3:1 CHAPTER 3 O R I E NT ATI O N: After telling of Joseph settling his family in Nazareth (2:19-23), Matthew provides no further information about Jesus early life. Matthew skips ahead to the ministry of John the Baptist in order to set the scene for Jesus. John the Baptist 1 In those days John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea 2 [and] saying, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! 3 It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. 4 John wore clothing made of camel s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him 6 and were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. Gospel parallels: Mark 1:2-6; Luke 3:1-6; John 1:22-23 OT: Isaiah 40:3 1 In those days John the Baptist appeared: Matthew does not specify a date for John the Baptist coming on the scene nor does he provide any background information about him. Matthew s expression in those days might imply that, in God s plan, John s appearance continues what began with the birth of Jesus (2:1-23). Matthew may also have wanted to trigger some associations for his Jewish Christian readers by using in those days to introduce John the Baptist. The expression echoes Old Testament expressions for a day of the Lord when God will act to vanquish evil, and John s preaching will have this theme (3:7-12). The day of the Lord: See page 48 John appears preaching in the desert of Judea, a desolate region stretching from the outskirts of Jerusalem east and south to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea. John s baptizing takes place in the Jordan (see verse 6). 41
3:2 2 The message John preaches is Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand! To repent means to turn away from sin and to God. True repentance involves a reorientation of one s thinking and values as well as changes in behavior. John calls upon his listeners to change the direction of their lives. For reflection: Do I need to make a change in the direction of my life? What do I need to turn away from in order to turn more completely to God? John the Baptist tells his listeners that the reason why repentance is necessary is that the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of heaven is the same as the kingdom of God (Jews avoided the use of God s name out of reverence, substituting instead a word like heaven ; Matthew usually follows this custom in his gospel in references to God s kingdom). The kingdom of heaven means God establishing his sovereign reign over everyone and everything, vanquishing all evil. John proclaims that the decisive reign of God is at hand: God is about to act. There isn t much time left to prepare oneself for it; therefore, it is urgent that John s listeners repent. Kingdom of heaven: See page 266 John s words foreshadow Jesus preaching: Jesus will begin his ministry with the proclamation, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (4:17). John will not say much about the nature of the kingdom of heaven; John s emphasis is on repentance in preparation for its coming. Jesus will devote a good part of his teaching to explaining what the kingdom of heaven is like and how one lives under the reign of God. BACKGROUND: REPENTANCE In the Old Testament, the Hebrew verb used for repent means to turn back or return: Return, O Israel, to the LORD, your God (Hosea 14:2). The New Testament expresses repentance differently: the Greek word translated repentance literally means a change of mind. A change of mind means recognizing that one s views are wrong or inadequate. If wrong views lead to wrong actions, then a change of mind should result in a change of behavior. Summing up all of this is the notion of conversion, a profound reorientation of oneself. When John the Baptist and Jesus call for repentance, they are calling for an acceptance of the messages they proclaim and for life changes on the basis of their messages. Repentance is not simply a matter of feeling sorry but also of adopting new attitudes and new behavior. 42
43 3:3 5 3 If a person were to claim that he or she knows what God is about to do, we would want to know what credentials the person has for making such a claim. Matthew provides credentials for John the Baptist by invoking a prophecy of Isaiah: It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, / Prepare the way of the Lord, / make straight his paths. Matthew identifies John as the one Isaiah prophesied about. A voice cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the LORD! Make straight in the wasteland a highway for our God! Isaiah 40:3 Isaiah announced that Israel s exile in Babylon was nearing an end and called for a straight highway through the wilderness between Babylon and Jerusalem so that God could lead his people back to Jerusalem (Isaiah 40:9-11). Matthew repunctuates Isaiah s prophecy in order to apply it to John, making the desert the place where the voice is crying out rather than part of what the voice says. Matthew understands the Lord to be Jesus. Matthew identifies John the Baptist as the one who goes before Jesus, preparing the way for him. In light of verse 2, this implies that the coming of God s reign is tied up with the person and work of Jesus. Lord: See page 133 4 John wore clothing made of camel s hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. John s attire and diet were not unusual for those who lived and foraged in wilderness areas. His garb is reminiscent of how Elijah the prophet dressed (2 Kings 1:7-8), and in Matthew s gospel, Jesus will identify John the Baptist with Elijah (11:11-14; 17:10-13). John s living in the harsh Judean wilderness and scavenging for food indicates that he is convinced that the kingdom of heaven is indeed at hand (verse 2), not a far-off prospect that allows for life to go on as usual. 5 At that time Jerusalem, all Judea, and the whole region around the Jordan were going out to him. Although John proclaimed his message in a
3:5 6 sparsely inhabited region, it was near a trade route. Many Jews came to John in the wilderness and accepted his message of repentance. Jerusalem: See page 440 Judea: See page 397 6 Those who came to John were being baptized by him in the Jordan River as they acknowledged their sins. The Greek word for baptized simply meant to immerse, dip, plunge, or wash; it did not yet carry a specific religious meaning. John s baptism probably involved immersing people in water, but the essential note is that it was a washing a washing of the body as a symbol for a washing away of sins. Baptism: See page 669 John s washing gave concrete expression to the repentance of those who acknowledged their sins. The first step in repentance is to acknowledge one s sins to admit that one needs to repent. Some find this first step difficult, just as we might find it difficult to admit that a lump in our body needs medical attention. Both physical and spiritual well-being require that we acknowledge our need for healing when we are sick. For reflection: Do I find it hard to admit my sins? If so, why? The Coming One 7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. 9 And do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire. Gospel parallels: Mark 1:7-8; Luke 3:7-18; John 1:26-31 OT: Ezek 36:25-27; Zeph 1:14-18 44
7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism: the sense of coming to his baptism is coming to be baptized. There were a number of Jewish groups, each with its own agenda, within the broad stream of first-century Judaism. One group was the Pharisees, who had developed traditions for applying the law of Moses in everyday life; among their particular concerns were maintaining ritual purity and observing the Sabbath. The Sadducees were a priestly and aristocratic leadership elite centered in Jerusalem. Sadducees rejected the traditions of the Pharisees: their coming with the Pharisees to John did not mean they and the Pharisees were allies (see Acts 23:6-10). Pharisees: See page 231 Sadducees: See page 476 John the Baptist had strong views about the Pharisees and Sadducees: he said to them, You brood of vipers! To call others offspring of deadly snakes may have been a common insult (Jesus will use the same expression: 12:34; 23:33). Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? The implication of John s question is that Pharisees and Sadducees would experience God s wrath when he established his rule on earth (3:2). John is a prophet (11:9; 14:5; 21:26); earlier prophets warned that sinners would be 3:7 BACKGROUND: JEWISH RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY AT THE TIME OF JESUS While all Jews shared certain fundamental beliefs and observances, there was considerable diversity when it came to specific views and practices. All Jews revered the law of Moses and the Temple, but different groups, such as the Pharisees, Sadducees, and Essenes, developed different traditions for observing the law. These groups also had differing views on such matters as the kind of messiah or messiahs God would send and whether there would be an afterlife or resurrection of the dead. The vast majority of Jews belonged to no religious group or party. Pharisees, the largest and most influential party, numbered only about six thousand. There were also degrees of compliance with God s laws, however these laws were interpreted. Zealous groups, such as the Pharisees and Essenes, developed and followed traditions for strictly living out God s laws. On the other end of the spectrum were those universally considered sinners because they violated some of God s basic commands. Most Jews fell somewhere in the middle, observing the law as best as their circumstances allowed but without adopting the practices of the Pharisees. The Judaism of today has roots in the Pharisees of the time of Jesus but reflects a considerable development of traditions and practices. Related topics: Essenes (page 238), Pharisees (page 231), Sadducees (page 476). 45
3:7 9 punished on a day of the LORD (Amos 5:18-20), and although John does not use this expression, he seems to have this day of judgment in mind. The day of the Lord: See page 48 Near is the great day of the LORD, near and very swiftly coming.... A day of wrath is that day, a day of anguish and distress, A day of destruction and desolation, a day of darkness and gloom. Zephaniah 1:14, 15 8 Being baptized by John was a sign of repentance, and although Pharisees and Sadducees have come to John for baptism, he judges their repentance to be superficial. He tells them, Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance. Otherwise, they could not hope to escape God s wrath. Fruit is a biblical metaphor for deeds that flow from one s inner disposition; good fruit means good deeds (see 7:16-20). One s behavior reveals whether one has truly repented. For reflection: What fruit am I producing? 9 John warns them, do not presume to say to yourselves, We have Abraham as our father. Being a member of the chosen people will not exempt Jews from God s judgment. Complacently reassuring oneself that one is right with God is dangerous. For reflection: Am I in any way complacent in my relationship with God? For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. Behind John s words there may be a pun: the Aramaic words for children and stones are similar. God is quite capable of populating his kingdom with whomever he chooses, transforming them so that they can enter it. If God can raise up children from stones, he can also transform sinners and Gentiles into his children. John s words would have been of reassurance to Matthew s Gentile Christian readers, and can be of reassurance to those of us with stony hearts today. 46
3:10 11 For reflection: What reassurance do I find in John s words? 10 Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Trees were grown for the fruit they produced; olive and fig trees were the most common. A fruit tree that did not bear good fruit wasted water and space; such trees were chopped down for firewood. John demands good fruit as evidence of repentance (verse 8); those not bearing good fruit will be as barren trees cut down at God s judgment and thrown into the fire. The cooking-fire fate of fruitless trees is a metaphor for the fires of punishment. Jesus will use the same metaphor (7:19). John announces that even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Judgment was not a distant possibility but was already beginning, for the kingdom of heaven was at hand (3:2). Hence the urgency of John s call to repent and bear fruit: there is no time to lose! Judgment: See page 557 For reflection: How urgent is it for me to change my life and bear better fruit? 11 John turns his attention from the Pharisees and Sadducees to those whom he is baptizing and tells them, I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. John contrasts the baptism he administers with a baptism to be administered by the one who is coming after him. John recognized Jesus as the coming one (3:14), but later may have had doubts (11:2-3). John says that this coming one is mightier than I and can accomplish far more. The superiority of the coming one over John is so great that John is not even worthy to perform a slave s task carrying his sandals. The coming one will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire. John s baptism immerses and cleanses people in water; the coming one will immerse and cleanse people in the holy Spirit. Ezekiel used images of water and cleansing in speaking of God s sending his Spirit to his people (Ezek 36:25). John announced that the kingdom of heaven was at hand (3:2); being baptized with the Spirit is thus linked with becoming part of God s reign. The Spirit: See page 21 47
3:11 12 For reflection: What is my experience of and relationship with the Holy Spirit? John says that the coming one will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This fire is probably not an allusion to the tongues of fire that will signal the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost (Acts 2:3) or to a refining fire that will purify us from our sins (Mal 3:2-3). Probably the fire John speaks of is the fire of punishment, like the fire that consumes fruitless trees (verse 10) and chaff (verse 12). John expects that the one coming after him will be an agent of God s judgment and fiery wrath. Jesus is the one who will come after John to immerse women and men in the Holy Spirit, but Jesus will not immediately execute judgment and punishment as John expects. In later Christian tradition, the fire of the Holy Spirit is the fire of divine love. 12 His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with BACKGROUND: THE DAY OF THE LORD Old Testament prophecy is filled with expectations that God will act to vanquish evil. Some expectations are expressed in terms of the day of the Lord or that day or the day when God will act, or similar expressions. Originally the day of the Lord meant a time when God would vindicate his people by defeating their enemies, but Amos proclaimed that it would be a time when God would judge his own sinful people (Amos 5:18-20). Other prophets issued similar warnings, sometimes with the promise that God would restore his people after punishing them. Some prophecies use cosmic imagery to convey how momentous the day of the Lord will be (Isaiah 13:9-10; Joel 2:10-11; 3:3-4). Isaiah prophesied that that day would have worldwide consequences, not only restoring Israel but bringing a reign of justice to all nations (Isaiah 2:2-4; 19:18-25; 25:6-9). Most prophecies envision the day of the Lord as a time when God will act directly; a few prophecies portray God raising up a descendant of David to rule God s people (Isaiah 11:10; Jer 23:5-6; 30:7-9; 33:14-18; Zech 3:8-10). The day of the Lord thus carries a range of meanings in the Old Testament, some of which influenced expectations of the Messiah and the establishment of the kingdom of God (although the day of the Lord prophecies do not use these terms). In the letters of the New Testament, the day of the Lord takes on the meaning of the day of the Lord Jesus Christ, when he will judge the human race and establish the final reign of God (see 1 Cor 1:8; Phil 1:6, 10; 2:16). Related topics: Cosmic signs (page 530), Jewish expectations at the time of Jesus (page 515), Judgment (page 557). 48
3:12 13 unquenchable fire. After reaping, stalks of grain were laid on a threshing floor a flat outdoor area and beaten with flails to detach the grain from the stalk. Then the grain and stalks were tossed into the air with a winnowing fan (or pitchfork), and the wind blew aside the stalks while the heavier grain fell back onto the threshing floor. The grain was swept up and stored, and the chaff collected as fuel for cooking fires. The process provides an image for good being sorted out from evil. John expects the one coming after him to do the sorting: His winnowing fan is in his hand. The coming one will gather the good to himself, gathering his wheat into his barn. The evil will be as chaff that he will burn with unquenchable fire. John characterizes the fire not as a short-burning cooking fire but as unquenchable. John proclaims the urgency of preparing oneself for imminent judgment, as on the day of the Lord, and warns of a fiery fate for the unrepentant. For reflection: Do I look ahead to God s judgment with hope or dread? God s Beloved Son 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me? 15 Jesus said to him in reply, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he allowed him. 16 After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water and behold, the heavens were opened [for him], and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. 17 And a voice came from the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. Gospel parallels: Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22 OT: Psalm 2; Isaiah 11:1-2; 42:1-4; 61:1 NT: Matt 17:5; John 1:32-34; 2 Cor 5:21 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. Jesus first act in the Gospel of Matthew is to come to John to be baptized by him not merely to observe what John is doing or to speak with John. Matthew does not tell his readers why Jesus chooses to come for John s baptism at this time, after having lived an apparently unremarkable life in Nazareth (see 13:54-57). Jesus first public appearance is 49
3:13 15 not as the divine judge that John has expected (3:11-12), but as one who lines up with sinners for John s baptism. Baptism: See page 669 14 John tried to prevent him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and yet you are coming to me? John recognizes Jesus as the coming one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit (3:11) and acknowledges that he needs Jesus baptism: I need to be baptized by you. Why is someone whose sandals John was not worthy to carry (3:11) coming to John for baptism? John cannot fathom Jesus motives and tries to prevent Jesus from doing what Jesus wants to do. For reflection: Am I sometimes baffled by how Jesus comes to me? Do I try to prevent Jesus from doing what he wants to accomplish with me? The New Testament proclaims that Jesus was without sin (2 Cor 5:21; Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22), but Jesus sinlessness does not seem to have been the reason John draws back from baptizing Jesus. Rather, John hesitates to baptize someone whom he acknowledges to be the far more powerful baptizer. 15 Jesus said to him in reply, Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. In Matthew s gospel, righteousness usually refers to moral conduct (see 6:1), but can also mean the saving action of God (see 5:6). To fulfill all righteousness means to accomplish God s plan of salvation, to do God s will. In God s plan, it is fitting for Jesus to join with those being baptized. Jesus is God-with-us (see 1:23) even in our sinful condition and takes our infirmities upon himself (see 8:17). Paul will write that God made Jesus to be sin who did not know sin, so that we might become the righteousness of God in him (2 Cor 5:21). For reflection: What does Jesus submitting himself to baptism tell me about him? Jesus tells John to allow him to receive baptism because that is fitting for us: God s plan involves John as well as Jesus. God invites and requires our cooperation, as well; we must allow God to carry out his saving activity in and through us. Then he allowed him: John accepts Jesus words and acts in accordance with them. 50
For reflection: What is God asking that I allow him to accomplish in and through me? 51 3:16 17 16 After Jesus was baptized, he came up from the water. Matthew passes rather quickly over Jesus immersion in the Jordan River; what happens next is more important. The heavens were opened: the Old Testament speaks of the heavens being opened when God reveals himself or acts on behalf of his people (Ezek 1:1; Isaiah 63:19). Some ancient manuscripts of Matthew s gospel read that the heavens are opened for him, as if only Jesus sees it happen. Jesus saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove [and] coming upon him. This is not Jesus first contact with the Spirit, for Jesus was conceived through the power of the Holy Spirit (1:20). He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit is the Spirit-filled Messiah (Isaiah 11:2; 61:1). The Spirit: See page 21 The Holy Spirit appearing like a dove is unique to the baptism of Jesus; nowhere else in Scripture is the Spirit represented as a dove. Matthew s Jewish Christian readers might have detected a faint echo of Genesis s account of creation. When the earth was a formless waste shrouded in darkness a mighty wind swept over the waters (Gen 1:2): the Hebrew can also be translated a spirit of God hovered over the waters hovering like a dove, according to one late first-century rabbi. Thus, the descent of the Spirit like a dove on Jesus may symbolize God beginning a new act of creation through Jesus. 17 And a voice came from the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased. God proclaims to all present and to all who read Matthew s gospel This is my beloved Son. Jesus, begotten through the Holy Spirit (1:18, 20) is God s Son. Jesus is God s beloved Son: the relationship between God and Jesus is one of love. The Greek word for beloved can convey the notion of only or only beloved : there is a unique relationship between Jesus and God. God proclaims that he is well pleased with Jesus; God looks upon Jesus with affection and delight. The voice from heaven echoes two Old Testament passages. This is my beloved Son recalls Psalm 2, in which God tells an Israelite king as he takes the throne, You are my son; today I am your father (Psalm 2:7). Verse 2 of this psalm speaks of this king as God s anointed (messiah in
3:17 Hebrew) who faces opposition from other kings and princes. With whom I am well pleased echoes a prophecy of Isaiah in which God proclaims, Here is my servant whom I uphold, / my chosen one with whom I am pleased. This servant of God is endowed with God s Spirit (Isaiah 42:1). Another passage in Isaiah will speak of God s servant accepting suffering and death for the sake of others (Isaiah 52:13 53:12). Jesus baptism reveals his identity and foreshadows what lies ahead. Accepting John s baptism is a sign that Jesus is one with sinful humanity at the same time that he is uniquely God s Son. And although Jesus is God s beloved Son, he is also God s servant, who will suffer in order to carry out God s will. Jesus is anointed with the power of God s Spirit, but he will arouse opposition and be put to death. For reflection: What are the implications for me of Jesus being the Son of God? What happens after Jesus baptism provides a glimpse of the Trinity. God speaks as the Father, proclaiming Jesus to be his Son; the Holy Spirit descends upon Jesus. Jesus baptism reveals the meaning of our own BACKGROUND: SON OF GOD The title son (or sons ) of God carries a variety of meanings in the Old Testament. It is applied to angels and members of the heavenly court (Job 1:6; 2:1; 38:7). It is used to refer to the people of God (Exod 4:22; Deut 14:1). A king could be referred to as a son of God (2 Sam 7:14; Psalm 2:7), as could a devout Israelite (Wisd 2:18). It is not, however, a title explicitly associated with the Messiah: no prophecy refers to the Messiah as the Son of God. When the title Son of God is applied to Jesus in the gospels or in Paul s letters, it carries a far greater meaning than in the Old Testament, since it refers to Jesus unique relationship with God as his Father. This is particularly developed in the Gospel of John. Paul focuses on what Jesus is able to do to bring us salvation because he is the Son of God (Rom 5:10; 8:3, 32; Gal 4:4-5; Col 1:13). In later centuries, the church reflected on what Jesus sonship meant in terms of his divinity. The Council of Nicaea in 325 proclaimed that the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God is true God from true God, begotten not made, consubstantial with the Father one in Being with the Father in the current English wording of the Nicene Creed used in the liturgy. The Council of Chalcedon, held in 451, proclaimed that Jesus Christ is one person with two natures, a divine nature and a human nature, so he is both fully divine and fully human. 52
baptism. In baptism we receive the Spirit who manifested himself at the baptism of Jesus. Each of us is adopted to become what Jesus is: a child of our heavenly Father (see Rom 8:14-17; Gal 4:4-7). Jesus final instruction to his followers will be to make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit (28:19). For reflection: What does it mean for me that I am a child of God? 3:17 53