Matthew 3 Commentary
The description of John the Baptist in verse 4 corresponds with the description of Elijah in the second volume of Kings. 2 Kings 1:8. The scripture intentionally links John the Baptist to Malachi’s mention of the second coming of Elijah. Malachi 4:5
The way for the LORD is paved by repentance! That is John’s sermon.
The people hear John’s sermon and some repent. Probably that is big enough a way for the LORD to come! And so He comes. A voice from Heaven confirms His arrival. The voice from Heaven calls Him “my Son”. It should be the voice of the LORD God Almighty!
Yes, the Son was born to us with the government on His shoulders. Named Immanuel – meaning ‘GOD-WITH-US’, the Son would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, and Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9.
The gospels confront us with all these functional titles!
But we also know that the Son doubles as the Servant of Isaiah 52 and 53, hence the events of Calvary.
The reference to the baptism in the Holy Spirit may be linked to the events of Genesis. Because of sin, the Spirit could no longer reside with humanity. The Spirit gives life and the absence of the Spirit means death. The baptism in the Spirit is hugely important for existence itself.
John says a lot of things in a couple of sentences. Of course, John hasn’t said that the Son would do all the things in one swipe. He simply states what the Son would do but remains silent on the timing of these events.
The Son Himself talks about “gathering the wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire” as an event beyond Calvary. It may be called judgment and it is packaged with the ‘second’ coming of the Son. But the existence of the Body of Christ and the world out there may suggest these events may as well be a “happening-right-now” situation. Whichever way, we know the values of the Kingdom of Heaven (the Body of Christ) such as righteousness aren’t issues for the future. You live them now and here.
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