Mat 3:10Even now the ax of God's judgment is poised, ready to sever the roots of the trees. Yes, every tree that does not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.
Also Luke 3:9.
As can be seen HaShem may not look at life as we do. In fact He looks to us to follow in all that He has said, not just the parts we like. To produce good fruit, one must be willing to leave their old life behind, and work to follow the way HaShem has put before us. Even if that means walking away from what we have followed all our lives. Not an easy thing to do, trust me.
Luk 3:10The crowds asked, "What should we do?"
Luk 3:11John replied, "If you have two shirts, give one to the poor. If you have food, share it with those who are hungry."
If you understand Torah, you know that anything one has more than they need should be given to the poor. It isn't that HaShem wants all of us to be poor, He wants us to help everyone. In that way, we place our trusting faithfulness in HaShem to meet our needs.
Luk 3:12Even corrupt tax collectors came to be baptized and asked, "Teacher, what should we do?"
Luk 3:13He replied, "Collect no more taxes than the government requires."
We should look at this reply in 2 ways. First, no government should ever take more from the people than it must have to do it's job. They should never try to take what the people have in order to give it back and say look how great we are. Unlike today, where government would gladly take everything you have to satisfy it's cravings.
Mat 3:11"I baptize with water those who repent of their sins and turn to God. But someone is coming soon who is greater than I am—so much greater that I'm not worthy even to be his slave and carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Also see Luke 3:14-17.
Well I can't speak for everyone, though if you try to push me into a fire, you will have a fight on your hands. So what is meant by that? Some say it is a fire that will remove the wicked from the Jewish people. Others say it is the test we face in life. Yet one that I think beast fits is that it speaks to the fire that any willing to look for truth, and teach the Word for what it truly says, come under fire for their faith. Being attacked, and lied about, having it said they are lost. It can drag down the weak, and make them give up. As a result, they produce no fruit at all.
Now when it comes to being baptized in the spirit, some follow the idea that it is somehow separate from excepting Yeshua. As we can see from the plain text, it seems to be one and the same. As we will see more on this in time, we will leave it at that for now.
Mat 3:12He is ready to separate the chaff from the wheat with his winnowing fork. Then he will clean up the threshing area, gathering the wheat into his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."
Some may know this, for any that don't here is a short history, and explanation. A winnowing fork was used to separate the chafe from the wheat. This can be seen in 2 ways.
1- The chaff is a part of the plant that we don't eat. It has no real use, and is therefore removed and burned.
2- The chaff may be seen as a part of the body of Yeshua, that does nothing to bring truth into the minds of others. As we will see Yeshua teaches on this second idea more than once.
Mat 3:13Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John.
Also Mark 1:9 And Luke 3:21.
It may help to give a short history on what we now call baptism. As we know this word comes from the Greek word for immersion. The idea was not a new thing, as even in the Torah it is used as a way to purify ones self before entering the Temple. I am sure some of you have seen the bath that looks like a cross, carved into the floors of some homes, and synagogues. If not, it may look a cross to many of us today. The shape however is to add in the immersion. You see in the time of their use, the one being cleansed was to spread their arms, then immerse them self, fingers spread, so the water can cover every part of their body. # times they go under, making sure that every part goes under, and the hair is pulled into the water.
Mat 3:14But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so why are you coming to me?"
Mat 3:15But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires. " So John agreed to baptize him.
Why does it say that John baptized Yeshua? Even in the days when the priest would cleans themself, someone was there to make sure it was done properly. If even one hair didn't go under the water, they had to do it over. So in the minds of some, and yes we are among them, John was the witness to the immersion, and by his tstamony it is confirmed that every hair, and every article of clothing was immersed. If what we understand holds true, then all 3 times Yeshua went under, had to have every hair covered in water.
Luk 3:21One day when the crowds were being baptized, Jesus himself was baptized. As he was praying, the heavens opened,
One other thing that is done, is the one being immersed should be offering a pray for what hope HaShem will do with them. If you wish to teach, preach, or what ever you hope to do for Him. Yeshua's pray may well have been that HaShem be with Him in His work. Though some think it may have been a prayer of thanks. The intent and words we will only know when we can ask Him.
Mat 3:16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him.
Mark 1:10 and Luke 3:22
Mat 3:17And a voice from heaven said, "This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy."
Mark 1:11 and Luke 3:22
In all 3 accounts the phares, "My only begotten son" is not used. Though we have looked at some 17 or so translation, that phrase is not here in any of them. Though we can say, "if we are true believers and followers" that we are HaShem's childern, Yeshua is the only one that can say He was the begotten son of HaShem. Some say Adam was also, yet Adam was not born, he was formed. A marked difference in the way both came into being.
