2.01 Reading Notes on Matthew 3 (summary)

Chapter 3

John’s “repent for the kingdom of God is near” is clarified by his angry question to the Pharisees, asking “who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” based on their coming to him to find out what he was doing.  We can belabor the point, but the fact that they came to him then constituted a semblance of “fleeing” the coming wrath suggests that the only given way to avoid the coming wrath is by coming, now.  The only reason I mention this is it’s another subtle reminder that not all judgment is in the future, and at least John’s focus on wrath was something coming in this life, to be avoided, rather than some future kingdom “balancing of things”.

He confronts, even before Jesus, the arrogance of their belief that being Jews meant anything before God; after all God could create children of Abraham from stones if he wanted (indeed children of Abraham are by faith, and not by birth as Gal 3 shows, and faith is granted by God by grace as Eph 2).  Concerning the coming wrath, they think themselves safe by virtue of their Jewish birth.  There’s no indication that this fear both they held and that John preached was anything but a real fear of a real horror to come.

John also shows that the proof of repentance is in the life lived.  This clarifies an important theological point: that a good life lived isn’t the ticket into heaven, but simply proof of repentance, nor (which is what we both know) is simple profession of repentance, or even association with godly people worth anything.  Here, I remember that even Bible Students had certain grades of favoritism depending on your association with them (“friends of the truth were not consecrated, nor even regular attendees, but we assumed they’d have an easier, even privileged time in the kingdom).  Sometimes it’s easier to prefer a quick alliance with people not fully willing to join us, and soft-sell the reality that true faith, as shown by a repentant good life, is the only thing that makes a difference.  This is the reason many Christians here stop preaching.  They hope there’s an easier way, and they hope there’s a softer message to preach.

For Israel, the great wrath appears to be Israel’s impending destruction.  John points out that the axe is at the base of the tree, ready to strike.  If they don’t bear fruit now they will be cut off and burned with everlasting fire when Messiah comes (an allusion to something greater than Jerusalem’s fall).