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Gospel of Matthew - Chapter 3
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Chapters 3 to 7 form Matt's Book 1: The Proclamation of the Kingdom. These collections of "sayings" of Jesus appear to have mostly come from another source than Mark's Gospel. As Luke also uses much of this material, but does not seem to be aware of Matt, this other source is called "Q" - the first letter of the German word for source, quelle. No written trace of Q has been found, and it may simply have been oral, although its use by two evangelists suggests it may have been written.
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There is no indication of time in Matt between the nativity narratives in chaps 1-2 and the beginning of the Passion in chap 26. Matt has organised these sayings, with short introductory narratives, into his 5 main themes, starting with proclamation, through mission, opposition, and church, leading finally to confrontation. Probably reflecting the reality faced by the infant Churches: proclamation and mission, before being faced with opposition from the Jewish authorities and eventual expulsion from Jewish synagogues. Ultimately the Church had to separate from Judaism: new wine in new wineskins. The old religion could not contain the new. But we have lost so much, by often being unaware of our Jewish origins, which Matt emphasises, and perhaps we should continue to seek reconciliation with the Jewish faith.
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First John the Baptist proclaims that the kingdom is coming, with graphic images of road, water, fire and axe. But he is then is surprised by the absence of pomp and ceremony when Jesus comes as an ordinary man to be baptised. At his baptism Jesus is equipped for his ministry by the Spirit and proclaimed to be the Son of God.
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1 The first mention of John the Baptist - Luke's gospel is not yet written, and Matt makes no mention of any relationship between Jesus and John. All 4 gospels have to start Jesus' ministry with his Baptism, it was clearly very firm in the tradition, and could not be omitted. Even though John the evangelist sees Jesus as "pre-existing", he has to mention the Baptist even in his Prologue. The "wilderness" is desert north-west of the Dead Sea, east of Jerusalem, in southern Judea.
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2 "Repent" - ie change your life and conduct, towards obedience to God. "Heaven" used by devout Jews to mean God without mentioning His holy name. 'Kingdom of heaven' used only by Matt. The kingdom of God/heaven means not only God's rule over his people, but also over all creation, including death. Prophets had said God's kingdom would come when sinners repented and for it to be brought in with the death of unrepentant sinners. This expectation was modified by Christians to a more gradual arrival in stages, already partially here, to be completed at the parousia of Jesus. Kingdom is not fully adequate to describe what Jesus is proclaiming: not a rule based on dominance or exploitation, but on fellowship, forgiveness, healing, with God's power empowering all who become disciples in an inclusive relationship with God. Notice John says "has come near" - it very close, both in time and physically as Jesus approaches him.
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3 Matt now tells us who the Baptist is - the one Matt sees as anticipated by Isaiah (Is 40:3), who was figuratively describing the triumphal return of the Jews from their exile in Babylon.
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4 John's clothing recalls that of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8), who was widely expected by Jews to return to prepare Israel for the final arrival of God's kingdom - seen by Matt as fulfilled by the Baptist.
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5 The people respond positively to John's invitation. His baptism is not a self-washing to remove ritual impurity, to be repeated often, but a once only ritual, administered by God's prophet and signifying repentance from sin.
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6 Ritual washing was practised by several groups in the area between 150 BC and 250 AD, including the community at Qumran. Recalls the crossing by the Israelites when they entered the promised land.
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7 Pharisees were lay men, notably devoted to the Law, and included the Scribes. Sadducees were priestly aristocrats, mostly in Jerusalem, but disappearing after the fall of Jerusalem in AD70; they accepted only the 1st 5 books (=Pentateuch) of the OT, which they interpreted literally, rejecting oral traditions. Hence they rejected resurrection of the dead, which was not found in the 1st 5 books. John warns them that the coming judgement will bring death to unrepentant sinners - implying that includes them - were they really repentant, or just hoping the ritual would save them? Only Matt mentions that Pharisees and Sadducees were among those who came to be baptised. Here Matt introduces the main opponents to Jesus, especially the Pharisees.
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8 John fiercely denounces the Pharisees and Sadducees for their insincerity, although this may be more Matt preparing us for Jesus' denunciations later: how would John know at this time of their opposition?
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9 They cannot rely on being born as members of Abraham's race - they must show appropriate behaviour to enter God's kingdom. It was this pride in their ancestry which they needed to repent of and take on some humility. They are no better than other Jews, and God could easily create some more children of Abraham from stones.
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10 Re-stating the message: the coming of God's kingdom is near, Those who behave badly will be destroyed. Urgent: the time for good deeds - 'good fruit' - is now. You must be a fruitful tree or be cut down and burned.
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11 The water baptism of John will be followed by immersion of the repentant in the cleansing power of the Holy Spirit, and of the unrepentant in the destroying power of God's judgement. But some see the Holy Spirit and fire as the same, with the effect of this baptism as either purification or destruction. Possibly for early Christians fire and the Spirit both brought to mind the 1st Pentecost, but for the Baptist the purifying and refining effects of fire and spirit may have been in mind. (Cf Ez 36:25-27; Mal 3:2-3). Only John's gospel mentions Jesus as baptising: here it probably refers to the whole of Jesus' ministry of forgiveness and healing.
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12 In winnowing the threshed wheat was thrown into the air: the kernels fell straight down, but the chaff was blown off by the wind - to be collected and burned. So Jesus will separate the righteous from the unrepentant at the end time (Cf Jer 15:7). 'Unquenchable fire' expresses the unending pain of those whose choices separate them eternally from the love of God.
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13 Matt, like the other evangelists, has Jesus "coming from Galilee", in this case all the way to southern Judea. John is as surprised as we are, after all the build-up, that the Jesus we last met as a homeless refugee child now comes as a simply dressed Jew, and starts playing a 'tune' totally different from what we expected. Jesus' baptism was not on John's agenda!
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14 John recognises Jesus' superiority, since Jesus' baptism with the Holy Spirit to come is superior to John's water baptism. So John is unwilling to have Jesus mix with the sinners being baptised by him. Only Matt has this dialogue. It probably tries to answer some of the problems early Christians had with Jesus seeking John's baptism. Why seek this from someone inferior? And why should the sinless one seek baptism of repentance? John continues to be surprised that Jesus' ministry differs from what he had expected (11:2-6).
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15 Usually 'fulfillment' in Matt refers to an OT prophecy and 'righteousness' to right moral conduct. But here it seems to imply that Jesus wishes to submit to the saving activity of God, by being identified with the sinners he has come to save. This is how Jesus is to do God's work, this is the 'tune' he is to play: to identify himself with God's people, to share their penitence, and to suffer with them. God's 'tune', not ours! We need to be open and ready to be surprised by God's plans for us. If we do so we will find we are prepared and led to the fulfillment we hoped for.
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16 Cf Is 42:1: "I will put my spirit upon him". The 'heavens were opened' - direct communication with the divine.
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17 In Mark (Mk 1:11) and Luke (3:22) God's words are addressed only to Jesus, but here it is a proclamation to all: Matt sees Jesus' baptism as an essential part of Jesus' proclamation of the kingdom (Cf Is 42:1 - "here is my servant"; Ps 2:7 - royal enthronement; Gen 22:2 - but the sacrificial act then interrupted by God will now go to completion). 'Son' has 3 meanings: (1) chosen servant of God (Isa 42:1); (2) Davidic son (Cf Ps 2:7); (3) Israel is God's first-born son (Exod 4:22-23). This filial relationship is now personified in Jesus. He is a son-servant to be sacrificed.
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Are we ready for the coming of the kingdom? How do we prepare better? What roads need straightening? What dead wood needs to be cut down? What rubbish to be burnt?