Matthew 3 - Introduction

SUPPLEMENTARY NOTES

On St. Matthew’s use of the expression “the kingdom of heaven”—In regard to the meaning of this expression, I go along with Schürer in explaining that it is only in the Jewish custom of using some circumlocution for the name of God, and of specially using the term heaven for that purpose (cf. Mark 11:30; Luke 15:18), that we must seek the reason for interchanging the terms “kingdom of God” and “kingdom of heaven.” The peculiar meaning of the notion “kingdom of God” would not be modified or specialised by this transposition. It would neither specially denote the heavenly origin of the kingdom nor its perfect realisation in heaven, but only that the kingdom belongs to heaven, that is, to God in heaven, and that it is governed from heaven, that is, by God. And just because that expression must be explained by the Jewish custom of circumlocution, and was by no means an original term as used by the Evangelist, but was adopted by him out of the current phraseology of his contemporaries, and further, because this expression simply meant, in the consciousness of the first Evangelist, the same thing as the term “kingdom of God,” and did not bring out any peculiar aspect of thought, we can understand that the Evangelist was not always consistent in the use of that expression, but sometimes unconsciously employed alongside of it the expression “kingdom of God” (Matthew 6:33; Matthew 12:28; Matthew 19:24; Matthew 21:31; Matthew 21:43) (H. H. Wendt, D.D.).

The Baptism of Jesus.—Had the main purpose of John’s preaching and baptism of repentance lain in confession of sins and penitence, the coming of Jesus to be baptised would appear strange, and might be regarded as an argument against the stainless purity of His religious consciousness, or as the expression of a false humility. We must consider, however, that the main element in the idea of repentance lies in the positive best of the spirit towards conformity with the Divine will; and that turning from sin, so far as it has existed, forms only the preparation for, or the reverse side of, that process. We must remember, also, that the final and essential purpose of the Baptist’s preaching was to create the positive endeavour after a righteousness conformable to God’s will, and to the establishment of the Messianic kingdom. Hence, it appears intelligible and truly fitting that Jesus should, not merely in spite of, but just on account of, His consciousness of integrity and filial obedience to God, feel impelled to submit to John’s baptism. He thereby sealed His resolve to yield His will wholly to the will of God, abjuring all sin, and thereby He gave that resolve a definite reference to the kingdom of God, whose nearness the Baptist proclaimed, and of which he desired to be a member (ibid.).