The One Year Bible Club with Teaching
Commentary by Nick Boork
January 3
Matthew 3:7 - 4:11
Commentary by Nick Boork
January 3
Matthew 3:7 - 4:11
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But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Therefore bear fruits worthy of repentance, 9 and do not think to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. 10 And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”
John Baptizes Jesus13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Satan Tempts Jesus4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Now in this passage of Scripture we see the John the Baptist was baptizing with water in the religious community came out to him. The Pharisees were the strict legalists of his day and the Sadducees were the liberals. John confronted them directly he preached his prophetic word from heaven saying brood of vipers who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? In other words, he wasn't even acknowledging their religious labels. John went direct to the heart saying are you here for the right reason or are you just coming out to mock me?
True Repentance Produces Good Fruit
This is why John said bring forth fruits of repentance. What does that mean? If you're really saved, a God worshiper, a God lover you're going to bring forth a change in your life, it's called fruits of repentance. In other words, you're not loving sin anymore, you're not doing the things that you used to do that were evil and sinful but you have changed your ways and turn back to the Lord with all your heart.
He says, you're going to say to yourself; we have Abraham as our father but he says God is able to raise up to Abraham children from these stones. What was he saying? You're identifying yourself with a former spiritual leader. That's what happens today. People try to identify their heritage and build their faith upon former leaders, churches, pastors and other works, even parents but you have to know God for yourself. You can't base your relationship with God on somebody else or even a denomination or a movement. No, your relationship with God has got to be one of a child with the Father directly.
Though you may be part of the church or denomination or have a great spiritual heritage as the Jews did with Abraham you're going to have to know the Lord for yourself. Then he warns saying the ax is laid to the root every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. He says I'm baptizing you with this baptism for the repentance of sins but there is a deeper work that is going to come. The Messiah will come and baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. That's a deeper work on the inside of our lives of transformation.
Repentance gets us ready for the spiritual work of transformation of the Holy Spirit!
When he says he's going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire that means God's purifying fire is going to do a work in us to sanctify us and set us apart for God. Then there will be a final judgment. That's what he's warning about here in verse 12 saying His winnowing fan is in His hand He will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. That's the final judgment. There will come a final judgment of those that are saved, that are gathered to Christ and to God and His kingdom. There will be a separation of those that are not saved. The Bible says you'll be like chaff with an unquenchable fire. In other words, the eternal fire and suffering, that's the fire of judgment.
Why Jesus was baptized by John
Then we see Jesus coming to be baptized by John and John says wait a minute, I really need to be baptized by you Jesus. Jesus was baptized not because he had to repent of any sin. No, Jesus Christ Himself was baptized because of a couple reasons. Number one, He said that he wanted to fulfill all righteousness. What's that mean? It means that He wanted to be the example leading the way for the people. Jesus Christ built upon the foundation laid by John the Baptist when he gave the great commission and said to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved he that believes not will be condemned. He commanded his disciples to baptize. So baptism is that symbolic ceremony of being cleansed. One of the initial ways people would show their faith would be that they are baptized in water identifying with Christ in his death, his burial and his resurrection from the dead the third day rising to a new life. This is why Jesus said to John allow it to be so because He was being the example for every believer.
Jesus was identified as the Son of God at His baptism in water
The Bible also says that as soon as Jesus Christ came about of the water the Spirit of God came upon Him. This was like a public announcement. A voice came from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Up till this time, Jesus had not performed one miracle he had not healed one person, he hadn't raised one person from the dead. As a matter of fact Jesus had not done anything in the ministry yet the heavenly father said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Why was the Father so pleased with Jesus? Because he pleased the father through morality. He made all the right choices not to sin and keep himself set apart to God and he loved the Father with all of his heart and that is what pleased God. Friends, if you really want to please God it's not all the works that we do. Works are important, ministry is important but what is more important is that we love the Lord and we dedicate our lives to following Him loyally.
Jesus overcame all the temptations of the devil
Next, we see the temptation of Jesus Christ as he went out into the wilderness. The Bible says he was led by the Spirit and tempted by the devil and he overcame in every area of his life. Notice the first thing that the devil attacked was his identity. He questions his identity, if you're the son of God command that these stones become bread. So here Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. It would have been really easy for him to say yeah that's a real good idea and just command the stone to be made bread and eat but he wouldn't be manipulated by the devil. He knew who he was as the Son of God. He had power to do whatever you wanted to as the Son of God but he didn't use that power. That was not his mission at this time. His mission was to overcome as the second Adam and he did. He prevailed spirit, soul and body against all the attacks of the devil and he used the very word of God that we have today and he said it is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouths of God. In other words, there is a higher power that is governing my life and it's not my flesh. I'm not going to listen to the manipulative words of Satan but I'm going to do the will of God.
Friends, that's what we need to do to. We need to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God and I'm glad you're in the study. Like Christ we need to learn how to become strong and take our stand in the Lord and in the power of his might in his identity. We are children of God and were not going to yield to the temptations of the evil one but we will overcome. This is what Jesus did he overcame all the temptations of the evil one spirit soul and body and then angels came and ministered to him. So he won the battle and Jesus Christ will help you win the battle and any wilderness and through any temptation that the devil throws at you. You can overcome because he says I have made you more than a conqueror and that's what we have in Christ Jesus.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) If you're saved make sure you're bringing forth the true fruits of repentance.
2) Allow the Holy Spirit to do the deeper work within you of purifying your thoughts, motives and attitude.
3) Follow Jesus Christ as Lord and be baptized in water and walk in the newness of life in Christ.
4) Know that Jesus Christ has already overcome the devil and made you more than a conqueror through him who loves you!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
John Baptizes Jesus13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. 14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him. 16 When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. 17 And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”
Satan Tempts Jesus4 Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. 2 And when He had fasted forty days and forty nights, afterward He was hungry. 3 Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” 4 But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” 5 Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, 6 and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” 7 Jesus said to him, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” 8 Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain, and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. 9 And he said to Him, “All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.” 10 Then Jesus said to him, “Away with you, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’” 11 Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.
OKAY, HERE’S MY TEACHING COMMENTARY
Now in this passage of Scripture we see the John the Baptist was baptizing with water in the religious community came out to him. The Pharisees were the strict legalists of his day and the Sadducees were the liberals. John confronted them directly he preached his prophetic word from heaven saying brood of vipers who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come? In other words, he wasn't even acknowledging their religious labels. John went direct to the heart saying are you here for the right reason or are you just coming out to mock me?
True Repentance Produces Good Fruit
This is why John said bring forth fruits of repentance. What does that mean? If you're really saved, a God worshiper, a God lover you're going to bring forth a change in your life, it's called fruits of repentance. In other words, you're not loving sin anymore, you're not doing the things that you used to do that were evil and sinful but you have changed your ways and turn back to the Lord with all your heart.
He says, you're going to say to yourself; we have Abraham as our father but he says God is able to raise up to Abraham children from these stones. What was he saying? You're identifying yourself with a former spiritual leader. That's what happens today. People try to identify their heritage and build their faith upon former leaders, churches, pastors and other works, even parents but you have to know God for yourself. You can't base your relationship with God on somebody else or even a denomination or a movement. No, your relationship with God has got to be one of a child with the Father directly.
Though you may be part of the church or denomination or have a great spiritual heritage as the Jews did with Abraham you're going to have to know the Lord for yourself. Then he warns saying the ax is laid to the root every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. He says I'm baptizing you with this baptism for the repentance of sins but there is a deeper work that is going to come. The Messiah will come and baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. That's a deeper work on the inside of our lives of transformation.
Repentance gets us ready for the spiritual work of transformation of the Holy Spirit!
When he says he's going to baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire that means God's purifying fire is going to do a work in us to sanctify us and set us apart for God. Then there will be a final judgment. That's what he's warning about here in verse 12 saying His winnowing fan is in His hand He will thoroughly clean out his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn but burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire. That's the final judgment. There will come a final judgment of those that are saved, that are gathered to Christ and to God and His kingdom. There will be a separation of those that are not saved. The Bible says you'll be like chaff with an unquenchable fire. In other words, the eternal fire and suffering, that's the fire of judgment.
Why Jesus was baptized by John
Then we see Jesus coming to be baptized by John and John says wait a minute, I really need to be baptized by you Jesus. Jesus was baptized not because he had to repent of any sin. No, Jesus Christ Himself was baptized because of a couple reasons. Number one, He said that he wanted to fulfill all righteousness. What's that mean? It means that He wanted to be the example leading the way for the people. Jesus Christ built upon the foundation laid by John the Baptist when he gave the great commission and said to go into all the world and preach the gospel. He that believes and is baptized shall be saved he that believes not will be condemned. He commanded his disciples to baptize. So baptism is that symbolic ceremony of being cleansed. One of the initial ways people would show their faith would be that they are baptized in water identifying with Christ in his death, his burial and his resurrection from the dead the third day rising to a new life. This is why Jesus said to John allow it to be so because He was being the example for every believer.
Jesus was identified as the Son of God at His baptism in water
The Bible also says that as soon as Jesus Christ came about of the water the Spirit of God came upon Him. This was like a public announcement. A voice came from Heaven saying this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Up till this time, Jesus had not performed one miracle he had not healed one person, he hadn't raised one person from the dead. As a matter of fact Jesus had not done anything in the ministry yet the heavenly father said this is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased. Why was the Father so pleased with Jesus? Because he pleased the father through morality. He made all the right choices not to sin and keep himself set apart to God and he loved the Father with all of his heart and that is what pleased God. Friends, if you really want to please God it's not all the works that we do. Works are important, ministry is important but what is more important is that we love the Lord and we dedicate our lives to following Him loyally.
Jesus overcame all the temptations of the devil
Next, we see the temptation of Jesus Christ as he went out into the wilderness. The Bible says he was led by the Spirit and tempted by the devil and he overcame in every area of his life. Notice the first thing that the devil attacked was his identity. He questions his identity, if you're the son of God command that these stones become bread. So here Jesus had been fasting for 40 days and 40 nights in the wilderness. It would have been really easy for him to say yeah that's a real good idea and just command the stone to be made bread and eat but he wouldn't be manipulated by the devil. He knew who he was as the Son of God. He had power to do whatever you wanted to as the Son of God but he didn't use that power. That was not his mission at this time. His mission was to overcome as the second Adam and he did. He prevailed spirit, soul and body against all the attacks of the devil and he used the very word of God that we have today and he said it is written Man shall not live by bread alone but by every word that proceeds out of the mouths of God. In other words, there is a higher power that is governing my life and it's not my flesh. I'm not going to listen to the manipulative words of Satan but I'm going to do the will of God.
Friends, that's what we need to do to. We need to be rooted and grounded in the Word of God and I'm glad you're in the study. Like Christ we need to learn how to become strong and take our stand in the Lord and in the power of his might in his identity. We are children of God and were not going to yield to the temptations of the evil one but we will overcome. This is what Jesus did he overcame all the temptations of the evil one spirit soul and body and then angels came and ministered to him. So he won the battle and Jesus Christ will help you win the battle and any wilderness and through any temptation that the devil throws at you. You can overcome because he says I have made you more than a conqueror and that's what we have in Christ Jesus.
WHAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE?
1) If you're saved make sure you're bringing forth the true fruits of repentance.
2) Allow the Holy Spirit to do the deeper work within you of purifying your thoughts, motives and attitude.
3) Follow Jesus Christ as Lord and be baptized in water and walk in the newness of life in Christ.
4) Know that Jesus Christ has already overcome the devil and made you more than a conqueror through him who loves you!
PRAYER TO APPLY THE WORD OF GOD TO OUR LIVES
ORDINATION
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll
We provide Ministry Credentials and Ordination through Diamond Ministerial Association. Click to learn more and apply! http://www.diamondinstitute.org/ordination
ONLINE COURSES
For Bible courses and ministry resources see our online school Diamond Institute. Enroll free today and get access to our free and pay as you go courses. http://www.diamondinstitute.org/enroll