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÷÷MATTHEW 3

MATTHEW 3

PARAGRAPH DIVISIONS OF MODERN TRANSLATIONS

READING CYCLE THREE (see "Bible Interpretation Seminar")

FOLLOWING THE ORIGINAL AUTHOR'S INTENT AT PARAGRAPH LEVEL

This is a study guide commentary, which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

Read the chapter in one sitting. Identify the subjects (reading cycle #3). Compare your subject divisions with the five translations above. Paragraphing is not inspired, but it is the key to following the original author's intent, which is the heart of interpretation. Every paragraph has one and only one subject.

CONTEXTUAL INSIGHTS TO MATTHEW 3:1-17

1. Between Matthew 2 and 3 are the silent years of Jesus' childhood. Except for one experience at the age of twelve, details about Jesus' childhood are not known. There has been much interest and speculation by believers. Several extra-canonical pseudepigraphic gospels record other specific events, which are supposed to have occurred during His adolescence, but these years are simply unrecorded in the Bible.
   
   
2. The parallel passages for Matt. 3:1-12 are Mark 1:3-8, Luke 3:1-17, and John. 1:6-8, 19-28.
   
   
3. The parallel passages for Matt. 3:13-17 are Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, and John. 1:31-34.

WORD AND PHRASE STUDY

÷MATTHEW 3:1-6

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 3:1-6
 ¹Now in those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying, ²"Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." ³For this is the one referred to by Isaiah the prophet when he said,
 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness,
 'Make ready the way of the Lord,
 Make His paths straight!'"
 ⁴Now John himself had a garment of camel's hair and a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey. ⁵Then Jerusalem was going out to him, and all Judea and all the district around the Jordan; ⁶and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins.

3:1 "in those days" This is a transition idiom. It does not attempt to identify a specific time.

▣ "John" This was the shortened form of the name "Johanan" (BDB 220), which meant "YHWH is gracious" or "gift of YHWH." His name was significant because, like all biblical names, it pointed toward God's purpose for his life. John was the last of the Old Testament prophets. There had not been a prophet in Israel since 2 Chronicles or Malachi, around 430-400 B.C. His very presence caused great spiritual excitement among the faithful Jewish people.

▣ "the Baptist" Baptism was a common rite among Jews of the first and second century.

1. preparation for worship at the temple (i.e., cleansing rite)
2. the self baptism of proselytes
   If someone from a Gentile background were to become a full child of Israel, he had to accomplish three tasks:
   1. circumcision, if male
   2. self-baptism by immersion, in the presence of three witnesses
   3. sacrifice in the temple

In sectarian groups of first century Palestine, such as the Essenes, baptism was apparently a common, repeated experience. However, to mainline Judaism, John's baptism of repentance would have been humiliating for a natural child of Abraham to undergo a proselyte ritual.

Some OT precedents can be cited for ceremonial washing.

1. as a symbol of spiritual cleansing (cf. Isa. 1:16)
2. as a regular ritual performed by the priests (cf. Exod. 19:10; Leviticus 15)

It should be noted that all other baptisms in first century Jewish culture were self-administered. Only John's called for him to administer this rite. Apparently John made a spiritual evaluation of the candidate's spiritual qualifications which evidenced a personal repentance (cf. Matt. 3:7-10).

SPECIAL TOPIC: BAPTISM

▣ "came preaching in the wilderness of Judea" "Wilderness" was uninhabited pasture land, not an arid desert. John not only dressed like Elijah (cf. 2 Kgs. 1:8), he also lived in the same arid setting. John's clothing and diet were claiming a prophetic position (cf. Zech. 13:4). His nomadic life resembled the wilderness wandering of Israel, which was an idealized time of an intimate relationship between YHWH and Israel.

Parallel passages suggest the geographical location of John's preaching was somewhere close to the city of Jericho just north of the Dead Sea, near the Jordan River.

3:2 "Repent" This is a PRESENT IMPERATIVE which is an ongoing command. Without repentance, it is impossible to be saved (cf. Luke 13:3).

1. The Hebrew equivalent meant "to change one's actions."
2. The Greek word meant "to change one's mind."
3. It implied a willingness to change. Salvation requires faith in Christ and repentance (cf. Mark 1:15; Acts 2:38; 3:16, 19; 20:21).

John's ministry was one of spiritual preparation for the coming of Jesus the Messiah and His message.

Jesus also called on His hearers to repent (cf. Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15).

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTNACE (OT)

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (NT)

▣ "for the kingdom of heaven" Matthew, writing to Jews, is sensitive to their aversion to using God's name, so he uses a circumlocution, "kingdom of heaven" (cf. Matt. 4:17), whereas the other Synoptic Gospels use "kingdom of God" (Matthew used "kingdom of heaven" 32 times and " kingdom of God" only 4).

The Kingdom of God refers, in an OT sense, to the reign of God, not to a geographical area. YHWH is King of creation!

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE KINGDOM OF GOD

This is a PERFECT TENSE VERB which describes the culmination and continuing results of a process started earlier. The nearness of the kingdom is stressed in the Gospels (cf. Matt. 4:17; 10:7; Mark 1:15; Luke 10:9-11; 11:20; 21:31). The Kingdom of God is here in Jesus. It is inaugurated but not consummated. There will be a Second Coming.

"Near" can be understood in one of two ways:

1. near in location
2. near in time (cf. Matt. 12:28)

This is the tension of "the already" and "not yet" of the New Age. It describes the time between the two comings of Christ. It is the overlapping of two Jewish ages.

SPECIAL TOPIC: THIS AGE AND THE AGE TO COME

3:3 "The voice of one crying in the wilderness" This is a quote from Isa. 40:3 in the Septuagint (LXX), which was the translation used by

1. Jewish synagogues outside of Palestine
2. the early Greek speaking church

The same idea was also reflected in Isa. 57:14 and 62:10, and Mal. 3:1. John saw himself as being the preparer for the coming of the Messiah (cf. John. 1:23). This fulfilled the predictions concerning Elijah found in the Mal. 3:1 and 4:5. All four Gospels record these words of John (cf. Mark 1:3; Luke 3:4; John 1:23).

SPECIAL TOPIC: SEPTUAGINT

▣ "Make ready the way of the Lord,

Make His paths straight" These phrases are poetic parallels. The second phrase was usually imagery for preparing for a royal visit. It is significant to note that in Isa. 40:3 the term "the Lord" referred to YHWH, which in this quote referred to Jesus of Nazareth. The NT authors use several literary ways to assert the Deity of Jesus.

1. OT titles for YHWH applied to Jesus
2. OT actions of YHWH done by Jesus
3. OT quotes relating to YHWH now used of Jesus
4. both God and Jesus as the grammatical OBJECT of one VERB or one PREPOSITION

"Straight" was often used as imagery for the character of God (similar to "right," "righteous," "just," "justify"). Most of the Hebrew as well as Greek words for sin reflect a deviation from a standard or "measuring reed." The standard is God Himself (cf. Lev. 11:44; 19:2; Matt. 5:48; 20:7,26; 1 Pet. 1:16).

SPECIAL TOPIC: RIGHTEOUSNESS

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PATH, THE WAY

3:4 Compare this to the clothing and lifestyle of Elijah recorded in 2 Kgs. 1:8 and reflected in Mal. 4:5. Camel-hair clothes were the cheapest available. John was accustomed to living in a desert and eating the diet available there. Locusts were a food allowed by the Mosaic legislation (cf. Lev. 11:22). The term was also used of the beans of the locust, or carob, tree. See UBS, Fauna and Flora of the Bible, p. 103-104.

3:5 The Jewish people of Judea saw John as a prophet (cf. Matt. 21:26; see SPECIAL TOPIC: PROPHET [OT]). This verse shows the great hunger for God of the first century Jews. Even the religious leaders came. This verse is obviously a hyperbole, but it communicates the religious fervor which John caused.

▣ "all. . .all" This is obviously a hyperbolic statement used to draw attention to the large crowds and their social makeup.

3:6 "as they confessed their sins" The Greek term "confess" [homologeo] meant "to say the same thing." It implied both a public confession and a profession of faith (cf. Acts 19:18; James 5:16). The people as a whole recognized the need for spiritual renewal. OT precedents are found in Lev. 5:5 and 26:40.

SPECIAL TOPIC: CONFESSION

SPECIAL TOPIC: WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO "RECEIVE," "BELIEVE," "CONFESS/PROFESS," AND "CALL UPON"?

÷MATTHEW 3:7-10

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 3:7-10
 ⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? ⁸Therefore bear fruit in keeping with repentance; ⁹and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'; for I say to you that from these stones God is able to raise up children to Abraham. ¹⁰The axe is already laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire."

3:7 "But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for baptism, he said to them" John's statements to these religious leaders are shocking in their intensity (i.e., "you brood of vipers," cf. Luke 3:7; and used by Jesus in Matt. 12:34; 23:33). Several theories have been advanced about why he reacted so strongly.

1. he saw them as Satanic agents
2. he saw them as spiritually dead to the true faith
3. he saw them as fakes
4. he saw them as being manipulative leaders whose public professions did not match their attitudes and motives

It is significant that these leaders were considering baptism themselves. Possibly they wanted to identify with the multitude and thereby retain their leadership status. John recognized their true motives.

SPECIAL TOPIC: PHARISEES

SPECIAL TOPIC: SADDUCEES

SPECIAL TOPIC: BAPTISM

▣ "to flee from the wrath to come" From the parallel of Mal. 3:2-3, it is clear that judgment was coming upon Israel because of her violations of the Mosaic Covenant (cf. Lev. 26 and Deut. 27-28). Amos called it "the day of YHWH" (i.e., Amos 5:18), which inaugurated the New Age of Righteousness or the Messianic Kingdom. Here John confirms Malachi's judgment motif. Note that John's message was not national or corporate like Malachi's, but individual (cf. Ezek. 18; 33; Jer. 31:31-34).

SPECIAL TOPIC: THAT DAY

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE DAY OF THE LORD

Even in the OT, faith was more than simply ritual or membership in a national group (cf. Deut. 10:12, 16; Matt. 7:15-23; Rom. 2:28-29). Faith was and is both corporate and individual, both faith and works (cf. James 2:14-26)! Their lives must show their new relationship with God (cf. Matt. 7:16-20; 12:33; Luke 6:43-44; Acts 26:20). Eternal life has observable characteristics

SPECIAL TOPIC: BELIEVE, TRUST, FAITH AND FAITHFULNESS IN THE OT

SPECIAL TOPIC: REPENTANCE (OT)

3:9 "and do not suppose that you can say to yourselves, 'We have Abraham for our father'" This same dependence on national descent can be seen in John. 8:31-59. and the Talmud's Sanhedrin 10:1. The Jews believed that the merit of Abraham's faith was applied to them. However, Mal. 3:2ff. and 4:1 show that judgment would come upon the Jews for their violations of the Covenant (also note Matt. 8:11-12). Lifestyle faith, not lineage, is the way to recognize a true child of Abraham (cf. Rom. 2:28-29; Eph. 2:11-3:13).

▣ "stones. . .children" This was a word play using the Aramaic words for "stones" ('ebnayya) and "children" (benyya), which sounded similar. This was a common literary technique in the ancient world. See G. B. Caird, The Language and Imagery of The Bible, pp. 46-48.

3:10 "the axe is already laid at the root of the trees" This judgment motif is similar to Malachi's message to Judah. A parallel can be seen in Isa. 10:33-34. One reason John the Baptist wondered whether Jesus was really the Messiah was because His message was not one primarily of judgment as John anticipated.

÷MATTHEW 3:11-12

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 3:11-12
 ¹¹"As for me, I baptize you with water for repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, and I am not fit to remove His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹²His winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

This term may be translated two ways

1. following the usage in the Egyptian papyri (Moulton, Milligan, Vocabulary of the Greek Testament), "to take off and carry a visitor's shoes to the storage place"
2. to "untie and remove"

Both acts were traditionally done by slaves. Not even the students of rabbis were asked to perform this task. This was an idiomatic statement of John's understanding of the superiority of Jesus.

▣ "He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire" The presence of only one PREPOSITION and one ARTICLE in the Greek text link "the Holy Spirit" and "fire," implying that they are parallel (note Isa. 4:4). There have been several ways to understand this phrase.

1. in Luke 3:17, fire may refer to judgment, while the Holy Spirit refers to cleansing or to purity
2. both refer to the Pentecostal experience of Acts 2
3. a two-fold baptism: one baptism for the righteous and one for the wicked
4. Jesus baptizing as Savior or as Judge
5. related it to conversion before Pentecost and the special endowment at Pentecost

1 Corinthians 12:13 implies that Jesus is the baptizer "in," "with," or "by" the Spirit (cf. Mark 1:8; Luke 3:16; John. 1:33; Acts 1:5; 2:33).

SPECIAL TOPIC: BAPTISM OF THE SPIRIT

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE PERSONHOOD OF THE SPIRIT

3:12 "but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire" The imagery Jesus used to describe the eternal judgment of God (cf. Isa. 34:8-10; 66:24) was Gehenna (contraction of "the valley of the sons of Hinnom"; see SPECIAL TOPIC: GEHENNA), the garbage dump located south of Jerusalem (cf. Mark 9:48; Matt. 18:8; 24:41; Jude 7). A Canaanite fire and fertility god had been worshiped (an activity known as molech) at Gehenna in Israel's past by sacrificing of children (cf. Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5; 1 Kgs. 11:7; 2 Kgs. 21:6; 23:10). This aspect of eternal judgment is shocking to modern readers, but it was evident (rabbinical teaching) and expressive to first century Jews. Jesus did not come as judge, but all who reject Him will be judged (cf. Luke 3:16-17, John. 3:17-21). A possible OT precedent for this imagery is Isaiah 34 which described God's judgment on Edom.

The ongoing discussion among Christians about the fate of unbelievers has caused great controversy in the church. I have recently come across several YouTube videos that have really caused me to rethink this issue. I hope you will look at

1. Edward Fudge ‒ "The Fire That Consumes"
2. Steve Gregg ‒ "Three Christian Views of Hell"

SPECIAL TOPIC: FIRE

SPECIAL TOPIC: MOLECH

SPECIAL TOPIC: JUDGMENT IN THE NT

÷MATTHEW 3:13-17

NASB (UPDATED) TEXT: MATTHEW 3:13-17
 ¹³Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. ¹⁴But John tried to prevent Him, saying "I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?" ¹⁵But Jesus answering said to him, "Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted Him. ¹⁶After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, ¹⁷and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased."

3:13 "Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him" The Gospels differ in their early chronologies of Jesus' ministries in Galilee and Judea. It seems that there was an early Judean ministry and a later one, but all four Gospels' chronologies must be harmonized in order to see this early Judean visit (i.e., John. 2:13-4:3).

Why Jesus was baptized has always been a concern for believers because John's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Jesus did not need forgiveness for He was sinless (cf. John 8:46; Acts 3:14; Rom. 8:3; 2 Cor. 5:21; Heb. 4:15; 7:26; 1 Pet. 2:22; 1 John 3:5). The theories have been as follows:

1. it was an example for believers to follow
2. it was His identification with believers' need
3. it was His ordination and equipping for ministry
4. it was a symbol of His redemptive task
5. it was His approval of the ministry and message of John the Baptist
6. it was prophetic of His death, burial, and resurrection (cf. Rom. 6:4; Col. 2:12).

Whatever the reason, this was a defining moment in Jesus' life. Although it does not imply that Jesus became the Messiah at this point (adoptionism). It held great significance for Him.

SPECIAL TOPIC: ADOPTIONISM

3:14 "But John tried to prevent Him" This is an IMPERFECT TENSE VERB. Many commentators have struggled with why John tried again and again to prevent Jesus from being baptized. Some theories are:

1. some see this as John having previous knowledge of who Jesus was (i.e., Messiah), but this conflicts with John 1:31,33
2. some see this as John acknowledging that Jesus was a righteous Jew, but not that He was the Messiah
3. in modern Near Eastern culture one must insist three times to be considered sincere

3:15 "But Jesus answering said to him" Matthew 3:14-15 is found only in the Gospel of Matthew. These verses do not provide enough information to completely answer the question of 3:14. It is certain, however, that the baptism had meaning both for Jesus and John and that it was God's will for both their lives.

This verse has been used by those who support immersion as the only biblical mode of baptism to prove that Jesus was immersed. However, it could be understood to mean that He went up on the bank out of the water (see Michael Magill, New Testament TransLine, p. 9, #35 and 36).

Be careful of what you have always been told about the meaning of Bible passages without taking the time and effort to study them for yourselves! Many Christians "know" what the Bible means before they have even read the literary context in the Bible.

Traditions can be helpful but they must always be reevaluated in light of the Bible texts. Interpreters face several enemies to a proper understanding of the Bible.

1. focusing on their historical setting and not the original author's
2. proof-texting selected verses that back up our denominational perspectives
3. letting a systematic theology speak louder than texts, in context
4. personal preferences defining ambiguous truth statements

All of us are damaged by the Fall. None of us have the mind of Christ. We all see through a glass darkly (1 Cor. 13:12). We must focus on

1. the clear, repeated truths of the gospel
2. Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God
3. the Spirit will help us understand the main points, not all the ambiguities of ancient texts, in a different language, reflecting a different culture

"Bible Interpretation Seminar"

▣ "the heavens were opened" This is imagery of showing God's approval (cf. Isa. 22:22; Rev. 3:7). Only God can open "heaven" (cf. Mal. 3:10; Rev. 4:1; see SPECIAL TOPIC: HEAVEN).

God opens blind eyes (i.e., Matt. 9:27-31; 12:22-23; 20:29-34; note Isa. 29:18; 35:5; 42:7,16) and answers prayer (cf. Matt. 7:7,8).

It is surely possible that this imagery is from Isa. 64:1.

▣ "and he saw" The Greek text has only the PRONOUN "he," which could refer to either John or Jesus. Some ancient Greek uncial manuscripts (אi¹, C, D, L, and W), some ancient translations (the Vulgate and Coptic), and the Greek texts used by early church fathers (Irenaeus, Eusebius, Chrysostom, Jerome, and Augustine) imply that only Jesus saw the dove coming, in the phrase "the heavens were opened to Him." However, the dove was also a sign to John to point out the true Messiah (cf. John. 1:32).

▣ "the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him" This is recorded in all four Gospels (Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32). Was it like a dove or was it a real dove? The question cannot be fully answered (cf. Luke 3:22). This phrase is related to Isa. 11:2; 42:1; 48:16; 61:1. The specific form of the Spirit is not as significant as the Spirit Himself coming upon Jesus. This does not imply that before this time Jesus did not have the Holy Spirit, but that this was a special inauguration of His Messianic task.

The symbolism of the dove has been discussed a great deal as to its origin and purpose.

1. it goes back to Genesis 1, where the Spirit brooded over the waters
2. it goes back to Genesis 8, where Noah sent a dove out from the ark
3. the rabbis said that the dove was a symbol of Israel (cf. Ps. 68:13; Hosea 7:11; 11:11; The Talmud San. 95A and Ber. R. 39; II Esdras 5.26)
4. Alfred Edersheim, Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, asserts that it is a symbol of Jesus as the ideal Israelite who is faithful and obedient.
5. Tasker, in the Tyndale New Testament Commentary Series, says that it refers to gentleness, which is to be contrasted with the fire in Matt. 3:11 (cf. Rom 11:22; Matt. 11:29; 25:40).
6. Matthew used this same imagery in Matt. 10:16 for innocence and purity.

3:17 "a voice out of the heavens" This phrase is significant for several reasons. During the inter-biblical period, when there was no true prophet, the rabbis said that God confirmed His choice and decisions by means of a bath kol, which was a voice from heaven. Also, this voice was a sign from God in a cultural way these first century Jews could understand (cf. Acts 10:9-16; 11:7-9; Rev. 1:10; 4:1; 10:8; 11:12). It was apparently as meaningful to Jesus as it was to John and possibly to the crowd which observed His baptism.

The combination of the quote "My Son in whom I am delighted" links the royal Messianic, Davidic emphasis of Ps. 2:7 with the Suffering Servant motif of Isa. 42:1. Here, in this quote, the royal Messiah is linked to the Suffering Servant of Isaiah (esp. Isaiah 53).

This phrase, "My Beloved Son" (also note Matt. 17:5) is the possible origin of the phrase "Son of God," which is found in Matt. 4:3, 6. It is significant to note that in Mark 1:11 it was translated "You are My beloved Son," which showed that the Father directed His words to Jesus, while in Matthew 3, it was translated in such a way as to indicate that God spoke to John and the crowd. See SPECIAL TOPIC: SON OF GOD  and  SPECIAL TOPIC: BELOVED.

Matthew 3:16-17 involve all three persons of the Trinity. The term "trinity" is not in the Bible, but the concept is surely scriptural. The fact that the Bible asserts the oneness of God (monotheism, Deut. 6:4) must be balanced with the Deity of Jesus and the personality of the Spirit. There is one divine essence and three eternal personal manifestations. The three divine personalities are often mentioned in the same context (i.e., Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; Acts 2:33-34; Rom. 8:9-10; 1 Cor. 12:4-6; 2 Cor. 1:21-22; 13:14; Eph. 1:3-14; 4:4-6; Titus 3:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2).

SPECIAL TOPIC: A SUFFERING MESSIAH

SPECIAL TOPIC: MONOTHEISM

SPECIAL TOPIC: THE TRINITY

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

This is a study guide commentary which means that you are responsible for your own interpretation of the Bible. Each of us must walk in the light we have. You, the Bible, and the Holy Spirit are priority in interpretation. You must not relinquish this to a commentator.

These discussion questions are provided to help you think through the major issues of this section of the book. They are meant to be thought-provoking, not definitive.

1. Of which OT prophet does John the Baptist remind you? Why?
2. Define repentance.
3. Why does Matthew use the phrase "kingdom of heaven" and Mark and Luke use " kingdom of God" ?
4. What is the significance of the quote from Isaiah 40 (Matt. 3:3)?
5. Why did the religious leaders want to be baptized? What did baptism symbolize in that day?
6. Why is the emphasis of John the Baptist's message on judgment and not on salvation?
7. Why was Jesus baptized with a baptism of repentance?
8. What is the significance of God speaking out of heaven? Identify the two OT sources of the Father's quote and explain their significance.

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