Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Home Page: Quantum Study Bible

Matthew 3

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

Words in italic type have been added for clarity. They are not found in the original Hebrew or Aramaic.

Matthew 3:¹ In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea,

Matthew 3:² and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Matthew3:³ 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.’ ”

Matthew3:⁴ Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.

• Note: John the baptizer dressed like Elijah.
  
  2 Kings 1:8 So they answered him, “A hairy man wearing a leather belt around his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”
  
• John the baptizer fulfilled the role of Elijah.
  
  Luke 1:17 He will also go before Him in the spirit and power of Elijah, ‘to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children,’ and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.”
  
  Matthew 11:⁹ But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I say to you, and more than a prophet. ¹⁰ For this is he of whom it is written:
  ‘Behold, I send My messenger before Your face, who will prepare Your way before You.’
  
  Malachi 3:1 The Coming Messenger
  “Behold, I send My messenger, And he will prepare the way before Me. And the Lord, whom you seek, Will suddenly come to His temple, Even the Messenger of the covenant, In whom you delight. Behold, He is coming,” Says the Lord of hosts.
  
  Malachi 3:¹⁸ Then you shall again discern
  Between the righteous and the wicked,
  Between one who serves God
  And one who does not serve Him.
  
  Matthew 11:14 And if you are willing to receive it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Matthew3:⁵ Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him

Matthew3:⁶ and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins.

• Were they confessing their sins to John the baptizer?

Matthew3:⁷ But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

Matthew3:⁸ Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance,

Matthew3:⁹ 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.

• Luke 19:40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.”

 Matthew3:¹⁰ 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.

Matthew3:¹¹ I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals (of authority) I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

• See Topic: Baptism

Holy means “to be set apart”. The Holy is separated from the common, the wheat from the chaff.
qōḏeš pronounced ko’ -desh. H6944.

Jesus is Holy, set apart, uncommon, sinless. He who is Holy and Set Apart will separate the Wheat from the Chaff and the Sheep from the Goats.

Matthew3:¹² 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.”

Jerusalem was purchased when it was a threshing floor by David who subsequently became King.
– 2 Samuel 24:21

The Wheat Gets Beat and the Chaff Gets Trashed Matthew 3:12 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 Baptizes Jesus

Matthew3:¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.

Matthew3:¹⁴ And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”

Matthew3:¹⁵ 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.

• The baptism of “death to self” in order to serve others led by the Holy Spirit.

Matthew3:¹⁶ 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.

Matthew3:¹⁷ And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

• Was it necessary for Jesus to be baptized since He was the sinless Son of God?
  
  • There are several types of baptism: 1) The baptism unto repentance, 2) The baptism unto death to self, and 3) The baptism of the Spirit.
    
  • The answer is “yes”. John’s baptism was a baptism unto repentance; but Jesus was not being baptized unto repentance, He was being baptized unto “Death to Self” and the “baptism of the Spirit”.
    
  • The Baptism of Death to Self
    
    • Luke 22:42 saying, “Father, if it is Your will, take this cup away from Me; nevertheless not My will, but Yours, be done.” (Death to Self)
      
    • Matthew 20:23 So He said to them, “You will indeed drink My cup, and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with (death); but to sit on My right hand and on My left is not Mine to give, but it is for those for whom it is prepared by My Father.” (Death to Self)
      
  • The baptism of the Spirit:
    
    • Acts 19:⁴ Then Paul said, “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.”
      ⁵ When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. ⁶ And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. ⁷ Now the men were about twelve in all.
      
    • Jesus also was baptized in the Spirit to fulfill all righteousness.
      John 1:32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.