Matthew 3

Last updated

Matthew 3
←  chapter 2
chapter 4  →
P101-Mat-3 10-12-POxy4401-III.jpg
Matthew 3:10-12 on Papyrus 101 (AD 250).
Book Gospel of Matthew
Category Gospel
Christian Bible part New Testament
Order in the Christian part1

Matthew 3 is the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. It is the first chapter dealing with the ministry of Jesus, with events taking place some three decades after the close of the infancy narrative related in the previous two chapters. The focus of this chapter is on the preaching of John the Baptist and the Baptism of Jesus. [1]

Contents

For the first time since Matthew 1:1 there are clear links with the Gospel of Mark. Many scholars are certain that a good portion of this chapter is a reworking of Mark 1. The chapter also parallels Luke 3, also believed to be based on Mark 1. A number of passages shared by Luke and Matthew, but not found in Mark, are commonly ascribed to the hypothetical source 'Q'.

Text

The original text was written in Koine Greek. This chapter is divided into 17 verses.

Textual witnesses

Some early manuscripts containing the text of this chapter are: [lower-alpha 1]

Summary

The Baptism of Jesus Christ by Piero della Francesca, c. 1448-1450 Piero, battesimo di cristo 04.jpg
The Baptism of Jesus Christ by Piero della Francesca, c. 1448-1450

In the Jerusalem Bible (1966), this chapter launches the gospel's "narrative section" in which the Kingdom of Heaven is proclaimed. [5] The Kingdom of Heaven is one of the key motifs within Matthew's gospel. [6] The chapter opens with a portrait of John the Baptist. [7] It describes his preaching, clothing, and diet, presenting him as a preacher in the wilderness prophesizing about the "wrath to come". The chapter then moves to a tirade, ascribed to John, against the Pharisees and Sadducees in which he warns them to repent. This includes the famous "brood of vipers" line at Matthew 3:7. [8] Jesus then arrives from Galilee to be baptized, at a location about 70–80 miles from Nazareth, around the same section of Jordan River where Israelites crossed into the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua. [9] The chapter closes with the Baptism of Jesus, the voice of the Father, and the appearance of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. [10]

Full text

Codex Sinaiticus (ca. AD 330-360), Matthew 2:5-3:7 Codex Sinaiticus Matthew 2,5-3,7.JPG
Codex Sinaiticus (ca. AD 330–360), Matthew 2:5-3:7
Codex Sinaiticus (ca. AD 330-360), Matthew 3:7-4:19 Codex Sinaiticus Matthew 3,7-4,19.JPG
Codex Sinaiticus (ca. AD 330–360), Matthew 3:7-4:19

In the King James Version, this chapter reads:

1 In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea,
2 And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
3 this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight.
4 And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey.
5 Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan,
6 And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees come to his baptism, he said unto them, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
9 And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.
10 And now also the axe is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.
11 I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance. but he that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to bear: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost, and with fire:
12 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will thoroughly purge his floor, and gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.
13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?
15 And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. [11]

Comparison of Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-9. Common text highlighted in red. From 1894 Scrivener New Testament. Synoptic word-for-word.png
Comparison of Matthew 3:7-10 and Luke 3:7-9. Common text highlighted in red. From 1894 Scrivener New Testament.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The extant Codex Alexandrinus does not contain this chapter due to a lacuna.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:1</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:1 is the first verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This verse takes up the narrative some thirty years after Matthew 2:23, beginning the account of Jesus' ministry. This verse introduces the figure of John the Baptist.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:6</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:6 is the sixth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse occurs in the section introducing John the Baptist with this verse describing his baptisms.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:7</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:7 is the seventh verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse occurs in the section introducing John the Baptist. In this verse John attacks the Pharisees and Sadducees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:9</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:9 is the ninth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse describes an incident where John the Baptist berates the Pharisees and Sadducees. He has previously called them a brood of vipers and warned them of the wrath to come and has urged them to repent. In this verse he warns that their links to Abraham will not save them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:10</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:10 is the tenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse occurs in where John the Baptist is berating the Pharisees and Sadducees. He has previously called them a brood of vipers and warned them of the wrath to come and has urged them to repent. This verse returns to the fruit metaphor of Matthew 3:8 adding a promise of eventual punishment.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:11</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:11 is the eleventh verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The verse occurs in the section relating the preachings of John the Baptist. In this verse he predicts that he will be followed by someone much greater than himself. The main theme of this verse is that John will soon be supplanted by a much greater figure and that John's water baptism is just a preparation for the much greater baptism with the Holy Spirit and fire.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:14</span> Verse of the Bible

Matthew 3:14 is the fourteenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Jesus has come to John the Baptist to be baptized, but in this verse John balks at doing so.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:15</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:15 is the fifteenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Jesus has come to John the Baptist to be baptized, but John balked at this, saying that he should be the one baptized. In this verse, Jesus explains why it is right that He should be baptized.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:16</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:16 is the sixteenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Jesus has just been baptized by John the Baptist and the Holy Spirit comes to him like a dove.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 3:17</span> Verse of the Bible in the Gospel of Matthew

Matthew 3:17 is the seventeenth verse of the third chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. Following Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist, a voice from heaven states that Jesus is "God's beloved son".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 4</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 4 is the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament of Christian Bible. Many translations of the gospel and biblical commentaries separate the first section of chapter 4 from the remaining sections, which deal with Jesus' first public preaching and the gathering of his first disciples.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 4:12</span> Verse of the Bible

Matthew 4:12 is the twelfth verse of the fourth chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. The temptation scene has just ended, and this verse begins the introduction to the discussion of the Ministry of Jesus, which makes up the bulk of the gospel narrative. Jesus' ministry in Galilee extends from this verse as far as Matthew 18:35.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John 3</span> Chapter of the New Testament

John 3 is the third chapter of the Gospel of John in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It deals with Jesus' conversation with Nicodemus, one of the Jewish pharisees, and John the Baptist's continued testimony regarding Jesus. Baptist preacher Charles Spurgeon said of this chapter that it is the one he would choose "to read to a dying man who did not know the gospel, [as] the most suitable one for such an occasion".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Luke 3</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Luke 3 is the third chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible, traditionally attributed to Luke the Evangelist, a companion of Paul the Apostle on his missionary journeys. It contains an account of the preaching of John the Baptist as well as a genealogy of Jesus. From the start of this chapter until Luke 9:50, the "shape and outlook" of Luke's Gospel follow closely those of the other synoptic gospels, Matthew and Mark. The Expositor's Greek Testament states that in this chapter "the ministry of the new era opens".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 28</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 28 is the twenty-eighth and final chapter of the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament. This chapter records that Jesus is risen, describes the actions of the first witnesses to this event, and ends with the Great Commission.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Matthew 11</span> Chapter of the New Testament

Matthew 11 is the eleventh chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. It continues the gospel's narrative about Jesus' ministry in Galilee.

Matthew 16 is the sixteenth chapter in the Gospel of Matthew in the New Testament section of the Christian Bible. Jesus begins a journey to Jerusalem from the vicinity of Caesarea Philippi, near the southwestern base of Mount Hermon. Verse 24 speaks of his disciples "following him".

Luke 20 is the twentieth chapter of the Gospel of Luke in the New Testament of the Christian Bible. It records the teaching of Jesus Christ in the temple in Jerusalem, especially his responses to questions raised by the Pharisees and Sadducees. The book containing this chapter is anonymous, but early Christian tradition uniformly affirmed that Luke the Evangelist composed this Gospel as well as the Acts of the Apostles.

Isaiah 9 is the ninth chapter of the Book of Isaiah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Isaiah, and is one of the Nevi'im.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zechariah 2</span> Bible chapter

Zechariah 2 is the second of the 14 chapters in the Book of Zechariah in the Hebrew Bible or the Old Testament of the Christian Bible. This book contains the prophecies attributed to the prophet Zechariah, and is a part of the Book of the Twelve Minor Prophets. This chapter is a part of a section consisting of Zechariah 1–8. It records the third of eight visions received by the prophet, followed by an oracle calling the exiles to return to the city where Yahweh is about to dwell and all nations will come.

References

  1. ↑ Coogan 2007, p. 11 New Testament.
  2. ↑ Egypt Exploration Fund (1903). Grenfell, Bernard P.; Hunt, Arthur S. (eds.). The Oxyrhynchus Papyri. Vol. 3. Oxford. p. 10. 405 consists of seven fragments written in a small neat uncial hand, which is not later than the first half of the third century, and might be as old as the later part of the second.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. ↑ Thomas, J. David. The Oxyrhynchus Papyri LXIV (London: 1997), pp. 2–4.
  4. ↑ "Liste Handschriften". Münster: Institute for New Testament Textual Research. Retrieved 27 August 2011.
  5. ↑ Jerusalem Bible (1966), Heading at Matthew 3:1
  6. ↑ Clarke, Howard W. The Gospel of Matthew and its Readers: A Historical Introduction to the First Gospel, Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 2003
  7. ↑ Allison 2007, p. 850.
  8. ↑ France 2007, p. 110.
  9. ↑ Phillips 2005, p. 38.
  10. ↑ Keener 1999, p. 132.
  11. ↑ Wikisource: Bible (King James)/Matthew, chapter 3. PD-icon.svg This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain .

Sources

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.