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Matthew 3:7-12

Matthew has prefaced the ministry of Jesus by introducing his readers to John the Baptist. From his
mothers womb, John was filled with the Holy Spirit, who endowed him with the ability of a fiery prophet -
in the spirit and power of Elijah.

Even Johns attire emphasized his role as an OT prophet, delivering the Lords exhortation to Israel to
repent - for the kingdom of heaven is here. The King had arrived - in the person of Jesus, Israels Messiah -
and He was gathering subjects into His kingdom, for the heavenly realm - any and all who were ready to
bow, to the King. John was sent to prepare Israel, to submit to their King.

That made the mission field of John exceedingly hard - because the hearts of the Jews were hardened, to
God. They were settled in their complacency, in the false sense of security they had from their religious
system of works. The fiery John sought to dispel that complacency.

Now, John preached in the wilderness of Judea, and as he became known, the Jews in the region went out
to hear him - including those in Jerusalem. They would have recognized in John a prophet of old - like
Elijah. They would have remembered Malachis prophecy, of the LORD sending Elijah to them - before the
LORD returned, in judgment (Mal 4:5, 6).

This would have created an urgency, on the part of the Jews - a decision needed to be made. They would
have weighed the words of John, most carefully.

Johns preaching wielded the sharp, two-edged sword of the Word of God (Heb 4:12). It pierced right to
the heart, so that each person could discern, in his own motives and intents, what was genuinely of God -
and what was really just sin cloaked in religious form. This brought many in Israel to a conviction of their
own personal sin - a preparation of heart to receive the One who could then save them from their sin -
Jesus.

The area of the wilderness where John was preaching was by the delta region of the Jordan River, where it
enters the Dead Sea. There John baptized those who came to the recognition that they were sinners. He
immersed them in the water, as they confessed their agreement with God, concerning their sin. This
symbolic baptism reflected their desire to be cleansed from sin.

Now, baptism is not an OT concept, nor was it a requirement of the Law. But it is rooted in ceremonial
purification (Lev 15:13).

Following the Babylonian captivity, baptism became customary for Gentile converts to Judaism. Jewish
religious authorities would have the convert immerse himself, in water.

They didnt get in the water with the Gentile convert, no doubt because this would have rendered them
ceremonially defiled. Nonetheless, this baptism signified the cleansing of the Gentile from his former sins,
and the union of him now with the people of God - the Jews.

And this brings to light why Johns baptism was so controversial - in that John wasnt baptizing Gentiles;
he was baptizing Jews. Why was John doing that? Thats what some of the religious authorities wanted to
know - which well see, as we continue.

Ill read from verse 5.

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[Matthew 3:5-12]

Now, Matthew writes that many of the Pharisees and Sadducees came to Johns baptism. Matthew did not
say they came to be baptized, did he? And its the apostle John who makes it clear that was not their
intention - not in the least. Lets take a look at Johns gospel, chapter 1.

[John 1:19-28]

v. 19 They dont want to be baptized; they want to know who this is - whos doing this baptizing.

John lists a different group of authorities here - priests and Levites. These both would have been involved
in the service of the temple in Jerusalem, which was controlled by the political sect known as the
Sadducees - wealthy, aristocratic members of the tribe of Levi.

The Sadducees were liberal Jews, who only held to the first five books of the OT, the Pentateuch, as
authoritative. They were rationalists, who only believed in this life: the here and now. No afterlife, for
them! In Scripture, we often find the Sadducees in collusion with the Romans to wield political power.

Matthew mentions that some Pharisees were present as well; John indicates that the Pharisees sent
delegates (v. 24).

The Pharisees were the legalists of the day, insisting on rigid adherence to the ceremonial fine points of the
Law, and even the oral traditions that had been added by the elders. The Pharisees were the self-appointed
teachers of the Law; as well as the ones who presided over baptisms - of Gentile converts to Judaism, of
course.

In that both the Pharisees and Sadducees are mentioned or alluded to, we can presume that this was a
delegation sent by the Sanhedrin in Jerusalem - the governing judicial council of Israel. Although the
Pharisees and the Sadducees were often opposed, they seemed to be united in their desire to investigate this
disturbing new development, in the wilderness.

So John answered their question: Who are you?

v. 20 John told them what they really wanted to know, didnt he? Was he the Messiah? And he made it
very plain - he was not.

So who is he? They continued to probe.

v. 21 Clearly John cut the figure of Elijah - the fiery prophet in the wilderness, clothed in camels hair, with
a leather belt - to a T! But notice Johns answer again - he is not Elijah. He came in the spirit and power
of Elijah - but he is not Elijah. Elijah still has not returned - but he will.

The Prophet refers back to the words of Moses, spoken to the children of Israel, just before Moses was to
die - and they were to go into the land of Canaan.

Moses told the people that the LORD would raise up for them a Prophet like him from among their brethren.
This Prophet would speak the words of the LORD to the people, and they must hearken to Him - or the LORD
would judge them (Deut 18:15-19).
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Who is the Prophet of the LORD, whose word must be obeyed, or one would perish? It is Israels Messiah.
But as you can see, the Jews questioning John thought this Prophet and their Messiah would be two
different individuals - a misconception shared by other Jews (Jn 7:40-41).

Nonetheless, John replied, he was not that Prophet.

Well, they knew who John wasnt - but they still didnt know who he was. So they persisted.

v. 22-24 I am the voice - the herald, proclaiming the arrival of the King. That is what John said about
himself - and nothing more.

Well, the delegation from Jerusalem heard enough, to move on to their next question.

v. 25-28 The delegation has rashly decided that the answer to their Who are you? is no one of any
importance. John did not claim to be the Messiah; nor Elijah; nor the Prophet. He was therefore no one
with any certain authority, in their estimation.

In light of this, they ask, Why - Why then do you baptize? What authority do you have to baptize
anyone? - and Jews, at that!

Why was John baptizing Jews? Remember in that day it was usually Gentile converts that baptized
themselves, a ceremonial cleansing from their former sinful life, marking the beginning of a new life, as
one of the people of God.

Well - John was showing that the Jews had this same need. They, too, were sinners; they, too, needed to
become one of Gods people - because they werent - any more than the Gentiles.

The Jews were an unclean people - each one, an unclean sinner, who must repent of their sins. And they
couldnt cleanse themselves from their own sin - this had to be done, for them - each one, personally.

Thats why John didnt have them baptize themselves; John administered it to them, under the authority of
God. The symbolism showed that only God could remove their sins, so that they could become one of His
sanctified people.

This was the authority by which John baptized; not the authority of the Jewish court, but of the real
Supreme Court - the court of Heaven. But the humble John does not cite this to be the authority by which
he baptizes; he merely says, he does it; he baptizes with water. And he doesnt say why!

John, and what he is doing, is not the issue. So instead, John redirects the delegation to the One they
should be seeking out. Well discuss what John says about Jesus a little later on.

[Return to Matthew]

So the Pharisees and the Sadducees came out to Johns baptism, conducting their surveillance mission, for
the religious establishment in Jerusalem. But John just continued to pursue his own mission from God - to
bring conviction of sin, leading to repentance.
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Now, Luke also recorded Johns cutting words that Matthew wrote in verses 7-12, but it sounds in Luke as
if the words were all directed at the multitudes. Matthews record suggests that at least initially, Johns
words were directed at the Jerusalem delegation - a detail that makes a great deal of sense, judging by what
was said, in verse 7.

v. 7 We can surmise that John might have called this out to the Pharisees and the Sadducees as he saw them
approaching. That these words were directed at them and not the multitude generally is reflected in Johns
metaphor: brood of vipers.

What is a brood? It is the offspring of a creature. If the brood here is vipers - poisonous snakes - what does
that make the parent? The Serpent, Satan? Yes. You can see how John perceives these religious rulers -
rightly so!

But here they are, pressing through this crowd of Jews to reach John - and John brings out the irony, in this.
Its like theyre rushing forward to get baptized! Here they are, in the midst of the repentant - its like
watching a bunch of snakes, wriggling to escape an encroaching fire - divine judgment! John certainly was
bold.

But now Johns words broaden to include the multitude.

v. 8-10 Johns exhortation in verse 8 - bear fruits worthy of repentance - has to be taken in the context of
the other things he was saying, here. John was not advocating doing good works to avoid judgment, and
receive eternal life.

Look at verse 10. The kind of fruit which a tree bears depends on the quality of life a tree possesses. A
good tree bears good fruit.

Good fruit is evidence of good life, in the tree. A repentant man will bear fruits worthy of repentance; they
are the evidence that he has repented.

The religious rulers were hypocrites. Some expounded the Word of God; others facilitated the temple
service; but in their hearts, there was no genuine faith in the Coming Messiah; just an evil heart of unbelief.
Their pious conduct was just a sham, and John assured them, God knew it. John was urging them - and
every other religious Jew present - to have a change of heart; to turn to God, and repent.

They could not lean on their religious ways - nor could they lean on their natural heritage, as children of
Abraham. That would also be a false assurance of deliverance.

We can envision John scanning the crowds of Jews around him, in the midst of the wilderness, with all of
its rocks and stones. John is making a play on the words children and stones, which are very similar in
the Aramaic.

There were other stones that God could use to raise up children. What might John have been thinking of?
The other sons of Adam - of the earth, earthy (1 Cor 15:47) - the Gentiles. Perhaps some of them were
present in the crowds, that came out to see John. Paul will write that only those who are of faith are sons of
Abraham (Gal 3:9) - those who believe into the Lord, as Abraham did.

And John shows the Jews just how imminent their judgment is; the ax is already laid to the root of the
trees. This speaks of a final removal of the tree.
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In Scripture, a tree often represents an individual man. John is not talking here about the judgment on the
nation - but on each Jew, individually. The Jews heritage in Abraham cannot help him - he will be judged
personally, based on his own life - on whether it bears good fruit.

If a man - even a son of Abraham - is still sourced in Adam, he cannot bear good fruit. What good, is such
a life? No good. It is fit only for destruction - judgment.

Having shown the certainty of the judgment that awaits the unrepentant Jews, and the imminence of that
judgment, John then began to speak of the One who could save them, from that judgment.

v. 11 Here John is clarifying that his baptism is symbolic, and just a preparation of heart - preparation for
the baptism that has real power. The power of it is based on the One who administers it.

We might think that John doesnt name this One here, but essentially, he does. He who is coming after
me in the Greek is more literally, the One coming after me. The Coming One was a title for Israels
Messiah.

Only the lowest of the low slaves was delegated to carry, or remove, the sandals of the master. Certainly
this is evidence of Johns humility, but Johns intent was to show how much greater the Coming One is,
than himself. Mightier; more powerful; far, far superior.

The Coming One, coming after John, would take the lead, to deliver men from their sin, through a baptism
with real efficacy - the baptism not with, but literally, in the Holy Spirit. The idea is that the Holy Spirit is
the immersive element.

What would this have meant, to the Jews? A great deal, from their Scriptures. They knew the Holy Spirit
to be Gods agent, in creation (Gen 1:2); in the generation of life. And the LORD had spoken through His
prophets to Israel, concerning the Holy Spirit. In fact, the very words that John had been speaking would
have reminded the Jews of a prophecy of Ezekiel.

Turn to Ezekiel chapter 18. The LORD was speaking to Israel about the responsibility of each Jew
individually, not to sin.

[Ezekiel 18:30-32]

Here is what John was driving home to the Jews; that they will each personally be judged for their sins,
unless they turn from their sin, and turn to the Lord GOD - Jehovah their Master. And in turning, they will
get a new heart and a new spirit. So what exactly does that mean?

Turn to Ezekiel chapter 36.

[Ezekiel 36:26-28]

The Jews had a heart of stone - based on their trying to keep the Law, the commandments. If they would
repent and turn to the LORD, He would replace that heart of stone with a heart of flesh - that of the Living
God, His Christ. And then the LORDs Spirit would dwell within each one - the Holy Spirit - who would
enable them to live righteously.

Israel also knew from the prophet Joel that the LORD would pour out His Spirit in the last days on all flesh,
and anyone who calls on the name of the LORD would be saved from the pending judgment (Joel 2:28-32).
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So the Jews would certainly make the connection that John was announcing that the last days had begun;
that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on all flesh; and that the Coming Messiah would baptize in the
Spirit anyone who repented, turning to Him to be saved. In doing so, the believer would receive eternal
life, the power to live righteously, and would truly become one of the people of God, in His Kingdom.

Now, we know that in our day that the Holy Spirit has indeed been poured out. We are actually still in the
last days - thats the church age, that will lead up to the return of Christ, to the earth. Men are being saved
from judgment as they come to Jesus, believing into Him.

But in Johns day, all this was still ahead. Since we will be seeing it unfold in Matthews gospel, I just want
to do a very brief review of the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

Turn to Acts chapter 2. After Jesus was resurrected from the dead, He told His disciples that they would
receive the promise of the Father - the baptism in the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5). On the day of Pentecost, the
Body of Christ received that baptism.

[Acts 2:1-4] We can see that this was not a symbolic baptism, but a spiritual reality. This was the baptism
of the collective Body of Christ in the Holy Spirit, by which they were anointed for their ministry - to
reconcile men to God.

Powerful manifestations of the Spirit accompanied this filling of the Body with the Holy Spirit, and each
disciple present was given the spiritual ability to speak in tongues - actual languages that were unknown to
the speaker. This ability served as a sign to the unbelieving Jews present, validating the disciples as being
of God.

As Peter began to speak to the crowd that had assembled, he indicated that what they were hearing was a
fulfillment of Joels prophecy - the pouring out of the Holy Spirit, in the last days (Acts 2:16-21).

Many Jews chose to believe into Jesus, and be saved from the judgment that was to come. As each one
believed, they were added by the Lord to His church - the Body of Christ (Acts 2:47).

It was the apostle Paul who explained how this adding of each believer is accomplished. Turn to Romans
chapter 6. Here Paul writes of a different baptism - into Christ Jesus, Himself.

[Romans 6:1-4]

v. 1-2 Paul is about to begin writing on sanctification - how to have power over sin. So first he states a
rhetorical question, here in verse one, which amounts to licentiousness.

Since as believers Gods grace abounds to us, does that mean we have license to sin - we can just go ahead
and sin, as a way of life, since God has already forgiven us? And whats Pauls answer? The strongest
no that the Greek possesses.

If we have genuinely believed into Christ, we should no longer sin as a way of life. Paul illustrates this
impossibility with one of the strongest certainties in life - death.

Youve died to sin. Paul personifies sin as a taskmaster, here. Can the servant continue to serve his
taskmaster, if that servant has died? No. Paul is saying - neither can you serve sin anymore - as your way
of life.
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Paul goes on to show how this death was accomplished.

v. 3-4 So Paul uses baptism to reveal the believers new position, in Christ. Paul is not speaking of a
symbolic baptism, but of a spiritual reality, which baptism illustrates well.

When a person believes into Christ Jesus, they are baptized into Him. Its like cloth being dipped into dye -
the cloth becomes saturated, and the dye binds to it. That shows the union of faith. United to Christ, what
happened to Him now happens to you - you are baptized into His death.

His death therefore becomes your death - with the result that you are justified - freed from all charges of sin
- and God can forgive you - youre freed from the penalty of sin.

And through that union of faith, you were buried with Christ. When a corpse is buried, it is separated from
the land of the living - from all that goes on in this world. And in this way, you were sanctified - set apart
from the world, set apart to God. God sees this as already complete - but under time, you are being
sanctified - freed from the power of sin.

Then Paul speaks of Christs resurrection - raised from the dead by the glory of the Father - in a glorified
body of spirit-life. Paul says, thats how we should walk, through our time, here on earth. In newness of
life.

We already have the spirit-life for that glorified body - eternal life. We should walk in it - here and now.
And as we do so, counting on what God has done for us in Christ, we dont let sin reign, in our mortal
bodies; grace reigns.

When we were united to Christ by faith, He brought us down into death with Him, and raised us up as a
new creation, in Him (2 Cor 5:17).

By one Spirit - the Holy Spirit - we were baptized into one Body - the Body of Christ (1 Cor 12:13). So we
have not only received spirit life for the body individually - we have become part of a collective Body
whose life is the Spirit. Both things are true. This is the baptism into Christ Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit,
that every person receives, the moment he believes.

[Return to Matthew 3]

In verse 11, Matthew records John as saying that the Coming One will baptize them, not only in the Holy
Spirit, but fire. Although some manuscripts omit the words and fire, we find that this is definitively
present, in Lukes gospel - which strongly suggests that John did say it that way: in the Holy Spirit and
fire. But what did he mean, by this?

Some think that this is an additional descriptive term for the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and point out that
fire was one of the manifestations of the Spirit, given at Pentecost. But I think there is no question that this
is not what John meant.

What has been the basic focus of Johns message? Repent - or be judged. In verse 7, John implied the
rulers were trying to flee from the wrath that is to come. What does that speak of? Judgment. In verse 10,
John spoke of trees being cut down and thrown in the fire. What does that picture? Judgment.
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What John is unquestionably saying, in verse 11, is that as Israels Messiah takes the lead, He will bring the
baptism that is the spiritual reality. And if one will not receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit by believing
in Him, then that one is choosing to receive His baptism of fire - judgment.

This is borne out in verse 12.

v. 12 So John used another well-known illustration - from the harvest of wheat.

In that day, threshing floors were built on the top of a hill, to take advantage of the breeze. They were
circular, and surrounded by stones, to hold in the grain as it was threshed by oxen pulling a sledge. This
process broke away the grain from the chaff, which is the indigestible husk of grain.

The grain was then winnowed tossed into the air with a pronged rake called a winnowing fan. The wind
blew off the light chaff - while the nutritious grain fell back to the floor.

John says that the threshing floor of Messiah will be thoroughly clean - there will be a complete separation
of His wheat from the chaff.

What happens to His wheat? It is gathered into His barn. Those who repent are baptized in the Holy Spirit
into the Body of Christ - the sons of God, being gathered into His kingdom.

But what about the chaff? The chaff gets burned up - theres the unrepentant, who will experience the
baptism of fire - judgment. And that fire is unquenchable - an everlasting punishment.

Johns preaching was intended to be provocative. Complacency needs provoking! But wasnt the fiery
John just a little bit - unloving? Some might say that, in our day.

Well, John recognized that his nation was in danger of an everlasting judgment - and, like his Lord, John
would have that none should perish - but that all should come to repentance (2 Pet 3:9). Thats true love.

Reading: Matthew 3:13-17, Mark 1:9-11, Luke 3:21-22, John 1:29-34, Isa 11:1-2, Acts 10:36-38, Ps 2.