John and the Baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:1-17)
The Preparation, Proclamation, and Presentation of the Christ
Imagine standing on the banks of the Jordan River, a crowd pressing in around you. The air is thick with expectation, repentance, and hope. You hear the unmistakable voice of John the Baptist—a man whose very presence, clothed in camel’s hair and a leather belt, speaks of the prophets of old. His words pierce through the wilderness like a trumpet call: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” (Matthew 3:2). The question hanging over the crowd is one we still ask today: What does this mean? And then, in a moment that changes history, Jesus steps into the scene.
Matthew 3 is not just a narrative about a prophet and a baptism. It is a divine unveiling—a moment where the Old Testament promises collide with New Testament fulfillment, where the voice of John heralds the arrival of the King, and where Jesus, the sinless Son of God, identifies Himself with sinners to fulfill all righteousness. It is a passage rich with theological significance and profound symbolism, and it demands that we ask ourselves some vital questions:
How do we prepare to encounter the living God?
What does it mean to live in light of His kingdom?
How does this moment at the Jordan reveal the very heart of Jesus’ mission and identity?
The baptism of Jesus is more than an isolated event—it is a turning point in God’s redemptive story. John’s ministry prepares the way, Christ’s baptism proclaims the arrival of the kingdom, and the voice of the Father presents Jesus as the beloved Son and the Savior of the world.
As Gregory of Nazianzus once said, “He comes to bury the old Adam in the waters and to sanctify the Jordan for our sake.” Today, we step into this sacred story to see how this moment transforms our understanding of repentance, the kingdom, and our identity in Christ.
The Preparation for the Christ (Matthew 3:1-6)
Picture the wilderness—vast, barren, and silent, except for the voice of one man crying out, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” John the Baptist, with his rugged appearance and fiery proclamation, evokes the image of the Old Testament prophets. His clothing, a garment of camel’s hair with a leather belt, mirrors that of Elijah, the prophet who confronted a rebellious Israel (2 Kings 1:7-8). But John’s message is not simply a cry of condemnation; it is a call to preparation. Something—or rather, Someone—is coming, and nothing can remain the same.
Here is the one that Isaiah foresaw, preparing the way of the Lord from the wilderness (Isa. 40:3). John’s location in the wilderness is deeply significant. The wilderness in Scripture is a place of testing, renewal, and divine revelation. It was in the wilderness that God shaped His people, Israel, after their exodus from Egypt. It was there that He provided manna from heaven, gave His law, and revealed His covenantal love. Now, in the wilderness, once again, God is stirring hearts to prepare for a new exodus—not from physical slavery, but from the bondage of sin and death.
The heart of John’s preparation is repentance. To repent is not merely to feel regret or remorse but to turn—a complete change of mind and direction. It is a call to realign one’s life with God’s purposes. John warns that the kingdom of heaven is near, meaning that God’s reign is breaking into the world in a way that demands immediate response. His baptism is a baptism of repentance, an outward act symbolizing an inward transformation. People from all over Judea and Jerusalem come to the Jordan, confessing their sins and being baptized, publicly acknowledging their need for cleansing.
Imagine the scene: crowds of men, women, and children wade into the Jordan, each one burdened by their own sins and failures, each one hoping for a fresh start. The river itself holds a profound symbolism. It was through the Jordan that the Israelites entered the Promised Land under Joshua’s leadership. Now, the Jordan becomes the place where they prepare for the ultimate Promised One, the Messiah, who will lead them not into a physical land but into the kingdom of heaven.
John’s message is neither comfortable nor accommodating. It challenges the complacent and confronts the proud. He is not content with shallow religiosity or external acts of piety. His call to repentance is a call to humility—to recognize the reality of sin and the desperate need for God’s grace. In this way, John’s ministry mirrors the work of the Holy Spirit, who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8).
Preparation, as John demonstrates, is not about ritual or tradition; it is about the heart. True repentance is not a box to check but a transformative turning that reorients every aspect of life. The same is true for us today. If we desire to encounter Christ, to see His kingdom more fully in our lives, we must begin with repentance. We must humble ourselves, acknowledge the ways we have wandered, and turn back to the One who is the source of life.
The urgency of John’s message still echoes today. The kingdom of heaven is not a distant reality—it is at hand, still invading into the present. And just as John prepared the way for Christ’s first coming, we are called to prepare for His presence in our lives and His ultimate return. The question is: Are we ready? Have we cleared the path in our hearts, removing the obstacles of pride, sin, and self-reliance?
As we leave the wilderness and approach the Jordan, we see that John’s preparation is only the beginning. The One who is mightier than John is coming, and He will bring with Him not just a message but the divine power to fulfill it. Let us prepare our hearts, not with empty words, but with humble repentance, so that we too may receive the King.
The Proclamation of the Kingdom (Matthew 3:7-12)
As the crowds continue to gather around the Jordan, John’s fiery words shift to a sharper edge. His voice, already bold, rises with a holy urgency. He sees Pharisees and Sadducees among the crowd—religious leaders who pride themselves on their outward righteousness and lineage. But John will not let their self-deception go unchallenged. He turns to them and declares, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7). His words are like the prophet’s sword, cutting through their pretense and exposing the poison beneath.
John recognizes what many fail to see: the present order of things is coming to an end. The age of the Old Covenant, marked by the Law, the prophets, and the temple, is drawing to a close. He is the last of the prophets in this long line—a voice that echoes the likes of Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Elijah, but with a unique purpose. John is the forerunner, the one chosen to proclaim that something new is arriving. This is not merely a change in religious practice; it is a cosmic turning point in God’s redemptive history. The kingdom of heaven is not just near—it is here, embodied in the One who stands among them, though they do not yet recognize Him.
John’s proclamation is both an invitation and a warning. He calls all who hear him to repentance, but he also announces the inescapable reality of God’s judgment. He declares, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Matthew 3:10). This imagery is vivid and unsettling. The axe is not in the distance—it is already at the root, ready to strike. This signifies the urgency of the moment: the time for complacency is over. The kingdom of God is breaking into the world, and it will not leave things as they are.
For John, the arrival of the kingdom means the arrival of the King. He humbly acknowledges his own role in God’s plan, stating, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry” (Matthew 3:11). In the ancient world, carrying someone’s sandals was the task of the lowest servant, yet John—a prophet revered by the people—declares himself unworthy even of this. His humility points to the unparalleled greatness of Jesus, the one who will baptize not with water but with the Holy Spirit and fire.
This proclamation reveals the seismic shift that Christ’s coming brings. John’s baptism is symbolic, preparing hearts for repentance. But Jesus will baptize with the Holy Spirit, marking the fulfillment of Old Testament promises like Joel 2:28-29, where God declares, “I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh.” The Spirit’s baptism signifies the arrival of the new covenant, where God’s presence is no longer confined to the temple but dwells within His people.
And yet, the baptism with fire carries a dual meaning. For believers, it is a refining fire—a sanctifying work that purifies and strengthens. For the unrepentant, it is a fire of judgment, separating the wheat from the chaff. John proclaims, “His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12). The image of the winnowing fork, used to separate grain from husks, underscores the reality that Christ’s coming forces a decision. There is no neutrality in the kingdom of God—every person is either wheat or chaff.
This moment in John’s ministry is not just about moral reform or religious ritual. It is a declaration that the world is being turned upside down. The Pharisees and Sadducees, confident in their heritage as Abraham’s descendants, are warned not to presume upon their status. John tells them, “God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham” (Matthew 3:9). The kingdom of heaven will not be built on earthly lineage or human effort but on the power of God to create a new people—a people of faith, united not by blood but by the Spirit. He has indeed done that very thing. Listen to how Peter describes the church, “you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house… (2 Peter 2:5).
John’s proclamation also speaks to the cosmic scope of Christ’s mission. The language of fire, judgment, and separation points to a day when all things will be made new. The old order is passing away, and the kingdom of God is breaking in to usher in a new creation. As Paul later writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
For us today, John’s message is as relevant as ever. His words challenge us to examine our own hearts. Are we presuming upon our status, our works, or our heritage, rather than truly repenting and bearing fruit? Are we ready to embrace the refining fire of the Spirit, allowing God to transform us from the inside out? And most importantly, have we recognized the arrival of the King—the one who holds the winnowing fork and brings both salvation and judgment?
John’s proclamation is not just about the end of an era; it is about the beginning of something far greater. The kingdom of heaven has arrived, and with it, the hope of redemption and the call to live in light of its reality. The question is: Will we respond? Will we repent, believe, and bear fruit? Or will we remain rooted in the passing world, unprepared for the King who will come again? The choice is ours, but the time is now (2 Corinthians 6:2).
The Presentation of the Christ (Matthew 3:13-17)
The scene shifts. From the crowds and the wilderness emerges Jesus Himself. He steps forward, walking to the Jordan, the very waters where countless sinners have confessed their need for repentance. Yet here comes the One who has no sin to confess, no need for cleansing, no guilt to atone for. It is a moment of paradox and profound humility: the sinless Son of God seeks to undergo a baptism meant for sinners.
John, startled, recoils at the very thought. “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (Matthew 3:14). His words resonate with our own awe and confusion. How could it be that the Lamb of God, perfect and holy, would step into the waters of repentance? Yet Jesus answers with words that unlock the mystery: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15).
To understand the depth of this moment, we must step back and consider the broader story Matthew has been telling. From the opening chapters of his Gospel, Matthew presents Jesus as the true and faithful Israel—the One who would succeed where Israel failed and fulfill God’s covenant promises.
Like Israel, Jesus is a child pursued by a murderous tyrant (Herod, echoing Pharaoh) who seeks to destroy Him (Matthew 2:16-18).
Like Israel, He is called out of Egypt, fulfilling Hosea’s prophecy, “Out of Egypt I called my son” (Matthew 2:15).
Like Israel, He crosses through the waters—not the Red Sea, but the Jordan—marking the beginning of a new covenant journey.
Like Israel, He will be led into the wilderness to face temptation, yet unlike Israel, He will remain faithful.
Like Moses ascending Mount Sinai to deliver the law, Jesus will ascend a mountain to deliver the Sermon on the Mount, revealing the true heart of God’s law.
Every step of Jesus’ journey retraces the steps of Israel, but with one crucial difference: where Israel failed, Jesus fulfills. He is the faithful Son, obedient to the Father in every way. By submitting to baptism, Jesus identifies fully with His people, not in their sin, but in their need. He steps into the waters, not for His cleansing, but to cleanse them, fulfilling all righteousness by perfectly aligning Himself with the Father’s redemptive plan.
This act of baptism is rich with meaning. By entering the waters, Jesus declares, “I stand with them.” He identifies with sinners, taking their place even before He takes their sin upon Himself on the cross. As Paul later writes, “For our sake He made Him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God” (2 Corinthians 5:21). Jesus’ baptism is a foreshadowing of the great exchange: He identifies with us in our weakness, so we can identify with Him in His righteousness.
This identification is not only for Israel but for all humanity. Jesus is the Second Adam, the head of a new humanity that will be restored to God. Just as Adam represented humanity in his fall, Jesus represents humanity in His obedience and victory.
As Jesus rises from the water, the heavens open—a dramatic and symbolic act. Throughout Scripture, heaven is often pictured as closed, representing the separation between God and humanity caused by sin. But here, in this moment, heaven is torn open, signaling that through Christ, the barrier is being removed. Access to God is being restored.
Then, the Spirit of God descends like a dove, alighting on Jesus. This moment marks the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry, empowered by the Holy Spirit. The dove recalls the story of Noah, when a dove brought back a sign of new life after the flood (Genesis 8:11). Here, the Spirit signals a new creation—a renewal that will come through the work of Christ. This is the anointing of the Messiah, the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy: “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me” (Isaiah 61:1).
Finally, the voice of the Father thunders from heaven: “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased” (Matthew 3:17). In this declaration, we hear echoes of Psalm 2:7, where God proclaims the Messiah as His Son, and Isaiah 42:1, where the Suffering Servant is chosen and delighted in by God. These words confirm Jesus’ identity as the divine Son, the Messiah, and the Servant who will bring salvation to the world.
This moment at the Jordan is no mere ritual—it is a cosmic event. Jesus’ baptism is the inauguration of His mission to redeem the world. It signals the breaking in of the kingdom of heaven, where God’s reign will confront and overthrow the powers of sin and death. The heavens are open, the Spirit is present, and the Son is revealed. The triune God is on display, working together in perfect harmony to accomplish salvation.
For John, this is the culmination of his ministry. He has prepared the way, and now he steps aside as the One greater than him takes center stage. The era of the Old Covenant ends here, and the new begins. John’s words are prophetic: “He must increase, but I must decrease” (John 3:30). The spotlight now falls fully on Jesus, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.
Jesus’ baptism also points to our own. When we are baptized, we are united with Him in His death, burial, and resurrection (Romans 6:3-4). Just as He identified with us in the Jordan, we are called to identify with Him in our lives. His righteousness becomes ours, His victory becomes ours, and His mission becomes ours. In baptism, we are declared beloved children of God, adopted into His family through Christ.
As we reflect on this moment, we are left in awe of the humility and love of Christ. He who knew no sin entered the waters of repentance for us. He who deserved only glory chose to stand with the guilty. And He who had no need to fulfill righteousness fulfilled it on our behalf.
This is the presentation of the Christ—the Beloved Son, the Faithful Israel, the Second Adam, the Lamb of God. The heavens have opened, the Spirit has descended, and the Father has spoken.
The kingdom of heaven has come near, and the King has been revealed. How will we respond to this Jesus?
This passage is not just history—it is an invitation. An invitation to enter the waters with Christ, not for our cleansing, but to identify with Him in His death and resurrection. An invitation to hear the Father’s voice calling us beloved because we are in the Beloved Son. An invitation to live as citizens of the kingdom of heaven, bearing witness to the One who has come and is coming again.