RSV ~ Matthew 3 Notes

Mt 3:1 | ISB Notes

John the Baptist: The forerunner to the Messiah. A Levite (Lk 1:5) and relative of Jesus (Lk 1:36), John was considered a prophet by many Jews (21:26) and even by Jesus himself (11:9). His message was accompanied by an austere life of penance and self-denial (CCC 523).

• John’s clothing (3:4) recalls the OT prophet Elijah who “wore a garment of haircloth, with a belt of leather about his loins” (2 Kings 1:8). A figure like Elijah was expected to return before the Messiah (Mal 4:5) to begin restoring the tribes of Israel (Sir 48:10).

Mt 3:2 | ISB Notes

kingdom of heaven: The overarching theme of Matthew’s Gospel. The expression appears 32 times in the Gospel and is equivalent in meaning to “the kingdom of God” (see, e.g., 19:23-24). In their original Jewish context, the words “of heaven” helped to distinguish the kingdom proclaimed by John (3:2) and Jesus (4:17) from popular hopes for a literal restoration of Israel’s political empire (cf. Acts 1:6). Instead, it is a kingdom that comes from the Father in heaven (Mt 6:10). The presence of the kingdom is mediated through the Church in history (16:18-19); its full manifestation, however, awaits the coming of Christ in glory (25:31-46) (CCC 541, 669-71).

See introduction to Matthew: Themes.

Mt 3:3 | ISB Notes

The voice of one crying: A quotation from Is 40:3.

• Isaiah’s oracle outlines John’s mission: he is the important figure who prepares the way of the Lord. All four Gospels connect Isaiah’s words with John’s ministry (Mk 1:3; Lk 3:4; Jn 1:23). See note on Lk 3:4-6.

Mt 3:6 | ISB Notes

the river Jordan: Runs along the eastern side of Palestine. Its headwaters begin north of the Sea of Galilee, and it flows southward into the Dead Sea.

• In the OT, the Jordan is associated with God’s deliverance. Like the Red Sea, it parted so that the Israelites could cross over on dry ground and inherit the Promised Land (Josh 3:14-17). Naaman the Syrian was cleansed from leprosy at this location when he “dipped” (LXX: ebaptisato) seven times in the river at the command of Elisha (2 Kings 5:14). Both OT events prefigure the saving power of the Sacrament of Baptism (CCC 1222).

Mt 3:11 | ISB Notes

I baptize you: John’s baptism differed from sacramental Baptism, which confers forgiveness and the regenerating grace of justifying faith (Acts 2:38). His was a visible token of repentance and preparation for the Messiah (cf. Is 1:16; Heb 9:10; CCC 718).

with water: John administered a baptism by water alone as a sign of purification. But as was shown in Noah’s day, water alone cannot cleanse the soul; the sinfulness of man’s heart remained unchanged even after the flood (Gen 6:5; 8:21). Only the Sacrament of Baptism infuses the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:5) and marks one’s adoption into God’s family (28:19) (CCC 1265).

with fire: A symbol of God and his purifying judgment (Deut 4:24; Sir 2:5; Is 4:3-5; Acts 2:3-4; CCC 696).

Mt 3:15 | ISB Notes

it is fitting: Jesus is sinless and has no need for John’s baptism (Heb 4:15; 1 Pet 2:22). He nevertheless submits to the rite to identify with sinners and align himself with God’s plan. Jesus performs Old Covenant regulations to fulfill and perfect them in the New (5:17; cf. Lk 2:21-28; CCC 536).

• Mystically (St. Thomas Aquinas, ST 3, 39, 8), Jesus’ baptism prefigures the Christian sacrament. The water, Spirit, and divine voice signify the effects of Baptism whereby the soul is cleansed (Acts 22:16), the grace of the Holy Spirit is imparted (3:11; 1 Cor 12:13), and the recipient is adopted as a beloved child of God (3:17; Gal 3:26-27; CCC 537).

Mt 3:16 | ISB Notes

the heavens: The episode reveals the Blessed Trinity: the Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends as a dove.