Study in the Gospel of Mathew,3

Today we study the third chapter of the Gospel according to Mathew. There are two biblical principles and their lessons which, I believe, they are useful in biblical counselling.

As Christ’s forerunner, John the Baptist preceded the Lord Jesus in birth, ministry, and death. Luke describes John’s birth but Mathew jumps directly into the account of John’s proclamation of the coming King.  John is called “the Baptist” because he baptised people.  Unlike the common practice of proselytes and Jews administrating ceremonial cleanings to themselves, John baptised those who came to him professing repentance and identifying with his message.

The Greek verb “repent” indicates the basic idea of reversal of thinking with changing one’s behaviour. In the New Testament, the kingdom’s heavenly came with the incarnation of Christ, continues with inception of the Church, and will be fully manifested with Christ’s return. John the Baptist assumed that the nation of Israel would repent and the kingdom would come. John was telling the Jews of his generation to repent in order to gain entrance into Christ’s kingdom.

As roads were repaired, smoothed, straightened, and levelled before a king came, so John was preparing a spiritual road for the Messiah before His arrival.  The quotation is taken from Is. 40:3, where the prophet Isiah announces the need to prepare a highway for the return of the Jewish exiles from captivity to their homeland, Isreal.

The Pharisees and Sadducees were two powerful prominent groups in Judaism during the time of Christ. These two groups claimed to be true followers of Jewish doctrine.  The Pharisees’ activities were centered in the Synagogues. The Sadducees, however, were associated with the priestly caste, for whom worship was centered in the temple.  Extremely conservatives, they based their beliefs essentially on the books of Moses from Genesis to Deuteronomy.  

John the Baptist linked his ministry to God’s axe, clearing God’s orchard of dead wood- especially which did not bear fruit of repentance. He identified the message of repentance by water baptism. However, the One coming after him (Jeus Christ) was so much greater than him. Christ would be characterised by a great display of the Holy Spirit in the lives of God’s people. Christ baptised His people in the Holy Spirit, but those who rejected Him as the Messiah Christ would be baptized with fire which is a figure of God’s judgement when He returns.

Jesus’ baptism, the One without sin, probably served several purposes:

1. Jesus joined with the believing people whom been baptised to carry their sins. Jesus will later carry the world sins on the Cross (only who believe in Him).
2. He confirmed the ministry of John.
3. He fulfilled the Father’s will.
4.  

The passage of “the Spirit of God descending” demonstrates the simultaneous existence of the three personas of the Godhead “the Trinity.” This passage also points to the Son’s voluntary humiliation in flesh, the Father’s delight in Him, the beloved One, and the Spirit’s desire to glorify Christ.  

Structure:

Verses 1-12: John the Baptist prepares the way.

Verses 13-17: John baptized Jesus.

Principle 5:3:8: ----" therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance.”

Lesson 5: Genuine repentance leads not only to change in attitude but also to a change in behaviour. Merely feeling sorry for some wrong action does not constitute repentance.

Principle 6: 3:15: -----” But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness’.”

Lesson 6: While Jesus walked this earth, He submitted Himself to the Law and to doing the whole will of His Father. Because He completely fulfilled the Law, believers also have fulfilled the Law through Him. (3/10/2026)