MATTHEW 3
[1] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
[3]
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
[4]
And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
[5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
[7]
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his
baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you
to flee from the wrath to come?
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
[9]
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:
for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up
children unto Abraham.
[10] And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
[11]
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
[12]
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.
[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
[14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
[15]
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
[16] And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of
the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the
Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
[17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
MATTHEW 3
1 Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας
2 καὶ λέγων · Μετανοεῖτε, ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
3 οὗτος
γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου λέγοντος · Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν
τῇ ἐρήμῳ · Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν ὁδὸν κυρίου, εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους
αὐτοῦ.
4 αὐτὸς
δὲ ὁ Ἰωάννης εἶχεν τὸ ἔνδυμα αὐτοῦ ἀπὸ τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην
δερματίνην περὶ τὴν ὀσφὺν αὐτοῦ, ἡ δὲ τροφὴ ἦν αὐτοῦ ⸃ ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι
ἄγριον.
5 τότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἱεροσόλυμα καὶ πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου,
6 καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
7 Ἰδὼν
δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα
αὐτοῦ εἶπεν αὐτοῖς · Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ
τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;
8 ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας
9 καὶ
μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς · Πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ, λέγω γὰρ ὑμῖν
ὅτι δύναται ὁ θεὸς ἐκ τῶν λίθων τούτων ἐγεῖραι τέκνα τῷ Ἀβραάμ.
10 ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται · πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.
11 Ἐγὼ
μὲν ὑμᾶς βαπτίζω ⸃ ἐν ὕδατι εἰς μετάνοιαν · ὁ δὲ ὀπίσω μου ἐρχόμενος
ἰσχυρότερός μού ἐστιν, οὗ οὐκ εἰμὶ ἱκανὸς τὰ ὑποδήματα βαστάσαι · αὐτὸς
ὑμᾶς βαπτίσει ἐν πνεύματι ἁγίῳ καὶ πυρί ⸃·
12 οὗ
τὸ πτύον ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ, καὶ διακαθαριεῖ τὴν ἅλωνα αὐτοῦ καὶ συνάξει
τὸν σῖτον αὐτοῦ εἰς τὴν ἀποθήκην, τὸ δὲ ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ.
13 Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ.
14 ὁ δὲ Ἰωάννης διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν λέγων · Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
15 ἀποκριθεὶς
δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτόν ⸃· Ἄφες ἄρτι, οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν
πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν.
16 βαπτισθεὶς
δὲ ⸃ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ⸃ ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος · καὶ ἰδοὺ ἠνεῴχθησαν οἱ
οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδεν πνεῦμα θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν ἐρχόμενον ἐπ’
αὐτόν ·
17 καὶ ἰδοὺ φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν λέγουσα · Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ υἱός μου ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.
MATTHEW 3 AT A GLANCE
John
the Baptist is the link between the two testaments. With one hand, he
lays hold of the Old Testament and makes them one. What a flaming
herald and pathway he was. His one challenging word was “REPENT!” John the Baptist believed “REPENTANCE” to
be fundamental and demonstrated by the conduct of the believer as a
testament to true conversion. Further, the dynamic preaching ministry
of John the Baptist foreshadowed the international characteristics of
Christianity. The vivid image he uses proves John the Baptist to be a
man of the desert. At Jordan with John the Baptist, Jesus, for the
first time, identified Himself with lost and unsaved humanity whom He
had come to seek and to save.
MATTHEW 3:1
[1] In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
[1] en de tais hmerais ekeinais paraginetai iwannhs o baptisths khrusswn en th erhmw ths ioudaias
en/en: In
de/de: yet
o/ho: the
hmera/hemera: days
ekeinoV/ekeinos: those
paraginomai/paraginomai: came
IwannhV/Ioannes: John
BaptisthV/Baptistes: Baptist
khrussw/kerusso: preaching
erhmoV/eremos: wilderness
Ioudaia/Ioudaia: Judaea
JUDAEA: The
"land of the Jews," the Greco-Roman equivalent of Judah. As most of the
Israelites returning from the captivity belonged to the tribe of Judah,
they came to be called Jews and their land Judea. In Tobit 1:18 the
name is applied to the old kingdom of Judah. For a general description
of the physical geography and early history of this region The limits of
this district varied greatly, extending as the Jewish population
increased, but in many periods with very indefinite boundaries.
Under the Persian Empire, Judea/Judah, was a district administered by a governor who, like Zerubbabel in Haggai 1 was
probably usually a Jew. Even as late as Judas Maccabeus, Hebron and its
surroundings-the very heart of old Judah was under the domination of
the Edomites, whom, however, Judas conquered 1 Maccabees 5:65; in the
time of his brother Jonathan approximately 145 B.C., three tetrarchies
of Samaria, Aphaerema, Lydda and Ramathaim, were added to Judea in 1
Maccabees 10:30, 38; 11:34; in some passages it is referred to at this
time as the "land of Judah" 1 Maccabees 10:30, 33, 37. The land was then
roughly limited by what may be called the "natural boundaries of
Judah.”
Strabo xvi.11, 21, extends the name Judea to include practically all Palestine; as does Luke 4:44; 23:05;Acts 2:9 & 10:37. In
several New Testament references Matthew 4:25; Mark 1:5; 3:7; Luke
5:17; John 3:22 & Acts 1:8. Judea is contrasted with its capital
Jerusalem. The country bordering on the shores of the Dead Sea for some
miles inland was known as the Wilderness of Judea in Matthew 3:1.or "the
wilderness" in Mark ine1:4 & Luke 3:2. Here John the Baptist appeared as a preacher.
After
the death of Herod the Great, Archelaus received Judea, Samaria and
Idumea as his ethnarchy, but on his deposition Judea was absorbed into
the Roman province of Syria, the procurator of which lived at Caesarea.
Of later
history it is only necessary to notice that in the 5th century Judea
became part of the land known as Palaestina Prima; that at the time of
the Latin kingdom of Jerusalem, 12th century, all the hill country of
Judah from Sinjil to Tekoa was the royal domain, while the southern
section to Beersheba belonged to the Seigneur de Abraham. And lastly
that a district, the rough equivalent of the kingdom of Judah, though
larger, and of the Judea, though
slightly smaller, forms today the Mutaserraflic of el Kuds, an
administrative area where more than in any spot in the world the problem
of the "land of the Jews" is today increasingly acute.
MATTHEW 3:2
[2] And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
[2] kai legwn metanoeite hggiken gar h basileia twn ouranwn
kai/kai: And
legw/lego: saying
metanoew/metanoeo: repent
eggizw/eggizo: at hand
gar/gar: for
h/e: of
basileia/basileia: kingdom
o/ho: the
ouranoV/ouranos: heaven
One of the Greek words which gives us the English word repentance is the Greek word metamelomai is
used of a change of mind, such as to produce regret or even remorse on
account of sin, but not necessarily a change of heart. This word is used
with reference to the repentance of Judas in Matthew 27:3.
Another Greek word which gives to us the English word repentance is the Greek word Metanoeo, meaning to change one's mind and purpose, as the result of after knowledge. This verb, with the cognate noun metanoia, is used of true repentance, a change of mind and purpose and life to which remission of sin is promised.
Evangelical
repentance consists of, 1, a true sense of one's own guilt and
sinfulness; 2, an apprehension of God's mercy in Christ; 3, an actual
hatred of sin as per Psalms 119:128; Job 42:5-6 & II Corinthians
7:10. Repentance is turning from
sin to God. Repentance is also a persistent endeavor to achieve a holy
life in a walking with God in the way of his commandments.
The
true penitent is conscious of guilt as in Psalms 51:4-11. he
apprehends himself to be just what God has always seen him to be and
declares him to be. But repentance comprehends not only such a sense of
sin, but also an apprehension of mercy, without which there can be no
true repentance as we see in Psalms 51:1 & 130:4.
Repentance is the act of turning around an improper behavior; sorrow for what one has done; especially, contrition for sin.
MATTHEW 3:3
[3]
For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The
voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord,
make his paths straight.
[3]outos
gar estin o rhqeis dia hsaiou tou profhtou legontos fwnh bowntos en th
erhmw etoimasate thn odon kuriou euqeias poieite tas tribous autou
outoV/houtos: this
gar/gar: For
esti/esti: is
o/ho: that/the
rew/rheo: spoken/commanded
upo/hupo: by
hsaiaV/Hesaias: Esaias/Isaiah
tou/tou: of this person
profhthV/prophetes: prophet
legw/lego: saying
fwnh/phone: voice
boaw/boao: crying
en/en: in
erhmoV/eremos: wilderness
etoimazw/hetoimazo: prepare
odoV/hodos: way
kurioV/kurios: Lord
euquV/euthus: straight
poiew/poieo: make
triboV/tribos: paths
autou/hautou: His/the person of Christ
Here you have
John the Baptist calling out with a very plaintiff and tearful voice to
Israel for them to prepare for the arrival of their long awaited
Messiah.
Isaiah
11:1-16...And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse,
and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: [2] And the spirit of the LORD shall
rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of
counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; [3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: [4]
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity
for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of
his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.
[5] And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and
faithfulness the girdle of his reins.
[6] The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and
the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion
and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. [7] And
the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down
together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.[8] And the sucking
child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put
his hand on the cockatrice' den. [9] They shall not hurt nor destroy in
all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of
the LORD, as the waters cover the sea. [10] And in that day there shall
be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to
it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. [11] And it
shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again
the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be
left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and
from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of
the sea. [12] And he shall set up an ensign
for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather
together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.
[13] The envy also of Ephraim shall depart, and the adversaries of
Judah shall be cut off: Ephraim shall not envy Judah, and Judah shall
not vex Ephraim. [14] But they shall fly upon the shoulders of the
Philistines toward the west; they shall spoil them of the east together:
they shall lay their hand upon Edom and Moab; and the children of Ammon
shall obey them. [15] And the LORD shall utterly destroy the tongue of
the Egyptian sea; and with his mighty wind shall he shake his hand over
the river, and shall smite it in the seven streams, and make men go
over dryshod. [16] And there shall be an highway for the remnant of his
people, which shall be left, from Assyria; like as it was to Israel in
the day that he came up out of the land of Egypt.
MATTHEW 3:4
[4]
And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern
girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
[4]autos
de o iwannhs eicen to enduma autou apo tricwn kamhlou kai zwnhn
dermatinhn peri thn osfun autou h de trofh hn autou akrides kai meli
agrion
autoV/autos: his
de/de: And
o/ho: the
IwannhV/Ioannes: John
ecw/echo: had
enduma/enduma: raiment/clothes
apo/apo: of
qrix/thrix: hair
kamhloV/kamelos: camel
kai/kai: and
zwnh/zone: girdle
dermatinoV/dermatinos: leather
peri/peri: about
osfuV/osphus: loins
h/e: and
trofh/trophe: meat, food, nutrition
hn/en: was
akriV/akris: locust
meli/meli: honey
agrioV/agrios: wild
JOHN THE BAPTIST: John the Baptist was the "forerunner of our Lord." We have but fragmentary and imperfect accounts of him in the Gospels.
He was of
priestly descent. His father, Zacharias, was a priest of the course of
Abia in I Chronicles 24:10, and his mother, Elisabeth, was of the
daughters of Aaron in Luke 1:5. The mission of John was the subject of
prophecy in Isaiah 40:3; Malachi 3:1 & Matthew 3:3..
His birth,
which took place six months before that of Jesus, was foretold by an
angel. Zacharias, deprived of the power of speech as a token of God's
truth and a reproof of his own incredulity with reference to the birth
of his son, had the power of speech restored to him on the occasion of
his circumcision in Luke 1:64.
After this no
more is recorded of him for thirty years than what is mentioned in Luke
1:80. John was a Nazarite from his birth as per Luke 1:15 & Numbers
6:1-12. He spent his early years in the mountainous tract of Judah
lying between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea in Matthew 3:1-12.
At length he
came forth into public life, and great multitudes from "every quarter"
were attracted to him. The sum of his preaching was the necessity of
repentance. He denounced the Sadducees and Pharisees as a "generation of
vipers," and warned them of the folly of trusting to external
privileges in Luke 3:8. "As a preacher, John was eminently practical
and discriminating. Self-love and covetousness were the prevalent sins
of the people at large. On them, therefore, he enjoined charity and
consideration for others.
The publicans
he cautioned against extortion, the soldiers against crime and plunder."
His doctrine and manner of life roused the entire south of Palestine,
and the people from all parts flocked to the place where he was, on the
banks of the Jordan. There he baptized thousands unto repentance. The
fame of John reached the ears of Jesus in Nazareth in Matthew 3:5. And
he came from Galilee to Jordan to be baptized of John, on the special
ground that it became him to "fulfil all righteousness.”
John's special
office ceased with the baptism of Jesus, who must now "increase" as the
King come to his kingdom. He continued, however, for a while to bear
testimony to the Messiahship of Jesus. He pointed him out to his
disciples, saying, "Behold the Lamb of God." His public ministry was
suddenly, after about six months probably, brought to a close by his
being cast into prison by Herod, whom he had reproved for the sin of
having taken to himself the wife of his brother Philip in Luke 3:19. He
was shut up in the castle of Machaerus, a fortress on the southern
extremity of Peraea which is about nine miles east of the Dead Sea, and
here he was beheaded. His disciples, having consigned the headless body
to the grave. After which they went and told Jesus all that had
occurred in Matthew 4:3-12.
John's death
occurred apparently just before the third Passover of our Lord's
ministry. Our Lord himself testified regarding him that he was a
"burning and a shining light" in John 5:35.
John the
Baptist, was officially, for the record, the last Old Testament Prophet.
The era of the Old Testament prophets ended with his death at the hand
of Herod.
MATTHEW 3:5
[5] Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
[5]tote exeporeueto pros auton ierosoluma kai pasa h ioudaia kai pasa h pericwros tou iordanou
tote/tote: Then
ekporeuomai/ekporeuomai: went out
proV/pros: to or toward
autoV/autos: him
ierosoluma/Hierosoluma: Jerusalem
kai/kai: and
paV/pas: all
h/e: and
Ioudaia/Ioudaia: Judea
pericwroV/perichoros: round about
tou/tou: of
IordanhV/Iordanes: Jordan
I am reminded of a verse in I Samuel:
I Samuel 3:1...And the child Samuel ministered unto the LORD before Eli. And the word of the LORD was precious in those days; there was no open vision.
When one
considers the turnout which John the Baptist had, we must see that to
his hearers, the word of God was quite precious to so many people. The
mode of transportation in those days, for the most part, was walking.
The regions listed in this verse, compared to where John the Baptist
was, many of these people would have to have walked for days, one way,
just to get to where John was.
MATTHEW 3:6
[6] And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
[6] kai ebaptizonto en tw iordanh potamw up autou exomologoumenoi tas amartias autwn
kai/kai: And
baptizw/baptizo: baptized
en/en: in
o/ho: the
IordanhV/Iordanes: Jordan
upo/hupo: of or by
autoV/autos: him
exomologew/exomologeo: confessing
amartia/hamartia: sins
autou/hautou: their
BAPTISM: An ordinance immediately instituted by Christ in Matthew 28:19-20, and
designed to be observed in the church, like that of the Supper, "till
he come." The words "baptize" and "baptism" are simply Greek words
transferred into English. This was necessarily done by the translators
of the Scriptures, for no literal translation could properly express all
that is implied in them.
The
mode of baptism can in no way be determined from the Greek word
rendered "baptize." Baptists say that it means "to dip," and nothing
else. That is an incorrect view of the meaning of the word. It means
both (1) to dip a thing into an element or liquid, and (2) to put an
element or liquid over or on it. Nothing therefore as to the mode of
baptism can be concluded from the mere word used. The word has a wide
latitude of meaning, not only in the New Testament, but also in the
Septuagint. Version of the Old Testament, where it is used of the
ablutions and baptisms required by the Mosaic law. These were effected
by immersion, and by affusion and sprinkling; and the same word,
"washings" in Hebrews 9:10 "baptisms,"
designates them all. In the New Testament there cannot be found a
single well-authenticated instance of the occurrence of the word where
it necessarily means immersion. Moreover, none of the instances of
baptism recorded in the Acts of the Apostles in Acts 2:38-41; 8:26-39;
9:17-18;
22:12-16; 10:44-48 & 16:32-34, favors the idea that it was by
dipping the person baptized, or by immersion, while in some of them such
a mode was highly improbable.
The
gospel and its ordinances are designed for the whole world, and it
cannot be supposed that a form for the administration of baptism would
have been prescribed which would in any place (as in a tropical country
or in polar regions) or under any circumstances be inapplicable or
injurious or impossible.
Baptism
and the Lord's Supper are the two symbolical ordinances of the New
Testament. The Supper represents the work of Christ, and Baptism the
work of the Spirit. As in the Supper a small amount of bread and wine
used in this ordinance exhibits in symbol the great work of Christ, so
in Baptism the work of the Holy Spirit is fully seen in the water poured
or sprinkled on the person in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy
Ghost. That which is essential in baptism is only "washing with water,"
no mode being specified and none being necessary or essential to the
symbolism of the ordinance.
The apostles of our Lord were baptized with the Holy Ghost in Matthew 3:11. The fire also with which they were baptized sat upon them. The extraordinary event of Pentecost was explained by Peter as a completion of
the ancient promise that the Spirit would be poured out in the last
days, Acts 2:17. He uses also with the same reference the expression
shed forth as descriptive of the baptism of the Spirit (33). In the
Pentecostal baptism "the apostles were not dipped into the Spirit, nor
plunged into the Spirit; but the Spirit was shed forth, poured out, fell
on them, Acts 11:15, came upon them,
sat
on them." That was a real and true baptism. We are warranted from such
language to conclude that in like manner when water is poured out,
falls, comes upon or rests upon a person when this ordinance is
administered, that person is baptized. Baptism is therefore, in view of
all these arguments "rightly administered by pouring or sprinkling water
upon the person."
The subjects of baptism. This raises questions of greater importance than those relating to its mode.
1. The
controversy here is not about "believers' baptism," for that is common
to all parties. Believers were baptized in apostolic times, and they
have been baptized in all time by all the branches of the church. It is
altogether a misrepresentation to allege, as is sometimes done by
Baptists, that their doctrine is "believers' baptism." Every instance of
adult baptism, or of "believers' baptism," recorded in the New
Testament, Acts 2:41; 8:37; 9:17-18; 10:47; 16:15 & 19:5, is just
such as would be dealt with in precisely the same way by all branches of
the Protestant Church, a profession of faith or of their being
"believers" would be required from every one of them before baptism. The
point in dispute is not the baptism of believers, but whether the
infant children of believers, that is, of members of the Church ought to
be baptized.
The
Church of Christ exists as a divinely organized community. It is the
"kingdom of God," one historic kingdom under all dispensations. The
commonwealth of Israel was the "church," Acts 7:38 & Romans 9:4, under
the Mosaic dispensation. The New Testament church is not a new and
different church, but one with that of the Old Testament. The terms of
admission into the church have always been the same viz., a profession
of faith and a promise of subjection to the laws of the kingdom. Now it
is a fact beyond dispute that the children of God's people under the old
dispensation were recognized as members of the church. Circumcision was
the sign and seal of their membership. It was not because of carnal
descent from Abraham, but as being the children of God's professing
people, that this rite was administered as per Romans 4:11. If children
were members of the church under the old dispensation, which they
undoubtedly were, then they are members of the church now by the same
right, unless it can be shown that they have been expressly excluded.
Under the Old Testament parents acted for their children and represented
then in Genesis 9:9; 17:10; Exodus 24:7-8 & Deuteronomy 29:9-13.
When parents entered into covenant with God, they brought their children
with them. This was a law in the Hebrew Church.
When
a proselyte was received into membership, he could not enter without
bringing his children with him. The New Testament does not exclude the
children of believers from the church. It does not deprive them of any
privilege they enjoyed under the Old Testament. There is no command or
statement of any kind, that can be interpreted as giving any countenance
to such an idea, anywhere to be found in the New Testament. The church
membership of infants has never been set aside. The ancient practice,
originally appointed by God himself, must remain a law of his kingdom
till repealed by the same divine authority. There are lambs in the fold
of the Good Shepherd as in Matthew 19:14; Luke 1:15; John 21:15 & I
Corinthians 7:14.
"In
a company of converts applying for admission into Christ's house there
are likely to be some heads of families. How is their case to be
treated? How, for example, are Lydia and her neighbor the keeper of the
city prison to be treated? Both have been converted. Both are heads of
families. They desire to be received into the infant church of Philippi.
What is Christ's direction to them? Shall we say that it is to this
effect: 'Arise, and wash away your sins, and come into my house. But you
must come in by yourselves. These babes in your arms, you must leave
them outside. They cannot believe yet, and so they cannot come in. Those
other little ones by your side, their hearts may perhaps have been
touched with the love of God; still, they are not old enough to make a
personal profession, so they too must be left outside...For the present
you must leave them where they are and come in by yourselves.' One may
reasonably demand very stringent proofs before accepting this as a fair
representation of the sort of welcome Christ offers to parents who
come
to his door bringing their children with them. Surely it is more
consonant with all we know about him to suppose that his welcome will be
more ample in its scope, and will breathe a more gracious tone. Surely
it would be more like the Good Shepherd to say, `Come in, and bring your
little ones along with you. The youngest needs my salvation; and the
youngest is accessible to my salvation. You may be unable as yet to deal
with them about either sin or salvation, but my gracious power can find
its way into their hearts even now. I can impart to them pardon and a
new life. From Adam they have inherited sin and death; and I can so
unite them to myself that in me they shall be heirs of righteousness and
life. You may without misgiving bring them to me. And the law of my
house requires that the same day which witnesses your reception into it
by baptism must witness their reception also'"
BAPTISM FOR THE DEAD
Only mentioned in I Corinthians 15:29. THE BAPTISM OF THE DEAD is an expression
as used by the apostle may be equivalent to saying, "He who goes
through a baptism of blood in order to join a glorified church which has
no existence is a fool." Some also regard the statement here as an
allusion to the strange practice which began, it is said, to prevail at
Corinth, in which a person was baptized in the stead of others who had
died before being baptized, to whom it was hoped some of the benefits of
that rite would be extended. This they think may have been one of the
erroneous customs which Paul went to Corinth to "set in order."
JOHN THE BAPTIST
Was
not Christian baptism, nor was that which was practiced by the
disciples previous to our Lord's crucifixion. Till then the New
Testament economy did not exist. John's baptism bound its subjects to
repentance, and not to the faith of Christ. It was not administered in
the name of the Trinity, and those whom John baptized were re-baptized
by Paul Acts 18:24 & 19:7.
BAPTISM of JESUS CHRIST
Christ
had to be formally inaugurated into the public discharge of his
offices. For this purpose he came to John, who was the representative of
the law and the prophets, that by him he might be introduced into his
offices, and thus be publicly recognized as the Messiah of whose coming
the prophecies and types had for many ages borne witness.
John
refused at first to confer his baptism on Christ, for he understood not
what he had to do with the "baptism of repentance." But Christ said,
"`Suffer it to be so now,' NOW as suited to my state of humiliation, my
state as a substitute in the room of sinners." His reception of baptism
was not necessary on his own account. It was a voluntary act, the same
as his act of becoming incarnate. Yet if the work he had engaged to
accomplish was to be completed, then it became him to take on him the
likeness of a sinner, and to fulfil all righteousness in Matthew 3:15.
The
official duty of Christ and the sinless person of Christ are to be
distinguished. It was in his official capacity that he submitted to
baptism. In coming to John our Lord virtually said, "Though sinless, and
without any personal taint, yet in my public or official capacity as
the Sent of God, I stand in the room of many, and bring with me the sin
of the world, for which am
the propitiation." Christ was not made under the law on his own
account. It was as surety of his people, a position which he
spontaneously assumed. The administration of the rite of baptism was
also a symbol of the baptism of suffering before him in this official
capacity in Luke 12:50.In thus presenting himself he in effect dedicated
or consecrated himself to the work of fulfilling all righteousness.
MATTHEW 3:7
[7]
But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his
baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you
to flee from the wrath to come?
[7] idwn
de pollous twn farisaiwn kai saddoukaiwn ercomenous epi to baptisma
autou eipen autois gennhmata ecidnwn tis upedeixen umin fugein apo ths
melloushs orghs
eidw/eido: saw
de/de: But
poluV/polus: many
o/ho: of the
FarisaioV/Pharisaios: Pharisees
kai/kai: and
SaddoukaioV/Saddoukaios: Sadducees
ercomai/erchomai: come
epi/epi: to as in toward
baptisma/baptisma: baptism
autou/hautou: his
epw/epo: said, to speak with a very forceful and commanding voice
autoV/autos: he
gennhma/gennema: generation
ecidna/echidna: vipers
tiV/tis: who
upodeiknumi/hupodeiknumi: warned
umin/humin: you
feugw/pheugo: flee
apo/apo: from
mellw/mello: to come
orgh/orge: wrarh
MATTHEW 3:8
[8] Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
[8] poihsate oun karpon axion ths metanoias
poiew/poieo: bring forth
oun/oun: therefore
karpoV/karpos: fruit...plucked fruit
axioV/axios: meet...fitting/worthy
o/ho: of the
metanoia/metanoia: repentance
John Baptist is
telling the religiosity that being baptized and wearing pretty
religious garb is not what he is preaching about. He is preaching about
a life changed from the devil, to a life changed unto Christ. If you
act like the world, the flesh and the devil, then that means you are of
the world, the flesh, and the devil. However, if you are truly saved
and born again, then you will act saved and born again.
MATTHEW 3:9
[9]
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father:
for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up
children unto Abraham.
[9]kai
mh doxhte legein en eautois patera ecomen ton abraam legw gar umin oti
dunatai o qeos ek twn liqwn toutwn egeirai tekna tw abraam
kai/kai: And
mh/me: not
dokew/dokeo: think
legw/lego: say
en/en: within
eautou/heautou: yourselves
pathr/pater: father
ecw/echo: to our
tou/tou: of or of this person
Abraam/Abraam: Abraham
legw/lego: say
gar/gar: for
umin/humin: unto you
oti/hoti: that
dunamai/dunamai: able
o/ho: these
qeoV/theos: God
ek/ek: of
liqoV/lithos: stones
toutwn/touton: of these
egeirw/egeiro: raise up
teknonteknon: children
The
people are astonished at the doctrine of Both John the Baptist and
Jesus. For both John the Baptist and Jesus are teaching the absolute
necessity of a personal relationship with God based on true repentance.
The Jewish people had always been led to believe that since they were
the offspring of Abraham, that they automatically had such a
relationship with God.
MATTHEW 3:10
[10]
And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore
every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast
into the fire.
[10] hdh de h axinh pros thn rizan twn dendrwn keitai pan oun dendron mh poioun karpon kalon ekkoptetai kai eis pur balletai
hdh/ede: now
de/de: also
kai/kai: And
o/ho: the/of the
axinh/axine: axe
proV/pros: unto
riza/rhiza: root
dendron/dendron: trees
keimai/keimai: laid
paV/pas: every
oun/oun: therefore
mh/me: not
poiew/poieo: bringeth
karpoV/karpos: fruit
kaloV/kalos: good
ekkoptw/ekkopto: hewn down
eiV/eis: into
pur/pur: fire
ballw/ballo: cast
In the Bible, the casting off of fruit is a metaphor of one who was judged of God and failed. Fruits
are good only if they grow and ripen on this basis of divine
repentance, and they can ripen on in the ma for whom this repentance has
become through baptism the divine norm and power of his growth, so that
he is converted in this sense. This same decisive view underlies the
saying of Jesus. These images do not merely present us with good and
band trees and fruits. They area summons to man to participate in the
kingdom of God and thus to be4 a good tree with good fruit. The
statements in the parables are to be viewed from same standpoint. In
Matthew 13:24-38, the fruit sown in the fields is the Word of God. As
the value of a tree is
estimated by it’s products,
so the righteousness displayed in acts is a decisive standard for
divine judgment. As we see in Luke 13:6-10, it is the unfruitful man,
or better known as the one who rejects Jesus as Lord and Savior, who
will be rejected.
Luke
13:6-10...He spake also this parable; A certain man had a fig tree
planted in his vineyard; and he came and sought fruit thereon, and found
none. [7] Then said he unto the dresser of his vineyard, Behold, these
three years I come seeking fruit on this fig tree, and find none: cut it
down; why cumbereth it the ground? [8] And he answering said unto him,
Lord, let it alone this year also, till I shall dig about it, and dung
it: [9] And if it bear fruit, well: and if not, then after that thou
shalt cut it down. [10] And he was teaching in one of the synagogues on
the sabbath.
In the
preaching of John the Baptist here in Matthew 3:10, the expectation of
judgement of urgent and immediate. No one is exempt from the judgement
of God. The only escape is true heartfelt repentance of the sinful.
THE PUNISHMENT SPOKEN OF HERE IN MATTHEW 3:10 IS A RESULT, NOT A PROCESS.
Now that Jesus
was on the earth, He Himself would be the one to be the supreme
sacrifice for sin. Jesus came to lay the axe to the root of sin. And
all who would reject Him would be consigned to the literal flames of
Hell.
In Matthew 3:9,
the Jews felt that since they were of the seed of Abraham, that this
was sufficient enough for repentance. John the Baptist is telling them
in verse 10 that it is a matter of true, heartfelt repentance, and the
receiving of Jesus into their hearts.
MATTHEW 3:11
[11]
I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance: but he that cometh
after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he
shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
[11] egw
men umas baptizw en udati eis metanoian o de opisw mou ercomenos
iscuroteros mou estin ou ouk eimi ikanos ta upodhmata bastasai autos
umas baptisei en pneumati agiw kai puri
egw/ego: I
men/men: indeed
baptizw/baptizo: baptize
umaV/humas: you
en/en: with/in
udwr/hudor: water
eiV/eis: unto
metanoia/metanoia: repentance
o/ho: the
de/de: but
opisw/opiso: after
mou/mou: me
ercomai/erchomai: cometh
iscuroV/ischuros: mightier
esti/esti:
ou/ou: not
eimi/eimi: am
ikanoV/hikanos: worthy
upodhma/hupodema: shoes
bastazw/bastazo: bear
autoV/autos: he
pneuma/pneuma: Ghost
agioV/hagios: Holy
kai/kai: and
pur/pur: fire
John the Baptist does not feel worthy to pick up and carry Jesus’ shoes, or to even loosen the shoe strings of Jesus’ shoes.
Christ
baptizes believers in the Spirit into the body of Christ. This baptism
takes place at the moment of salvation. The rite of water baptism
symbolizes Spirit baptism.
Mark 1:8...I indeed have baptized you with water: but he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost.
Luke
3:16...John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with
water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am
not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with
fire:
John
1:33...And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water,
the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending,
and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy
Ghost.
Acts 1:5...For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.
Acts 11:15...And as I began to speak, the Holy Ghost fell on them, as on us at the beginning.
Romans 6:3...Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?
Ephesians 4:5...One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
Colossians
2:12...Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him
through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the
dead.
I
Corinthians 12:13...For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one
body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and
have been all made to drink into one Spirit.
The Baptism of
John the Baptist was man saying that he needed a Savior and that when
the Messiah would arrive that he would accept this Messiah as his own
Savior. However, Jesus would baptize with Holy Spirit. That being that
when a person would come to Christ for Salvation, that Jesus would then
and there fill the new convert with all of Himself. And baptize with
fire or with the entirety of God’s power.
MATTHEW 3:12
[12]
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.
[12] ou
to ptuon en th ceiri autou kai diakaqariei thn alwna autou kai sunaxei
ton siton autou eis thn apoqhkhn to de acuron katakausei puri asbestw
ou/ou: Whose
o/ho: the
ptuon/ptuon: fan or winnowing-fork
en/en: in
o/ho: the
ceir/cheir: hand
autou/hautou: His
kai/kai: and
diakaqarizw/diakatharizo: throughly
purge
o/ho: the
alwn/halon: floor
o/ho: the
kai/kai: and
sunagw/sunago: gather
tou/tou: of of this person his
sitoV/sitos: wheat
autou/hautou: His
eiV/eis: into
o/ho: the
apoqhkh/apotheke: garner
de/de: but
acuron/achuron: chaff
katakaiw /katakaio: burn up
pur/pur: fire
asbestoV/asbestos: unquenchable
A fan is a
wooden shovel used to toss the grain against the wind in order for the
wind to blow out the chaff and other useless grasses so that the true
wheat would drop to the floor.
After all of
this, any other useless grasses which may still be around would be
placed into a fire to be burned up. In the final end, the farmer could
have only pure wheat and nothing else.
MATTHEW 3:13
[13] Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
[13] tote paraginetai o ihsouV apo thV galilaiaV epi ton iordanhn proV ton iwannhn tou baptisqhnai up autou
tote/tote: Then
paraginomai/paraginomai: cometh
o/ho: the
IhsouV/Iesous: Jesusapo/apo: from
o/ho: the
Galilaia/Galilaia: Galilee
epi/epi: unto
toutou: of this person of
IordanhV/Iordanes: Jordan
proV/pros: unto
toutou: of this person of
IwannhV/Ioannes: John
toutou: of this person of
baptizw/baptizo: baptized
upnoV/hupnos: of or by
autou/hautou: him
If Jesus is truly God, then why
did he have to be baptized?
We
see that John the Baptist also wondered about baptizing Jesus in
Matthew 3:14. John's baptism was a baptism of repentance for the
forgiveness of sins in Luke 3:3. However, Jesus had no need for
repentance or forgiveness as per II Corinthians 5:21; Hebrews 4:15 &
I John 3:5. Why then did Jesus seek to be baptized by John?
There
may be a clue in how Jesus responds in Matthew 3:15: "Permit it at this
time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all
righteousness." Baptism is a form of identification. Although Jesus had
no sin to repent of, He seems to have wanted to be identified with
John's message of the need for repentance. This seems to be supported by
Jesus' own message Matthew 4:17 & Mark 2:15. Also,
Jesus
probably wanted to be identified with those receiving John's baptism,
namely, sinners. After all, Jesus came to be identified with us, and to
die as a substitute for our sins in I Corinthians 15:3 & II
Corinthians 5:21. Interestingly, Jesus' death and resurrection, which
is the basis for our forgiveness, is linked with baptism in passages
like Romans 6:3-4.
MATTHEW 3:14
[14] But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
[14]o de iwannhV diekwluen auton legwn egw creian ecw upo sou baptisqhnai kai su erch proV me
o/ho: the
de/de: But
IwannhV/Ioannes: John
diakwluw/diakoluo: forbad
autou/hautou: Him
legw/lego: saying
egw/ego: I
creia/chreia: need
ecw/echo: have
upo/hupo: of
sou/sou: thee
baptizw/baptizo: baptized
kai/kai: and
su/su: thou
ercomai/erchomai: comest
proVpros: to
me/me: me
In verse 14, the English word forbid comes from the Greek word diakoluO. It
means to forbid to the point of stopping the person/action in question.
John felt that he needed to be baptized by Jesus, not Jesus being
baptized by John.
This is proof
that John the Baptist knew in advance of who and what Jesus was. The
fact that Jesus wanted John the Baptist to baptize Him made John the
Baptist quite uncomfortable. John the Baptist felt that if anyone is
getting baptized, it should be Jesus baptizing John the Baptist.
MATTHEW 3:15
[15]
And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it
becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
[15] apokriqeis
de o ihsous eipen | autw | pros auton | afes arti outws gar prepon
estin hmin plhrwsai pasan dikaiosunhn tote afihsin auton
apokrinomai/apokrinomai: answering
de/de: And
o/ho: the
IhsouV/Iesous: Jesus
epw/epo: said, to speak with a very commanding voice
proVpros: unto
autou/hautou: him
afihmi/aphiemi: suffer it to be so
arti/arti: now
outw/houto: thus
gar/gar: for
prepw/prepo: becometh
esti/esti: us
hmin/hemin: it
pleroo/pleroo: fulfill
paV/pas: all
dikaiosunh/dikaiosune: righteousness
tote/tote: Then
afihmi/aphiemi: suffered
autou/hautou: Him
Jesus fulfilled
all the righteous requirements to be Israel’s Messiah. By allowing
John the Baptist to baptize Him, Jesus is identifying with sinners who
He came to save. Jesus Himself had no sin to repent of.
MATTHEW 3:16
[16]
And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water:
and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God
descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
[16] kai baptisqeiV o ihsouV anebh euquV apo tou udatoV kai idou anewcqhsan autw oi ouranoi kai eiden to pneuma tou qeou katabainon wsei peristeran kai ercomenon ep auton
kai/kai: And
baptizw/baptizo: baptized
o/ho: the
IhsouV /Iesous: Jesus
anabainw/anabaino: went up
euquV/euthus: straightway
apo/apo: went out
tou/tou: of
udwr/hudor: water
kai/kai: and
idou/idou: lo
anoigw/anoigo: were opened
autou/hautou: Him
o/ho: the
ouranoV/ouranos: Heavens
kai/kai: and
eidw/eido: saw
o/ho: the
pneuma/pneuma: Spirit
tou/tou: of
qeoV/theos: God
katabainw/katabaino: descending
wsei/hosei: like
peristera/peristera: dove
kai/kai: and
ercomai/erchomai: lighting
epi/epi: upon
autou/hautou: Him
This is the
first absolute expression of the of concept of the Trinity. The advent
of the Spirit falling upon Christ. The Holy Spirit which would empower
Christ for His public ministry.
MATTHEW 3:17
[17] And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
[17] kai idou fwnh ek twn ouranwn legousa outoV estin o uioV mou o agaphtoV en w eudokhsa
kai/kai: And
idou/idou: lo
fwnh/phone: a voice
ek/ek: from, from out of
o/ho: the
ouranoV/ouranos: Heaven
legw/lego: saying
outoV/houtos: This
esti/esti: is
o/ho: the
uioV/huios: son
mou/mou: my
o/ho: the
agaphtoV/agapetos: beloved
en/en: in
w/o: whom I am
eudokew/eudokeo: well pleased
Isaiah
42:1...Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul
delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment
to the Gentiles.
Matthew 3:17...And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Matthew
17:5...While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them:
and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son,
in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.
Mark 1:11...And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
Mark
9:7...And there was a cloud that overshadowed them: and a voice came
out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.
Luke
3:22...And the Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon
him, and a voice came from heaven, which said, Thou art my beloved Son;
in thee I am well pleased.
Luke 9:35...And there came a voice out of the cloud, saying, This is my beloved Son: hear him.