NOTES for Mat 3:1-12

All the Evangelists tell of the ministry of John the Baptist. Apparently, it is evident to them that his very appearance was the sign promised by God, preceding the coming of the Messiah. It is impossible to receive Christ without receiving the message of His forerunner. John's preaching has two parts: “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven has drawn near.” The Kingdom is near, but it can be seen and recognized only after one has first changed. Repentance means an inward turning, a refusal to accept the present state of one's soul, and an appeal to the One who can bring about this necessary change within us. Such a turning requires courage, and John helps people resolve to take this step both by offering washing in the waters of the Jordan as an outward expression of what is happening in the soul and by pointing to the approaching Messiah.