Matthew 3

Paul Bukauskas

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Chapter 3

The following material is adopted from John MacArthur’s commentary on Matthew and his Study guide. Additional material taken from sources listed at the end

Read and summarize

RC Sproul

After two thousand years of redemptive history, recorded for us in the prophecies of the Old Testament, the voice of God became silent, and there was not a single word from God in prophetic utterance for a period of four hundred years. The last prophecy in the Old Testament is found in the book of Malachi: “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD, and he will turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the earth with a curse” (Mal. 4:5–6). Here at the end of the Old Testament God is saying that instead of bringing a curse upon the world, He is going to bring back the voice of Elijah the prophet. Four hundred years later that prophecy was fulfilled, according to Jesus, in the person of John the Baptist. Our Lord declared that John came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17). The Greatest Man ( 3:1-6 )

Q: If someone where to ask you what makes a man great, what would you say? Would Jesus or John the Baptist reach your standard?

— We recognize “great” men of this world who

— Are wealthy and accomplished in business

— have exceptional athletic or artistic ability

— Academic greatness

— Or born famous and are socially influential

— Jesus had none of these; born into a poor family

— Jesus said, “Foxes have holes and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head.” (Matt 8:20 )

— John the Baptist had even less, yet Jesus said he was the greatest man to have lived until that time ( Matt 11:11 )

The Man ( 3:1 )

Q: What is the meaning of the name John? What does “the Baptist” mean ( 3:1 ) ? How is John the Baptist described in Matthew’s gospel?

( 3:1-2 ) In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Hendricksen

In chapters 1 and 2 Matthew has revealed to us the greatness of Christ, the true Son of David, the One to whom even wise men from the east rendered homage. It is proper that a king, especially such a king, having a herald to proclaim his approach. This herald was John the Baptist

— John is the Greek form of the Hebrew Johanan ( 2 Ki 25:23; Jer 40:8 )

— Means Jehovah or Yahweh is gracious

— Baptist was attached to his name because it was an important part of his ministry

( 3:2 ) Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

— John announces that the kingdom of God is upon us

— Jesus would begin His ministry with the exact same proclamation ( 4:17 )

— God’s reign was about to assert itself in the hearts and minds of His people as never before

— His blessings were in store for all those who, by sovereign grace, would confess and forsake their sins and would begin to live to God’s glory

— When a new King or authority takes over you have to cut your ties with the old Kingdom

— Chinese proverb: ( 腳踏兩船 ) You cannot straddle between two boats

Repent and be baptized

RC Sproul

John was sent to Israel, and he called upon them to repent and be baptized. His message would have scandalized the Jews, because the only people baptized prior to this time were those converting from paganism to Judaism. These converts, Gentiles, were considered unclean, so they were required to participate in a symbolic washing of their filth so as to become worthy to join the community of Israel. The convert baptized himself, as if he were taking a bath before he could join the community of Israel.

Going Deeper

— Elizabeth was beyond normal childbearing age ( Lk 1:6-7; cf. Gen 17:17 )

— John was filled with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb ( Lk 1:15-16 )

— His conception was miraculous, he was filled with the Holy Spirit before he was born, he was great in the sight of God, and he was to be the herald of the Messiah. This great man was a sovereignly designed and chosen herald for the great King

— The coming of the herald signified the coming of the King

— The beginning of John’s ministry was the beginning of Jesus’ ministry ( Acts 10:37-38 )

Repent

— Repent is probably not the best translation

— W. D. Chamberlain says, it is a rendering that “does not do justice to the original, since it gives undue prominence to the emotional element”

— A. T. Robertson says that it is “a hopeless translation” and J. A. Brodus goes as far as to say it is “the worst translation in the New Testament”

Hendriksen on Repentance

“ The idea of repentance is definitely included in the the Baptist’s terse admonition. Genuine sorrow for sin and an earnest resolution to break with the evil past is event emphasized (see Matthew 3:6 and Luke 3:13, 14 ). But repentance , though basic, is only one side of the picture. It might be the negative aspect. The positive is fruit-bearing ( Matt 3:8, 10 ). The word used in the original looks forward as well as backward. Therefore the rendering 'be converted' is probably better than 'repent.’ Conversion, moreover, affects not only the emotions but also the mind and the will. In the original the word used by the Baptist indicates a radical change of mind and heart that leads to a complete turnabout of life

McGee

— His message was exclusively to the Jews, God’s chosen people

— He preached repentance in preparation for the coming of the King (Messiah)

— Gospel or not the Gospel?

— Repentance is primarily for God’s people in any age

— This is the message to the seven churches in Rev 2 and 3

Note: Unsaved man is told to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, which is in effect repenting

— The expression "kingdom of heaven" means the rule of the heavens over the earth. The Lord Jesus is the King

— You can't have a kingdom without a king; neither can you have a king without a kingdom

— A king must have a kingdom. So what did John the Baptist mean by "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"? He meant that the Kingdom of Heaven is present in the Person of the King

Q: John was a New Testament character. True or False? ( cf. Matt 11:11 )

( 3:3 ) For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; Make His paths straight.’ ”

— We saw the OT prophet Isaiah refer to this prophecy of John the Baptist ( Isa 40:3-4 )— His crying was a cry of urgency for men to repent and turn from sin

— Just as trumpeters would blow their trumpets to announce the visitation of the king, so the purpose of John the Baptist was to cry in the wilderness to prepare the way of the king

Hendricksen

— They must make His paths straight implying they must provide the Lord with ready access into their hearts and lives

— They must make straight whatever was crooked, not in line with God’s holy will

— They must clear away all the obstacles which they have thrown into his path; such obstructions as self-righteousness and smug complacency (“We have Abraham as our father,” 3:9), greed, cruelty, slander (Lk 3:13, 14 )

Going Deeper

— A call for repentance was the same way Jesus and the disciples began the ministry

— Jesus said, “Repent and believe in the gospel” ( Mark 1:15; cf. Matt 3:2; 4:17; Lk 5:32 )

— The disciples “went out and preached that men should repent.” ( Mk 6:12 )

The Manner ( 3:4 )

Q: What king of message did John’s food and clothing bring ( 3:4 )?

( 3:4 ) Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

RC Sproul

— The camel hair that John wore was not the sort we find today in expensive outer garments

— It was one of the roughest, most crude, and cheapest forms of outer garment of the ancient world

— The honey he ate to survive was not the sort cultivated by beekeepers

— It was the wild honey obtained only at the risk of a thousand bee stings

— It was reminder of the many loves and pleasures that keep keep people from exchanging their own way for God’s ways

— People may be curious about your Christian lifestyle

— You can use this as an opportunity to share how Christ makes a difference in you

The Ministry ( 3:5-6 )

( 3:5-6 ) Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him 6 and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

— People came from all over Southern Palestine including both sides of the Jordan river

— These were the common people, which the Greek called the hoi polloi, not the nobility

— The common folk heard John gladly and were obedient to his word

— They submitted to Baptism which was not a traditional Jewish tradition

— Without confession of sin there is no baptism

— In contrast to the hoi polloi, the clergy, the professional religious people, were absolutely outraged that John would tell them that they were unclean and unready for the kingdom

Q: How would we have responded if we heard John? Would we have gone to the Jordan River for cleansing, or would we have refused to participate in the humbling ritual?

Going Deeper

Six things demonstrate the true Greatness of John

(1) He was filled with and controlled by the Holy Spirit ( Lk 1:15b )

( 2) He was obedient to God’s Word. From childhood he followed God’s will

(3) He was self-controlled, drinking neither wine or liquor ( Lk 1:15a )

(4) He was humble. His purpose was to announce the king not to act kingly. He said he was not fit to untie the King’s sandal ( Mk 1:7 ) and that he must decrease ( Jn 3:30 )

(5) He courageously preached God’s Word to whomever would listen

(6) He was faithful in winning people to Christ in turning “back may of the sons of Israel to the Lord their God “ ( Lk 1:16)

— Jesus honored John the Baptist with these words: “Truly I tell you, among those born of women there has not risen anyone greater than John the Baptist.”

He stands as a pattern for all who seek genuine greatness

The Fruits of Repentance ( 3:7-12 )

— Matthew records one sample of John’s preaching ( fierce , bold, courageous and exhorting )

— The parallel account ( Lk 3:1-18 ) gives more details but the message is the same

— A call to repentance and baptism, an inner change of mind and heart, along with an outward act that symbolized that change

— And a manner of living that demonstrated the change

The Congregation ( 3:7a )

( 3:7a ) But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism

— John singled out these two groups for a special warning

Pharisees

— Pharisee means “separated ones” and they are often seen separating themselves from Gentiles, tax collectors and sinners

— They were self-righteous and legalistic

— They followed the letter of the law but ignored the true intent

Going Deeper

—Pharisees often looked on with disdain common Jewish people , whom a group of Pharisees called the accursed ( Jn 7:49 )

— After leaving a market place or any public gathering they would perform ceremonial washings to purify themselves

— They formed a self-righteous “holy” community and were considered legalistic isolationists and had no regard for anyone outside of their sect

— Doctrinally, they believed in God’s sovereignty and divine destiny; they believed that they were the “true Israel”

— They were the epitome of religious emptiness and hypocrisy as Jesus often pointed out ( Matt 15:7; 22:18; 23:13, 23, 25, etc.)

Sadducees

— These were the ultra-liberals

— Carried very much about Mosaic law and scorned the legalistic traditions of Pharisees ( who they considered antagonists)

— In the NT they were closely associated with the priestly class ( Acts 5:17 ) so that chief priest and Sadducee are almost synonymous

— They did not believe in angels, the resurrection and most things supernatural ( Acts 23:6-8 ) which is why they were sad—u— see

Going Deeper

— The Sadducees were much fewer in number than the Pharisees and were extremely wealthy

— They ran the temple franchises — the money exchanging and sale of sacrificial animals

— They charged exorbitantly for these services

— It was the Sadducees business that Jesus damaged when he cleaned the temple ( Matt 12:12-13 )

— They were not popular with Jews because of their Temple racketeering and close ties with the Romans

Nothing in Common

— Religiously, politically and socially the Pharisees and Sadducees had nothing in common

— The Pharisees were ritualistic; the Sadducees were rationalist

— The Pharisees were strict separatists; the Sadducees compromising collaborators

— The Pharisees were commoners; the Sadducees aristocrats

— They had nothing in common and were in constant opposition to each other; the only thing that united them was their hatred of Christ and his followers ( Matt 22:15-16, 23, 34-35; Acts 4:1; 23:6 )

The Confrontation ( 3:7b )

( 3:7b ) he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

— John realized the insincerity and lack of repentance of both the Pharisees and Sadducees

— They intended to carry their hypocrisy even to the extent of submitting to John’s baptism

— As soon as a person showed interest in the gospel, the scribes and Pharisees would step between that person and Christ, as it were

— Tragically, they succeeded in turning many seekers away

— They had done the same thing to those who were drawn to God through the preaching of John the Baptist, and they would soon do the same thing to those who were drawn to God through the preaching of the apostles

— As soon as men and women came to John being baptized and confessing their sins, the unbelieving and unrepentant Pharisees and Sadduccees showed up, attempting to corrupt John’s work and confuse the people by pretentiously submitting to baptism but without genuine confession of their sins

— Discerning their hypocrisy, John called them a “Brood of vipers!

Going Deeper

— Vipers were poisonous desert snakes

— More dangerous for the fact that they often looked like a dead branch and were often picked up unintentionally

— Exactly what happened to Paul on the island of Malta when he went to gather wood for a fire ( Acts 28:3-5 )

The Condemnation ( 3:8-10 )

Q: Both John and Jesus preached a succinct message: “Repent!” What does this term really mean? What does it look like when a person truly repents?

( 3:8-10 ) Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.

— John adds, bear fruits worthy of repentance

— For repentance to be genuine, it must be accompanied by fruit-bearing

— A merely outward confession of sin will never do

What Repentance is Not

— Repentance is not sorrow of getting caught or remorse; sorrow from sin is not repentance

— Judas felt remorse, but he did not repent ( Matt 27:3 )

— Repentance is not a resolve to do better or a “New Year’s Resolution”

— It certainly is not penance, an activity performed to atone for one’s own sins

—But neither is repentance a solely intellectual issue. Surely even Judas changed his mind; what he didn't do was turn from his sin and throw himself on the Lord for mercy.

What is Biblical Repentance

— Always involves a changed life, a renouncing of sin and doing righteousness

— It involves an understanding in the mind, emotions ( pain and grief ), appropriate action based on what our heart and mind feels

— It involves a changed mind and a changed heart, a total about-face

—When Adam and Eve left the garden of Eden they were turning from God; repentance is turning towards God

—”For godly sorrow produces repentance leading to salvation, not to be regretted; but the sorrow of the world produces death.” ( 2 Cor 7:10 )

( 3:10 ) And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees.

— Judgement is at hand; the axe lies right in front of or, as we would say, “at” the root, with sinister intent, ready to hew down one tree after another

— Even now, right now, is the proper moment to repent and to believe

Going Deeper

Μετανοειτε ( Repent )

— The preface “meta” - something that refers back to itself; with or beside or after

— nous - the Greek word for mind; in the simplest terms this refers to a significant changing of one’s mind

— Has to do with the changing one’s mind with respect to behavior; regret that we have done some action; feelings are involved (remorse, regret, sorrow, grief )

— You can experience “repentance” without any understanding of the gravity of sin or the severity of God’s judgment against sinners

— That type of repentance does not lead to salvation, it is a repentance that denies the emotional and volitional elements of true repentance, but sadly taught by those who do not believe repentance is necessary for salvation (such a Hodges, Absolutely Free Charles Ryrie and others)

Fruit

— It is an inward response, not external activity, but its fruit will be evident in the true believer's behavior (Luke 3:8)

— As James says, “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.” ( James 2:17 )

— Our actions toward other men are indicators of our true attitude toward God ( 1 John 3:7 )

— John asked them to bear fruit of repentance but they could not

Going Deeper

— The Pharisees and Sadduccees knew a great deal about repentance

— That God fully and freely remits the sins of a penitent is a basic doctrine of Judaism

— The medieval Jewish scholar Maimonides said: “What is repentance? Repentance is that the sinner forsakes his sin, puts it out of his thoughts, and fully resolves in his mind that he will never do it again.”

—This basic understanding of Repentance is consistent with the OT ( Ezek 33:18-19; Hos 14:1-2; Jonah 3:10 )

— Repentance and the idea of renouncing sin and living a righteous life did not originate with John. The rabbis taught that Isa 1:16-17 was one of the most important passages in scripture

Isaiah 55:1-13, the classic Old Testament call to conversion, shows both sides of the coin

— Faith is called for in several ways: "Come to the waters ... buy wine and milk without money and without cost" (v. 1 ). "Eat what is good, and delight yourself in abundance" (v. 2 ). "Listen, that you may live" (v. 3 ). "Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near" (v. 6 ).

— But the passage also enjoins repentance: "Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord" (v. 7 )

( 3:9 ) ‘We have Abraham as our father.’

— Many Jews believed it as a great advantage being Jewish

— Many Orthodox Jews still believe that being Jewish assures them a place in God’s kingdom

— Some rabbis taught that Abraham stood guard at the gates of Gehenna ( or hell ) to turn back any Israelite who happened that way

— They claimed that it was Abraham’s merit that enabled Jewish ships to sail safely on the seas and send rain to the crops; and caused David’s prayers to be heard

— This exactly the kind of presumption that John the Baptist rebuked

The Consolation ( 3:11-12 )

Q: How was John’s baptism different from that of the Messiah ( 3:11-12 ) ?

( 3:11-12 ) I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

John’s Baptism

— John’s baptism was an outward profession of inward repentance just as our baptism today is an outward representation of an inward reality

— Paul said it this way, “John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.” ( Acts 19:4 )

— John’s baptism prepared the people for the coming king

— John provided the sign, but it would take one mightier than John to supply the thing signified

RC Sproul

( 3:11 ) He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire

Every Christian is united to Christ in His suffering, humiliation, death, and resurrection, and we have been baptized by His Spirit, and that baptism is a baptism of fire. This fire cleanses us, it purges and purifies us, and it produces what the crucible was designed to produce—the pure gold of sanctification. Think not that you come to a Savior who will keep you out of the fire. He will keep you out of the eternal fire, but in the meantime you stand in the furnace like Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego.

Jesus’ Baptism

— Messiah’s baptism would be different because His baptism would be with the Holy Sprit ( Joel 2:28; Ezek 36:25-26 )

— When we come to Christ we are baptized by the Holy Spirit and united with Christ

— Our water baptism is symbolic of an inward reality but it does not save

Infant Baptism

— The Roman Catholic Church has taught infant baptism since … but it has no relation to the baptism taught in the bible

— Among protestants there are some who promote infant baptism as an extension of the OT covenant ( see Additional Resources )

Going Deeper

Some say this fire is the holy spirit baptism which began at Pentecost accompanied by “tongues of fire” ( Acts 2:3 )

— In His last promise of the soon coming baptism with the Holy Spirit Jesus said nothing about actual fire being part of the experience ( Acts 1:5 )

— Cornelius and his household were baptized with the Holy Spirit but fire is not present ( Acts 10:44; 11:16; cf 8:17; 19:6)

Others say that fire represents spiritual cleansing as described in Ezek 36

— Nothing in Ezekiel’s text about cleansing is there any mention of fire

Fire may represent judgment

— The adjoining verses contrast the fates of believers and unbelievers who bear good fruit and those who do not ( 3:10 ); and wheat and chaff ( 3:12 )

— This verse could be a contrast between those baptized with the Holy Spirit and unbelievers baptized with fire ( God’s judgment )

Messiah will separate everyone who belongs to him, like a farmer

— He will gather up the wheat and place it in the barn, where it will be forever safe and protected

—He will burn up the useless chaff

— He will perform both functions but not in the time and sequence that the OT prophets and John the Baptist thought

— The final separation and judgment will be at Christ’s second coming ( Matt 25:46; Matt 13:47-50 )

Roman Catholic Baptism

— “Because of the uncertainty of faith, Church baptizes for the remission sins even tiny infants who have not committed personal sin ( 403 )

— Baptism is the sacrament of faith. But the faith needs the community of believers. It is only within the faith of the Church that each of the faithful can believe… The catechumen or the godparent is asked: “What do you ask of God’s Church?” The response is “Faith!” ( 1253 )

The Coronation of the King ( 3:13-17 )

— We might call this next section the coronation of the king

— We have seen the King’s ancestry ( 1:1-17 ), i.e., the genealogy

— His arrival ( 1:18-25 ), i.e., the virgin birth

— His adoration ( 2:1-12 ) by the magi

— His attestation ( 2:13-23 ), i.e., the fulfillment of prophecy

— And his Announcement ( 3:1-12) by John the Baptist

— Now we see his coronation

—And because He is no earthly King and His is no earthly kingdom, no men crowned Him - only God, while men watched

Baptism of the Son ( 3:13-15 )

Q: Why was it necessary for Jesus to be baptized ( 3:13-15 ) ? What was the significance of this act?

( 3:13-15 ) Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.

John adds, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ( John 1:29 )

— From the apostle John’s account, John the Baptist knew that this was God’s own appointed Messiah who came to fulfill God’s redemptive purpose

— John saw Jesus and issued the Agnus Dei, saying,

“Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” ( Jn 1:29 )

— It is clear from all gospel accounts ( cf. Mark 1:9; Lk 3:21; Jn 1:29 ) that Jesus came alone

— No family members of friends and no disciples

— Permit it fulfill all righteousness

RC Sproul

Commentators raise their objection to this, claiming there is no law in the Old Testament that would require Jesus to be baptized, but these scholars overlook something of vast importance. When John the Baptist came, God was bringing forth a new requirement of His law that goes beyond the requirements He gave through Moses and the prophets in the Old Testament, and that new requirement, imposed upon all of Israel, is to be baptized in preparation for the coming of the kingdom of God.

— In order for God’s plan to be perfectly fulfilled, it was necessary for Christ to be baptized

— Jesus modelled obedience for us to follow ( like pay taxes, obey civil authorities )

— It was also a symbol of His death, burial and resurrection

Going Deeper

John refused to baptize the Pharisees and Sadducees because they were unworthy of it

— He was reluctant to baptize Jesus because he was too worthy of it

John knew that baptism for repentance was totally inappropriate for Jesus

— It is right that he who had promised to offer himself as a ransom for many ratify that promise by means of submitting to baptism, thereby reaffirming his desire and decision to take upon himself and the carry the away the sins of the world.

— The water baptism signifies and seals the washing away of sin, and Jesus by means of this sacrament reveals Himself as the Sin-bearer

— Jesus says “us” to fulfill all righteousness, meaning He and John were fulfilling a role

— By saying that Jesus was perfect John was fulfilling his role of a herald and prophet by proclaiming the perfection of the Savior ( Heb 4:15 )

John’s baptism represented cleansing or washing from sin; Christian baptism represents the believer’s identification with Christ’s death and resurrection ( Ro 6:4; Col 2:12 )

Anointing of the Spirit ( 3:16 )

( 3:16 ) When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. — Jesus was fully submerged under water and came up from the water

— Baptism has always been about submersion and not sprinkling (which changed in the middle ages by the Roman Catholic Church)

— “Just as the veil of the Temple was rent in twain to symbolize the perfect access of all men to God, so here the heavens are rent asunder to show how near God is to Jesus, and Jesus is to God.”

— As Jesus was being initiated into His earthly ministry, He looked up and saw heaven itself

Going Deeper

— A veil covers our eyes from the inner chambers of heaven

— Sometimes, this veil is removed as in the case of

— Elisha’s servant when he saw the host of angels that had not been visible to him

— Stephen when he was being executed

— There have been those few moments in history when the veil that hides the glories of heaven is removed

( 3:16 ) and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him

— The dove alighting on His head was the Spirit anointing Him

— It was at His baptism that Jesus was anointed and empowered by the Father for His earthly ministry in fulfillment of the words of Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon Me” ( Isa. 61:1 )

—Like every human Jesus became hungry, tired and sleepy

— His humanness needed strength and that strength was provided by the Holy Spirit ( cf. Matt 4;1; Lk 4:14 )

Confirmation by the Father ( 3:17 )

( 3:17 ) And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” — We see all three of the trinity in these verses

— The Son ( 3:15 ) and the Spirit resting on him ( 3:15) and now the Father in heaven ( 3:17 )

— No OT sacrifice had never been truly pleasing to God

RC Sproul

Jesus heard the voice of God audibly, which is a rare occurrence in the Bible. Only three times in the New Testament is the audible voice of God heard, and on every one of those occasions that voice is testifying to Christ. People claim to have heard the voice of God telling them to do all kinds of things, but God does not speak audibly today, and He did it so rarely in the New Testament that He reserved those audible declarations for occasions such as this.

Q: Name three places in the NT where God spoke from heaven

— Matt 3:17, “I am well pleased”

— Matt 17:5, “Hear ye Him”

— John 12:28-29, “I will glorify”

Additional Resources

MacArthur, John. Matthew 1-7. Moody Press, 1985.

MacArthur, John. Matthew 16-23. Moody Press, 1988.

MacArthur, John. New Testament Commentary. Moody, 1985.

MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible, Word Publishing, 1997.

RC Sproul. Matthew: An Expositional Commentary. Ligonier Ministries, 2019.

Life Application Bible (NIV). Zondervan Grand Rapids, Michigan and Tyndale House Publishers. Carol Stream, Illinois

https://www.bible-studys.org/Bible%20Books/Matthew/Matthew%20Chapter%203.html

The Case for Infant Baptism: The Historic Paedo-Baptist Position: https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A361/case-for-infant-baptism-the-historic-paedobaptist-position

What is biblical Repentance: https://www.gty.org/library/articles/A330/what-is-biblical-repentance