Year 9, Day 177: Matthew 3

Theological Commentary: Click Here

Matthew 3 brings us to John the Baptizer.  This passage continues the perspective on leadership, though.  John is out in the middle of the wilderness, doing his thing, and you’ll note that it is the religious leadership that inspires him to object!  John has some fairly disparaging things to say about the Pharisees and Sadducees.

John’s basic message is one of repentance, for the kingdom of heaven has drawn near.  God has been getting close to His people throughout history.  He drew close to Abraham, giving him the covenant.  God drew close to the captives in Egypt, giving them the Law on the way to the Promised Land.  God drew close to the judges, who governed over the people.  God drew close to the prophets, who spoke with His voice.  Now, God is doing the biggest step yet.  God is making it possible from Him to literally dwell among us.  All of this is in preparation for when God no longer dwells among us, but within us!

In this context, John tells us to repent.  The word for repent literally means to turn around.  It is a change in direction.  John is telling us that we are all headed the same way: the realization of our own agendas.  What we need to do is to turn around: the realization of God’s agenda.  God’s ways are better than our ways.  What God wants for me is better than what I want for me.

This is naturally where John’s conflict with the leadership comes into play.  Why are people selfish and self-centered?  They are selfish and self-centered because they are human, of course.  But they persist in that condition because they have bad leadership over them.  They have nobody to show them a higher way.  They have no grand example.  The people are selfish and self-centered because that’s what they see their leaders doing, too!

John tells even the leaders to repent.  Even the leaders need to change!  John is essentially preparing everyone for the need for a new agenda, a new perspective on life, and a new regime.  Human leadership is about maneuvering into a position to make your dreams happen.  Godly leadership is about setting aside your dreams, picking up God’s dreams, and allowing God to maneuver us into a position to make His reality happen.

<><