PMW 2024-045 by Kenneth L. Gentry, Jr.

We are continuing our survey of the opening chapters of Matthew, showing how Israel is presented as opposed to God’s will and the Gentiles will gradually begin entering God’s kingdom.

In chapter three Matthew presents us with the first sermon recorded in his Gospel. It is by Jesus’ forerunner John the Baptist, who introduces the Messiah to Israel. The very first words we hear out of John’s mouth are foreboding: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:1). These are also Jesus’ first words in his ministry, as recorded by Matthew: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (4:17). John and Jesus are confronting Israel with her sin and calling her to repent (cf. Matt. 23:37).

In this sermon John warns the Jewish religious leaders (Matt. 3:7) that they need to “bring forth fruit in keeping with repentance” (v. 8). Later we will discover that Israel does not bring forth the fruit of repentance, for Jesus acts out a prophetic curse against fruitless Israel (21:19) and declares that he will secure another nation to bear the proper fruit (21:43).

“In contrast to Mark who had spoken of ‘all Jerusalem’ going out to be baptized by John (Mark 1:5), Matthew presents this episode more negatively as an occasion when the Pharisees and Sadducees (3:7) came out to inspect John critically.” [1] Significantly, the Sadducees “were a priestly group of the Jewish aristocracy whose focus was temple service and administration” [2] and whose concern was especially related to the temple’s continuance (cf. John 11:47–48).

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John anticipates Israel’s rejection in Matthew 3:9–12, where he rebukes her leaders for boasting that Abraham is their father (v. 9). This rebuke is set over against Jesus’ righteous claim to Abrahamic descent (Matt. 1:1, 2, 17). Indeed, stones are more likely to become God’s people than stone-hearted Israel (3:9; cp. Luke 19:40; see also: Eze. 11:19; 36:26; Zech. 7:12). Nolland argues that by recording this statement, Matthew is preparing the way for a “radical rethinking of what it means to be the people of God,” which comes to strong expression at Matthew 8:10–12. [3]

John warns that “the axe is already laid at the root of the trees” (Matt. 3:10), which is an image of approaching divine judgment (Isa. 10:15–19, 33–34; Eze. 31; Dan 4:14). Turner notes that the adverb “already” and the present-tense verb “is being laid” strongly depict a “present process.” [4] In fact, the particle “already” (Gk., d) appears first in the statement, therefore in the emphatic position. “As the kingdom message is preached, those who reject it are already being marked out for judgment, even though the full force of that awful judgment has not yet been felt.” [5]

Consequently, “immediacy and certainty are implied.” [6] As Morris expresses it, “John regards the destruction as inevitable” and the judgment as “imminent.” [7] Nolland agrees. [8] This matches well with Olivet’s statement regarding the nearness of the events, as we shall see. (Unfortunately, despite these clear observations, the authors just cited do not see the passage as referring to AD 70! Rather, in their view it points to the “remote future” that is already beginning to intrude in the present.)

Nevertheless, that the axe is laid “at the root” powerfully teaches that God will not simply prune Israel; he will cut her down to her very root. Indeed, regarding Jesus, John declares (shifting his metaphor): “He who is coming” has a “winnowing fork is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clear His threshing floor; and He will gather His wheat into the barn, but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire” (Matt. 3:12). This points to AD 70 (cp. 8:10–12; 22:7; cf. 7:16–20), which is typological of and anticipates the Final Judgment at the end of history. Or as Nolland well-expresses it: “the destruction of Jerusalem [is] the first installment of a universal judgment.”

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In fact, Luke 13:6–9 records a parable of Jesus that reflects this same concern. There he pictures his three-and-one-half-year ministry to fruitless Israel, who is presented as a fig tree. The Lord declares: “for three years I have come looking for fruit on this fig tree without finding any. Cut it down! Why does it even use up the ground?” (v. 7). Later in Matthew 21:18–19 we will see Jesus engaging in prophetic theater in cursing the fig tree.

What is more, “in contrast to Mark who had spoken of ‘all Jerusalem’ going out to be baptized by John (Mark 1:5), Matthew presents this episode more negatively as an occasion when the Pharisees and Sadducees (Matt. 3:7) came out to inspect John critically.” Once again, as in the birth narrative, Matthew’s Gospel differs from the other Synoptics in casting a negative light on Israel.

While referencing this text, Wright states that “The warnings already mentioned, and those about to be discussed, are manifestly and obviously, within their historical context, warnings about a coming national disaster, involving the destruction by Rome of the nation, the city and the Temple.” Walker sees John’s statement regarding the “wrath to come” (3:7) as predicting “that the Temple would be abandoned by God (23:38) and destroyed (24:2) with its ‘holy place’ desecrated (24:15); the ‘holy city’ too would experience divine judgement.”

Unfortunately, “John’s title, ‘the Baptist’, can obscure what was in fact the main thrust of his ministry, an announcement of the imminent judgment of God and of the coming of the ‘greater one.’” Though he seeks repentance and conversion, he does so because of God’s holy wrath that will come upon Israel if she does not repent.

Notes

1. P. W. L. Walker, Jesus and the Holy City, p. 34.

2. J. K. Brown, Matthew (TTCS), 29.

3. R. T. France, Matthew (NICNT), 319.

4. David L. Turner, Matthew (BECNT) (Grand Rapids: Baker, 2008), 114.

5. Turner, Matthew, 114.

6. Turner, Matthew, 114.

7. Leon Morris, Matthew, 60 n. 39.

8. John Nolland, Matthew, 145. See also: Charles L. Quarles, Exegetical Guide toe the Matthew Greek New Testament (Nashville: B & H, 2017), 35. Leon Morris, The Gospel according to Matthew (PNTC) (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992), 60.