Matthew 3

After the birth and childhood narratives of Matthew 2, the account moves forward in time to the period just before Jesus begins his public ministry. The same events are recorded in Mark 1, Luke 3, and John 1.

Outline

• Verses 1–6: John the Baptist preaches in the wilderness of Judea, saying, "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." Matthew identifies him as the one spoken of by Isaiah, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness," and describes his clothing and food. People confess their sins and are baptized in the Jordan River.
• Verses 7–12: John calls the Pharisees and Sadducees a "generation of vipers" and demands "fruits meet for repentance." He declares that the one coming after him will baptize with the Holy Ghost and with fire and will separate the wheat from the chaff.
• Verses 13–17: Jesus comes from Galilee and asks to be baptized. John tries to prevent him, but Jesus answers, "thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." After the baptism the heavens are opened, the Spirit descends like a dove, and a voice speaks from heaven.

Key Verses

• Matthew 3:2 "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." These words are identical to Jesus' first proclamation in Matthew 4:17, linking the messages of John and Jesus.
• Matthew 3:11 "he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire." This verse contrasts baptism with water with the baptism given by the one who is to come.
• Matthew 3:17 "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." A voice from heaven reveals Jesus' identity.

People and Places

• John the Baptist: the prophet who administered a baptism of repentance in the wilderness.
• Jesus: comes from Galilee to be baptized.
• The Pharisees and Sadducees: Jewish groups rebuked by John.
• Abraham and the prophet Isaiah: mentioned in John's words and in the scriptural quotation.
• The wilderness of Judea: an arid region east of Jerusalem and west of the Dead Sea.
• Jerusalem, the Jordan River, and Galilee.

Points for Reflection

• "Kingdom of heaven" corresponds to "kingdom of God" in Mark and Luke and is generally understood to be a Jewish expression that avoids naming God directly.
• Pentecostal traditions connect the "baptism with the Holy Ghost and with fire" with the experience of baptism in the Holy Spirit, while the Reformed tradition generally reads it in terms of the outpouring of the Spirit at Pentecost and of judgment and purification.
• Baptists regard the phrase "went up straightway out of the water" as support for baptism by immersion, whereas Presbyterians, Methodists, and others hold that the passage does not prescribe a particular mode of baptism. The topic is treated in detail in the article Baptism and Immersion.
• Why the sinless Jesus received a baptism of repentance is a long-standing question, and interpretations of the phrase "fulfil all righteousness" in verse 15 vary.
• Because the voice of the Father, the Son, and the Spirit descending like a dove appear together, the scene is often cited as a biblical illustration of the doctrine of the Trinity.

In Korean Churches

In the Revised Common Lectionary used by churches that follow the liturgical calendar, verses 13–17 are read on the Sunday of the Baptism of the Lord during the Epiphany season, and verses 1–12 are read during Advent. The chapter is also frequently used in sermons at baptismal services.