Episode Details

I’m seeing the Bible quite differently these days – it’s coming into a new perspective and I’m seeing things even at my age that I’ve never seen before. I’m seeing something in Matthew, that is so significant for the Church today. It’s challenging me, and I hope it challenges you, to examine exactly what we actually believe – and do!

In Matt 3.11 we find John the Baptist preaching repentance in the wilderness. It’s the beginning of his ministry. He says to the crowds, 3.11, “I baptise you with water for repentance, but He that is coming after me is more powerful than I… He will baptise you with the Holy Ghost and Fire!”

Then in Matt 3.13ff, Jesus comes from Galilee to be baptised in the Jordan by John. As He comes up out of the water, the Holy Spirit comes down on Him and a Voice from Heaven announces, “This is My Beloved Son.” 

But Jesus does not commence His ministry straightaway; it struck me that, at this point, John is still the minister, the evangelist, not Jesus, and Jesus is led by the Spirit out into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Matt 4.1. 

But then, by 4.12, Jesus hears that John has been put in prison, his ministry is ended, his work done. Jesus recognises this, leaves Nazareth where He grew up and moves to Capernaum by the Sea of Galilee, so that prophecy would be fulfilled that ‘the people by the sea that were in darkness have seen a great light’. And immediately, 4.17, Jesus starts His ministry and begins to preach – in POWER. I’m intrigued by this by this whole sequence from John to Jesus!