Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3

Matthew 3; Mark 1; Luke 3          Lesson 4

This lesson focuses on the accounts of John the Baptist’s ministry.  It is one of the few points of convergence between the four evangelists. His ministry is interpreted in its historical setting as forming the beginning of Jesus’ mortal ministry.

Matthew 3

It is interesting in verse 2 the word repent means more than forsaking sin.  The Greek word metanoia, which is translated as repent in this verse means “to effect a change of heart or mind.”  When John the Baptist is talking to the Pharisees, he is telling them to do those things that will make you worthy of the Lord.  Our own prophet has told us repentance is the Lord’s regimen for spiritual growth.  It is essentially conversion.  We are basically given a New Year’s resolution that is do-able.  We are being asked to turn our heart more fully to the Lord and deepen our conversion to Him.

The Greek form of the name Isaiah appears in the New Testament as Esaias.  John the Baptist identified himself as the one spoken of by Isaiah.  John always knew his mission was that of Elias or preparer.  He was to go before, to prepare the way for the greater.  Even Zacharias, John’s father, identified the role John would play in preparing the way for the Lord’s ministry in the flesh in the meridian of time.

There are things suggested by John the Baptist’s clothing and diet.  Although the term Nazarite is never used in the scriptures in reference to John, many Biblical scholars have concluded he was one.  Nazarites did exist at and after the time of Christ.  A Nazarite was one of either sex who was bound to abstinence and sacrifice by a voluntary vow for special service to God.  The period of time for this vow might be for a set period of time or it could be for life.  John was in the deserts till the day he showed himself to Israel.  He imitated the austerities of the Old Testament prophets, especially Elijah.

There were parallels between John’s attire and his teachings.  The message of John was the counterpart of that of Elijah; his baptism was that of Elijah’s novel rite on Mount Carmel. “Fill four jars with water and pour it on the burnt offering , and on the wood.”   The minute details surrounding the life of Elijah found their counterpart in John.  The history of John the Baptist was the fulfillment of that of Elijah.

We may wonder why people were bound to receive John’s testimony so readily.  He was the lawful heir to the Levitical Priesthood.  The people were bound to receive his testimony because of this.  We know that many Pharisees and Sadducees came to heart the prophet.  They were met with a dire warning.  They were referred to as a generation of vipers.  This means they were an evil and wicked group.  They had poisonous opinions and corrupt influence.  They were quite literally destroying the religious health of the nation.

Who were the Pharisees and Sadducees?  They were two of the most influential apostate sects among the Jews.  There were differences between these two sects:

1.        Pharisees:  zealous, and devoted accepting both the Law of Moses and the traditions of the elders.  Pious, puritanical in conduct; gloried in frequent fasts and public prayers; intensely patriotic and nationalistic; believed in spirits, angels, revelation, immortality, eternal judgment, resurrection from the dead; rewards and punishments in the life after death.  More powerful and influential in Jewish political and religious life.

2.       Sadducees:  rejected and believed in none of the things the Pharisees believed in.  Skeptical, worldly, wealthy people; selfish group;  most powerful adherents were among chief priests; rejected traditions of elders; made no pretentions of piety or devout worship.

John made a comment to the Pharisees in verse 9 that was an affront to their claim to being children of Abraham.  Judaism had a belief that the posterity of Abraham had an assured place in the kingdom of the Messiah they were expecting to come.  There were no proselytes among the Gentiles who could possibly attain the rank and distinction of a child of Abraham, according to the Jews.  John made a forceful assertion that God could raise up stones on the river bank and make them children of Abraham.  He was insinuating the lowest of the human family might be preferred before themselves unless they repented and reformed.

Read verse 12 again and ponder the meaning of John’s declaration concerning the Savior and the phrase “whose fan is in his hand.”

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.

Christ’s teachings would separate the elect from the worldly in the same way a threshing fan winnows the chaff from the grain.  If we recall what happened with the Lord declared that He was the Bread of Life, and then we see the fan was in operation.  Many deserted Him, and from that time on they did not seek Him anymore.  The occasion was crucial—the effect was that of sifting and separation.  The fan was in operation, and much chaff was blown aside.

Jesus was baptized even though He was sinless.  He also received the Holy Ghost as a witness to His father that he would be obedient and keep the commandments.  He was also showing us the straitness of the path to follow and the narrowness of the gate, which we must enter.  He was setting an example for us in all things.

There had to be a reason why the Holy Ghost descended like a dove.  The sign of the dove was instituted before the creation of the world as a witness for the Holy Ghost.  Because the Holy Ghost is a personage, the sign of a dove was given.  The Holy Ghost descended in the form of a personage—his own bodily shape, but his descent was “like a dove.”  This is according to the Prophet Joseph Smith and quoted by Elder Bruce R. McConkie in his Doctrinal New Testament Commentary, 1:123-24.

There are some doctrinal truths worth noting in 3:16-17.

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.

In these verses we see Jesus was there—a personage.  John the Baptist was there and saw the heavens open up.  He saw the Spirit of God—the Holy Ghost (Spirit)—a personage.  Then a voice spoke.  This was God, the Father.  The doctrine is the Godhead is formed by three separate and distinct personages.  This refutes traditional Christian thinking in maintain the ontological (dealing with the nature of being) oneness of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  They are not the same substance.

Mark 1: 

This is the shortest of the four Gospels.  His audience is the Gentiles and so he wrote it in Greek and gave explanation of culture and geography.  He spent many of his later years in Rome as an interpreter for the Apostle Peter.  He recorded the often heard accounts of the Savior’s ministry as given by Peter.  Peter even referred to Mark as his son, showing their close relationship.  Mark’s purpose was to testify of the life and ministry of Jesus Christ.  Mark declares throughout his work that the divine acts performed by Jesus of Nazareth identify Him as God’s own Son.  Mark tells of Jesus’ mighty works in Galilee in chapters 1-9.

The first verse of Mark’s testimony introduces the subject of ‘the beginning of the gospel of Jesus Christ.’  The second introduces John the Baptist.  The conclusion is the John was proclaiming the good news about Christ and salvation—laying the foundation for the work.  The Lord Jesus Christ and his apostles would build upon that foundation “poured by John.”  John was the messenger, promised by Malachi and Isaiah.

John’s ministry should be viewed as momentous.  What made it momentous?  The Jews had been without a prophet for hundreds of years.  Without warning God intervenes dramatically and decisively in their history again.  John appeared at this decisive moment and baptized and preached repentance for the remission of sins.  His was a singular role at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry.  For Jesus, John the Baptist symbolized the final transition from the Old Testament covenant and the beginning of the New Testament covenant.  The time of the law and the prophets had passed and the time of the Messiah had arrived.  John represented the last legal administrator of the Mosaic covenant.  John had one foot in two dispensations.

What was John’s central message?  It is referred to as the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.  To repent is to return and when used in its scriptural context implies to come back to the covenant agreement between God and Israel.  By repenting the Jews were returned to the covenants between God and their ancient fathers.  The word repent was also the first word spoken by Jesus as He began His ministry in Galilee. (Matthew 4:17)

Verse 8 in the Joseph Smith Translation reads:  “[Jesus] shall not only baptize you with water, but with fire, and the Holy Ghost.”  The baptism of fire is the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  Souls so cleansed by the Spirit have dross and corruption burned out of them as though by fire.

 Now we are taken into the wilderness to witness the temptations of Satan as Jesus fasted, prayed and engaged in divine communion with his father.  It is the Lord who invites and entices men.  How?  By His Spirit—the light of Christ—to choose good works.  In contrast Satan invites and entices men to choose evil works rather than good works.  We know temptation is an essential part of the plan of salvation. 

Mark provides a unique insight not found in Matthew or Luke.  He mentions Jesus was with the wild beasts during this forty-day period in the wilderness.  What do these beasts represent?  They represent the physical dangers of the wilderness, and Satan represents the spiritual dangers of the wilderness.  In this time frame, the wilderness was the place where there was an abundance of wild animals.  Thus Mark highlights the danger of the experience that will end only when Satan leaves Jesus.

There are things we can learn from the calling of the Apostles and their response to that calling.  The apostles called by Jesus likely knew who He was, either through reputation or through John the Baptist.  They acted straightway, immediately, and decisively.  We see Peter and Andrew forsaking their nets and following Christ.  They were rejecting worldly habits, customs, and tradition.  We are also called to forsake our sins.

What was the power and authority with which Christ exercised in his ministry among men?  He never took credit for the power he possessed and the authority he exercised.  He continually affirmed that all he had was from the Father—the Father’s authority and power given to him to exercise.  He never took credit for the doctrine he taught either.  Christ taught with the Father’s authority, while the scribes never taught on their own authority.  Their aim was to reproduce and teach others to reproduce accurately the words of the wise.

There are interesting things about evil spirits from Jesus’ encounter with the possessed man in Capernaum.  When an evil spirit manages to enter the body of a mortal person, that person no longer has his agency.  The things he does are those of the evil spirit.  The event in Capernaum is interesting because the evil spirit literally stepped out of the man’s body.

What can we learn from the reaction of Peter’s mother-in-law to being healed?  She immediately got up and served Christ and those with Him.  We see that her healing was complete and instantaneous.  We also see her implicit gratitude for the blessing and for the source of that blessing—Christ.  I need to do a better job of showing gratitude to the Savior for His extending healing, kindness, and blessings to me.

What does anon mean and why does Mark use it?  Anon means “immediately.”  But this usage functions rhetorically.  Mark uses it to indicate events are happening or proceeding at a remarkable speed.  Christ had lived a slow-paced life in an obscure, out of the way place away from crowds, and political and religious leaders.  Jesus expands His activity at an ever-increasing rate until His work was finished.

In verse 32 Jesus distinguishes between demoniac possession and that of simple bodily disease in His instructions to the Twelve.  In rebuking demons Christ addressed them as individuals distinct from the human afflicted.

The Savior sought solitary places.  I have thought about how a solitary place benefits each of us.  It is a place to think and to pray.  It seems to put me in touch with the divine and to help prepare me for life’s challenges.  Elder Richard G. Scott testified we should take a personal inventory in a quiet place to note how well we know and are following the will of the Lord in our life.  He promises us if we will seek such a place the Lord will establish the direction in our life.  I believe this is true.

Jesus was able to resist the temptations of Satan because of the spiritual strength he received from his spiritual communion with his father.  It emphasizes our need to meditate and pray regularly.

The story of Jesus healing a man with leprosy is from Mark 1:40-45.  The scriptures refer to lepers as the living dead.  According to the Law of Moses, lepers were to be somewhat ostracized or cut off from direct fellowship with the rest of the house of Israel.  Leprosy was seen in ancient times as a symbol of that which happens to those who transgress God’s laws, as sin introduces decay and corrupts the spirit.  We are, thus, cut off from the fellowship with the Lord’s Spirit and we potentially will be cut off from His covenant people.  Gaskill, in Miracles of the New Testament, further states:  “Since the leper symbolized sin, Jesus’ act of reaching out and touching the ill man can represent the transference of Jesus’ righteousness onto the spiritually ill.”

We might ask the question:  Why did Jesus charge the cleansed leper to say nothing of his healing? 

1.        The report of Jesus’ healing the man may have prejudiced the priest who needed to pronounce him clean.

2.       Jesus did not want to be known primarily as a miracle worker.  It was not unusual for him to ask those he healed to remain silent.

3.       The man’s testimony would possibly have hastened the confrontation between Jesus and the religious leaders.  The attention he received by performing miraculous healings severely limited His ability to enter certain cities openly.

Luke 3: 

1.       Why did John the Baptist receive revelation for Israel as mentioned in verse 2?  He begins by showing that the word of God did not come through any of the appointed leaders—not Tiberius Caesar, Pontius Pilate, or the three tetrarchs or with the appointed religious leaders, Annas and Caiaphas.  It came instead through the one divinely appointed and holding the keys which were given to John by the angel of God at the time he was eight days old.  John the Baptist was the only legal administrator in the affairs of the kingdom on the earth and he held the keys of power.  John was taught just as Moses and Elijah had been taught.  They received the finest of spiritual educations possible—scripture study, lessons in Israel’s history, the revelations from the Holy Ghost, and the ministering of angels.  John knew his mission, what he was to do, and he had the power and authority to carry it out.

2.       Why does the doctrine of baptism preached by John the Baptist include repentance?  Repentance actually requires a covenant of obedience in order for it to be complete.  This is the covenant we are making when we are baptized by water.  It is referred to as the baptism of repentance or baptism unto repentance.  It is the culminating step of our repentance.

3.       What did John the Baptist preach about the Savior’s mission?  We learn a lot from the Joseph Smith Translation of Luke 3:4-11.  Here is a list of several key elements of the Savior’s foreordained mission.

a.       To take away the sins of the world

b.      To bring salvation unto the heathen nations

c.       To gather together those who are lost, who are of the sheepfold of Israel

d.      To prepare the way and make possible the preaching of the gospel unto the Gentiles

e.      To be a light unto all who sit in darkness, unto the uttermost parts of the earth

f.        To bring to pass the resurrection from the dead

g.       To dwell on the right hand of the Father, until the fullness of time, and the law and the testimony shall be sealed, and the keys of the kingdom shall be delivered up again unto the Father

h.      To administer justice unto all

i.        To come down in judgment upon all, and to convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds

4.       Why did the Pharisees and Sadducees think they did not need repentance? They believed they had spiritual supremacy on the basis alone of being descendants of Abraham.  They believed this automatically saved them.

5.       How is John the Baptist and Joseph Smith similar in preparing the way for the Savior’s coming?  I like this explanation.  John the Baptist prepared the way for Jesus Christ’s first coming by cutting down the trees of apostate Judaism. Joseph Smith prepared the way before Christ’s second coming by cutting down the trees of apostate Christianity.

6.       Why has the Holy Ghost been associated with fire?  The baptized person becomes a new person and has received the gift of the Holy Ghost.  The Holy Ghost burns out sin and evil from the soul and we are born again.  Jesus Christ made it clear that while his authorized servants can confer the gift of the Holy Ghost, he is the one who actually bestows the Spirit. (See 3 Ne. 12:1) “The miracle of the manifestation of fire and the Holy Ghost has the capacity to reach within a person’s heart.  While that person may have been a bystander regarding the things of God, the power of the Spirit is able to turn such a person into a living witness of this sacred work.”

7.       What can we learn from Jesus concerning prayer (3:21) Jesus was constantly at prayer in those moments when major events were about to occur.  He obtained the Holy Ghost while he was praying.  Prayer is the lifeline between the Father and the Son.  This shows us that if Christ needed to pray, then we need to pray much more so than he does.  We will see many instances of when the Savior prayed throughout the book of Luke.

8.       Why did Luke trace Jesus’ genealogy back to Adam?  Luke was not a Jew.  The genealogy in Luke is more universal for it traces Jesus’ lineage not merely to Abraham but to Adam and ultimately to God.  Matthew listed the legal successors to David’ throne.  Luke recorded a father to son listing which linked Joseph to King David.  Even though Joseph was not Jesus’ father, this genealogy is essentially Mary’s genealogy as they were cousins.