Articles Directory | Free Articles | Link Directory | Biblical Baptism - Putting Baptism into Context through Chapter 3 of the Gospel of Matthew

This current scripture is the initial direct reference to baptism within the complete Word of God. Through using the turn of phrase “In those days”, the Aposple Matthew is placing his account into it’s chronological perspective. He is furthermore revealing to the reader about years that had recently gone bye, and was most probably giving his account to his readers a prolonged time following the actions that he notes. So that we can find out those days Matthew is telling us about, we will need to study the previous chapters.

In the opening of his gospel, the author Matthew calls it “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ” (Matthew 1v1). At this point Matthew tells us his aim - to let somebody see The Lord Jesus Christ as a bona fide person who lived at a definite stage, was born to particular parents, and had the ministry and status of “Christ”, the anointed Messiah or Saviour. The remainder of chapter one tells us about the lineage of Jesus, and moreover a short description of how Mary got pregnant: “she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.” (Matthew 1v18)

It is in chapter 2 that we start to see the precise events that Matthew uses to place his account into it's historical period. The historical events here include:
· Jesus was born in Bethlehem (King David’s historical home) “in the days of Herod the king” (Matthew 2v1)
· Wise men came out of the east in the direction of Jerusalem, wanting to know “Where is he that is born King of the Jews?” (Matthew 2v1-2)
· The wise men travelled because, in their words, “we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him” (Matthew 2v2)
· King Herod asked the wise men at what time the star did appear (Matthew 2v7) and discovered that it had been nearly two years before (Matthew 2v16). It is probable nonetheless that he overestimated in an effort to be sure that Jesus was killed, thinking that the star had in actual fact appeared at His conception roughly 9 months earlier.
· Herod dispatched an order with the intention of all of the children less than the age of two within Bethlehem along with all of it's adjoining realm must be killed. This was his attempt in order to make certain that specifically a single baby, the baby Jesus, was also slaughtered. (Matthew 2v16)
· After the call of the wise men, Joseph escorted Mary and the baby Jesus in the direction of Egypt in a hurry, seeing that he had been warned about Herod's plans by means of an angel. (Matthew 2v13-14)
· Whilst Joseph, Mary and Jesus were living in Egypt, King Herod died so Joseph was told to go back to Israel with “the young child”. (Matthew 2v19-20)
· When Herod the king died, his son Archelaus ruled Judaea as the new king. (Matthew 2v22)

Unmistakably, the aposple Matthew places the events during the days of the Lord Jesus Christ within the situation of who was ruling Judaea, as well as a number of of their historical actions. This would most probably locate the birth of the newborn child to within a handful of days or weeks of the edict that king Herod had given in order to have him in addition to all further babies in and in the region of Bethlehem killed. It is possible that a number of Matthew’s audience had lost a child, brother or sister in this time and could associate the description of Matthew quickly to events within their individual family. It was into these times in their recent past that John the Baptist had appeared, preaching as well as baptising.

John the Baptist was not teaching within the temple or other places of worship, but in the wilds. Maybe he was unwelcome in the temple for one reason or another - the most likely cause was the teaching that he brought. To get further evidence of this, see additionally v7 3.

Shall we have a look at the message that he taught, which is set up within a few verses that follow the current one:

· Repentance was commanded to each and every one (v2)
· The “kingdom of heaven” was at hand - about to be revealed (v2)
· John the Baptist saw his own office as preparing the way in support of the ministry of the Jesus, sowing the soil, getting the whole thing geared up, and making His path a small amount quicker. (v3)

Without a doubt, precisely from the start of the scriptural account about baptism, repentance from sinful conduct was trapped within the meaning of baptism. This communication of repentance and baptism was preparing each individual that heard the teaching for the coming ministry of the Lord Jesus.