Outline of Matthew Chapter 3

Read Matthew chapter 3.

Matthew chapter three is "The Baptism Chapter."

• Mt. 3:1-6 > the baptism of the common people
• Mt. 3:7-10> the (attempted) baptism of the Pharisees and Sadduccees
• Mt. 3:11-12 > the baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire
• Mt. 3:13-17 > the baptism of Jesus

Belief & Baptism (Mk. 16:16)

Read Mark 16:16.

(Note:  This verse is in one of two disputed endings to Mark.  Some early manuscripts do not contain 16:9-20. The following comment assumes that this verse is valid.)

Certainly, Jesus isn't teaching that water baptism is necessary for salvation.

1.  Salvation is the opposite of condemnation (MEV).

2.  Baptism is more than the ritual itself.  Symbolism:  total submersion; every area of life is affected.

3.  Meaning (?):  He who believes (our traditional use of the word) and is baptized (lives a "submerged life", an existence where belief affects every area of life and becomes a lifestyle) will be saved.

Therefore (Col. 1:1)

There is a saying among Bible interpreters:  "When you see the word 'therefore,' find out what it's there for."  Chapter 3 opens with the word "therefore."  We must look back to chapter 2 for context.

The dominant metaphor in chapter 2 is baptism.  The two ideas of baptism are dying (submerging) and raising (emerging).  Chapter 2 develops the dying motif, revealing what believers "died" to.

Chapter 3 develops the raising motif.  The word "therefore" invites continuation of the argument started in chapter 2.  Don't just die. Live! Don't just go under.  Come up!  Don't just walk into the water (to "die").  Walk out of the water and live differently!  Don't just put off the old nature.  Put on the new!

Claiming to live for Jesus while showing no evidence of a changed heart -- that's what is discouraged in chapter 3. My friend and my former district superintendent, Dr. Duane Durst, put it this way: "Salvation  makes transformation possible but not inevitable."

Daily Baptism (Mk 1:9-10)

Today's reading was Matthew 3 and Mark 1.

What's involved in baptism?

1. Humility. Jesus came down from Galilee to the Jordan. Jordan literally means "the descender." This reminds me of what John said: "Jesus must increase but I must decrease" (Jn 3:30).
2. Trust. The one being baptized puts trust in the baptizer. He trusts he will be pulled back up after being pulled under.
3. Cleansing. There is no part of you that is unaffected by baptism. That's why we submerge candidates.

What do I mean by daily baptism? No, you don't have to keep getting baptized in water. You do, however, have to keep on being cleansed from sin and defilement.

Instead of the water you go to the Word, the Bible. You submit to the Bible the same way you submit to baptism: with humility and trust. This means so much more than just reading the Bible. It is more about letting the Bible read you (Heb 4:12).

Matthew talks about being persecuted by God's Word (Mt 13:21). When it points out something, will you submit to the Word? Acknowledge it is right, confess sin, ask forgiveness (1 Jn 1:9).

Read Heb 10:22; Eph 5:25-27.