Matthew 3
- Who wrote it
- Traditionally Matthew
- Who it was for
- Jewish followers of Jesus
- What was happening
- John baptizing in the Judean wilderness
What’s happening
John the Baptist appears in the wilderness of Judea preaching, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." Dressed in camel's hair with a leather belt, like the prophet Elijah, he baptizes crowds from Jerusalem, Judea, and the Jordan valley as they confess their sins. He warns the Pharisees and Sadducees not to count on being Abraham's descendants, and announces someone stronger coming after him who will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptized. John objects, but Jesus says it is right "to fulfill all righteousness." As Jesus comes up from the water, the Spirit descends like a dove and a voice says, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."
Why the setting matters
The wilderness and the Jordan recalled Israel's beginnings: the exodus, the wandering, and the crossing into the land. Isaiah had promised a voice preparing God's way in the desert. Ritual washing was common, but John's one-time baptism of repentance asked even Abraham's descendants to start again.
Who’s in this chapter
John the Baptist
A prophet in Elijah's mold, preparing the way.
Scribes, Pharisees, and Sadducees
Come to the river and get one of John's sharpest warnings.
Jesus
Steps into the line with everyone else to be baptized.
Talk it through
- John tells people not to rely on being Abraham's descendants. What might we be tempted to rely on instead?
- Why would Jesus, who had no sins to confess, ask to be baptized?
- The voice from heaven speaks before Jesus has taught or healed anyone. What does that say about where his identity comes from?
- What would "repent" have sounded like to someone living in Judea under Rome?
Read Matthew 3
World English Bible
1In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, 2“Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!” 3For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying,
“The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make the way of the Lord ready! Make his paths straight!”
4Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him. 6They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. 7But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance! 9Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10“Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire. 11I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit. 12His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
13Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14But John would have hindered him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and you come to me?”
15But Jesus, answering, said to him, “Allow it now, for this is the fitting way for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed him. 16Jesus, when he was baptized, went up directly from the water: and behold, the heavens were opened to him. He saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming on him. 17Behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
Text: World English Bible, Public domain. About our sources