Introduction
Following Matthew 2, the gospel ofMatthew jumps more than 30 years and begins with the ministry of John the Baptist. Matthew does not share anything about John’s background, but Luke gives us his story.
- Read Luke 1:5-24; 57-77
Important to the background of John the Baptist is his father, Zacharias’ prophesy in Luke 1:68-79:
Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
that we should be saved from our enemies and from the hand of all who hate us;
to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
And you, child [John], will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
to give light to those who sit in darkness
and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace. (Luke 1:68-79, ESV)
Outline: We are in part 2 of our outline of the gospel of Matthew.
Jesus’ early ministry (Matthew 3:1-4:11)
- The ministry of John the Baptist (Matthew 3:1-12)
- John baptizes Jesus (Matthew 3:13-17)
[Click here to continue].
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