Exegesis of Matthew 3: The Ministry of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus
Textual Notes
1 Ἐν δὲ ταῖς ἡμέραις ἐκείναις -- The expression “in those days” rings throughout prophetic scripture, serving as an important marker that something big is about to happen: Elijah has arrived to “turn the hearts of the faithful” (Malachi 4:5) and herald the coming of Immanuel -- the God who is with us. The God who is with us is about to begin His ministry and become the God who saves us. The phrase in those days isn’t always eschatological. But unlike more common references such as Gen. 6:4, this phrase is paired with the present, active verbs παραγίνεται, κηρύσσων (comes and preaching) instead of the simple past, making this a present and ongoing event.
2 μετανοεῖτε· -- The word μετανοέω generally means two things: 1) to change one’s mind, and 2) to feel remorse, repent, be converted (BDAG, 240). Here, the second-person imperative mood raises the tension of the verb to a command, declaring to the hearer a stronger urgency. Commonly, μετανοεῖτε would be translated simply as “repent” or “turn around.” But Jeffrey Gibbs argues that this imperative rises to the meaning of “be converted from unbelief to faith,” which fits the setting of John’s ministry along the Jordan River, where the prophet encounters Jews and Gentiles alike. In Matthew, the command to repent is repeated in 4:17, 11:20-21 and 12:41, with the last two examples tied to Gentiles coming to faith.
Matthew will reuse the phrase ἤγγικεν γὰρ ἡ βασιλεία τῶν οὐρανῶν at least three more times in 4:17, 10:7 and 16:19. With the perfect tense of the verb ἤγγικεν, the phrase is most frequently translated as “the kingdom of heaven draws near.” The tense also elevates these words beyond the simple past, inviting an eschatological understanding similar to those in Jeremiah (3:16, 18; 31:33; 50:4), Joel (3:1), and Zechariah (8:23).
3 φωνὴ βοῶντος ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ -- Matthew, like the other three gospels (Mark 1:3, Luke 3:3, John 1:23), makes it clear who is the “voice of one crying in the desert” (Isa. 40:3): It is John the Baptist. The word ἐρήμῳ, which can often be rendered as wilderness, has better meaning as desert, where the Israelites wandered in their sin for 40 years while God continued calling them.
4 τριχῶν καμήλου καὶ ζώνην δερματίνην ... ἀκρίδες καὶ μέλι ἄγριον -- The illustrations of John the Baptist wearing camel hair clothing is striking and provides anyone who knows the Old Testament with an instant connection to Elijah, who wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather around his waist (2 Kings 1:8; Zech. 13:4-5; Matt. 11:7-9, 17:10-13; Heb. 11:37). Chrysostom calls John’s clothing “symbolic of nothing less than the coming kingdom and of repentance.” John’s diet of locusts and wild honey indicates that he doesn’t worry about how God will provide for him. He also is wearing the clothing of an unclean animal (Lev. 11:4), which is certainly not forbidden by Law, but it is interesting if only because he calls men to a cleansing from sin.
5 ἐξεπορεύετο -- The imperfect verb in this verse would be best translated with the inceptive, meaning “they began to journey out.” John’s message is being heard all the way to Jerusalem.
6 ἐξομολογούμενοι τὰς ἁμαρτίας αὐτῶν -- The present tense particle leading off this phrase, which can be translated as confessing their sins openly, is a unique concept to the people of John’s day. This compound word is rooted with accepting a promise, which also lends it to fit well with Gibbs’ definition that John’s call to repentance is one of belief. The Israelites were very familiar with repentance. The prophets Joel and Ezekiel call out, “rend your heart and not your garments” (Joel 2:13) and “Turn! Turn from your evil ways!” (Ezekiel 33:11). But with exception to a few verses such as Psalm 32:5 -- “I will confess my transgressions to the Lord” -- the confession of sins is largely a corporate event (Lev. 16:21) in the Old Testament and has few individual references.
7-8 γεννήματα ἐχιδνῶν -- John isn’t polite when he sees the Pharisees and Sadduccees; he immediately rebukes them. Τhe word ἐχιδνῶν -- vipers -- is rarely used in scripture, but its use (notably Isa. 59:5 and Job 20:16, and even a singular form in Acts 28:4) in scripture is associated with sin, that is the poison that separates us from God and then kills us. The Pharisees, in particular, took great pride in knowing the Law and showing that they were keeping it, in which case they would have no need to confess of anything publicly. Just as Jesus will in the years to come, John decries the Pharisees for poisoning themselves with a refusal to believe that God would save them as the Scriptures declare (Isa. 35:4; Zech. 9:16). John points out that mark of their refusal bears out with their lack of fruit worthy of repentance (καρπὸν ἄξιον τῆς μετανοίας).
9 καὶ μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς· πατέρα ἔχομεν τὸν Ἀβραάμ -- Noting the present tenses of λέγειν and ἔχομεν, coupled with the aorist subjunctive δόξητε, this sentence of verse nine can be translated as “And do not presume to say in yourselves we have Abraham as father.” Davies and Allison, in their commentary, note that λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς is a Semitism meaning to think. What John is telling the Pharisees and Sadducees is that their lineage to the father of faith is no reason to believe God will save them simply because they are part of that nation. In pointing to common stones (λίθων), Matthew’s reference recalls Abraham’s great nation extending to all the families -- not just the Jews -- of the earth (Gen. 12:2-3).
10 ἡ ἀξίνη πρὸς τὴν ῥίζαν τῶν δένδρων κεῖται -- This is commonly translated as “the ax is lying at the root of the trees.” Scripture expresses similar images of how unfruitful trees will be chopped down and burned (Isa. 10:33-4; Jer. 11:19). Jesus also will later curse an unfruitful tree (Matt. 21:19). Meanwhile, fruitful trees stem from faith (Isa. 11:1). The present tense on κεῖται, translated as is lying, adds stress that the punishment for unfaithfulness is ongoing.
11 βαπτίζω -- The primary meanings for βαπτίζω means 1) to wash ceremonially for purpose of purification (BDAG, 164), and 2) to use water in a rite for purpose of renewing or establishing a relationship with God. Consequently, both definitions can fit into this sentence. First, Matthew’s use of βαπτίζω fits with purify because John says his baptism is for repentance. Then, John notes that Jesus will baptize in the future with the Holy Spirit, which fits the tense of the infinitive βαπτίσει, one that establishes a relationship with God.
12 ἄχυρον κατακαύσει πυρὶ ἀσβέστῳ -- This phase in future tense provides an eternal image: an inextinquishable fire will burn the chaff, in other words the waste left behind on the threshing floor Matthew further describes. The vividness of the adjective adds to the urgency of μετανοεῖτε in verse two, and seems to run parallel with the Parables of Weeds (Matt. 13:24-30).
13 βαπτισθῆναι -- Jesus, the sinless one, the one who didn’t need to repent, the one who had nothing to confess, begins our introduction to baptism by submitting himself as the passive recipient of the call to faith. The passive articular infinitive of βαπτίζω can certainly take the third meaning of the word -- to cause someone to have an “extraordinary experience” (BDAG, 164) because it expresses purpose. What is more extraordinary than being called by God to recognize your sin and to turn to the only one who can wash those sins away? As Jesus enters his ministry, it is noteworthy that this takes place in the Jordan River, which the Israelites had to cross to leave the wilderness.
14 ἐγὼ χρείαν ἔχω ὑπὸ σοῦ βαπτισθῆναι, καὶ σὺ ἔρχῃ πρός με; -- Coupled with the back story of Luke 1:41, it shouldn’t be surprising John the Baptist immediately recognizes Jesus. Thirty years earlier, he jumped for joy in the womb at the news that the Messiah was coming. When he sees finally sees him, he says he does have reason to rejoice, but instead finds himself confronted with confusion, saying, “I myself have need by you to be baptized, and you come to me?” In coming to baptism, Jesus completely identifies himself with sinful man, not as sinful man. The verb imperfect διεκώλυεν will clearly show itself to be conative: He “tried to prevent.”
15 πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην -- Jesus, who will later commission the apostles to baptize all nations in his name (Matt 28:20), first had to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness.” Some commentators argue that this phrase stresses the importance of Jesus obeying the law. The passive tense of the verb fulfill plays prominently in Matthew. Gibbs notes at least a dozen examples of passive fulfillment, in other words, God doing the work for us, and three general tenses of it. Furthermore, in the Old Testament, the righteousness is always connected to the works of God, not man.
16-17 ἰδοὺ -- This demonstrative aorist imperative demands attention in the most extraordinary way (BDAG, 468). Behold certainly works, but with the scene of the Trinity being revealed in a wonder of wonders, I will suggest that a more modern “shazam” is appropriate. As if the Messianic prophecies being fulfilled in rapid succession wasn’t enough of an identification, Matthew reveals the Spirit of God descending upon Jesus like a dove with a voice from heaven identifying him as his beloved son. The image is unmistakable.
Application
The OT prophets regarded sin as a personal and total aversion of man from God. And there is only one way to make it right: God with us must come to us to save us by fulfilling His righteousness, thus saving His creation by washing away the destructive force of our sin. Ultimately, he will do it exactly as he prescribed to the people of Israel, through Christ’s vicarious atonement on the cross. The great stoning of the world’s sin is still to come, but first, God washes it all away. The voice of one begins calling the people to belief, so that they can recognize the true need for repentance and begin confessing their sins individually, both those they know and those they don’t know. John’s baptism is accompanied by a call to bear fruit, without which, man is left with nothing. As James reminds us (2-14) faith without works is useless.
Martin Luther, in the Smalcald Articles, likens John’s work in the Jordan to the Law. “As Christ declares, ‘Repent and believe in the gospel (Mark 1:15). That is become different, act differently, and believe My promise. John the Baptist (preceding Christ) is called a preacher of repentance, but this is for the forgiveness of sins. That is, John was to accuse all and convict them of being sinners. This is so they can know what they are before God and acknowledge that they are lost. So they can be prepared for the Lord (Mark 1:3) to receive grace and to expect and accept from Him the forgiveness of sins.”
Jesus’s baptism reinforces that true repentance isn’t the work of man. We passively accept the ability to call out to God. To recognize sin in our life is the work of God. As Elijah first said: “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:37).
Jesus’s baptism reinforces that true repentance isn’t the work of man. We passively accept the ability to call out to God. To recognize sin in our life is the work of God. As Elijah first said: “Answer me, O LORD, answer me, so these people will know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you are turning their hearts back again” (1 Kings 18:37).
This copy of my paper does not include my footnotes. I would be happy to provide a fully-referenced copy of this if you are interested.
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