John (Matthew 3)
Matthew introduces Jesus’ ministry in the same way as all of the other Gospel writers, with John the Baptist. In straightforward fashion, he tells the story. John is a preacher in the wilderness, warning Jews to repent and to be baptized as a sign of that repentance. Jesus arrives to be baptized, and is revealed to be the Son of God.
John’s message is simple, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” It is the exact same message that Jesus will preach later (4:17; See also Mark 1:15 for an expanded report.) This is the essence of the Gospel. To be sure, there is more to the message. We have the entirety of Scripture to supply the necessary context. However, it boils down to this concise message: repent! The essence of the Gospel is that we need to stop doing things our own short-sighted (and rebellious) way and turn back to God’s plan for creation.
The Kingdom of Heaven is first mentioned here. Matthew will go on to use “Kingdom” another 49 times, 31 of which will be attached to “of Heaven.” There is no doubt that Matthew sees his Gospel story as being about the establishment of a new world order, under the authority of the Messiah, the sacrificially loving King.
Another aspect clear here at the beginning of Matthews account, is that this Kingdom will not be merely another religious system. Jesus comes to fulfill the Law revealed in Scripture, but not as a system codified and enforced by religious leaders. The Pharisees and Sadducees are established right up front as the enemies of God. John calls on them to favor real acts of repentance over symbols and rituals like the baptism they have come for. None of that religious ceremony will amount to anything in the Kingdom. It is the true change of heart that counts.
John’s message is simple, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” It is the exact same message that Jesus will preach later (4:17; See also Mark 1:15 for an expanded report.) This is the essence of the Gospel. To be sure, there is more to the message. We have the entirety of Scripture to supply the necessary context. However, it boils down to this concise message: repent! The essence of the Gospel is that we need to stop doing things our own short-sighted (and rebellious) way and turn back to God’s plan for creation.
The Kingdom of Heaven is first mentioned here. Matthew will go on to use “Kingdom” another 49 times, 31 of which will be attached to “of Heaven.” There is no doubt that Matthew sees his Gospel story as being about the establishment of a new world order, under the authority of the Messiah, the sacrificially loving King.
Another aspect clear here at the beginning of Matthews account, is that this Kingdom will not be merely another religious system. Jesus comes to fulfill the Law revealed in Scripture, but not as a system codified and enforced by religious leaders. The Pharisees and Sadducees are established right up front as the enemies of God. John calls on them to favor real acts of repentance over symbols and rituals like the baptism they have come for. None of that religious ceremony will amount to anything in the Kingdom. It is the true change of heart that counts.
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