If you look at the gospel according to Matthew as a musical piece and the first three chapters serve as the introduction to the piece, Matthew 3 is most definitely the crescendo moment. The opening chapters of Matthew quietly build the case — genealogy, failures, promises — then chapter 3 roars to a head with unmistakably aggressive language. Language that speaks loudly about the two main themes running through the entire book:
1) The Truth about Humanity
The leaders of Israel are called a "brood of vipers." The axe is at the root of the nation itself. The winnowing fork is in the Lord's hand. So John the Baptist shouts from the metaphorical rooftops: Repent. The King is here. And His kingdom is at hand.
2) The Truth about Jesus
The heavens open up, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove, and God himself speaks, saying, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased." It doesn't get any clearer than that. What started as a carefully laid out set of prophecies and family lists, has erupted into a declaration as loud as heaven itself.
But what actually moves me most, surprisingly enough, is the life of John the Baptist.
Here is a giant of the faith. Consecrated before birth. Set apart. The man who saw the heavens open and the Spirit of God descend. The one who Jesus himself calls the greatest born of women. The one who clearly understands the truth about Jesus, going so far as to describe Him as One whose sandals he's not fit to untie. John even tries to prevent Jesus from engaging in the cleansing demonstration of baptism.
And yet, a few chapters later, sitting in prison, John wonders out loud: “Are You really the expected One?”
That’s strangely comforting. Because Jesus doesn't rebuke him, he reminds him. Jesus sends word to John with the same message John's already received. The blind see. The lame walk. The dead are raised. The poor hear good news.
This is comforting because I've found myself to be in need of the same reminder in my own life — when my faith weakens, what strengthens me isn’t something new. It’s being reminded of what I already know is true.