Matthew 3:1
Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις, παραγίνεται Ἰωάννης ὁ βαπτιστὴς, κηρύσσων ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ τῆς Ἰουδαίας,
Now in those days, John the baptizer drew near preaching in the wilderness of Judea.
Paraphrase: Now having returned from Egypt, Joseph and Mary were able to return to their old way of life, the life they had before they had fled from Herod. Jesus too was becoming a young man and was growing physically and spiritually, growing in wisdom, and stature and in favor with God and with all His neighbors. (Luke 2:52) It was at this time, that a preacher showed up in the wilderness of Judea and began preaching publicly. People called him John the baptizer.
Comments:
Matthew 3:2
καὶ λέγων, Μετανοεῖτε· ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν.
and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of the heavens is close.”
Paraphrase: His preaching was an earnest call to repentance. When people asked him why it was so important that they repent at this time, he responded by telling them that there was a King coming from God who was going to setup His kingdom. Furthermore, this King was going to show Himself any day now.
Comments:
Matthew 3:3
οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ ῥηθεὶς διὰ Ἠσαΐου τοῦ προφήτου, λέγοντος, Φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ, Ἑτοιμάσατε τὴν οδὸν Κυρίου· εὐθείας ποιεῖτε τὰς τρίβους αὐτοῦ.
For this is what was being said through Isaiah the prophet saying, “A voice thundering in the wilderness; prepare the way of the Lord, make straight His paths.”
Paraphrase: Then he would recite loudly the words of Isaiah the prophet, “There is a loud voice rising like thunder out of the wilderness! The voice is announcing the coming of YHWH, the Great King of heaven and earth. Clear the road; make sure the way is clear so that He can come riding in without any delay.” Then this John the Baptizer would claim that he himself was that voice crying out in the wilderness and that what Isaiah the prophet had prophesied so many years ago, was about to take place. “It’s about to happen just as Isaiah said it would.” John proclaimed.
Comments:
The quotation from Isaiah 40:3 “Prepare the way of Jehovah” identifies Jesus with YHWH. See Warfield p72; McGiffert p26.
Matthew 3:4
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.
Now John himself had his clothing from the hairs of a camel and a belt of hide around his waste, and his food was grasshoppers and wild honey.
Paraphrase: Now John himself was not much to look at. He was a strange man who made his home in the wilderness. His clothes were made from camel hair and were held up by a belt which he had made from a piece of hide. His diet consisted of grasshoppers and honey which he was able to find in that area.
Comments:
Matthew 3:5
Τότε ἐξεπορεύετο πρὸς αὐτὸν Ἱεροσόλυμα, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ Ἰουδαία, καὶ πᾶσα ἡ περίχωρος τοῦ Ἰορδάνου,
Then, Jerusalem went out to him and all Judea and all the districts of Jordan.
Paraphrase: The man’s popularity exploded and soon people from Jerusalem and all the surrounding area were flocking to hear him.
Comments:
Matthew 3:6
καὶ ἐβαπτίζοντο ἐν τῷ Ἰορδάνῃ ποταμῷ ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ, ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν.
And they were baptized in the Jordan river by him, confessing their sins.
Paraphrase: Many of those who heard John’s message were struck with conviction and cried out, “Surely, the Great King, God’s Anointed will strike us down in His wrath and judgments. What must we do to be saved?! Who can endure the day of His coming? And who can stand when He appears?” (Malachi 3:2) Then he cried out, “Today, a fountain of pure water is opened in Israel for all who are defiled and unclean. (Zechariah 13:1) Get up and wash your sins away! (Acts 22:16) This many did with great earnestness and with many tears. Then John took them, led them into the Jordan river and baptized them. “I baptize you into the covenant of the Great God of heaven and earth.” he announced. “Today, God washes you in clean water; all your filthiness and idolatry is cleansed away. God gives you a new heart and puts a new Spirit within you so that you will walk in His ways and keep His covenant. He has taken out your heart of stone and given you a circumcised heart, a heart controlled by His Spirit. (Ezekiel 36:25-27)
Comments:
Was this baptism a dipping or a splashing? The word βαπτιζω would lead us to believe it was a dipping. John’s being the son of a priest and well versed in all the old covenant baptisms (Hebrews 9:10) would lead us to believe it was a splashing of water on the person perhaps using a hyssop branch. (Numbers 19:18)
Matthew 3:7
Ἰδὼν δὲ πολλοὺς τῶν Φαρισαίων καὶ Σαδδουκαίων ἐρχομένους ἐπὶ τὸ βάπτισμα αὐτοῦ, εἶπεν αὐτοῖς, Γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν, τίς ὑπέδειξεν ὑμῖν φυγεῖν ἀπὸ τῆς μελλούσης ὀργῆς;
Now seeing many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Generation of vipers! who revealed to you to flee from the coming wrath?”
Paraphrase: One day, as John was doing his usual ministry, he noticed some Pharisees in the crowd. Shortly thereafter, he also saw a party of the Sadducees. John looked at them sharply, “You vipers!” he cried out, “Why are you hiding out here? Are you also fleeing from the coming judgments of God? Why are you hiding in the crowd like vipers hide in the grass so as to go unnoticed? We all know the deadly poison you carry around with you. Are you ready to own your sin and to confess your covenant unfaithfulness to God and to be washed in the fiery baptism of the Holy Spirit?” (Matthew 3:)
Comments:
The Pharisees and Sadducees were not asking John for baptism. (Luke 7:29-30) They came to observe his baptism; i.e. they were on a reconnaissance mission as is clear from John 1:22.
Matthew 3:8
ποιήσατε οὖν καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας.
Make, therefore, fruit worthy of repentance.
Paraphrase: If you want to be ready to meet the coming King, then own your guilt (Psalm 51:4), confess it to God (1 John 1:9), and make a decisive break with your old way of life. Start living the kind of life that proves that your repentance was genuine and thorough.
Comments:
Matthew 3:9
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.
And do not think to say among yourselves, ‘We have a father, Abraham.’ for I say to you that God is able from these stones to raise children from Abraham.
Paraphrase: And stop thinking that you have God’s special favor just because you are children of Abraham. Or do you think your circumcision will prevent God’s judgment from falling on you? Get rid of this delusion, people. God can make children of Abraham from anything, even these stones. Your family line is not what matters; it’s bringing forth good fruit that proves you are a good tree and truly repentant.
Comments:
Matthew 3:10
ἤδη δὲ ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται· πᾶν οὖν δένδρον μὴ ποιοῦν καρπὸν καλὸν ἐκκόπτεται καὶ εἰς πῦρ βάλλεται.
Now already, the axe is raised over the root of the trees; every tree, then, not making good fruit is cut off and into the fire is cast.
Paraphrase: Now the King has arrived and is lifting up the axe of His judgment over the root of your tree. He will inspect your fruit; and if He finds bad fruit, then He will swing His axe down onto the roots of your tree and chop it down. The reason is clear; where there is no good fruit, the root itself must be defective. (Matthew 7:15-20) He will take those trees, by which is meant all unrepentant persons, drag them out of His garden, and throw them onto a pile of worthless brush. Then he will set that pile on fire and burn it to ashes; such trees are good for nothing.
Comments:
For, see §1402.
Matthew 3:11
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,
I, on the one hand, baptize you with water in repentance; but the One coming after me is stronger than me, of whom I am not worthy His sandal to loose. He Himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
Paraphrase: If, however, you own your guilt and confess your sin, then you will be cleansed and washed from every impurity. You will be made fit to come into the presence of the holy God. Upon such repentance, I will take you into the river and baptize you with water. This is not all that will happen, however. The King of whom I have been speaking, will also baptize you. He will put away the axe of His judgment and will bring out His Holy Spirit. This Spirit He will pour on you as a mighty flood of pure water. (Joel 2:28-29) The cleansing will be so thorough; it will be as if you were cleansed with fire. No impurity will remain. God will look on you with great pleasure. (Isaiah 62:4)
Comments:
Matthew 3:12
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.
Whose pitchfork in His hand and He will cleanse His floor and gather His wheat into the barn; and the chaff, He will burn with fire inextinguishable.
Paraphrase: This Great King will have his pitchfork in hand. He will throw the wheat into the air in order to separate the grain from the chaff. The wheat he will gather up and store in His barn; the chaff will be piled up and burned with fire that will never be extinguished.
Comments:
Matthew 3:13
Τότε παραγίνεται ὁ Ἰησοῦς ἀπὸ τῆς Γαλιλαίας ἐπὶ τὸν Ἰορδάνην, πρὸς τὸν Ἰωάννην, τοῦ βαπτισθῆναι ὑπ’ αὐτοῦ.
Matthew 3:14
ὁ δὲ ‹Ἰωάννης› διεκώλυεν αὐτὸν, λέγων, Ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με;
Matthew 3:15
Ἀποκριθεὶς, δὲ, ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν ‹πρὸς αὐτόν›, Ἄφες ἄρτι· οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην. τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν.
Matthew 3:16
Βαπτισθεὶς δὲ, ὁ Ἰησοῦς εὐθὺς ἀνέβη ἀπὸ τοῦ ὕδατος· καὶ ἰδοὺ, ἠνεῴχθησαν οἱ οὐρανοί, καὶ εἶδεν [τὸ] Πνεῦμα [τοῦ] Θεοῦ καταβαῖνον ὡσεὶ περιστερὰν, [καὶ] ἐρχόμενον ἐπ’ αὐτόν.
Matthew 3:17
καὶ ἰδοὺ, φωνὴ ἐκ τῶν οὐρανῶν, λέγουσα, Οὗτός ἐστιν ὁ Υἱός μου, ὁ ἀγαπητός, ἐν ᾧ εὐδόκησα.