Exposition of Matthew 3:7-12

Part II

(The Ministry of John the Baptist)

May 26, 2020 

Questions to be answered in this study

1. People often say their excuse for not going to church is because there are hypocrites in the church. They are right. However, that is not a legitimate excuse for not attending church, why?
2. Some preachers today do not mention hell. Did Jesus in His sermons?
3. What was the last command Jesus gave the church before He ascended into heaven?
4. Where in the Old Testament was John the Baptist foretold?
5. What does the word baptism mean?
6. What does the term living water mean?
7. What was the difference in John the Baptist’s baptism and the baptism already practiced?
8. What were the three parts of John’s baptism?
9. What does the word repentance mean?
10. What are the three kinds of baptism?
11. Was John’s baptism not adequate, and therefore his disciples had to be baptized again?
12. What proof do we have that John’s baptism was legit?
13. Why did the 12 disciples of John the Baptist, who met Paul, need to be baptized again?

Introduction

In the last exposition of Matthew, we began a two-part study of the life of John the Baptist, the forerunner of Jesus. Today we take up part II of the ministry of John the Baptist, Matthew 3:7-12. Later on, beginning with verse 13, we will take up the baptism and the beginning of the public ministry of Jesus, and from that point forward, there will be little mention of John the Baptist. We have talked about the person of John the Baptist and the purpose of John the Baptist. Today we will primarily look at the baptism and the message of John the Baptist.

Matthew 3:7, “But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?”

The Pharisees were hypocrites. Theirs was an outward show of piety. Jesus said of them, “Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchers, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness,” Matthew 23:27. People say there are hypocrites in the church, and so they don’t want to go to church. They are right about the hypocrites in the church, but the question is, why do they go to the grocery store, the movies, and in fact, everywhere else where all those hypocrites go also? Aren’t they just a little bit hypocritical themselves?

Here is another interesting question: What if Preachers addressed their congregation as John did: “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” If they did, they probably would be looking for a job the next day. I would agree that preachers do not need to go that far. However, there is a need for more boldness in the pulpit today. For example, words such as sin and hell are considered inappropriate in many places. They weren’t for our Lord. He said more about hell than He did about heaven.

People heard about John, who lived in a remote location, and walked great distances from Jerusalem, Judea, and other regions to hear his message of redemption. John was an influential preacher preaching repentance. They began to repent of their sins and entered the Jordan river with John for baptism. John was faithful in delivering the gospel to all that came to him.

In His last words before He ascended into heaven, Jesus left us with one command: Mark 16:15 – “And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” John the Baptist existed for that one thing. The finer things of life meant nothing to him. It does not matter how well we do in everything else; we miss the mark if we do not share the gospel. We are not abiding by the final command Jesus gave His disciples.

Isaiah 40:3 foretells concerning the great John the Baptizer. “The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make straight in the desert a highway for our God.” In Luke’s gospel, we are told, “He will bring back many of the people of Israel to the Lord their God. Ane he will go on before the Lord, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the parents to their children and the disobedient to the wisdom of the righteous—to make ready a people prepared for the Lord,” Luke 1:16-17 (KJV). 

The word “baptism” comes from the Greek word Baptizo, an English transliteration of the original Greek word. It means “to dip” or “amerce into water.” Sprinkling or pouring does not meet the definition of the word, neither does infant baptism; baptism follows the repentance of sins and the confession of Jesus as savior. Jews were well-acquainted with baptism and emerged the entire body in water for cleansing purposes. They knew that John’s baptism was a symbol of their sins being cleansed away by the blood of the promised Messiah. That brings to mind that old hymn that we don’t hear or sing much anymore:

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you washed in the blood

In the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb?

Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Have you been to Jesus for the cleansing power?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you fully trusting in His grace this hour?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Are you washed in the blood

In the soul-cleansing blood of the lamb?

Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?

Are you washed in the blood of the lamb?

Some ceremonial cleansings required “living water,” the Jewish term for flowing or moving water. Some of the Jewish cleansing rites required living water or running. This explains why John’s ministry was set in the wilderness near the Jordan River. The Jordan was a source of moving water, suitable for baptism and also near Jerusalem. It was quite an experience for my wife, Margaret, and me to be at the location where John is believed traditionally to have done his baptizing. We were excited to be baptized a short distance from there in the Jordon River.

Although there were Jewish baptisms before John the Baptist, they were not Christian baptisms. They were part of the Law or ceremonial. They were for ritual cleanliness. They emphasized a need for cleansing away sin before God, but it was only the symbol. Today, we know that water alone can’t wash away sin any more than the Jewish sacrifices removed sin. Baptism of itself does not save. It is only a picture of what does save – the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus. They were instituted in Israel as a symbol pointing to the time Jesus would shed His blood to wash away sin permanently. There was also a practical reason, a bath, for physical cleansing from dirt and germs. The priests were to bathe before entering the Tabernacle and later on before entering the Temple. Washing was a symbol of spiritual cleansing.

John’s baptism was different from the old Jewish rights given under the Law. John’s baptism by immersion was symbolic of the death burial and resurrection of Jesus, as our baptism is today. We read in Romans 6:4 – “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

John’s message had three parts. Two of those parts are given in Matthew, and the third is provided in the gospel of John:

• The first part of John’s message was a call to repent, which is repeated in Romans 10:9 – “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.”
• The second part was to be baptized. Peter, a disciple of John, repeats the message of John the Baptist – “Then Peter said unto them, Repent and be ye baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the Holy Ghost,” Acts 2:38.
• The third was given in John’s message and was the promise of salvation and eternal life to those who trust in Jesus, John 3:16 – “For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should have everlasting life.”

Matthew 3: 8 – “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy for repentance:”

The words repent, or repentance is not always well understood. It’s different from just feeling sorry for wrongdoings. It comes from the same root word as the military term “about face” and spiritually applies to changing directions in thinking and living.

The concept of repentance wasn’t new, but the application was. John was applying it to a newfound faith in Jesus for the remission of sin. It was a call to get right with God. The religion of the scribes and Pharisees was an external show of piety while John preached an inward change, a newness of life.

The Kingdom of Heaven was a familiar term to the Jews but not so much for believers today. We discussed the three types of kingdoms in an earlier study: the worldly Kingdom, the heavenly Kingdom, and the Kingdom of God, so I’ll not repeat that today.

The prophets of the Old Testament foretold that the Lord would one day set up His Kingdom on the earth – this is the Kingdom of heaven or the millennial Kingdom. The Jews believed that this new Kingdom would be worldwide and the king (The Messiah) would rule all nations just as the Roman emperor of their day. However, Jesus the Messiah would be the ruler of a spiritual Kingdom and then, in the future, would set up His world kingdom (The thousand-year millennial reign).

This Kingdom of the Lord was promised at various times in the Old Testament. It was included in God’s covenants to the patriarchs and David and Solomon. Through the centuries, the Old Testament prophets foretold the coming of the Messiah and His Kingdom. Malachi was the last of those prophets. There were 400 years between Malachi and the birth of Jesus, 400 years of silence when there was no word from God to His people Israel. So, for the most part, Israel had ceased looking for the promise of a coming Messianic Kingdom. They weren’t prepared for it or the Messiah.

The Scribes and Pharisees had lulled the Jews into an external religion, the keeping of rules and regulations that ignored the need for a savior. There are those today who still believe a person must work for salvation when in reality, we work because we are saved and because we love the Lord. The Bible is clear that salvation is a gift and not something worked for to obtain: Ephesians 2:8-10 – “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: 9Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.”

John the Baptist, a new prophet, had come upon the scene in the wilderness, declaring once again that the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, meaning Jesus Christ the Lord. Jesus is synonymous with the Kingdom of heaven. You can’t have a kingdom without a king or a king without a kingdom. When something is “at hand,” it’s on the door’s step, it’s imminent. John was showing the urgency to repent and be baptized. The Old Testament prophets foretold the arrival of the Kingdom of Heaven and that there would be the resurrection of God’s people that had died and then the judgment.

Daniel the prophet pointed this out: Dan. 12:1-2 “Now at that time Michael, the great prince who stands guard over the sons of your people, will arise. And there will be a time of distress such as never occurred since there was a nation until that time; and at that time your people, everyone who is found written in the book, will be rescued.” 2“Many of those who sleep in the dust of the ground will awake, these to everlasting life, but the others to disgrace and everlasting contempt.”

Daniel was talking about a time in the future at the end of this present age, after the great tribulation when God would set up His earthly Kingdom and rule and reign for 1000 years. God’s elect would be called up to meet Him in the air, and the dead in Christ would “awake” from their graves and resurrected. Two judgments would take place, the judgment seat of Christ where the elect will receive their rewards, and then the Great White Throne Judgement later where the unsaved will be cast into the lake of fire. John’s message gave Israel a warning to repent, the same warning we should be giving the world today.

Matthew 3:9 -10 – “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham as our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham .And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.”

The warning above was to repent and be baptized less they miss the Kingdom of heaven and die in their sins, as we read in Luke 3:3 – “And he came into all the district around the Jordan, preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” In Luke 3:16, John answered and said to them all, “As for me, I baptize you with water; but One is coming who is mightier than I, and I am not fit to untie the thong of His sandals; He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. Again, in Luke 3:17-18, he says, “His winnowing fork is in His hand to thoroughly clear His threshing floor and to gather the wheat into His barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. So with many other exhortations, he preached the gospel to the people.“

Matthew 3:11-12 – “Indeed I baptize you with water unto repentance, but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire: Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the barn, but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.

John speaks of three types of baptism in the verses above: Water baptism, Holy Spirit baptism, and fire baptism. Water baptism was for repentance. The baptism of the Holy Spirit came on the Day of Pentecost, Acts 2:1-3 – “When the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. 2And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. 3And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” When a person comes to Christ today, they immediately receive the Holy Spirit.

Some confuse the baptism with fire with the day of Pentecost. Notice what the verse says in verse 3 – “And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.” It was not fire, only like fire. Baptism with fire is reserved for those who reject Christ. In Revelation 20:10-15 – Revelation 20:10-15 10And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. 11And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. 12And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. 13And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. 15And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.

“And the devil that deceived them was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night for ever and ever. And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. And the sea gave up the dead which were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them: and they were judged every man according to their works. And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire.”

Later, in Acts 19, we see Paul meeting some Jewish men in Ephesus that John had baptized years before. Here is what he says to them: “And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, 2 He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost.” Acts 19:1-5 (KJV).

The question is, was John’s baptism not adequate, and therefore his disciples had to be baptized again? What John preached was the pure gospel, and his baptism was the response to the belief in Jesus as their savior. As Paul pointed out above, John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in Him who was coming after him, that is, in Jesus.

When John learned that Jesus was the Messiah, he then directed the disciples that he had baptized to follow Him. John 1:35-40 – “Again the next day after John stood, and two of his disciples; And looking upon Jesus as he walked, he saith, Behold the Lamb of God! And the two disciples heard him speak, and they followed Jesus. Then Jesus turned, and saw them following, and saith unto them, What seek ye? They said unto him, Rabbi, (which is to say, being interpreted, Master,) where dwellest thou? He saith unto them, Come and see. They came and saw where he dwelt, and abode with him that day: for it was about the tenth hour. One of the two which heard John speak, and followed him, was Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother.”

Peter was one of John’s disciples; there is no record of Peter being baptized again. Probably most of the disciples were baptized by John. Another example was Apollos Acts 18:24-26 – “And a certain Jew named Apollos, born at Alexandria, an eloquent man, and mighty in the scriptures, came to Ephesus. This man was instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in the spirit, he spake and taught diligently the things of the Lord, knowing only the baptism of John. And he began to speak boldly in the synagogue: whom when Aquila and Priscilla had heard, they took him unto them, and expounded unto him the way of God more perfectly.” They did not baptize Apollos again; they just instructed him more thoroughly concerning Jesus. Not only had he been baptized of John, but he had also believed in Jesus for salvation.

The twelve who met Paul and were baptized again returned to their own home before meeting Jesus the Messiah. Furthermore, they were not with the other disciples of Jesus in the upper room when the Holy Spirit descended on the church. They had taken the first step but had not placed their faith in Christ as savior. There are also many in the church who have taken the first step, joined the church, and have been baptized but have not gone the course and trusted in Jesus as savior. Sadly, it is believed that the majority of church members are in this state, led to believe they are safe, when in fact, they are as lost as any unbeliever.