Matthew 3 & 4 | The Wolfe Notes

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These Wolfe Notes Cover:

1. Matthew 3: John the Baptist and Baptism
1. Overview: General Topic, Key Themes, and Summary
2. Thoughts, Questions, and Connections
3. Exploration On baptism.
2. Matthew 4: Temptations and Ministry
1. Overview: General Topic, Key Themes, and Summary
2. Thoughts, Questions, and Connections
3. Exploration On temptations
3. Synthesizing Matthew 1-4
1. Reflections On how God thinks differently than we do.
2. Response By treating others as God treats us.

Matthew 3

Water drop by RonyMichaud at Pixabay

Overview

General Topic

John the Baptist prepares Israel to receive Jesus and baptizes Him.

Key Themes

Baptism. Change. New Bloodline.

Summary

John told people change was coming: Jesus would change you from the inside; your bloodline would no longer matter. Baptism is a rite that proclaims you are changed; the way you live shows it. Though Jesus required no inward change, His baptism proclaims the way He commits to live.

Thoughts, Questions, and Connections

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, and ! a connection. Researched answers are in italics.

On John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12)

1. ? Why is John warning that we need to repent now? Why the urgency? Isn't it always the time to change? (Matthew 3:2)
2. ! John is the one Isaiah the prophet was talking about when he said, "There is someone shouting in the desert: 'Prepare the way for the Lord. Make the road straight for him.'" Matthew 3:3 ERV referencing Isaiah 40:3 Listen, there is someone shouting: "Prepare a way in the desert for the Lord. Make a straight road there for a God. (See our research on the voice in the wilderness.)
3. ? Is there any reason why John wore what he wore, clothes of camel's hair with a leather belt, and ate what he ate, locusts and honey, and why it is mentioned? (Matthew 3:4) Does it have anything to do with Jesus telling us to not worry about what we eat, drink, or wear in Matthew 6:31?
4. ? Where did the idea of baptism come from? (Matthew 3:6) *R
5. ? Why is confession necessary? (Matthew 3:6) Confession helps us maintain a proper relationship with God. Both positional, accepting God's gift of eternal salvation, and relational, seeking restoration for wrongs done,  forgiveness is necessary. Just as confession leads to restoration in human relationships, it also aids in strengthening our spiritual relationship. (From Got Questions)
1. And this brings praise to God because of his wonderful grace. God gave that grace to us freely. He gave us that grace in Christ, the one he loves. In Christ we are made free by his blood sacrifice. We have forgiveness of sins because of God's rich grace. God gave us that grace fully and freely. With full wisdom and understanding. Ephesians 1:6-8 ERV
2. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 KJV
6. ? When John calls all of the Pharisees and Sadducees snakes, is he saying they are with Satan? (Matthew 3:7)
7. ? Who did warn the Pharisees and Sadducees? (Matthew 3:7)
8. *There is no more a heritage by blood, but by faith. (Matthew 3:9)
9. ! Of course He could turn the stones into children for Abraham, because we are stone. (See our related article: "Collect Rocks Day".)
10. ! The ax is now ready to cut down the trees. Matthew 3:10 ERV. 
1. An ax is not better than the one who cuts with it. A saw is not better than the one who uses it. Is a stick stronger than the one who picks it up? It can't do anything to the person who is using it to punish someone! Isaiah 10:15 ERV (See our notes on Isaiah 10.) 
2. *It's not the ax doing the work, but the person operating it. God is ready to prune.
11. ! Every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Matthew 3:10 ERV. 
1. ! Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance: KJV vs. Change your hearts! And show by the way you live that you have changed. ERV Matthew 3:8
2. "I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I to you, you will produce plenty of fruit. But separated from me you won't be able to do anything. John 15:5 ERV
3. *God wants us to show we've changed by the way we live. The key to continue living correctly is to stay with Jesus.
12. ! Baptism is an outward sign of an inward change: "I baptize you with water to show that you have changed your hearts and lives. But there is someone coming later who is able to do more than I can...He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Matthew 3:11 ERV
13. ? If Jesus' baptism rids us of evil, "he will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire", is it accomplished individually, corporately, or both?
    
1. The ungodly are not [like trees planted by rivers of water] so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away. Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous. For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish. Psalm 1:4 KJV
2. Therefore thus saith the Lord God; Behold, mine anger and my fury shall be poured out upon this place, upon man, and upon beast, and upon the trees of the field, and upon the fruit of the ground; and it shall burn, and shall not be quenched. Jeremiah 7:20 KJV
3. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. Isaiah 1:18 (See our notes for this chapter.)
4. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7 KJV
5. *Corporate cleansing seems to involve fire; individual cleaning requires Christ's blood. 

On Jesus' Baptism (Matthew 3:13-16)

1. ? Who did baptize John?
2. ? How is John baptizing Jesus an act of righteousness? It seems like a rite that John set into motion, not Jesus. (Matthew 3:15) *R

Exploration

On Baptism

Traditionally

• The Qumran community (Read more about the Qumran at Jewish Virtual Library.) participated in frequent, self-administered baptism rituals like communion.
• Perhaps stemmed from the ceremonial cleansing of the priests practiced in the wilderness.
• Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. Ezekiel 36:25 KJV
• Aaron will wash his whole body with water and put on the special [holy] clothes. He will put on the linen underwear next to his body, the linen robe, the linen belt, and then he will put the linen turban on his head. Leviticus 16:4 ERV [KJV] (See also Leviticus 16:23-24.)
• This is an example for us today. It shows that the gifts and sacrifices the priests offer God are not able to make the consciences of the worshipers completely clear. These gifts and sacrifices are only about food and drink and special washings. They are only rules about the body. God gave them for his people to follow until the time of his new way. Hebrews 9:9-10 ERV

Ultimately

It foreshadows Jesus' final cleansing of us from all sin. 

• For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Matthew 26:28 KJV
• But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. I John 1:7 KJV
• The law says that almost everything must be made clean by blood. Sins cannot be forgiven without a blood sacrifice. These things are copies of the real things that are in heaven. These copies had to be made clean by animal sacrifices. But the real things in heaven must have much better sacrifices. Christ went into the Most Holy Place. But it was not the man-made one, which is only a copy of the real one. He went into heaven, and he is there now before God to help us. The high priest enters the Most Holy Place once every year. He takes with him blood to offer. But he does not offer his own blood like Christ did. Christ went into heaven, but not to offer himself many times like the high priest offers blood again and again. If Christ had offered himself many times, he would have needed to suffer many times since the time the world was made. But he came to offer himself only once. And that once is enough for all time. He came at a time when the world is nearing an end. He came to take away all sin by offering himself as a sacrifice. Hebrews 9:22 ERV

Relationally

1. An example of mutual submission, (Ephesians 5:21) Jesus was willing to be served by John. 
2. Later on, Jesus would serve Peter, and Peter would object (John 13:8).

*Thoughts: Baptism acknowledges a need for purification. We are not holy; we must be cleansed. Like communion, it is a rite that could be repeated at will to remind us that we are cleansed because of Jesus. Jesus' blood completed the requirement for payment of our sins. When we accept His sacrifice, we are fully redeemed. What's fascinating about Jesus' baptism is that it reminds us He works alongside us! He wants our interaction, not just our obedience and allegiance. He wants a relationship, which means he respects, values, and even lets us lead at times. Here, He submits to John's authoritative role. Later, He washes Peter's feet. Yes, He has ultimate power, but He doesn't abuse it. He knows how to balance power to benefit relationships.

Sources: 

1. "How did John the Baptist get the idea to baptize people?" by Dr. Michael Gleghorn at Probe.org.
2. "What is the origin of baptism?" at Got Questions.

Matthew 4

Prairie image by Cowins at Pixabay

Overview

General Topic

Jesus is tempted by Satan, gathers followers, and begins His ministry.

Key Themes

Trials. Openness. Ministry.

Summary

Immediately following His baptism, Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by Satan. Satan tempted His hunger, identity, and ambition. After resisting each, angels came and restored Jesus. Now strengthened, Jesus began His ministry in a land where Gentiles dwelled. He chose Peter, Andrew, James, and John, all fishermen who gave up their lives to follow Him. By healing multitudes, Jesus' fame grew.

Thoughts, Questions, and Connections

? Denotes a question, * a personal thought, and ! a connection. Researched answers are in italics.

On Temptation (Matthew 4:1-11)

1. ! At baptism, our pastor always warns the congregation, "When you make a stand for Jesus, the devil makes a stand against you." Which is exactly what happened to Jesus. Immediately following His baptism, the Holy spirit leads Jesus to be tempted by the devil. (Matthew 4:1)
2. ? Even Jesus had to be tested. Why? To receive the whole human experience?
1. My brethern, count it all JOY when ye fall into divers temptations; Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing. James 1:2-4 KJV
2. Jesus, our great priest understands us. He knows how weak we are. He knows that we sometimes want to do wrong things. The Devil tried to make him do all those same kinds of wrong things. But Jesus never did anything wrong. Hebrews 4:15 EASY
3. *Jesus could have done any of these things and it wouldn't have been a big deal. He could have rationalized them, except for the intent behind the choices. How many things do we do that seem reasonable but are actually motivated by ill intent, that are not godly? And how do we know if the choices we make are godly or ungodly?

On Gathering Disciples (Matthew 4:12-22)

1. ? Why did John's imprisonment commence Jesus' ministry? Is it because John was no longer preparing the way, so now Jesus had to step up? (Matthew 4:12)
2. ? Was the land of Zebulun and Naphtali where the Israelites who chose the other side of the Jordan resided, which included the half tribe of Manasseh? (Matthew 4:13, 15) Footnotes say it was on the other side of the Jordan, as does verse 15. Numbers 32 shows that it was Reuben, Gad, and the 1/2 tribe of Manasseh on the other side of the Jordan. Commentators say it means near the Jordan river instead of across and references Deuteronomy 1:1 and 4:49 as other places near is meant instead of across.
3. ? The KJV, refers to this land as the "Galilee of the Gentiles", were only the Gentiles in the dark? (Matthew 4:15) Footnotes explain that because these people lived on the edge of Israelite territory, they were not as familiar with God's teachings. They were also part of the Northern Kingdom, Israel vs. Jerusalem, which frequently rebelled against God's teachings. (Got Questions) See also I Kings 12:16-33.
4. *God sent Jesus to shine understanding (a light) on their confusion (darkness). (Matthew 4:16) As foretold in Isaiah 9:1-2. Also see our notes on Isaiah 9.
5. ? Why a sense of urgency to join the kingdom? Because life is better here? Because we don't know what tomorrow holds? (Matthew 4:16).
6. ? Did Peter, Andrew, James, and John live among the Gentiles? (Matthew 4:18, 21)
1. *It was from a region that was the "least likely" for God to choose from, at least from a worldview. 
2. ?What does that mean for us as a church, as "church people"? Are we staying humble and extending ourselves into the "least likely" places? Or are we staying sheltered in our stained glass houses? 
7. ? Why did Simon, Andrew, James, and John so willingly follow Jesus? Did they hear about Him from John? (Matthew 4:20, 22)
8. ? Why did Jesus choose these men? (Matthew 4:18-22)

On Healing the Masses (Matthew 4:23-25)

1. *The greater need Jesus was meeting was in teaching the Good News, which is of more importance than physical healing. (Matthew 4:23) 
1. Jesus answered, "I tell you this: You saw me do miracles that show God's power. But you are not looking for me because of that. No, you are looking for me because you ate the loaves. I gave you all the food that you needed. Do not work only for that kind of food. It soon becomes spoiled. Instead, work to get the food that continues for ever. That kind of food gives you life with God. The Son of Man will give this food to you. God, the Father, has given the Son authority to do this. John 6:26-27 EASY
2. It is the Spirit that gives you life. People cannot do that. The words that I have spoken to you come from the Spirit. They give you life. John 6:63 EASY
2. 🎵Help me want the Healer more than the healing / Help me want the Savior more than the saving / Help me want the Giver more than the giving / Help me want you Jesus more than anything🎶 ("More than Anything" performed by Natalie Grant)

Exploration

On Temptations.

Jesus' Temptations

• Undoubtedly, Jesus underwent more tempting than what was mentioned here.
• After this, Jesus began to explain everything to his disciples. He told them, 'I must go to Jerusalem. There, I will suffer in many ways. Matthew 16:21 EASY
• He stayed there for 40 days and he did not eat anything. During this time the Devil tried to cause Jesus to do wrong things. At the end of 40 days, Jesus was very hungry. Luke 4:2 EASY
• And when the devil had ended all the temptation, he departed from him for a season. Luke 4:13 KJV
• Saying, Father, if thou be willing, remove this cup from me: nevertheless not my will, but thine, be done. Luke 22:42 KJV
• These three temptations speak to physical desires (lust of flesh), reputation (pride of life), and power (lust of eyes).
• While turning stones into bread may seem benign, doing so would show:
• Jesus doubted God's provision. The Holy Spirit led Jesus into this trial, the Holy Spirit will carry Him through it. Contrasted with the Israelites mistrust of God's provision in the wilderness, Jesus successfully withstood this trial. (Deuteronomy 8:15-16)
• An abuse of power. Jesus would be altering the purpose of a creation of God's, it's satisfying a natural desire in an unnatural way.

Our Own Temptations

• We recognize three key ways Satan tries to tempt us: by satisfying our physical desires, our drive for fame or recognition, and our quest for power. Flesh, identity, influence.
• We combat them the same way Jesus did, by using the word of God. The more familiar we are with the word of God, the better equipped we are to fight the attacks. 
• We are never tempted by God (James 1:13) but undergo the temptations so we learn to depend increasingly more on Him. (James 1:12)

*Thoughts: Record the lie you keep telling yourself next to scripture that combats it.

Sources: 

1. "Turning stones into bread? What kind of temptation is that?" at Wrestled Faith
2. "What was the meaning and purpose of Jesus' temptations?" at Got Questions

Synthesis of Matthew 1-4

Reflect

From before the world began, You always had a plan to send us Jesus. Through broken humans, You chose Jesus' lineage. People like me: rejected, overlooked, and sinful - yet faithful to You. If we were to write a story about who You would choose, it wouldn't be us. The ones You choose are so ordinary, but obedient. 

Look at Joseph. How could he even wrap his brain around the idea that his affianced was pregnant with Your child? Then, to take on the role as His earthly father with complete surrender and devoted protection. 

Look at the wisemen who were not Jews, but curious. You awarded their persistence and obedience. We knew the signs were there - it was foretold - but we didn't listen, and they did.

Look at Your childhood. Born in a manger, exiled in Egypt, raised in humble Galilee - not a home to the elite, but a place that welcomed outsiders.

Look at Your trials, even You were not immune from Satan's attacks. You were tempted by the same temptations we fall to, yet withstood every one. You resisted by standing firmly in scripture so we know we can, too. You know where Your power comes from, so we do, too. 

Look at Your baptism. You submit to us. You show us it's a joint effort. You want to work with us. You could come in and take over, but instead, You submit to rites we've put in place that honor Your Father. Us, together, with You.

Look at where You work - not where we'd choose. Instead of starting where it's safe, You lean in to where people are broken. You know who needs and will accept You, and that's where You work.

Look at who You choose, not the ones who the learned chose, but the hard workers from "across the tracks". Ones who are willing to answer Your call.

Look at Your mission - to tell others about God's kingdom by meeting our physical needs. You hope to awaken in us an understanding of our spiritual needs. 

Do I look to the heart of a person or place, or do I pass judgment in a cursory glance? Do I act on the words and teachings of Jesus or do I just read the words, sing the songs, and numbly follow expected rituals? Do I submit willingly to others, or do I insist on my own way? Do I work to meet the needs of others, physically and spiritually? Do I notice when an opportunity arises? Would I try or would I wait for someone else to do it?

I can't be Jesus. He is God. But, I can follow Him and I can put into practice what He teaches. He chooses to be a part of us even in our brokenness and imperfection. So I can be a part of others in the middle of their brokenness and imperfection, too.

Respond

Matthew 1

Connect

God wants us to be a part of His story. We see that from the beginning even to today.

Reflect

• What is my part in God's story? 
• What is Christ's part in my story?
• If someone were to choose one word to summarize my story, what would my word be?

Act

Arise and make my story the story I want to be told about me.

Matthew 2

Connect 

Our obedience matters to God. 

It's how He knows we honor Him above every other thing. It's not a matter of pride or control on His part because if it were He would force us to obey. 

Reflect

• Where am I being disobedient to God?
• Where am I serving Satan instead of God by not choosing God's ways?
• How do I change?

Act

Arise and do it: make the change!

Matthew 3

Connect

God enabled us, through Christ Jesus and His righteousness, to be part of the family. Now, its our choice: do we want to join, or not?

Reflect

• What does it mean to be part of God's family?
• Am I fully embracing my role as joint-heir to the eternal throne? Do I even realize that's who I am and consider what it entitles me to?
• Do I ignore that being part of the family includes certain responsibilities and expectations?
• Am I honoring my Father in the way I live? 

Act

Arise and live like heir apparent to the high and holy throne. Embrace the honor and represent your King well.

Matthew 4

Connect

God allows us to be tried.

The process of being tried strengthens us to become more like Christ so we can minister to others.

Reflect

• What trials am I currently facing? 
• How might God strengthen me through them so I can rise to help others?

Act

Arise and strengthen thy brethren!

In Closing

Thank You, God, for working with us, for making us part of the family, and for strengthening us through trials. Help us to understand and appreciate what it means so that we may more fully and boldly serve You by serving others.

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