If you look at the gospel according to Matthew as a musical piece and the first three chapters as the intro to the piece, Matthew 3 is most definitely the crescendo moment. Chapters 1 and 2 steadily build the case — genealogy, failures, promises — then chapter 3 roars to a head with unmistakably assertive language, language that declares the truth about humanity and the truth about Jesus. These themes, or melodies if you will, run through the entire book.
1) The Truth about Humanity
The leaders of Israel are a "brood of vipers" (verse 7), an axe is at the root of the nation itself, and 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. Humanity is in desperate need of a savior, and John is making this clear to anyone within earshot.
2) The Truth about Jesus
The heavens open, the Holy Spirit descends as a dove, and God speaks, "This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (verse 17). Is heaven every any more direct than this? The carefully laid out set of prophecies and family lists, erupts into a declaration as loud as heaven itself.
But what actually moves me most, in Chapter 3, is reflecting on John the Baptist.
Consecrated before birth. Set apart. The one who Jesus calls the greatest born of women. The one who clearly understands the truth about Jesus. John even tries to prevent Jesus from engaging in the cleansing demonstration of baptism. This man witnessed the heavens opening and the Spirit of God descending.
And yet, a few chapters later, sitting in prison, John wonders out loud: “Are You really the expected One?” (Matthew 11:3)
Notice Jesus' response. Jesus doesn't rebuke John, He reminds him the truth he knows and has already proclaimed. 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 own faith weakens, what strengthens me isn’t something new, the comfort comes from being reminded of the truth I already know.