Matthew 3 Summary in 5 Minutes

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MATTHEW 3 SUMMARY IN 5 MINUTES:

• WHEN:

  • The birth of Jesus probably occurred around 4 B.C..

  • From Luke 3:23, we know Jesus began His ministry when He was about 30 years old.

  • This would place the events of Jesus’ ministry roughly between 26-31 A.D..

• CHARACTERS:

  • Jesus - The Messiah. The Son of God who came to save the world from sin.

  • John - Son of Zechariah and Elizabeth. A prophet tasked with preparing the people for the arrival of the Messiah (the Savior).

  • Pharisees and Sadducees - Jewish religious leaders who opposed John’s teaching.

• WHERE:

  • John was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, a region west of the Dead Sea.

  • John baptized Jesus at the Jordan River (exact location unknown).

  • *see the map on the outline above.

• OUTLINE:

  • JOHN PREACHES IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDEA (3:1-3:6):

    • John was a unique man who wore camel hair garments and ate locust.

    • He was preaching “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

    • John’s ministry had been foretold in the Old Testament (Isaiah 40:3-4).

    • The people of Jerusalem and Judea went out to hear John preach.

    • John proclaimed a baptism for the remission of sins (Matt 3:6; Luke 3:3).

  • JOHN REBUKES THE PHARISEES AND SADDUCESS (3:7-3:12):

    • The Pharisees and Sadducees came to hear John preach.

    • John boldly rebuked them, calling them a “brood of vipers.”

    • He warned them of God’s judgement if they didn’t repent.

  • THE BAPTISM OF JESUS (3:13-3:17):

    • Jesus travelled from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.

    • Initially, John objected, because He knew Jesus was greater than him.

    • But Jesus asked John to baptize Him in order to “fulfill all righteousness.”

    • When Jesus came up out of the water the Spirit of God descended on Him like a dove.

    • The voice of God was heard from heaven saying, “ This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

  • BIG PICTURE:

    • Jesus’ baptism marked the beginning of His public ministry.

    • For about three years following these events, Jesus would go from town to town teaching, performing miracles, and sharing God’s plan for the Kingdom of Heaven.

    • The rest of Matthew’s gospel will be dedicated to those three years.

  • APPLICATION:

    • John became very popular during his time preaching in the wilderness of Judea.

    • Although he was popular, John handled his fame in a most godly way.

    • He never forgot that his job was to point the people to the Savior.

    • When Jesus arrived on the scene, John was quick to steer people’s attention away from himself and on to Jesus.

    • John was a great example of how a Christian ought to act.

    • Our job as disciples is to point people to Jesus, not to acquire fame for ourselves.