Category: New Testament
Scriptures:
Matthew 3:1-3:12
Mark 1:1-1:8
Luke 3:1-3:18
Matthew 3:1-3:12
1 In those days, John the Baptizer came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea, saying,
2 “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand!”
3 For this is he who was spoken of by Isaiah the prophet, saying, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.”
4 Now John himself wore clothing made of camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then people from Jerusalem, all of Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him.
6 They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming for his baptism, he said to them, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Therefore produce fruit worthy of repentance!
9 Don’t think to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father,’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones.
10 “Even now the ax lies at the root of the trees. Therefore every tree that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you in water for repentance, but he who comes after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.
12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor. He will gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn up with unquenchable fire.”
Mark 1:1-1:8
1 The beginning of the Good News of Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
2 As it is written in the prophets, “Behold, I send my messenger before your face, who will prepare your way before you:
3 the voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord! Make his paths straight!’”
4 John came baptizing in the wilderness and preaching the baptism of repentance for forgiveness of sins.
5 All the country of Judea and all those of Jerusalem went out to him. They were baptized by him in the Jordan river, confessing their sins.
6 John was clothed with camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist. He ate locusts and wild honey.
7 He preached, saying, “After me comes he who is mightier than I, the thong of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and loosen.
8 I baptized you in water, but he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit.”
Luke 3:1-3:18
1 Now in the fifteenth year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate being governor of Judea, and Herod being tetrarch of Galilee, and his brother Philip tetrarch of the region of Ituraea and Trachonitis, and Lysanias tetrarch of Abilene,
2 in the high priesthood of Annas and Caiaphas, the word of God came to John, the son of Zacharias, in the wilderness.
3 He came into all the region around the Jordan, preaching the baptism of repentance for remission of sins.
4 As it is written in the book of the words of Isaiah the prophet, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness, ‘Make ready the way of the Lord. Make his paths straight.
5 Every valley will be filled. Every mountain and hill will be brought low. The crooked will become straight, and the rough ways smooth.
6 All flesh will see God’s salvation.’”
7 He said therefore to the multitudes who went out to be baptized by him, “You offspring of vipers, who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Therefore produce fruits worthy of repentance, and don’t begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!
9 Even now the ax also lies at the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doesn’t produce good fruit is cut down, and thrown into the fire.”
10 The multitudes asked him, “What then must we do?”
11 He answered them, “He who has two coats, let him give to him who has none. He who has food, let him do likewise.”
12 Tax collectors also came to be baptized, and they said to him, “Teacher, what must we do?”
13 He said to them, “Collect no more than that which is appointed to you.”
14 Soldiers also asked him, saying, “What about us? What must we do?” He said to them, “Extort from no one by violence, neither accuse anyone wrongfully. Be content with your wages.”
15 As the people were in expectation, and all men reasoned in their hearts concerning John, whether perhaps he was the Christ,
16 John answered them all, “I indeed baptize you with water, but he comes who is mightier than I, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to loosen. He will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and fire,
17 whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing floor, and will gather the wheat into his barn; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
18 Then with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people,
Commentary
John the Baptist was a prophet. His formal introduction in Luke is similar to the formal introductions of other prophets in the Old Testament.
John’s parents were elderly when he was born, so they might have died when he was young. This might have contributed to the fact that he spent much time alone. He developed a “strong spirit, ” which would be displayed many times in his confronting preaching style. (Luke 1:80).
John’s clothing was rough and durable, and his food was what he could find in the desert (Matthew 3:4). Roasted locusts are said to be very nutritious and not so bad to the taste, especially when dipped in honey. Wild bees stored honey in the crevices of wilderness cliffs.
John was living in the desert country where he grew up. The Jordan River runs through the desert for the last few miles before it reaches the Dead Sea, and this is where John began to preach (Matthew 3:1). Later, he preached in other parts of the country around the Jordan (John 3:23).
John told the people to repent of their sins and be baptised as a sign of that repentance. That was done to prepare for the new king of the Jews – the Messiah. John was the voice crying in the wilderness (Isaiah 40:3-5), preparing the way of the Lord (Luke 3:4). John preached to a Jewish audience. telling them not to take their salvation for granted just because their parents were Jews, but to understand that they had to obey God from the heart.