This present scripture is the earliest direct mention of baptism within the complete Word of God. Through using the expression "In those days", Matthew is locating his writings into it's chronological perspective. He is in addition informing his audience about years that had since gone bye, and was most likely giving his account to his audience a prolonged time after the dealings that he notes. To understand those days Matthew is informing his audience concerning, we really need to study the earlier chapters.
In the introduction of his gospel, Matthew calls it "The book of the generation of Jesus Christ" (Matthew 1v1). Here Matthew states his objective - to let somebody see The Lord Jesus Christ as a true human being that lived at a precise stage, was born to particular parents, and had the ministry and position of "Christ", the anointed Messiah or Saviour. The remainder of chapter one talks of the family tree of Jesus, and moreover a succinct sketch of how Mary got pregnant: "she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1v18)
It is within chapter two that we commence to make out the detailed events that Matthew uses to place his writings into a chronological timeframe. The historical events here include:
· Jesus was given birth to in Bethlehem (King David's historical home) "in the days of Herod the king" (Matthew 2v1)
· Wise men came out of the east to Jerusalem, wondering "Where is he that is born King of the Jews?" (Matthew 2v1-2)
· The wise men came because, in their words, "we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him" (Matthew 2v2)
· Herod enquired of the wise men at what moment in time the heavenly body did appear (Matthew 2v7) and found that it had been around two years prior (Matthew 2v16). It is probable nevertheless that he overcompensated in an attempt to make certain that the newborn child was murdered, thinking that the star had actually appeared at His conception about nine months earlier.
· Herod sent out an command that every single one of the babies beneath the age of 2 in Bethlehem in addition to the whole of it's surrounding country will be killed. This was his effort to make sure that precisely a single newborn, the baby Jesus, was also slaughtered. (Matthew 2v16)
· Following the visit of the wise men, Joseph took Mary along with the newborn child to Egypt in a rush, as he had been warned concerning Herod's plans through an angel. (Matthew 2v13-14)
· Whilst the family had been in Egypt, King Herod died and Joseph was advised to come back in the direction of Israel with "the young child". (Matthew 2v19-20)
· When King Herod was dead, his son Archelaus ruled Judaea in his place. (Matthew 2v22)
Noticeably, the author Matthew locates the events in the days of the Lord Jesus Christ inside the perspective of who was ruling Judaea, along with some of the things that they had done. This would most probably place the birth of the baby Jesus to within a small number of days or weeks of the edict that Herod the king had made in order to have him along with all additional children living in and round about Bethlehem slaughtered. It is possible that a few of Matthew's readers had lost a infant, brother or sister throughout this instance and may possibly associate the writing of Matthew straight to situations inside their individual families. It was into these time in their recent past that John the Baptist had come, preaching and baptising.
John the Baptist was not preaching within the temple or synagogues, but in the rough country. Maybe he was unwelcome within the temple for one reason or another - the most probable cause was the message that he introduced. For other evidence of this, see in addition v7 3.
Let us have a look at the message that he taught, which is discovered within a few verses that go after the present one:
· Repentance was commanded to all (v2)
· The "kingdom of heaven" was at hand - just about to be revealed (v2)
· John the Baptist appreciated his individual office being laying the groundwork for the ministry of the Lord, sowing the soil, getting everything prepared, and making His way a little quicker. (v3)
Obviously, precisely from the foundation of the biblical account of baptism, repentance from sinful habits was entwined inside the teaching of baptism. This message of repentance and baptism was laying the groundwork for every person that received the message for the approaching ministry of the Lord Jesus.
Author Resource:
MJ Anderson
All quotations from the Good News Bible unless otherwise indicated.
MJ Anderson writes on Baptism, and has also written a book studying each of the 91 verses of scripture about baptism. The book is called "Baptism's 91 Witnesses", and further information can be found at http://www.91witnesses.com
MJ Anderson also produces custom Bumper Stickers, Sticky Labels and Food and Drink stickers through his website at http://www.labels4me.co.uk
Natural Thyroid Treatments and articles at Natural Thyroid Treatment dot Org and Thyroid Booster dot Net
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