John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus

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1. Observe

   What did John the Baptist wear and eat according to Matthew 3?

   • A linen robe with a rope belt; bread and fish
   • Clothing made of camel's hair with a leather belt; locusts and wild honey
   • Rough sackcloth with a wool belt; dried fruit and grain
   • A simple tunic with a rope belt; locusts and olives

2. Observe

   What three things happened immediately after Jesus was baptized?

   • The river parted, a dove landed on the water, and a voice spoke from a cloud
   • The heavens were opened, the Spirit descended as a dove, and a voice from heaven declared Jesus the beloved Son
   • The Spirit appeared as fire, the crowd fell silent, and John proclaimed Jesus as the Lamb of God
   • The heavens were opened, angels descended, and the Father's voice commanded all to listen to Jesus

3. Interpret

   Why does John call the Pharisees and Sadducees a "brood of vipers" and warn them not to say "we have Abraham as our father"?

   • Because they had secretly cooperated with Roman authorities to oppress the poor
   • Because they had abandoned the Mosaic Law entirely and were worshiping foreign gods
   • Because they were treating ethnic and religious descent from Abraham as a guarantee of God's favor, while remaining unchanged in heart and behavior — John insists that genuine repentance must produce visible fruit, and hereditary privilege cannot substitute for it
   • Because the Pharisees had publicly insulted John and tried to prevent him from baptizing

4. Interpret

   Why did the sinless Jesus submit to John's baptism of repentance, and what did he mean by "fulfill all righteousness"?

   • Because Jesus needed to set an example of humility and had sin from his childhood that needed washing away
   • Because John's baptism was required by Mosaic law for all Jewish men entering public ministry
   • Because Jesus was publicly identifying himself with sinful humanity, formally entering his messianic role, and consecrating himself to the mission of bearing humanity's sin — his baptism was an act of solidarity and consecration, not personal cleansing
   • Because the Father had not yet approved Jesus as Messiah, and baptism was the ritual that confirmed the appointment

5. Apply

   John demanded "fruit worthy of repentance" from people who claimed to be turning to God. What does this standard most directly challenge in a modern Christian's understanding of repentance?

   • The idea that repentance requires formal confession to a priest before it is valid
   • The assumption that feeling sorry for sin or saying a prayer of confession is sufficient — genuine repentance must change visible patterns of behavior, and ongoing unchanged living contradicts any claim to have truly turned
   • The belief that God forgives sins before any repentance is expressed
   • The practice of water baptism as an outward sign of an inward change

6. Apply

   The Father declared "this is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased" before Jesus had performed any public miracles. How should this truth reshape the way a Christian understands the basis of God's love for them?

   • It means Christians should focus on performing more miracles to earn the same kind of approval
   • It shows that God's approval is rooted in who Jesus is, not what he accomplishes — and because believers are united to Christ, they stand in his accepted status rather than earning God's pleasure through religious performance
   • It means God's love is unconditional and therefore moral effort and obedience are unimportant
   • It means only those who have been baptized by immersion receive the Father's pleasure

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