Matthew 3 - a message of hope or a case for Christian exceptionalism?
Channel: Dr Kevin Jenson - Bible Scholar & Sex Educator
Date: 2022-05-26

After an appalling sermon where I heard Matthew 3 misused as a case for Christian exceptionalism, I decided to do my own study of this passage and what it really talks about in its historical, rhetorical, and cultural context. 

The message is absolutely incredible! 

It blew me away how Matthew structured the chapter by framing it with Malachi and Isaiah. Both of these of these prophets are used to explain what is meant by the message John the Baptist shared in the wilderness. The passage in Isaiah begins with "comfort, comfort my people..." because the messiah was coming. 

This whole chapter is a case for Jesus being the Messiah and the unmistakeable ending with the voice from heaven declaring "this is my beloved Son" has implications that reverberate to our very day. 

In this video we explore what repentance really means, we examine the significance of baptism for a Jewish person, and puzzle over why Jesus felt it was necessary for "righteousness" that he be baptized into John's message: "repent for the kingdom is at hand."