Matthew 3:13-17
With thanks to page sponsor:
Gordon Bannon and Ken Rookes,
The River of Life, Loddon Mallee UCA Presbytery Blog, 2011.
- Reading the Text:
- NRSV (with link to Anglicized NRSV) at Oremus Bible Browser.
- Greek Interlinear Bible, ScrTR, ScrTR t, Strong, Parsing, CGTS, CGES id, AV.
- The Bible Gateway: NRSV, RSV, NIV, NASB, CEV, The Message, KJV, etc.
- The Blue Letter Bible. KJV, alternate versions, Greek text with concordance, commentaries.
- The World Wide Study Bible includes commentary & sermons.
- Historical References, Commentary and
Comparative Texts:
- The Five Gospels Parallels, John W. Marshall, University of Toronto.
- Comparative texts about Baptism: Water & Spirit from DSS, Josephus, Babylonian Talmud. At (Rutgers University Dept of Religion) Mahlon H. Smith's Into His Own: Perspective on the World of Jesus companion to the historical study of Christian texts.
- "John Baptizes Jesus," The Jesus Database, an online annotated inventory of the traditions concerning the life and teachings of Jesus. Dr. Gregory C. Jenks, FaithFutures Foundation.
- Chapter CIII, Dialogue With Trypho, Justin Martyr. (c 160)
- III.IX.3, Adversus Haereses, Irenaeus of Lyons. (c. 180)
- Chapter VII, Chapter IX, On Baptism, Tertullian (c. 198)
- III.25, Against Marcion, Tertullian (c. 209)
- Chapter XVII, On the Soul, Tertullian (c. 210)
- Chapter III, On the Flesh of Christ, Tertullian (c. 211)
- Chapter XIX, Against Praxeas, Tertullian (c. 213)
- II.LXXII, Against Celsus, Origen. (c.246)
- Augustine's Sermon II: "Concerning the Trinity."
- Homily XII - Matthew 3:13, Homilies on the Gospel of St. Matthew, St. Chrysostom (c. 380)
- Commentary on a Harmony of the Evangelists, John Calvin, 1558: Matthew 3:13-17/Mark 1:9-11/Luke 3:21-23.
- From the Catena Aurea, Patristic Commentary by St Thomas Aquinas.
- "'This Is My Son, the Beloved': Sermon on the Baptism of Jesus, The Epiphany of Our Lord (January 6, 1534)," Martin Luther, Word & World, 1996.
- From the Geneva Notes.
- "Christ sanctified our baptism in himself."
- From
Matthew
Henry's Commentary.
- "Christ's gracious condescensions are so surprising, that even the strongest believers at first can hardly believe them; so deep and mysterious, that even those who know his mind well, are apt to start objections against the will of Christ."
- From
Wesley's
Notes.
- "Let our Lord's submitting to baptism teach us a holy exactness in the observance of those institutions which owe their obligation merely to a Divine command."
- From the
Commentary on the Whole Bible
(Jamieson, Fausset and Brown, 1871).
- "...we cannot doubt that it was this permanent and perfect resting of the Holy Ghost upon the Son of God--now and henceforward in His official capacity--that was here visibly manifested."
- From The People's
New Testament, B.W. Johnson, 1891.
- "Three times God speaks from heaven in connection with the ministry of Christ--at his baptism, his transfiguration, and in the temple just before his suffering."
- Contemporary Commentary, Studies, and Exegesis:
- Radical Gratitude, lectionary-based stewardship, Northwest United Methodist Foundation. (.pdf)
-
Commentary, Matthew 3:13-17, Eric Barreto, Preaching This
Week, WorkingPreacher.org, 2011.
- "As if on cue, Jesus sets foot on the stage immediately after John's contrast of his baptism and the superior baptism which is to come."
- Matthew 3:13-17, Comments (commentary) and Clippings (technical notes for in-depth study), Proper 1A, Chris Haslam, Anglican Diocese of Montreal.
- Baptism of Jesus, audio telling, digital presentation, story in episodes, graphic, audio and written commentaries. Go Tell Communications, Biblical Storytelling for the Global Village, 2011.
-
"Baptized into Submission,"
Blogging Toward Sunday,
Erin Martin,
Theolog: The Blog of The Christian Century, 2008.
- "In baptism, we too emerge from the water as beloved sons and daughters whose new life, in the pattern of Christ, is one of servanthood."
-
"First
Thoughts on Year A Gospel Passages in the Lectionary: Baptism of Jesus,"
William Loader, Murdoch University, Uniting Church in Australia.
- "In other words, Matthew focuses our attention on Jesus as one before whom we shall have to give account. Whether we think of that in traditional terms of a day of judgement or in more existential ways, the message is clear: in facing up to him we are to face up to ourselves."
- "The Power of a Good Name," David Lose, Dear Working Preacher, 2011.
- "And today we learn that we, like Jesus, discover who we are by hearing once again whose we are, God's own beloved child."
- "Possibilities Unfolding," Kate Huey, ucc.org: Sermon Seeds, lectionary
citations, weekly theme, lectionary texts, bulletin back page, 2011.
- "As always, John Pilch provides helpful background information to the story, including a geography lesson about the "dry" season when Jesus and the repentant people of Judea could be dipped, "when the Jordan and its streams would have been filled with the winter rains and the sun had warmed the shallow waters to a comfortable temperature" (The Cultural World of Jesus)."
- "A Way Without Violence," Russell Rathbun, The Hardest Question, 2011.
- "What does it mean that Jesus insists that John baptizes him for the forgiveness of sin to fulfill all proper righteousness?"
- Lectionary Blogging, John Petty, Progressive Involvement, 2011.
- "God is putting the imprimatur on Jesus. In the way of Jesus, in his service on behalf of sinners, in his identification with sinners, we see the expressed desire of God himself."
- Exegesis, Francisco Lozada, Jr., Lectionary Homiletics sample, 2011.
- "Jesus is surely in control in this scene as he is throughout the Gospel of Matthew, which is a theme that may be useful to explore."
- Exegetical Notes
by Brian Stoffregen at CrossMarks Christian Resources.
- "Using the image of 'making the world all right' for righteousness -- then wherever there are human needs, the world is not all right, and it needs "fixing"."
- Holy Textures, Understanding the Bible in its own time and in ours, Matthew 3:13-17, David Ewart, 2011.
- "Fulfilling of righteousness requires letting go of our personal sense of what is right and proper in order to let it be God's will that is fulfilled. For Jesus, as at the end, so too at the beginning: a deep and profound aligning of his heart and will with the will and Spirit of God."
- Dylan's Lectionary Blog, Epiphany 1A. Biblical Scholar Sarah Dylan Breuer looks at readings for the coming Sunday in the lectionary of the Episcopal Church.
- "When we say that Jesus is God's son, going about the family business, we are saying not only that Jesus is like God; we are saying that God is like Jesus."
-
Commentary, Matthew 3:13-17, Brad R. Braxton,
The African American Lectionary, 2008.
- "For many Christians, the word righteousness evokes thoughts of personal piety and the state of a person?s ?soul? or conscience before God... Yet often the Christian tradition has emphasized the personal aspects of righteousness to the exclusion of the political aspects of righteousness."
-
"Baptism of Jesus," Gospel Analysis, Sermons from
Seattle, Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle,
Washington. Detailed background and exegesis.
- "In our baptism, similar things happen to us as happened to Jesus when he was baptized: 1) The Spirit of God comes into us and remains in us. 2) We are declared to be a child of God. 3) We hear that God is well pleased with us."
-
"Wading into the Waters: The Baptism of Jesus,"
The Journey with Jesus: Notes to Myself, Daniel B. Clendenin, Journey
with Jesus Foundation, 2008.
- "Why do you think Jesus submitted himself to John's baptism?"
- "The Baptism of Our Lord: Matthew 3:13-17," Revelation and Response: Matthean Texts for Christmas and Epiphany, Carol Mork, Word & World: Theology for Christian Ministry, Luther Northwestern Theological School, 1989.
-
"Ready for Revolution,"
Brad Ronnell Braxton, The Christian Century,
2002. Religion Online.
- "The means by which John and Jesus meet their deaths should convince even the most hardened skeptics of the revolutionary nature of their ministries."
- Matthew in the Margins, by Brian McGowan, Anglican priest in Western Australia.
-
"The
Baptism of Jesus," Rev. Bryan Findlayson, Lectionary Bible
Studies and Sermons, Pumpkin Cottage Ministry Resources. Includes detailed
textual notes.
- "The dove (possibly a sign of Israel), and the words of the Father (Psalm 2:7 and Isaiah 42:1, again referring to the Servant Israel), depict Jesus' particular messianic role. How does this effect us?"
-
"Then Jesus Arrived,"
Jerry Goebel, One
Family Outreach. "Focus on scripture from a justice perspective." Exegesis, study, and teen study
and activities.
- "God has a time for our life too. A time when our purpose breaks upon the sunrise."
-
"My
Beloved Son," Andrew Marr, OSB.
- "Far from receiving a royal anointing that, by definition, could not be shared, Jesus received an anointing that, by definition, must be shared, that must be available to all."
-
"A Public Act," Larry Broding's Word-Sunday.Com: A Catholic
Resource for This Sunday's Gospel. Adult Study, Children's Story, Family
Activity, Support Materials.
- "How do you prepare to step out into the public spotlight? How do you act once you are out in public view?"
-
"Water-Fellowship, Water Joy-Divine," Expository Essay, Dr. William
R. Long.
- "There is something very open-ended about Jesus' experience of baptism. Rather than closing his life, it opens him to a range of experiences that he will try to understand through the prismatic realities of Servant and Son."
- Articles & Background:
- "John the Baptist," "Baptism of Jesus," wikipedia.
-
"The Meaning of Vocation," A.J. Conyers, (other resources at)
"Vocation," Christian Reflection, The Center for Christian
Ethics at Baylor University, 2004.
- "'Vocation' is distorted by two disastrous misunderstandings: a secularized idea of 'career' and a monastic concept of the religious life."
- "Baptism, Eucharist and Ministry," Faith and Order Paper No. 111. World Council of Churches, 1982. Theological and practical commentary.
- "Intertextual Echoes in the Matthean Baptismal Narrative," David B. Capes, Bulletin for Biblical Research, 1999.
-
"Baptism
in the Indian Context: An Event of Separation or Human Solidarity?" David C.
Scott, at Religion OnLine.
- "Certainly, working with others does not mean that the distinctive contribution of Christians is necessarily sacrificed. Whatever specific endowment there may be from a Christian point of view in any given situation, may be enhanced in the context of dialogue with others."
- Jordan River, article and photos at Walking in Their Sandals, Journey through the Land of the Bible.
- Recommended articles
from ATLAS, an online collection of religion and theology journals, are
linked below.
ATLAS Access options are available for academic institutions, alumni of
selected theological schools, and clergy/church offices.
- Bowens, Lisa M., "The Role of John the Baptist in Matthew's Gospel," Word & World, 2010.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Braxton, Brad Ronnell, "Ready for
Revolution," The Christian Century, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Connors, Andrew Foster, "Matthew 3:13-17," Interpretation, 2010.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Freeman, Curtis W., "Between Text and
Sermon, Matthew 3:13-17," Interpretation, 1993.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Gibbs, Jeffrey A.,
"Israel Standing with Israel: The Baptism of Jesus in Matthew's Gospel (Matt
3:13-17)," The Catholic Biblical Quarterly, 2002.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - "Homiletical Helps," Concordia Journal, 2010. (Section on this text begins on page 369)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - "Homiletical Helps on LW Series A," Concordia Journal, 2004. (Section on this text begins on page 395.)
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Luther, Martin, "'This Is My Son, the
Beloved': Sermon on the Baptism of Jesus, The Epiphany of Our Lord
(January 6, 1534)," Word & World, 1996.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - McDonnell, Kilian, O.S.B., "Jesus'
Baptism in the Jordan," Theological Studies, 1995.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Mork, Carol,
"Revelation and Response: Matthean Texts for Christmas and Epiphany,"
Word & World, 1989.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Mouw, Richard J.,
"Baptism and the Salvific Status of Children: An Examination of Some
Intra-Reformed Debates," Calvin Theological Journal, 2006.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Norris, Kathleen, "Marked for a Purpose," The Christian Century, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Patterson, Richard D.,
"Parental Love As a Metaphor for Divine-Human Love," Journal of the
Evangelical Theological Society, 2003.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Vinson, Richard, "'King of the Jews': Kingship and
Anti-Kingship Rhetoric in Matthew's Birth, Baptism, and Transfiguration
Narratives," Review & Expositor, 2007.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials - Wainwright, Elaine,
"Reading Matthew 3-4: Jesus--Sage, Seer, Sophia, Son of God," Journal
for the Study of the New Testament, 2000.
EBSCO ATLASerials, Religion Collection
EBSCO ATLA Religion Database with ATLASerials
- Bowens, Lisa M., "The Role of John the Baptist in Matthew's Gospel," Word & World, 2010.
- Reviews:
- Lawrence, Jonathan D., Washing in Water: Trajectories of Ritual Bathing in the Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Literature. Society of Biblical Literature/Brill, 2006. Review by James W. Watts, Review of Biblical Literature, 2007.
- Sermons:
- "The River," the Rev. Dr. Bill Leonard, Day 1, 2011.
- "Baptism Made Real," the Rev. Randy Calvo, Day 1, 2008.
- "Baptism? What Do We Teach?" Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Sermons from Seattle, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington.
- "How's The Water?" the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, Day 1.
- "May the Force Be With You," Pastor Edward F. Markquart, Grace Lutheran Church, Seattle, Washington - Sermons from Seattle.
- "He Came Down to Lift You Up!" John Jewell, 1999.
- Baptism of the Lord, 2011, Andrew M. Greeley, Homilies.
- With Children:
- "Children's Literature: A Resource for Ministry," Jan 9, Union Presbyterian Seminary, 2010. Connections: Matthew 3:13-17 and Water, Come Down! by Walter Wangerin, Jr.
- "John the Baptist," "Jesus' Baptism and Ministry," Illustrating the Story (lessons, children's sermons), coloring pages, activity sheets, crafts, children's songs. MSSS Crafts.
- "Child, I'm Proud of You," and "Growing in Faith," Charles Kirkpatrick, Sermons4kids.com.
- "It Is Written!" The Children's Chapel.
- "Jesus Is Baptized by John in the River Jordan," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- "Jesus Is Baptized and Brings the Good News," Sunday School Lessons: Family Bible Study, art projects, music, stories, etc.
- Drama:
- "A Voice in the Desert," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications.
- "Baptism in River Jordan," from A Certain Jesus by Jose Ignacio and Maria Lopez Vigil. Ideal for catechetical and liturgical dramatization of today's gospel. Claretian Publications.
- "Slam Dunk," Nina Wallestad, Dramatic License. Conditions of Use.
- Graphics & Bulletin Materials:
- Clip Art, Matthew 3:14, Fr. Richard Lonsdale, Resources for Catholic Educators.
- Clip Art Images: Baptism of Christ, Misioneros Del Sagrado Corazón en el Perú.
- Matthew 3:13-17, Liturgical Drawing, Maria d.c. Zamora, Claretian Resources, Philippines. ("Download and use these for free.")
- Matthew 3:13-17, at Cerezo Barredo's weekly gospel illustration. Liberation emphasis.
- Clip Art, Julius Schnoor von Carolsfeld woodcuts, World Mission Collection, Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod.
- Hymns and Music:
- Contemporary/Praise Song suggestions, Together to Celebrate, David MacGregor.
- Hymnary.org, hymns, scores, media, information.
- "Down by the Jordan," original hymn by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette, LOBE DEN HERREN 14 14.478.
- Hymns with Scripture Allusions: Matthew 3:13, 16. The Cyber Hymnal.
- "When Jesus Came from Galilee," TEXT: Mark Ryman (2004) based on Matthew 3:13-27. TUNE: "Martyrdom," by Hugh Wilson (1800). New Hymns for the Lectionary.
- Fine Arts Images Linked at The Text This Week's Art Index:
- Movies scenes with the following themes, listed at The Text This Week's Movie Concordance:
- Study Links and Resources for the Book of Matthew
