The Strand Study Bible

MATTHEW MATTHEW 3:11b The Charismatic term “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is supposedly taken from this verse (h e shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST ). Yet the only “baptizing” the Spirit of God has ever done is baptizing believers into the body of Christ upon their salvation (I Cor 12:13). The “baptism” being done here is being done by Jesus, not the Holy Spirit. John said: …he (Jesus) shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST Thus the Charismatic term “baptism of the Holy Spirit” is unscriptural, for the Spirit is not doing the “baptizing” here, Jesus is. The question then becomes: What is this “baptism” that John is ascribing to Jesus? John said, “… he (Jesus) shall baptize you with the HOLY GHOST .” Meaning Jesus’ “baptism” was a promised future event; an event He made mention of in both John 15:26 and Luke 24:49. Then, in Acts 1:4-5 , Jesus tied that promised future event to John’s promise in Matthew 3:11, bringing us to the conclusion that John and Jesus’ promise to baptize us with the Holy Spirit deals with boldness when witnessing to the lost (Acts 1:8 & 4:29-31), not speaking in tongues before the saved. The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary notes: In view of verse 12, it seems clear that the baptism with the Holy Ghost refers to Christ’s saving believers ( wheat ), and the fire describes judgment upon the wicked ( burn up the chaff ). 1 3:11c According to Acts 2:1-4 & 10:37-38, “ fire ” here is used to depict the HOLY SPIRIT’S significance concerning His ability to channel judgment through believers to unbelievers when witnessing (Psa 133:2 and Jn 16:8 ). 3:13 CHRIST’S “baptism” would symbolize to the world His death for sinners, His burial, and His resurrection (I Cor 15:1-4). 4:1 Whereas Satan failed to prevent the promised OT MESSIAH from being birthed into this world ( Gen 3:15a and Mt 2:13- 18), he now tries to lead our LORD away from full obedience to the FATHER’S will, and thus render Him unworthy of the place The world says you owe it to yourself to please yourself, even if it means depending on the world more than the Word (Mt 4:1- 4). The world will always entice you to place the temporal (world) before the eternal (Word). Note those who placed the temporal before the eternal: * Balaam (Numbers 22/Jude 11) * Achan (Josh 7) * King Saul (I Sam 13:8-11) * Gehazi (II Ki 5:20-27) * Judas Iscariot (Mt 26:14-16) * Demas (II Tim 4:10) Whenever place the world (temporal) above the Word (eternal), you fall to Satan’s temptation. Paul said of Demas in II Timothy 4:10: For Demas hath forsaken me having loved this present world The world enticed Demas to leave off what he was doing with Paul and to follow his own worldly desires. You can tell when a Christian has been “duped” by the world – his favorite thing in life isn’t God’s people anymore; it’s the world. Christians who forsake the saints for the sins of the world begin to doubt God’s salvation (I Jn 3:14). 2. He tempted Jesus to place the spectacular above the Scriptures (vs 5-6) The devil says you owe it to yourself to prove God’s existence, even if it means depending on the spectacular above the Scriptures. God warned Israel back in Deuteronomy 13:1-4 about the very same thing. The message of God is always more important that the miracles of God. Jesus attested to that (Jn 2:1-10). Our faith is anchored in the promises of God, not the experiences of men. I Corinthians 1:21 says, “… it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe .” Not by tongues or healings, but by the f oolishness of preaching . The Scriptures must always stand above the spectacular (tongues and healings). In fact, the Scriptures warn us that Satan himself will fool the world someday through the use of miracles (Mt 24:24 and II Thess 2:7-11). The devil will always entice you to place the spectacular above the Scriptures (Rev 13:11-14). You can tell when a Christian has been “duped” by the devil – his favorite thing in life isn’t God’s Word (the Scriptures) anymore; it’s the spectacular. Christians who forsake the Scriptures for the spectacular begin to doubt God’s salvation (I Jn 2:3). 3. He tempted Jesus to compromise His convictions (vs 8-9) The flesh says you owe it to yourself to make yourself happy, even if it means sacrificing the permanent on the altar of the immediate (vs 8-10). Convenience (the promise of the present) is never a substitute for conviction (the promise of the future). Christians compromise their convictions because something of present value becomes more precious to them than something of future value. Whether it be convenience, another family member, false security, lust, the almighty dollar, the sake of calm, friendships, or popularity and comfort, compromising one’s convictions is always the result of something temporal becoming more important to you than something eternal. Do you know what price you would be willing to sell out for? The flesh will always entice you to place compromise above conviction. You can tell when a Christian has been “duped” by the flesh – his favorite thing in life isn’t God’s Church anymore; it’s self. Christians who forsake the Son of God for self begin to doubt God’s salvation (I Jn 5:13). 4:4 a We too can defeat the Devil via the Word ( It is written - Heb 2:17-18 & 4:15-16, Jms 4:7, I Pet 2:21 and Eph 6: 11- 15 ). 4:4 b THE ADAGE IS TRUE: There is more to life than just feeding your face ( by bread alone - Isa 55:2-3 and Amos 8:11-13) 1489 He came to fill. Satan tempted Jesus from three different angles: 1. He tempted Jesus to place the temporal before the eternal (vs 3)

1 The New Testament and Wycliffe Bible Commentary , NY, NY, The Iversen Associates, 1971. Print .