§ 8. Jesus' Ministry in Galilee Continued

People heard John on purpose. Jesus here knows these are spiritual because they went to the trouble to go hear John despite the inconvenience, his lack of power, and his lack of prestige.

The true clothing of John was not soft and luxurious, but rather a clear indication that he is Elijah.

Matthew 3:4

Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.

2 Kings 1:7–8

[Ahaziah, king of Israel,] said to them, “What kind of man was he who came to meet you and told you these things?” They answered him, “He wore a garment of hair, with a belt of leather about his waist.” And he said, “It is Elijah the Tishbite.”

The Lord's messenger is detailed in Malachi 3. Just as the messenger purifies the priests ("sons of Levi"), so John's message is revealed only to those who are spiritual, who desired to hear his message and went out to him in the wilderness.

Malachi 3:1–4

Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts. But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver, and he will purify the sons of Levi and refine them like gold and silver, and they will bring offerings in righteousness to the LORD. Then the offering of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the LORD as in the days of old and as in former years.

The kingdom of heaven transforms God's people from priests for the world (Exodus 19:5–6) into priests of God (Jeremiah 31:34). Verse 13 also indicates that Law ends at John, looking to the future kingdom of Heaven, the church.

1 Peter 2:4–5

As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God chosen and precious, you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

Most find this saying of Jesus hard to understand. Jesus is basically saying His disciples suffer persection, and it takes gumption to become His disciple.

Ezekiel 22:23–31

“…The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives…. Her priests have done violence to my law and have profaned my holy things…. Her princes in her midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get dishonest gain…. The people of the land have practiced extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and have extorted from the sojourner without justice….”

John 9:22

…they feared the Jews, for the Jews had already agreed that if anyone should confess Jesus to be Christ, he was to be put out of the synagogue.

The cost of becoming John's disciple was going out to see him in the wilderness and being exposed to some very hard truths. The cost of becoming Jesus's disciple is excommunication, persection, and maybe even our lives.

Jesus here refers to the closing verses of Malachi. The complete thought begins in Malachi 3:16. The Lord makes a distinction between those priests who do fear Him and those who do not. In the gospels, we see those among the people who do fear God going out to see John—and coming to Jesus. In the end, there was destruction for the physical nation of Israel at the hands of Rome, but spiritual "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16) remains forever.

Malachi 3:16–4:3

Then those who feared the LORD spoke with one another. The LORD paid attention and heard them, and a book of remembrance was written before him of those who feared the LORD and esteemed his name. “They shall be mine, says the LORD of hosts, in the day when I make up my treasured possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him. Then once more you shall see the distinction between the righteous and the wicked, between one who serves God and one who does not serve him. For behold, the day is coming, burning like an oven, when all the arrogant and all evildoers will be stubble. The day that is coming shall set them ablaze,” says the LORD of hosts, “so that it will leave them neither root nor branch. But for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall rise with healing in its wings. You shall go out leaping like calves from the stall. And you shall tread down the wicked, for they will be ashes under the soles of your feet, on the day when I act,” says the LORD of hosts.

Malachi 4:5–6

“Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes. And he will turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers, lest I come and strike the land with a decree of utter destruction.”

John's food and drink were unusual, and this was proof to them that he was demon-possessed. Jesus's food and drink were the typical fare, and this was proof to them that He was of loose morals. There is no way to be right in the eyes of God's enemies.

Luke 6:26

Woe to you, when all people speak well of you,
    for so their fathers did to the false prophets.

Or, "wisdom is justified by her children."

While it is possible this may be a new saying from the Lord, or it may be a popular saying in His day, the Proverbs personify wisdom as a woman in the marketplace, calling out to everyone with an appeal and a warning. The children in the marketplace (v.16) should be receiving the instruction of their father, but they are mocking instead!

The parallels between the woman in Proverbs and this passage are so strong that the entire poem is included here. John is sent by God's mercy to turn whoever might listen. Jesus's plea is even more earnest. But in the end, for those who reject Him, there remains only the destruction of their earthly nation.

Proverbs 1:20–33

Wisdom cries aloud in the street,
    in the markets she raises her voice;
at the head of the noisy streets she cries out;
    at the entrance of the city gates she speaks:
“How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple?
How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing
    and fools hate knowledge?
If you turn at my reproof,
behold, I will pour out my spirit to you;
    I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused to listen,
    have stretched out my hand and no one has heeded,
because you have ignored all my counsel
    and would have none of my reproof,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
    I will mock when terror strikes you,
when terror strikes you like a storm
    and your calamity comes like a whirlwind,
    when distress and anguish come upon you.
Then they will call upon me, but I will not answer;
    they will seek me diligently but will not find me.
Because they hated knowledge
    and did not choose the fear of the LORD,
would have none of my counsel
    and despised all my reproof,
therefore they shall eat the fruit of their way,
    and have their fill of their own devices.
For the simple are killed by their turning away,
    and the complacency of fools destroys them;
but whoever listens to me will dwell secure
    and will be at ease, without dread of disaster.”

Verses 29–30 are especially important because this thought is not so formulated in any other account.

Accepting a baptism of repentance declares God just.

This principle can be seen in those who were baptized on the first Pentecost after Jesus's resurrection. They heard that God made Jesus the King even though they themselves had delivered Him to be crucified. They believed this message and repented in their hearts. And because they received this word, they were baptized, declaring that God was just (not insisting on their own justice).

Acts 2:36–37, 41

“…Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”

So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls.

Verses 29–30 are especially important because this thought is not so formulated in any other account.

Similarly, refusing baptism means refusing to follow God's plans.

Romans 10:1–4

Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge. For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Sometimes people will make much of the fact that baptism isn't mentioned in the second part of Mark 16:16 the way disbelief is; these seem to think baptism is not essential to salvation. Luke 7:30 exposes the fault in such reasoning. Baptism does not need to be mentioned for those who disbelieve. It is precisely because they disbelieve, thus "rejecting the purpose of God for themselves," that they are not baptized.