Matthew 3:1-12 Study

Background of Matthew

Origin and Name
The Gospel takes its traditional name from Matthew, also known as Levi, one of the twelve disciples and a former tax collector. The name “Matthew” means “gift of God,” fitting for a gospel that presents Jesus as the fulfillment of God’s long-promised gift to Israel. Ancient church tradition (Papias, Irenaeus, Origen) attributes authorship to Matthew, though some scholars propose later composition by an anonymous Jewish Christian. Regardless of the precise identity of the human author, the Gospel displays a deep knowledge of Jewish Scripture and customs. 

Authorship
Early church evidence strongly supports Matthean authorship or at least Matthean source traditions. The Gospel’s structure, fulfillment formulas, and meticulous arrangement reflect an author deeply formed by Jewish tradition and liturgical patterns. Matthew writes with pastoral intention, shaping Jesus’ teachings into organized units such as the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, and the missionary discourse. 

Date and Setting
Most scholars date the Gospel between AD 70–90, after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple. Matthew appears to address Jewish Christians who remain rooted in synagogue life but face increasing tension with Jewish authorities. His emphasis on fulfillment (“this was to fulfill what was spoken…”) suggests a community wrestling with questions of identity after the fall of Jerusalem. In that context, the figure of John the Baptist becomes essential—a prophetic voice who bridges God’s ancient covenant with the new era inaugurated in Jesus. 
Purpose and Themes
Matthew writes to show that Jesus is the promised Messiah and the fulfillment of the Law and Prophets. Key themes include:
Fulfillment of Scripture
The Kingdom of Heaven
Discipleship and righteousness
Judgment and salvation
Jesus as Teacher and Messiah
Matthew presents John the Baptist as the divinely appointed forerunner, linking the new covenant to the prophetic tradition of Elijah (Malachi 3–4). 

Structure
Matthew’s Gospel is organized into narrative sections followed by teaching sections. Matthew 3 falls within the opening narrative that introduces Jesus’ origins, baptism, and preparation for ministry. The structure deliberately mirrors Israel’s story—John resembles the prophets; Jesus reenacts Israel’s baptism and wilderness experience. 

Significance
Matthew 3 is essential for understanding Jesus’ identity and mission. John the Baptist stands as the final Old Testament–style prophet who prepares the way for the coming King. His message of repentance forms the foundation for Jesus’ own preaching. Without repentance, the kingdom remains only partially visible. John prepares hearts so Christ can transform them.

Wesleyan Perspective of the Text

John Wesley read passages like Matthew 3 through the lens of grace—specifically prevenient grace, the grace that prepares the human heart to respond to Christ. John’s message of repentance is not human effort but cooperation with God’s initiating grace. 

Wesley insisted that repentance is not sorrow alone; it is the turning of the whole person toward God. In his sermon “The Way to the Kingdom,” Wesley argued that repentance is the doorway by which grace enters. Repentance does not achieve salvation but removes the obstacles that block Christ’s transforming work. 

John the Baptist’s words—calling for ethical fruit, warning against complacency, urging transformation—align with Wesley’s conviction that salvation includes both inward renewal and outward holiness. Wesley viewed repentance as the first step toward entire sanctification, where love reigns unhindered in the heart. 

In Advent, Wesleyans understand repentance as the soul’s preparation for Christ’s coming—historical, spiritual, and eschatological.

Exegesis

• Matthew 3:1–3 – The Voice in the Wilderness 
  John appears in the wilderness of Judea, a place symbolizing both judgment and new beginnings. Israel’s story began in a wilderness; now the new exodus begins there as well.
  • “In those days” places John’s ministry in God’s kairos time—the moment when prophecy turns into reality.
  • “The wilderness” signals divine encounter. God forms His people where distractions fade.
  • John’s message—“Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near”—summarizes the Gospel. Repentance is not fear-driven; it is the joyful reorienting of one’s heart toward God’s reign.
  Matthew quotes Isaiah 40:3: the coming of the Messiah requires prepared hearts. Repentance is the straight path. 
  
• Apologetic Note: John’s message challenges the modern claim that morality is self-defined. By calling for repentance, John presupposes objective moral truth and a God who acts in history. 
• Wesleyan Insight: Prevenient grace is active here. God stirs repentance so Christ may enter unhindered.
  
  
• Matthew 3:4-6 – The Prophet’s Witness and the People’s Response
  John’s clothing and diet evoke Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). His appearance is not eccentric but prophetic. It signals continuity with Israel’s story.
  • The crowds flock to him because genuine prophetic truth still draws hungry hearts.
  • They confess their sins—repentance takes concrete form.
  Baptism in the Jordan echoes Israel’s crossing into the Promised Land. John symbolically leads a new entry into God’s promised future. 
  
• Apologetic Note: John serves as historical evidence for Jesus’ messianic claims. Multiple independent sources attest to his ministry (Josephus, Antiquities 18.5.2). 
• Wesleyan Insight: Confession is the natural fruit of prevenient grace working in conviction and honesty.
  
  
• Matthew 3:7–10 – Judgment, Fruit, and False Security   
  When religious leaders arrive, John confronts them:
  • “Brood of vipers” is not insult but diagnosis. Their piety is poisoned by self-righteousness.
  • He warns them not to rely on ethnic heritage: “God can raise up children of Abraham from stones.” The kingdom is based on repentance, not pedigree.
  The image of the axe at the root of the trees intensifies urgency. Fruitless trees represent empty religion.
• Apologetic Note: John’s critique rebukes nominal religion and counters the modern claim that sincerity alone saves. Transformation, not lineage or ritual, marks true belonging. 
• Wesleyan Insight: John echoes Wesley’s insistence that holiness must be lived, not merely professed.
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• Matthew 3:11–12 – The Coming Christ
  John contrasts his ministry with Jesus:
  • John baptizes with water for repentance.
  • Jesus baptizes “with the Holy Spirit and fire.” Fire symbolizes purification and empowerment.
  The imagery of winnowing fork and threshing floor reveals Jesus as judge and Savior. He both gathers wheat and burns chaff.
  Repentance, then, is preparation not only for comfort but also for accountability.
• Apologetic Note: Jesus is presented with divine authority—He gives the Spirit, a prerogative belonging to God. The text counters modern portrayals of Jesus as merely moral teacher. 
• Wesleyan Insight: The Spirit’s baptism is sanctifying love cleansing the believer and enabling holy living.
  

Application

John’s message cuts through our sentimental Advent assumptions. The season is not just about  lights, nostalgia, and quiet waiting—it's about preparing our lives for Jesus. Repentance is not shame-based; it is clearing debris out of the soul so Christ can enter freely.
In practice, repentance looks like:
• releasing bitterness
• confessing hidden sins
• surrendering unhealthy patterns
• aligning habits with discipleship
• opening space for prayer and Scripture
• confessing our need for transformation
Advent becomes a holy renovation. If Christ is coming anew into our hearts, then repentance is sweeping the rooms, opening the windows, and making space for Him.
Wesley would say: “Repentance is the porch of religion.” The porch is not the home itself—but without it, the threshold cannot be crossed.
Repentance is not punishment. It is preparation. It opens the heart to joy.