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Matthew 3 |
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| 3:1
In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of
Judaea,
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| 3:2
And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.
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| 3:3
For 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. |
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| 3:4
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. |
 (3:7a-11) "When he saw many of the Pharisees ... come to his baptism he said unto
them ... I indeed baptize you with water."
Were the Pharisees baptized by John?
 (3:7b) "He said to them, O generation of vipers."
While insulting the Pharisees and Sadducees, John the Baptist calls an entire generation a "generation
of vipers."
(Jesus also liked to use this term. See 12:34)
(3:10-12)
Those who bear bad fruit will be cut down and burned "with unquenchable fire."
(3:10) "Every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire."
(3:11) "He that cometh after me is mightier than I, whose shoes I am not worthy to
bear."
Who is the greatest?
(3:12) "He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."
 (3:13-15) John has a good point in v.14. If Jesus is the sinless Son of God, then
shouldn't Jesus be baptizing John instead of the reverse? Isn't baptism supposed to forgive sins and be a sign of repentance?
If so, then why would Jesus need to be baptized? And what the heck is "it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness" supposed to
mean?
Did Jesus sin?
(3:13) "Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him."
(3:14) "John forbad him, saying ... comest thou to me?"
(3:15) "Jesus ... said ... it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness."
(3:17) "This is my beloved son"
How did God address Jesus at his baptism?
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| 3:5
Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round
about Jordan,
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| 3:6
And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.
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| 3:7
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?
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| 3:8 Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance:
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| 3:9
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.
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| 3:10
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.
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| 3:11
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:
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| 3:12
Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and
gather his wheat into the garner; but he will burn up the chaff with
unquenchable fire.
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| 3:13
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.
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| 3:14
But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and
comest thou to me?
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| 3:15
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.
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| 3:16
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:
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| 3:17
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am
well pleased.
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