JOHN THE BAPTIST

Preparing the way of the Lord - Study Texts: Matthew 3:1-12 Mark 1: 2-8 Luke 3: 3-17

As this is a brief summary only of the issues discussed you are strongly advised to read all scripture references

There are four main themes in this section (1) Repentance (2) The Kingdom of Heaven (3) the baptism of repentance and (4) the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

Matthew tells us very little about John the Baptist That might indicate that his readers already knew something of John. We have to turn to Luke Ch 1:5-25 to learn about the circumstances of John’s birth. Here we read of an aged, devout, childless couple, the priest Zechariah and his wife Elizabeth. As Zechariah is serving in the Temple, he sees the angel Gabriel, who tells him that he and his wife will have a son who will be a great prophet, and will go before the Lord “like Elijah”. Not only Zechariah (v.67) and Elizabeth (v.41) but John also (v.15) were filled with the Holy Spirit. It is remarkable that John was filled with the Holy Spirit even from birth NIV (the AV says from his mother’s womb). So this is an indication that John would have a very special role. Both Zechariah and Elizabeth began to prophesy after this happening. Remember the Holy Spirit had not yet been given; that wouldn’t happen until Pentecost, so this was a very special event. But that does not prevent God giving this gift to fit and equip people to carry out His work.

V.15 would indicate that John would take a Nazarite vow (Num 6:2-8) i.e. one who is separated from others and consecrated to God. In the circumstances of an ordinary vow, men consecrated some material possession, but the Nazarite consecrated himself or herself, and took a vow of separation and self-imposed discipline for the purpose of some special service. The vow of a Nazarite involved three things (1) abstinence from wine and strong drink (2) refraining from cutting one’s hair during the continuance of the vow and (3) the avoidance of contact with the dead, even on the death of ones own relatives. The period of time for a vow was anywhere from 30 days to a lifetime (Nu 6:1-21). It is generally acknowledged that John’s was a lifetime vow. Notable examples of others who took a lifetime vow are Samson Jdg 13:5,7 and Samuel 1 Sa 1:11.

V.1 – In those days John the Baptist came, preaching… He called on his hearers to repent of their sins, be baptised, change their lives, and prepare for the coming of the Kingdom of Heaven. He spoke of one greater than himself who was to come after. Luke 1:17 gives an early indication of what John’s mission and ministry was to be. He lived a simple lifestyle that challenged the religious leaders of the day, who lived in considerable luxury. He was fearless and denounced both Herod and the religious leaders. And yet with great humility he sees himself as nothing more or less than the voice through which God was addressing his nation. He takes no credit for his ministry. He is simply his Master’s voice. Yet see Matthew 11:11.

…in the desert of Judea… Probably as part of his Nazarite vow of separation he kept well away from populated areas and lived in the desert. Many believe he may have spent some time with the Essene community who produced the Dead Sea scrolls. However, people from Jerusalem, all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan came to hear his preaching v.5. Many went great distances (most likely on foot) to hear him and he had strong appeal among the common people.

…saying repent… John was the last of the OT prophets. He called the people to repentance and to renew their relationship with God. Joel 2:12-13. Repentance is a change of mind leading to a change of action. It involves a sincere turning from sin to righteousness and includes sorrow for, and confession of, sin and where possible, making restitution. Remorse is not repentance. In denouncing the religious leaders John told them to produce fruit in keeping with repentance v.8. A change must be evident to make it believable. The fruit of righteousness must be seen in our lives. Spirituality is spiritually discerned. Jesus proclaimed the same message of repentance. See Mt 4:17; 9:13; 11:20; 12:41, etc. The Apostles also preached repentance. See Acts 2:38; 3:19; 17:30, etc.

…for the kingdom of heaven is near…The phrase ‘kingdom of heaven’ is found only in Matthew where it occurs 33 times. It has also been called the Kingdom of God or the Kingdom of Christ in other Gospels but Matthew in writing to the Jews is aware of their sensitivity about using the name of God. The idea of God’s kingdom is central to Jesus’ teaching and is mentioned 50 times in Matthew alone. On studying the book we will come on it over and over again. The term “kingdom” in Jewish thought did not mean land or territory ruled over by a king. An alternative could be “royal rule” or “the right to rule as king”. Previously his throne was in heaven Ps 103:19 but John was saying it was at hand (near). Young’s translation of Luke 17:21 says ‘the reign of God is within you’. Most other translations say ‘ the kingdom of God is within you’. The new covenant, as prophesied by Jeremiah looked forward to a time when God’s law would be in men’s hearts, and each would know the Lord in an intimate way Jer 31:31-33. The fall recorded in Gen 3 was effectively man’s rebellion against the authority of God. The Kingdom of heaven is only for those who are willing to submit to the authority or rule or reign of God in every area of their lives.

V.3 – This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah….. The quotation following this to describe John from Isaiah 40:3, is found in Matthew, Mark and Luke and is highly significant. It forms part of God’s comfort to his exiled people: Her years of hard labour are over, her sins are forgiven. And it is against this background that the voice calls in the desert, ‘Prepare the way for the Lord’. Preparing his way was the centre of John’s mission. In ancient Palestine, roads were simply tracks on the hard-baked earth, apart from the occasional highway built for prestige purposes by some king. For instance, Josephus tells us that Solomon built causeways of black basalt stone to Jerusalem in order to facilitate access for pilgrims ‘and to manifest the grandeur of his riches and government’. These roads were built by the king’s command and kept in repair, as the king required, for journeys he was going to make. Then local inhabitants would be ordered to prepare the king’s highway for him. That is how John saw his mission. His preaching of repentance to a people who, without any prophetic vision for 400 years, had fallen away from their worship of God. Their country had been under constant occupation and rule by other nations, they had been carried away captive as slaves to other countries, and they had lost their identity. In these circumstances there must have been a great falling away from true religious practice and many may have embraced the gods of other peoples. It was into this situation that John was placed to try and reclaim the people for God and prepare their hearts for the coming of their Messiah. In what ways can we prepare the way for the Lord and make his paths straight in a society that has fallen away from God? Is it possible for us to be a hindrance and place obstacles in the path? Why?

V.6 – Confessing their sins, they were baptised. The Jews used baptism to initiate converts to the Jewish faith, so the people were familiar with the custom. But here John was baptizing Jews which was something never heard of before. Converts to Judaism underwent three elements in their initiation: the bath, circumcision and sacrifice. The baptismal bath was to wash away Gentile impurities. They were then said to be born anew, to have had their sins cleansed. In addition, males were circumcised, and the head of the family offered sacrifice. The bath was significant for its symbolism, uniting the convert with the Israelites in their passage through the Red Sea. John was now administering baptism to Jews as a sign of their repentance.

V.11 – I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who……will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. The Spirit of God is evident in the Old Testament although we have to search to find it. It displays God’s power in the creation of the world Gen 1:2. It reveals God’s will to the prophets Ezek 2:2-7. It bestows particular skills or powers on certain people such as Gideon or Sampson. Judg 6:34; 14:6. God’s Spirit is not a natural possession of man. It is God coming into the lives of man to empower and enable him to do His work. The Old Testament prophets had longed for the day when this gift would be widely available among God’s people. Ezekiel looked for a personal knowledge of God, a cleansing from sins, and a new moral power put within us as God’s Spirit wrote his law on the heart Ezek 11:19-20 (essential reading). John the Baptist came saying that the days when the Spirit is to be given are imminent. John does not profess to be able to give the Spirit. The gift of the Spirit is said to come through Jesus. John’s baptism does not confer forgiveness of sins but where there is true repentance God will forgive our sins. John’s forecast of Jesus baptizing with the Holy Spirit was fulfilled at Pentecost. This was a much superior baptism than John had to offer although repentance is a prerequisite of being born of the Spirit.