Matthew 3-4

I get the impression that John the Baptist and Jesus had quite different preaching styles. The Wild Man with the hairy outfit and locust juice in the corner of his mouth shouting, "Repent!" Although by the time we hit 4:17, Jesus' message was "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near!" Still I think the delivery was different. But maybe that's just the image I've been brought up with. There was something about John that got to people's hearts. In 3:6, we see that John baptized only after the people confessed their sins. The Baptist's words must have cut deeply.

His response to the Pharisees probably gives many the whole Wild Man image. His message, "If you're so good, where is your fruit?" Clearly the Pharisees weren't coming out to confess and repent.

Jesus told John that he should baptize Him "to fulfill all righteousness." Isn't this the best way of telling us that it is right for us to be baptized as well? Baptism wasn't new with John. It had been practiced for years for people becoming Jews. John and Jesus both knew that this was different. Jesus wouldn't have been baptized as a baby because He was already Jewish. John's ministry gave the rite it's new meaning -- or rather it's clearer meaning.

The Father's testimony about the Son is given as Jesus comes out of the baptismal waters.

It was the Holy Spirit who led Jesus into the desert to be tempted. If God allowed Jesus to be tempted, why would we expect to get out of it? The devil, meanwhile, is testing to see what kind of Messiah this Jesus will be. Did he expect to succeed? Did he really expect Jesus to kneel and worship him? Is he really that stupid?

Jesus settled in Capernaum to begin His ministry, although He travelled extensively throughout Galillee. What an odd place to begin preaching -- like coming to Mississippi or Alabama instead of the large religious centers, mainly Jerusalem and the area.

The "fishers of men" segments show immediate responses from the four fishermen.