How does John 3:23 connect with Jesus' command in Matthew 28:19 to baptize? Setting the Stage: John 3:23 “Now John was also baptizing at Aenon near Salim, because there was plenty of water there, and people kept coming and being baptized.” (John 3:23) • John the Baptist is actively, publicly immersing repentant Israelites. • The location—“plenty of water”—highlights full-immersion practice, the pattern Scripture presents (cf. Acts 8:38–39). • Crowds “kept coming,” showing baptism as a normal, expected response to God’s call. Echoes in the Great Commission “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 28:19) Shared threads: • Both passages put baptism side-by-side with a call to repentance and discipleship (John 3:22; Matthew 28:20). • Water remains the outward symbol of an inward change—first among Jews (John 1:31), then “all nations.” • In each, baptism is commanded, not optional: John urged it (Luke 3:3); Jesus requires it for every disciple. Foreshadowing and Fulfillment • John’s ministry prepares hearts (Isaiah 40:3) and introduces the concept of public identification with God’s work. • Jesus transforms that preparatory sign into a covenantal act performed “in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” • What was regional and anticipatory in John 3:23 becomes universal and authoritative in Matthew 28:19. Why the Connection Matters • Continuity: The same God who sent John (John 1:6) now sends the church (John 20:21). • Authority: If people flocked to John without hesitation, disciples must carry equal confidence as they baptize under Christ’s command (Acts 2:41). • Clarity: John 3:23 shows the need for adequate water, willing candidates, and faithful messengers—the very components repeated by the apostles (Acts 10:47–48). Living It Out • Offer baptism promptly to new believers, just as John did and the apostles later modeled (Acts 16:31–33). • Keep it Christ-centered: John pointed beyond himself to Jesus (John 1:29); every baptism today declares union with the risen Lord (Romans 6:3–4). • Remember the harvest: John’s “people kept coming.” The Great Commission envisions the same ongoing flow until Christ returns. |
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