CHAPTER 3

(A.D. 29)

THE PREACHING OF JOHN THE BAPTIST

¹In those days (immediately preceding the introduction of Christ) came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea (the area near Jericho);

²And saying, Repent you (recognize ones wrong direction): for the Kingdom of Heaven (Kingdom from the heavens, headed up by Jesus Christ) is at hand (was being offered to Israel).

³For this is he (John the Baptist) who was spoken of by the Prophet Isaiah, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare you the Way of the LORD, make His paths straight (Isa. 40:3).

⁴And the same John had his raiment of camels hair, and a leather girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.

⁵Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan (the Jordan River),

⁶And were baptized of him in Jordan (dipped completely under), confessing their sins.

⁷But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees (two sects of self-righteous and zealous Jews) come to his baptism (Water Baptism), he said unto them, O generation of vipers (snakes), who has warned you to flee from the wrath to come?

⁸Bring forth therefore fruits (evidence) meet for (befitting) Repentance:

⁹And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father (pride): for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham (the Lord has raised up the Gentiles as children unto Abraham [Gal. 3:7, 14]).

¹⁰And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which brings not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire (Israel was cut down because of unbelief [Rom. 11:20]).

¹¹I indeed baptize you with water unto Repentance (Water Baptism was an outward act of an inward work already carried out): but He (Christ) Who comes after me is mightier than I, Whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear: He shall baptize you with the Holy Spirit, and with fire (to burn out the sinful dross [Acts 2:2-4]):

¹²Whose fan is in His Hand (the ancient method for winnowing grain), and He will thoroughly purge His Floor (purging it, that it may bring forth more fruit [Jn. 15:2]), and gather His Wheat into the garner (the end product as developedby the Spirit); but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire (the wheat is symbolic of the Work of the Spirit, while the chaff is symbolic of the work of the flesh).

JOHNS BAPTISM OF JESUS

¹³Then came Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him (signifying the greatest moment in human history thus far; the earthly Ministry of Christ would now begin).

¹⁴But John forbad Him, saying, I have need to be baptized of You, and come You to me?

¹⁵And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it tobeso now (permit Me to bebaptized): for thus it becomes us to fulfill all Righteousness (Water Baptism is a type of the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ [Rom. 6:3-5]). Then he suffered Him.

¹⁶And Jesus, when He was baptized (this was the beginning of His earthly Ministry), went up straightway (immediately) out of the water (refers to Baptism by immersion and not by sprinkling): and, lo, the Heavens were opened unto Him (the only One, the Lord Jesus Christ, to Whom the Heavens would be opened), and he saw the Spirit of God (Holy Spirit) descending like a dove, and lighting upon Him (John saw a visible form that reminded him of a dove):

¹⁷And lo a Voice from Heaven, saying (the Voice of God the Father), This is My Beloved Son, in Whom I am well pleased (the Trinity appears here: the Father speaks, the Spirit descends, and the Son prays [Lk. 3:21]).