Shroro

The Syriac Orthodox Christian Digest - February, 2005

Bible Study - Commentaries
Verses 3:9-11

from Kaniyamparmabil Achen, the Great Teacher of Malankara

Verse - Matthew 3:9
“We have Abraham as our father.”

It is not bad to honor one's heritage, but note what St. Chrysostom says: “You have blood relations with Abraham but no relationship with his righteousness. Those who have no similarity with Abraham are his adulterous sons.”

It was widely taught in those days, that Abraham’s merits were so great for any Jew’s salvation that a Jewish person couldn’t go to hell. Because he would stand near the entrance to the hell and move the Jew away from the hell. They also believed that Moshe’s receiving of the Law and the Lord hearing David’s prayer are all (that is needed), just because of the merits of Abraham. John criticized their conceit by pointing out that the Lord is great that He could even raise people like them from the stones. He also warned them that anyone who ‘does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire. Later our Lord showed that a tree would die if it did not produce, even if it had leaves.

Verse - Matthew 3:11
“But after me will come one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not fit to carry.”

This verse shows John’s humility to the Lord. He was attracting a lot of people, but he shows where he stands before Jesus Christ. At that time it was the duty of the low slaves to remove the sandals of the dignitaries. He is showing that Baptism by Messiah is much more majestic compared to his baptism. He is comparing the two baptisms.

1. His baptism is only forerunner of the real. It is only a baptism of repentance. The real is to come.
2. He is baptizing with water alone. But Messiah will baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire. The baptism by Spirit is not just washing but reaches to the heart and life giving. Holly Spirit drive God’s Spirit into human being. Holly Spirit being all-powerful Spirit, once driven into human being, makes feeble, spiritually powerful. Holly Spirit restores us to life. Just like the fire has the power to hear, glow, cleanse, the entry of Holy Spirit into human heart will give him not only with the heat of the love to God and glow but also it will burn and cleanse the dirt in a person.
3. The fruits of Baptism instituted by our Lord as per the scripture
a. He told apostles alone to “baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit”. (Mathew 28:19)
b. “I tell you the truth; no one can enter the kingdom of God unless he is born of water and the Spirit.” (John 3:5)
c. Apostle Peter told people “Repent and be baptized, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38)
d. “You are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus, 27for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ.” (Gala 3:26,27)
e. “Be baptized and wash your sins away, calling on his name.” (Acts 22:16)
f. “He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit” (Titus 3:5)

The following are noteworthy:

1) Because it washes the sin it is called ‘bath’
2) Since it brings you into the light of knowledge it is called ‘Light’ (1 Peter 2:9)
3) Because of rebirth ‘born again’ (John 3; 3)
4) Paul says it is ‘the washing of rebirth and renewal by the Holy Spirit’ while Apostle Peter says “and this water symbolizes baptism that now saves you also--not the removal of dirt from the body but the pledge [5] of a good conscience toward God.”