3:1,2Almost 30 years had passed since the events of chapter 2. Here John the Baptist burst onto the scene. His theme was “Repent of your sins.” The people needed to repent—make a 180-degree turn—tfrom the kind of self-centeredness that leads to wrong actions, such as lying, cheating, stealing, gossiping, taking revenge, abusing, and indulging in sexual immorality. A person who turns from sin stops rebelling and begins following God's way of living prescribed in his Word. The first step in turning to God is to admit your sin, as John urged. Then God will receive you and help you live the way he wants. Remember that only God can get rid of sin. He doesn't expect us to clean up our life before we come to him.
Life Application Study BibleMatthewChapter 3
Matthew 3
New Living Translation · Life Application Study Bible · Original pages: 1538, 1539, 1540, 1541, 1542
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3Matthew 3
1In those days John the Baptist came to the Judean wilderness and began preaching. His message was, 2“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.*” 3The prophet Isaiah was speaking about John when he said,
“He is a voice shouting in the wilderness,‘Prepare the way for the LORD’s coming!Clear the road for him!’"*
4John’s clothes were woven from coarse camel hair, and he wore a leather belt around hiswaist. For food he ate locusts and wild honey. SPeople from Jerusalem and from all of Judea
and ail over the Jordan Valley went out to see and hear John. 6And when they confessed their sins, he baptized them in the Jordan River. 7But when he saw many Pharisees and Sadducees coming to watch him baptize,* he denounced them. “You brood of snakes!” he exclaimed. “Who warned you to flee God's coming wrath? 8Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God. 9Don'’t just say to each other, ‘We're safe, for we are descendants of Abraham.’ That means nothing, for I tell you, God can create children of Abraham from these very stones. 10Even now the ax of God’s judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
11“I baptize with* water those who repent of their sins and turn to God, But someone iscoming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be hisslave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.* '?He isready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean upthe threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire.”3:7 Or coming to be baptized. 3:11a Or in. 3:11b Or in the Holy Spirit and in fire.were sinners and needed to turn from their sins. His words werepowerful and true. The people were expecting a prophet like Elijah(Malachi 4:5; Luke 1:17), and John seemed to be the one!3:6 When you wash dirty hands, the results are immediatelyvisible. But turning from sins (repentance) happens inside witha cleansing that isn’t seen right away. So John used a symbolicaction that people could see: baptism. The Jews used baptism toinitiate converts, so John’s audience was familiar with the rite.Here, baptism was used as a sign of repentance and forgiveness.Turning from sins implies a change in behavior, turning from sintoward God. Have you turned from sin in your life? Can otherssee the difference it makes in you? A changed life with new anddifferent behavior makes your repentance real and visible.3:6 The Jordan River is about 70 miles jong, its main sectionstretching between the Sea of Galilee and the Dead Sea. Jerusa-lem lies about 20 miles west of the Jordan. This river was Israel'seastern border, and many significant events in the nation’s historytook place there. It was by the Jordan River that the Israelitesrenewed their covenant with God before entering the PromisedLand (Joshua 1-2). Here John the Baptist calls them to renewtheir covenant with God again, this time through baptism.3:7 The Jewish religious leaders were divided into severalgroups. Two of the most prominent groups were the Phariseesand the Sadducees. The Pharisees separated themselves fromJESUSBEGINS HISMINISTRYFrom his childhoodhome, Nazareth,Jesus set out tobegin his earthlyministry. He wasbaptized by Johnthe Baptist in theJordan River,tempted by Satanin the wilderness,and then returnedto Galilee. Betweenthe temptationand his move toCapernaum (4:12,13), he ministeredin Judea, Samaria,and Galilee (seeJohn 1-4).
The Baptism of Jesus (17/Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-22) 13Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. 14But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” 15But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.*” So John agreed to baptize him. 16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened* and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Satan Tempts Jesus in the Wilderness (18/Mark 1:12-13; Luke 4:1-13)
Textual footnotes
- 3:2 Or has come, or is coming soon.
- 3:3 Isa 40:3 (Greek version).
- 3:15 Or for we must fulfill all righteousness.
- 3:16 Some manuscripts read opened to him.
Life Application Notes 12 notes
3:1,2John the Baptist’s Profile is found in John 1, p. 1749.
3:2The Kingdom of Heaven began when God himself entered human history as a man. Today Jesus Christ reigns in the hearts of believers, but the Kingdom of Heaven will not be fully realized until all evil in the world is judged and removed. Christ came to earth first as a suffering servant; he will come again as king and judge to rule victoriously over all the earth.
3:3The prophecy quoted is Isaiah 40:3. Isaiah was one of the greatest prophets of the Old Testament and one of the most quoted in the New. Like Isaiah, John was a prophet who urged the people to confess their sins and live for God. Both prophets taught that the message of repentance is good news to those who listen and seek the healing forgiveness of God’s love, but terrible news to those who refuse to listen and thus cut off their only hope.
3:3John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus by preparing others to welcome him. People who do not know Jesus need to get ready to meet him. We can prepare them by explaining their need for forgiveness, demonstrating Christ's teachings by our conduct, and telling them how Christ can give their lives meaning. We can “clear the road for him” by correcting misconceptions that might be hindering people from coming to Christ. Someone you know may be open to a relationship with Christ. How are you helping those around you to welcome Jesus?
3:4John was markedly different from other religious leaders of his day. While many were greedy, selfish, and preoccupied with winning the praise of the people, John was concerned only with the praise of God. Having separated himself from the evil and hypocrisy of his day, John lived differently from other people to show that his message was new. John not only preached God's law, he fived it. Do you practice what you preach? Could people discover what you believe by observing the way you live?
3:4-6John must have presented a strange image! Many people came to hear this preacher, who wore odd clothes and ate unusual food. Some probably came simply out of curiosity and ended up turning from their sins as they listened to his powerful message. People may be curious about your Christian life-style and values. You can use their simple curiosity as an opener to share how Christ makes a difference in you.
3:5Why did John attract so many people? He was the first true prophet in 400 years. He publicly blasted both Herod and the religious leaders, daring words that fascinated the common people. But John also had a strong message for his audience: They, too, “Winnowing” is often used as a picture of Ged’s judgment. Unrepentant people will be judged and discarded because they are worthless in doing God’s work; those who repent and believe will be saved and used by God.
3:13-15John had been explaining that Jesus’ baptism would be much greater than his, when suddenly Jesus came to him and asked to be baptized! John felt unqualified. He wanted Jesus to baptize him. Why did Jesus ask to be baptized? It was not for repentance for sin because Jesus never sinned. “We must carry out all that God requires” refers to accomplishing God’s mission. Jesus saw his baptism as advancing God's work, Jesus was baptized because (1) he was confessing sin on behalf of the nation, as Nehemiah, Ezra, Moses, and Daniel had done; (2) he was showing support for what John was doing; (3) he was inaugurating his public ministry; (4) he was identifying with the penitent people of God, not with the critical Pharisees who were only watching. Jesus, the perfect man, didn’t need baptism for sin, but he accepted baptism in obedient service to the Father, and God showed his approval.
3:15Put yourself in John’s shoes. Your work is going well, people are taking notice, everything is growing. But you know that the purpose of your work is to prepare the people for Jesus (John 1:35-37). Then Jesus arrives, and his coming tests your integrity. Will you be able to turn your followers over to him? John passed the test by publicly baptizing Jesus. Soon he would say, “He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and tess” (John 3:30). Can we, like John, put our egos and profitable work aside in order to point others to Jesus? Are we willing to lose some of our status so that everyone will benefit?
3:16,17The doctrine of the Trinity, which appeared later in church history, teaches that God is three persons and yet one in essence. In this passage, all three persons of the Trinity are present and active. God the Father speaks; God the Son is baptized; God the Holy Spirit descends on Jesus. God is one, yet in three persons at the same time. This is one of God's incomprehensible mysteries. Other Bible references that speak of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are Matthew 28:19; John 15:26; 1 Corinthians 12:4-13; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 2:18; 1 Thessalonians 1:2-5; and 1 Peter 1:2.
3:23-38Both Mary and Joseph were direct descendants of David. Matthew traced the genealogy back to Abraham, while Luke traced it back to Adam. Matthew wrote to the Jews, so Jesus was shown as a descendant of their father, Abraham. Luke wrote to the Gentiles, so he emphasized Jesus as the Savior of all people.
Charts, profiles & sidebars from the printed pages
Personality profile · page 1539
The Bible records history. It has proven itself an accurate and reliable record of people, events, and places. Independent historical accounts verify the Bible’s descriptions and details of many famous lives. One of these was the father of the Herodian family, Herod the Great. Herod is remembered as a builder of cities and the lavish rebuilder of the Temple in Jerusalem, But he also destroyed people, He showed little greatness in either his personal actions or his character. He was ruthless in ruling his territory. His suspicions and jealousy led to the murder of several of his children and the death of his wife Mariamne. Herod’s title, king of the Jews, was granted by Rome but never accepted by the Jewish people. He was not part of the Davidic family line, and he was only partly Jewish. Although tsrael benefited from Herod’s lavish efforts to repair the Temple in Jerusalem, he won little admiration because he also rebuilt various pagan temples. Herod's costly attempt to gain the loyalty of the people failed because it was superficial. His only loyalty was to himself. Because his royal title was not genuine, Herod was constantly worried about losing his position. His actions when hearing from the wise men about their search for the new king are consistent with all that we know about Herod. He planned to locate and kill the child before he could become a threat. The murder of innocent children that followed is a tragic lesson in what can happen when actions are motivated by selfishness. Herod’s suspicions did not spare even his own family. His life was self-destructive.
Strengths and accomplishments
• Was given the title king of the Jews by the Romans
• Held on to his power for more than 30 years
• Was an effective, though ruthless, ruler
• Sponsored a great variety of large building projects
• Tended to treat those around him with fear, suspicion, and jealousy
• Had several of his own children and at least one wife killed
• Ordered the killing of the baby boys in Bethlehem
• Although claiming to be a God-worshiper, he was still involved in many forms of pagan religion
Weaknesses and mistakes
• Great power brings neither peace nor security
• No one can prevent God’s plans from being carried out
• Superficial loyalty does not impress people or God
Lessons from his life
• Occupation: King of Judea from 37 to 4 B.C.
• Relatives: Father: Antipater. Sons: Archelaus, Antipater, Antipas, Philip, and others. Wives: Doris, Mariamne, and others.
• Contemporaries: Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, Joseph, Mark Antony, Augustus
Vital statistics
“Herod was furious when he realized that the wise men had outwitted him. He sent soldiers to kill all the boys in and around Bethlehem who were two years old and under” (Matthew 2:16).
Key verse
Herod the Great is mentioned in Matthew 2:1-22 and Luke 1:5.
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anything non-Jewish and carefully followed both the Old Testament laws and the oral traditions handed down through the centuries. The Sadducees believed the Pentateuch alone (Genesis— Deuteronomy) to be God’s Word. They were descended mainly from priestly nobility, while the Pharisees came from all classes of people. The two groups disliked each other greatly, and both opposed Jesus. John the Baptist criticized the Pharisees for being legalistic and hypocritical, following the letter of the law while ignoring its true intent. He criticized the Sadducees for using religion to advance their political position. For more information on these two groups, see the chart in Mark 2, p. 1617. 3:8 John the Baptist called people to more than words or ritual; he told them to change their behavior. “Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins” means that God locks beyond our words and religious activities to see if our conduct backs up what we say, and he judges our words by the actions that accompany them. Do your actions match your words? 3:9, 10 Just as a fruit tree is expected to bear fruit, God’s people should produce a crop of good deeds. God has no use for peaple who call themselves Christians but who live otherwise. Like many people in John's day who were God’s people in name only, we are of no value if we are Christians in name only. if others can’t see our faith in the way we treat them, we may not be God’s people at all. 3:10 God's message hasn't changed since the Old Testament: People will be judged for their unproductive lives. God calls us to be active in our obedience. John compared people who claim they believe God but don't live for God to unproductive trees that will be cut down. To be productive for God, we must obey his teachings, resist temptation, actively serve and help others, and share our faith. How productive are you for God? 3:11 John baptized people as a sign that they had asked God to forgive their sins and had decided to live as he wanted them to live. Baptism was an outward sign of commitment. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an inward change of attitude leading to a changed lite—the work of the Holy Spirit. John said that Jesus would baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. This looked ahead to Pentecost (Acts 2), when the Holy Spirit would be sent by Jesus in the form of tongues of fire, empowering his followers to preach the Good News. John's statement also symbolizes the work of the Holy Spirit in bringing God’s judgment on those who refuse to turn from their sins. Everyone will one day be baptized—either now by God's Holy Spirit or tater by the fire of his judgment. 3:12 A winnowing fork is a pitchfork used to toss wheat in the air to separate grain from chaff. The grain is the part of the plant that is useful; chaff is the worthless outer shell. Because it is useless, chaff is burned; grain, however, is gathered.
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SADDUCEES
Negative Characteristics
• Behaved as though their own religious rules were just as important as God’s rules for fiving
• Their piety was often hypocritical, and their efforts often forced others to try to live up to standards they themselves could not live up to
• Believed that salvation came from perfect obedience to the law and was not based on forgiveness of sins
• Became so obsessed with obeying their legal interpretations in every detail that they completely ignored God’s message of mercy and grace
• Were more concerned with appearing to be good than obeying God
• Relied on logic while placing little importance on faith
• Did not believe all the Old Testament was God's Word © Did not believe in a bodily resurrection or eternal life © Did not believe in angels or demons
• Were often willing to compromise their values with the Romans and others in order to maintain their status and influential positions
THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCEES The Pharisees and Sadducees were the two major religious groups in Israel at the time of Christ. The Pharisees were more religiously minded, while the Sadducees were more politically minded. Although the groups disliked and distrusted each other, they became allies in their common hatred for Jesus.
Name PHARISEES
Positive Characteristics
• Were committed to obeying all of God’s commands
• Were admired by the common people for their apparent piety
• Believed in a bodily resurrection and eternal life
• Believed in angels and demons
• Believed strongly in the law of Moses and in Levitical purity
• Were more practically minded than the Pharisees
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4:7 Deut 6:16.
4:6 Ps 91:11-12.
4:4 Deut 8:3.
4:3 Greek the tempter.