MATTHEW LESSON 7

     In this lesson, we will begin with Matthew 3:1 "In those days
came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,"
Matthew 3:2 "And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at
hand."

     The name "John" means the Lord is gracious.  What a wonderful
name for someone who would proclaim the arrival of the King of Grace
(Jesus the Christ).  The rest of his name, the Baptist, just meant
that he was the baptizer.  Israelites had practiced a form of baptism
for years.  It was used as a symbol of being purified from sin by
older customs.  The washings in the Temple really were a form of
baptism.

     John, also, was teaching in a different way.  He was not in the
temple, but wherever there were people and water to baptize those
people in.  That was where he preached.  He preached mostly in an area
near Jericho and near the Jordan River.  This "wilderness" did not
mean an area heavily wooded, or like the jungles.  It just meant it was
out of the populated areas.  It, also, meant that he was out where the
ordinary people were.

     His message was a simple one.  Repent.  Today that message is
needed as the first step toward becoming a Christian.  You see, unless
we are truly sorry for our sins, we probably will not turn from them
and begin a brand new life with Jesus.  In a society that believes
everything is relative and there are no absolutes, we seldom see true
repentance.

     John's next statement fits our day just as well as the day in
which John was preaching.  Truly the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
There have been preachers ever since John bringing this same message.
God never changes, and neither does His message.

     Matthew 3:3 "For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet
Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye
the way of the Lord, make his paths straight."

     Isaiah prophesied that there would be one proclaiming the arrival
of Christ.

     John's message was simple here, as well.  He was saying straighten
your life up.  Do not cause problems for the Lord.  Be easy to be
found.

     Matthew 3:4 "And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair,
and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and
wild honey."

     Verse 4 brings a message of the simple life John lived, not one
dressed in finery.  The appearance was simple, but he brought the most
important message.  John was not concerned about what he wore, or what
he had to eat, just enough to sustain him.

     When we were in Israel in 1979, we discovered that there is a nut
grown in that region called a locust.  Perhaps, John was eating honey
and nuts, or maybe bugs and honey.  It isn't important.  We just
understand from this, that he was not concerned about things of this
world.  His only purpose was to proclaim the coming of Jesus Christ.

     Matthew 3:5 "Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and
all the region round about Jordan,"

     Even though he was not dressed in finery, his message was an
exciting one, and people from all the surrounding area came to hear
this man speak.

     Matthew 3:6  "And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing
their sins."

     His message was a commanding message.  They were sure his message
was true.  It seems that many confessed their sins and were baptized.
This baptism that John was doing was very similar to the custom of the
Jews.  The similarity was in that it was connected with sins being
forgiven.  We will see later on, that this was a different type of
baptism. After Jesus, baptism became a symbol of death, burial, and 
resurrection of Jesus.  When you go under the water, it symbolizes 
being buried with Him; and when you come out of the water,
it symbolizes rising from the grave with Him.

     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 and Sadducees were hung up in tradition.  The
Pharisees were what we would call the people of the middle class
today.  The Sadducees were from the upper class, and some from high-
priest families.  The law was everything to them.  They really thought
themselves better than just the average person.  They were righteous
in their own sight.

     When John called them "generation of vipers", he really was
revealing their hidden sins. They were Self-proclaimed experts.  He knew 
their personality and knew that from these groups would come much 
opposition to Jesus.

     Matthew 3:8 "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:"

     I think John was saying to them, you say you have repented; now
show me.

     Matthew 3:9 "And think not to say within yourselves, We have
Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these
stones to raise up children unto Abraham."

     John was telling these people not to expect to be saved, just
because they had Abraham as an ancestor in the flesh.  As we will read
in Paul's writings later on, that not the physical ancestors of
Abraham will inherit salvation, but those of the spirit (believers in
Christ).  Those, who by faith, have been grafted into the family line
of Abraham by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.  We are related to
Abraham through our faith, just as he was accounted worthy by his
faith.  We, also, see a message to these self-righteous people---that
God can take from the things they count as unimportant, and make of
them a family for Abraham.

     Matthew 3:10 "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."

     In this, John was telling this people, you have had your chance.
Preparation had been made.  If you are not productive to the kingdom,
you will be cut down.  Just as we will see in a later lesson where
Jesus cursed the fig tree, and it withered and died.

     Matthew 3:11 "I indeed 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 Ghost, and [with]
fire:"

     Here, we see the symbol of water to the reality of the Spirit.
John was telling these people, I am as low as a servant boy is to a
king.  He wanted them to know, without controversy, that he was not
Messiah.  He was a voice proclaiming Messiah's arrival.  John was saying,
truly my baptism (baptism of repentance) is important, you must
repent; but there is a better baptism (baptism of the Spirit) that is
the earnest of the Spirit (2 Cor. l:22). He was saying, when you receive
this baptism of the Holy Ghost, it will set you on fire for God.

     Matthew 3:12  "Whose fan [is] in his hand, and he will throughly
purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will
burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."

     This Scripture was saying He (Jesus) will stir up the people.  He
will separate the good (wheat) from the evil.  This floor, probably,
spiritually meant the whole world.  He shall gather all believers
together unto Him, and they shall become united in Him (the Bride of
Christ).  "He will burn up the chaff" just meant the wicked shall burn
eternally.

     Matthew 3:13 "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John,
to be baptized of him."

     In this Scripture above, it seems important to know that Jesus
had been living in Galilee, of which the little town of Nazareth was a
part.  He sought John out specifically to baptize Him, probably to
show His association with John.  They were cousins in the flesh, and,
also, John would recognize Him.  John would be able to see with his
own eyes the One he had been proclaiming.

     Matthew 3:14 "But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be
baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?"
     John felt so humble by this.  He knew Jesus was Messiah.  John
felt his need for the salvation Jesus had to offer.

     Matthew 3:15 "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be
so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he
suffered him."

     Jesus, in speaking to John, affirmed His authority; and John
submitted to the higher authority.  Jesus was telling John that the
correct thing for everyone to do is to do everything righteous.  Don't
give anyone the appearance of not fulfilling all righteousness.

     Matthew 3:16 "And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up
straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto
him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting
upon him:"  Matthew 3:17 "And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is
my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

      So much was told spiritually in these two verses, and yet, you
 cannot separate the two.  We know by the description of the baptism,
 that He went under the water; or else, how could He come straightway
 out.  The most important thing to me, in this Scripture above, is the
 agreement of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.
 The three were present at this important event, and not only present,
 but approving.  The Father God spoke of His approval in the Son.

     The Scriptures can tell us so much, if we will only take the time
to look.  The One in God is the Spirit.  They are in agreement.  There
are three totally separate personalities in one accord.


     Next lesson read chapter 4 five times.






















                          Matthew 7 Questions


1.  What is the meaning of the name "John"?
2.  What does "the Baptist" mean?
3.  Was John's baptism strange to the Jews?
4.  The "passing through the Red Sea" is a symbol of what?
5.  Where did John preach?
6.  What one word covered his message?
7.  Why are preachers still saying "the kingdom of heaven is at hand"?
8.  Who prophesied about the voice of one crying in the wilderness?
9.  What kind of message did John's clothing and food bring?
10. What was John's only purpose?
11. Even though John was not dressed in finery, did the people come to
    hear him?
12. When they were baptized in the Jordan, what else did they do?
13. What did John call the Sadducees and the Pharisees?
14. Who were the Pharisees?
15. Who were the Sadducees?
16. What did John say that God could use to raise up descendents to
    Abraham?
17. How are we, Christians, like Abraham?
18. What will happen to the unproductive?
19. John's baptism was to what?
20. What two things will Jesus baptize with?
21. What did John want the people to know about himself?
22. Who are the wheat?
23. Why did John submit to Jesus?
24. Why was Jesus baptized?
25. What was indicated by the Voice, by Jesus, and by the Dove?
26. The one in God is what?