Bible Study: Matthew Chapter 3
John the Baptist
John the Baptist was a man who wore clothes made from camel hair and ate locusts and wild honey. He lived in the wilderness and had he message to proclaim:
“Repent of your sins and turn to God, for the Kingdom of Heaven is near. ”
Matthew 3:2 NLT
This was prophesied by the Prophet Isaiah
“Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland for our God!”
Isaiah 40:3 NLT
People from Jerusalem and all over Judaea came to listen to this man’s teachings. People were willing to repent and confess their sins and turn to God and John baptized them.
John also spoke out against the Pharisees and the Sadducees who were the religious leaders in that time.
“But 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 the coming wrath? Prove by the way you live that you have repented of your sins and turned to God.”
Matthew 3:7–8 NLT
“Don’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. Even 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.”
Matthew 3:9–10 NLT
I want to assume that the religious leaders were not living a life that showed they had repented of their sins and that’s extremely hypocritical considering the fact that these were the people meant to be leading the children of Israel back to God. The Pharisees and Sadducees seemed to have thought that they were free from God’s wrath simply because they were descendants of Abraham.
I like these verses because it makes us understand that you have to show that you are icing for God and that you’ve truly repented BY YOUR ACTIONS and not just words.
He also spoke that a Messiah was coming who was far greater than he was and the Messiah would baptize them with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Soon after, Jesus came to John the Baptist to be baptized.
The baptism by immersion in water that John was performing was an outward show of an inner conviction. It was when people decided to confess their sins and turn from their ways back to God that John baptized them.
John was perplexed by Jesus’ request. I mean Jesus was THE Messiah that he had been preaching about. If anything, Jesus was meant to baptise John.
Jesus then said to John:
“But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. ” So John agreed to baptize him.”
Matthew 3:15 NLT
Jesus got baptised because it was a God requirement.
I mean that’s all the justification that anyone needs.
Jesus got baptized and as Christians we are to follow in His footsteps.
Baptism is a God requirement.
How do I know this baptism was by immersion and not any other way?
“After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water,……”
Matthew 3:16 NLT
Another version says:
“So Jesus was baptized. And as soon as He came out of the water,…..”
Matthew 3:16 CEV
And for ye old KJV peeps
“And Jesus, when He was baptized, went up straightway out of the water………”
Matthew 3:16 KJV
Have you been baptised? You definitely should.
After Jesus got baptised an amazing thing happened
“After 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. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.”
Matthew 3:16–17 NLT
God confirmed to Jesus what His identity was. He was God’s dearly loved son. I don’t know if Jesus ever had doubts about who He was, but this was all the confirmation He needed that He was on the right track and God was proud of Him.
