2nd SUNDAY OF ADVENT - A

John the Baptist appeared, preaching in the desert of Judea and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!”

Mt 3:1-12

Today’s gospel is divided into three parts:
• vv. 1-6. John the Baptist in the wilderness.
• vv. 7-10. John warns the Sadducees and Pharisees.
• vv. 11-12. John preaches the coming Judge.

Who is John the Baptist?

John is the herald of the King and announces the nearness of the Kingdom. He fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah: he preaches in the wilderness and prepares the way of the Lord. He dresses like Elijah who was expected to return before the Messiah. He preaches repentance and Baptism and people come to him. He baptizes them and they confess their sins.

According to Josephus in Antiquities of the Jews, Herod was afraid of John because of his influence over the people. He put him to death so that he would not raise a rebellion.

There is a similarity between the teachings of John the Baptist and the Essenes.

v. 2. "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!"

The word used for repent is metanoia which means a change of mind. It involves turning from one’s evil ways to the commandment and love of God.

The message of John the Baptist is the same as that of Jesus in Mk 1:14-15.

Kingdom of heaven is the same as Kingdom of God. These terms do not refer to heaven in the after-life. Instead, it refers to the condition where man is in perfect harmony with God and each other and where man lives in a way that he reflects perfectly the image of God.

v. 3. It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: "A voice of one crying out in the desert, 'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.'"

The Hebrew version states: “"A voice of one cries out: In the desert prepare the way of the Lord….”

v. 4. John wore clothing made of camel's hair and had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey.

The clothing of John the Baptist is the same as that of Elijah (2Kings 1:8). This was to identify John as the Elijah who was believed to return before the Messiah.

Locusts was the food of poor people in Arabia, Africa and Syria.

v. 7. When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, "You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath?

The Pharisees recognize both the written and unwritten law. The Sadducees accept only the written law, the Pentateuch. They lived mainly around and in Jerusalem.

Viper stands for wickedness and murder.

“Who told you to flee….” The Pharisees and Sadducees come to John as if repenting to escape the wrath. But in fact, they have not repented.

v. 8. Produce good fruit as evidence of your repentance.

Produce fruit (or bear fruit) is “poiein” which also translates as “do”. Fruit stand for deeds. To produce good fruits, therefore, means “to do good deeds”.

v. 9. For I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones.

In Aramaic, “stone” and “children” sound almost the same.

v. 10. Therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

To cut down a fruitless tree is to pass judgment.

Fire stands for condemnation. See 3:12; 5:22; 7:19; 13:40.42; 18:8; 25:41.

vv. 11-12.
The coming Judge is greater than John himself, greater than John’s baptism nad divide men for reward and punishment.

v. 11. I am baptizing you with water, for repentance, but the one who is coming after me is mightier than I. I am not worthy to carry his sandals. He will baptize you with the holy Spirit and fire.

The baptism of John is baptism of repentance. The baptism of Jesus is baptism with Holy Spirit and fire.

Joel 2:28 speaks about the gift of the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit and fire are mentioned together as an allusion to the coming of the Holy Spirit in the form of tongues of fire (Acts 2:3).

Fire may also be an allusion to the coming judgment which either purifies o destroys (1Cor 3:13).

v. 12. His winnowing fan is in his hand. He will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into his barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire."

Wheat and chaff stands for the wicked and the righteous. The wicked will receive punishment and the righteous, reward. Jesus also speaks of reward and punishment (Mt 25:46 ).