Matthew 3:11-12

DAY 15

8-11-2024

Baptism: John’s vs Jesus’

Matt 3:11-12

Pray

Remember: No Sunday School September 1 and September 8. We resume on September 15 and will start chapter 4: The Temptation of Jesus.

Any questions from last week?

Review of Matthew so far: 

• Matt 1- Genealogy, pedigree and birth of Jesus Christ, The Messiah-King
• Matt 2 – Visit of the Magi, Escape to Egypt and Return to Nazareth
• Matt 3 – The ministry of John the Baptist: Paving the Way for The Lord

Read scripture: Matthew 3:11-12

“I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
The Holy Bible: New International Version (Mt 3:11–12). (1984). Zondervan.

OVERVIEW of TODAY’S PASSAGE

As John’s ministry time comes to a close, we see a couple of things in this short passage. 

1. In this passage, John begins to hand the baton over, as it were, to Jesus. John the Baptist says in the Gospel of John “He must become greater; I must become less.”
2. This passage also gives us a brief look at the difference between John’s baptism, and Jesus’ baptism. They are two different baptisms.
3. And finally, as John begins to depart from the story, in this passage we will get a brief glimpse of what Jesus will be bringing to us when he steps up to the plate in the middle of our next chapter, chapter 4. We will start that chapter when we come back from vacation on September 15. 

3:11 “But the Baptist’s greatest contribution to the gospel is his utter christocentricity. John knows that his message is not the Last Word, and that his baptism is not the church’s Spirit Baptism. Therefore, like every good prophet before him he turns finally from his message of the judgment of God to point—as the last of the OT prophets—to the sum of the promises of God: “Now I just baptize you with water to bring you into repentance (eis metanoian). But the one who is coming after me is so much stronger than I am. I am not even worthy to carry his sandals. He himself will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”
Bruner, F. D. (2007). Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 (Revised and Expanded Edition, Vol. 1, pp. 95–96). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Today’s Verses

V.  (NIV) “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

This verse, 11, is like a mini-summary of John’s life and mission, and shows us his role in this unfolding drama in Matthew; to preach a baptism of repentance, and to baptize with water. John recognizes his role, and, in humility, makes no attempt, however tempting it may be, to go beyond his role, to go beyond what God has given to him to do. In this he is a model Christian. Our Holman commentary says on the bottom of p. 37 ,that “John understood his place in the bigger picture.”

And The NIV Application Commentary says, “Here we get to the core of John’s ministry. He points ahead and beyond himself to another person.” 
Q: To what other person is John pointing?
A: Jesus

Q(s): Our commentary speaks a “bigger” picture on p. 37? What is that “bigger” picture? And – What is John’s role, or place in it? 
A: A herald, introducing The Messiah, The King of Israel. John the Baptist’s main role was to point to Jesus. The Kingdom of Heaven is at hand, as it says in vs 3:2, and people need to get ready. They need to take that first big step of getting right with God by confessing their sins, and repenting.

“The climax of John’s powerful ministry was to point to Christ.”
Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 37). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

Application:

John knew his role in the unfolding drama of God’s plan.

Q: Do we know the bigger picture for our own lives in God’s plan here today? 

And – 

Q(s): Do we know what our place in it?
A: John was  prophet. He knew and and acted like it. 
We are children of God the Most High!!
Do we know it? Do we act like it?

Do we know what our Spiritual gifts are? And – are we using them?
Do we know how to follow Jesus by following the Holy Spirit that He gave us? 
We have received the most precious gift in the universe, the gift of, not only the Holy Spirit, but the gift of God Himself!!
How do we respond to that? How should we act and think and feel about that?

Q: John baptized with water:  What do think this means?

Our commentary says on p. 37, 

John’s mission was to point people to Jesus, to “pave the way for the Lord, to make straight paths for Him,” to lead people to The Christ, and to help them see their real need a savior; John’s baptism did not provide salvation for anyone. Only Jesus could do that. But he did make them aware of their need, and them pointed them to the only one who could meet their needs.
With the public ministry of Jesus about to begin – the Kingdom of Heaven was at hand, and people needed to repent. 

Ok, let’s go back to our verse.

Vs 11 says, “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I ……

Q: What do you think the word “but” means in the second sentence?

A: It contrasts what is before it, with what comes after it: The word “but” contrasts John’s baptism and Jesus’ baptism; two different baptisms. 

conjunction

1. 1.
   used to introduce a phrase or clause contrasting with what has already been mentioned.”he stumbled but didn’t fall”
   (dictionary.com)
   

(NIV) “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.

John baptized with water, but Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit (1) and fire (2):  

Q: What do think this means that Jesus baptized with the Holy Spirit (1) and fire (2) ?

So, we have two parts here; #1 is “baptized with the Holy Spirit.” And #2 is baptized with fire.”

A: (#1 – the first part of what Jesus will be bringing – some people will be baptized with the Holy Spirit ) When we are saved, we are baptized into the Holy Spirit, or with the Holy Spirit, meaning that we receive the Holy Spirit permanently into our lives, our very selves. Jesus baptizes some people in the Holy Spirit. This baptism was first fulfilled as intended on the day of Pentecost. 

On the day of Pentecost (see Acts2), Peter said, “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins (this is what John did not have). And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Acts 2:38

Life Application Bible Commentary says, “This (referring to John’s baptism – my comment) was the beginning of the spiritual process. John baptized people as a sign that they had asked God to forgive their sins and had decided to live as he wanted them to live. Baptism was (back then as it is today ) an “outward” sign of commitment. To be effective, it had to be accompanied by an “inward” change of attitude leading to a changed life. (This is the true fruit of repentance – my comment). John’s ­baptism did not give salvation; it prepared a person to welcome the coming Messiah and receive his message and his baptism.”

‘John stated that the king would identify (baptize) some people in the life of the Holy Spirit”
Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 38). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

“Baptism with the Spirit is figurative language for inundation (flooded)  with heavenly grace.”
Beeke, J. R., & Smalley, P. M. (2021). Reformed Systematic Theology: Spirit and Salvation (Vol. 3, p. 135). Crossway.

“The biblical term for this outpouring of grace is baptism with the Spirit. It was revealed through the prophets, actualized at Pentecost, and explained by the apostle Paul.”
Beeke, J. R., & Smalley, P. M. (2021). Reformed Systematic Theology: Spirit and Salvation (Vol. 3, p. 135). Crossway.

The baptism of the Spirit signaled the inauguration of God’s kingdom. (This happened at Pentecost)
Beeke, J. R., & Smalley, P. M. (2021). Reformed Systematic Theology: Spirit and Salvation (Vol. 3, p. 139). Crossway.

1 Co 12:12–13 says, “The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body.” 
The Holy Bible: New International Version (1 Co 12:12–13). (1984). Zondervan.

(# 2 – some people will be baptized with fire) Fire here refers to judgement. 

“…the Messiah would baptize others in fire.”
Weber, S. K. (2000). Matthew (Vol. 1, p. 38). Broadman & Holman Publishers.

When Jesus returns at His second coming, He will bring judgement with, and anyone who does not truly believe in Him with a saving faith, will be judged according to their sins, and be cast into hell as an unrepentant enemy of God. Believe in the Lord Jesus and be saved!

Relevant Verses:

Question(s):

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V.  (NIV) 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

Q: Who do you think the first word “His” refers to?
A: Jesus. 

Q: What do you think a winnowing fork is?
A:  A winnowing fork is a tool with two or more prongs that farmers used to throw harvested grain into the air to separate the lighter chaff from the heavier edible grains: 

Q: Do you know what the wheat and the chaff represent?
A:  Believers and unbelievers

This speaks to the Two Camps

Jesus’ baptism into the Spirit means eternal salvation for those who believe, and Jesus’ baptism into fire mean eternal damnation for those who will not believe. These two baptisms  represents the Two Camps we talked about a couple weeks ago. So also, the “wheat” and the “chaff” in this verse represents the Two Camps. 

Relevant Verses:

Question(s):

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Additional notes/quotes

The Prophet Joel, in 2:12-13 illustrates/describes/defines true Biblical repentance:

““Even now,” declares the LORD,
“return to me with all your heart,
with fasting and weeping and mourning.”

Rend your heart
and not your garments.
Return to the LORD your God,
for he is gracious and compassionate,
slow to anger and abounding in love,”