Matthew 3:7

"They were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins."

Key Reflection

In the first century, baptism was a significant public declaration of one’s repentance and commitment to following Jesus. When Matthew writes that people were baptized by John in the Jordan River, he highlights a pivotal moment where individuals publicly acknowledged their sins and sought cleansing through this ritual. This act would have been highly visible and transformative for the original audience, symbolizing a break from past behaviors and a new beginning in relationship with God.

From the Scholars: Barnes' Notes

Verse 7. Pharisees and Sadducees. The Jews were divided into three great sects, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Essenes. In addition to these, some smaller sects are mentioned in the New Testament, and by Josephus: the Herodians, probably political friends of Herod; the Galileans, a branch of the Pharisees; and the Therapeutae, a branch of the Essenes, but converts from the Greeks. The principal of these sects are supposed to have originated about 150 years before Christ, as they are mentioned by Josephus at about that time in his history. Of course nothing is said of them in the Old Testament, as that was finished about 400 years before the Christian era. I.

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