was baptizing in the Jordan.  John called the people to repentance.  This word for repentance means to "change your mind".   This was to turn away from the old way of thinking.  This change of mind then was validated by the work that came after.  Repentance isn't just a mental exercise, it was a change that was played out in every aspect of your life. 

This term 'Kingdom of Heaven' is the same as saying 'Kingdom of God'.  It's a term carried over from Old Testament times.  The Jews were very particular of how, or if, they would write the name of God.  So, a term like Kingdom of Heaven was a way of substituting when it was understood to be the same. 

Matthew quotes a portion of Isaiah 40:3, saying John the Baptizer is who Isaiah was talking about:

In the ancient Middle East the roads were in horrible shape.  There was a proverb that said, 'There are three states of misery: sickness, fasting and travel.  Ordinary roads weren't much more than paths that became ruts.  Travelers were advised 'to pay all debts, provide for dependants, give parting gifts, return all articles under trust, take money and good-temper for the journey; then bid farewell to all'.   Now there were a few paved roads and these were built by the king for the king's use.  Anytime the king was to arrive in a town they were notified ahead of time to prepare the way for the king.  All the bumps were to be smoothed, potholes filled in; the way was to be prepared because the king was coming. 

This is the announcement of John the Baptist, the king of the Jews is coming.  But the preparation for this King wasn't done on the roads it was done in the heart.  John called people to repentance and baptized them.  Baptism was a existing religious ritual demonstrating cleansing.  John's call was to turn away from the old ways, confess your sins and prepare your self for the Son of God who had come. 

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.

Malachi 4:5 says

The Jews believed this verse.  They expected the prophet Elijah would come and be the herald to declare the coming of their messiah.  They assumed Jesus would come and be King and rule from the throne of David. 

Elijah was described in 2 Kings 1:8 as 'A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.'  So we see that John the Baptizer is a Old Testament Elijah like prophet.  He is clothed in camel hair, with a leather belt and he ate locusts and wild honey.  John would have quickly gotten everyone's attention and Matthew says that the entire region around the Jordan came out to see him.  Obviously, this is a figure of speech, not everyone came out but it had the attention of the people.  They came to him, were baptized, and confessed their sins in preparation of the coming king. 

John was the last of the Old Testament prophets.  Read what Jesus says of John in Matthew 11:7-15

⁷ As they departed, Jesus began to say to the multitudes concerning John: "What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed shaken by the wind? ⁸ But what did you go out to see? A man clothed in soft garments? Indeed, those who wear soft clothing are in kings' houses. ⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written:

                  'Behold, I send My messenger before Your face,

                  Who will prepare Your way before You.'

¹¹ "Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women there has not risen one greater than John the Baptist; but he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is greater than he. ¹² And from the days of John the Baptist until now the kingdom of heaven suffers violence, and the violent take it by force. ¹³ For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John. ¹⁴ And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come. ¹⁵ He who has ears to hear, let him hear!

Also read Matthew 17:9-13

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."

John the Baptist is throwing down some hellfire and brimstone preaching to the Pharisees and Sadducees.  These were the religious elite of the Jews, they were the keepers of the law, traditions and rituals that were pushed on everyone else.  John knows they didn't come out to the Jordan to repent because they felt they had nothing to repent of.

These men showed up because someone was threatening their religious authority they held over the people.  The viper was general term for a poisonous snake.  A brood was the offspring of the snake.  It was the work of a serpent in the garden that led mankind into sin.  I wonder if John's reference to the offspring of snake isn't a reference to these men doing the work of Satan.  Jesus used this same term to refer to this group.

Either way, these are harsh words.  They wouldn't have taken this well.  The average folks in earshot would have taken a step back from John treating these men this way.  It wasn't as if they disagreed but that folks knew how powerful and dangerous they could be. 

There is at least some possibility that some of them came in genuine repentance; in which case John may be creating a picture of these men as a snakes running away from the approaching fires of judgment.  John asked them, who warned of the wrath to come.  Therefore, John said, if this repentance is genuine, then there should be visible fruit from it.  If there was no visible fruit they would reveal their hypocrisy.  We can read in James that faith without works is dead.  Works are the fruit of repentance and faith. 

John cautioned these men not to bring up their heritage salvation because it wasn't valid.  These men said to themselves that because Abraham was their father, they were children of God and in God's good graces automatically by heritage.  These men were the teachers that taught that no Jew could go to hell because they were descended from Abraham. 

The ax was laid at the root, it was time for this tree (Israel) to bear fruit or it would be cut down.  Not only was it to be cut it was to be thrown into the fire.  This is a picture of judgment they would understand and find appalling.  And while John's words were harsh and abrasive to them because they were the light to sore eyes, it wasn't John they needed to wory about.  There was another coming.  John said he wasn't even qualified to do the task of a slave for the one that was on the way.  It was a task of the lowly slave to carry the sandals for royalty. 

When this one comes, He will bring other baptisms.  One is the baptism of the Holy Spirit.  He will fill the heart of those who repent and trust in Him with the Holy Spirit.  For those who reject Him and retain their sins, he will baptize them with the fires of judgment.  John is a real picture guy.  He says Jesus will separate the wheat from the chaff.  The wheat will be gathered into the barn, while the chaff will be burned up with unquenchable fire.  This is a fire that is impossible to stop or avoid, it can't be doused or put out.

This One that John describes is nothing like the messiah the Pharisees and Sadducees were looking for.  The Pharisees were looking for a king to come into town and sit on the throne, kick out the Romans, invite the Pharisees to eat at His palace and live happily ever after.  The Sadducees didn't actually see this the same way.  They looked at the messiah as more of a type or ideal.  They didn't believe in the resurrection or angels.  The only time the Sadducees and Pharisees agreed is when they were opposing Christ or His disciples.

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

The book of John records that John the Baptizer was at Bethbara beyond the Jordan.  This is a few miles south of the southernmost shore of the Sea of Galilee; almost straight east of Nazareth about 10 miles away.   

Imagine that day.  It was probably like so many others, Matthew tells us that many people made their way there.  Here was John, a wildeyed, longhaired preacher dressed in camel hair and leather belt calling people to repentance and speaking of a judgment to come.  Imagine that moment when John looked up and saw Jesus. 

John 1:29

²⁹ The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! ³⁰ This is He of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.' ³¹ I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water."

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.

Why did Jesus need to be baptized?  He was sinless and had no sin to confess, turn from or to be cleansed from.  There are a few things to consider.  When Jesus was baptized by John he was giving approval to John's ministry.  He was putting His stamp of approval on what John was saying; repent and prepare the way.  As Jesus stepped into the Jordan with John the Baptist he was standing beside the publicans and the sinners.  Jesus was identifying with those He came to save.  When those people there that day saw Jesus go under the water and rise again they were seeing Jesus act out the culmination of His ministry.  His baptism was a picture of His baptism on the cross.  When the waters closed over the body of Jesus it was the "waves and billows" of death closed over Him (Psalm 42:7).   So it was fitting and right for Jesus to be baptized and John the Baptizer baptised the Son of God.

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."

Imagine being there that day.  The crowd was probably quiet, maybe trying to figure out who spoke, maybe they even knew it was the voice of God.  The Pharisees and Sadducees, unimpressed and holding to the religion, traditions and rituals; scoffing at this crazy looking herald the one who came.  These guys were looking for a king, not a carpenter from Nazareth. 

Everyone present that day had to make a choice.  Did they believe that Jesus was the messiah or not?  Was this herald legitimate?  Was this prophet from God?  Matthew notes many witnesses and many testimonies.  The scriptures, the prophets, John the Baptizer, God the Father, God the Holy Spirit and even to some degree the Pharisees and Sadducees testify that something was going on that day. 

All the evidence was there, it was clear, but it wasn't what many expected or wanted.  Jesus didn't fit with the traditions and rituals, He didn't come like they had thought.  Many walked away and did not believe.  In their sins, John said, they are like the unfruitful tree that will be cut down or chaff that will be separated from the wheat and destroyed in the unquenchable fire.

John Bunyan said, that he heard the voice of God on the village green in Bedford.  He said it drew him up all of a sudden and left him looking at eternity: 'Wilt thou leave thy sins and go to heaven, or wilt thou have thy sins and go to hell?^[1]

Amen

©2015 Doug Ford