Matthew 3: 7-12

[thelord's_pearl]

hi, I read Matthew 3:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and I don't really understand it. I would like help on those Scriptures. Thank you!
What is all this about?
Mat. 3:7, why did John call them brood of vipers and talk about wrath?
Mat. 3:9, why is he talking about Abraham, they believed in Abraham but not Jesus?
I've listed things I don't get, thank you a lot.

 

[HTacianas]

hi, I read Matthew 3:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and I don't really understand it. I would like help on those Scriptures. Thank you!

The Sadducees were what we might call a "denomination" of Judaism. They controlled the temple at the time of Jesus. John the Baptist was an Essene, a separate group of Jews, who were at odds with the temple authorities over their general management and conduct of the temple.

 

[thelord's_pearl]

Thank you HTacianas, can I have more insight into this as I've listed the Scripural questions, thank you!

 

[throughfierytrial]

hi, I read Matthew 3:7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and I don't really understand it. I would like help on those Scriptures. Thank you!
What is all this about?
Mat. 3:7, why did John call them brood of vipers and talk about wrath?
Mat. 3:9, why is he talking about Abraham, they believed in Abraham but not Jesus?
I've listed things I don't get, thank you a lot.

John called them a brood of vipers due to the sin they were under. As leaders of the people they were not carrying out their responsibilities to them. The Word of God was all but hidden by them and their legalist practices. God does have wrath in store for all sinners who are apart from Christ. It is our faith in Christ which credits us with righteousness so that God calls us holy. We must continue to repent for falling into sin.
Romans 4:4-8:
Now to the one who works, wages are not credited as a gift but as an obligation. 5 However, to the one who does not work but trusts God who justifies the ungodly, their faith is credited as righteousness. 6 David says the same thing when he speaks of the blessedness of the one to whom God credits righteousness apart from works:
7 “Blessed are those
whose transgressions are forgiven,
whose sins are covered.
8 Blessed is the one
whose sin the Lord will never count against them.

Abraham from the Old Testament was to be the Father of the blessed by God. The Pharisees and Sadducees, the "governing" priesthood then pointed to their descendancy from Abraham who had God's promises as a sort of salvation plan all their own. they did not understand God's intentions in blessing Abraham and his seed. The seed was those of faith...a seed God-given...see Romans chapter 4.
Jesus is greater than Abraham is what they did not yet understand.

 

[thelord's_pearl]

And one more question is why did John say 'I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.' Why this exact statement about raising children for Abraham. What's the point. I would get it if he was trying to say that God/Jesus is above Abraham or the God. Thank you

 

[throughfierytrial]

And one more question is why did John say 'I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.' Why this exact statement about raising children for Abraham. What's the point. I would get it if he was trying to say that God/Jesus is above Abraham or the God. Thank you

Luke 3:8:
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
John is demanding they repent and NOT to believe that they are already among the blessed or saved due to the fact that they are Abraham's descendants. This is why John says in effect that God can basically create more physical descendants of Abraham...not only so, but God can make them out of the stones. Emphasis is on repent!...do not feel secure (false security)in your being of Abraham's lineage. John's words give emphasis to the futility of relying on relation to Abraham or in other words, being a Jew.

 

[thelord's_pearl]

Luke 3:8:
Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, “We have Abraham as our father.” For I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham.
John is demanding they repent and NOT to believe that they are already among the blessed or saved due to the fact that they are Abraham's descendants. This is why John says in effect that God can basically create more physical descendants of Abraham...not only so, but God can make them out of the stones. Emphasis is on repent!...do not feel secure (false security)in your being of Abraham's lineage. John's words give emphasis to the futility of relying on relation to Abraham or in other words, being a Jew.

I didn't know the Pharisees and Sadducees were Abraham's descendants. I thought only the line of Jesus was or something like that so that's new information I'll have in mind. Okay, thanks for your answer.

 

[throughfierytrial]

I didn't know the Pharisees and Sadducees were Abraham's descendants. I thought only the line of Jesus was or something like that so that's new information I'll have in mind. Okay, thanks for your answer.

Abraham's descendants are all the Jews (which includes the Pharisees and Sadducees) and the line of Jesus is as found in the Scriptures...Matthew and Luke. The line of Christ is of the Jews from those in the Jewish nation...though it goes back to Adam.