Matthew 3

The pride was the more inexcusable because the Jews were clearly warnedby their prophets that their privileges were not exclusive, and thatthey would by no means escape just punishment for their sins( Jeremiah 7:3 Jeremiah 7:4 ; Micah 3:11 ; Isaiah 48:2 ). John repeated this message, andJesus reiterated it ( Matthew 8:11 Matthew 8:12 ; Luke 16:23 ). We should note that inthis preparation for the gospel a blow was struck at confidence andtrust in carnal descent. Birth gives no man any privileges in thekingdom of God, for all are born outside of it, and all must be bornagain into it ( John 1:13 ; John 3:3 ); yet many still claim peculiar rightsfrom Christian parentage, and infant baptism rests on this falseconception. The New Testament teaches us that we are children ofAbraham by faith, and not by blood; by spiritual and not carnal descent( Romans 4:12-16 ; Galatians 3:26 ; Galatians 6:15 ; John 8:39 ). It had been better for theJews never to have heard of Abraham, than to have thus falsely viewedthe rights which they inherited from him.

3:10  And even now the axe lieth at the root of the trees¹: every tree therefore that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire².

3:11  I indeed baptize you in water unto repentance¹: but he that cometh after me² is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you³ in the Holy Spirit and [in] fire⁴:

3:12  whose fan¹ is in his hand², and he will thoroughly cleanse his threshing-floor³; and he will gather his wheat into the garner⁴, but the chaff⁵ he will burn up⁶ with unquenchable fire⁷.

3:13  Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to the Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him².

3:14  But John would have hindered him¹, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee², and comest thou to me³?

3:15  But Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it] now¹: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness³. Then he suffereth him⁵.

3:16  And Jesus when he was baptized¹, went up straightway from the water²: and lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove, and coming upon him;

3:17  and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.