John the Baptist was the son of Zechariah the priest and of Elizabeth, who was the cousin of Mary, the mother of Jesus.  The story of John's conception and birth is found in Luke 1: 5 - 25, 39 -45, 57 -80.   Matthew tells that John began his preaching  after King Herod the Great died (around 4 BC) and after Joseph had taken his family to live at Nazareth in Galilee (chapter 2).  Luke is very specific about the period telling us who were the people in power at the time, from Rome to the Jewish priesthood.

The Judaean wilderness - or the Desert of Judaea - was an uninhabited area near the river Jordan.  It is mentioned in the Old Testament (eg. Isaiah 40: 3, Jeremiah 2: 2-3, Hosea 2: 14 - 15) where it is shown to be a place of new beginnings. (New Bible Commentary, p 910). So Matthew is careful to link the appearance of John, as the fore-runner of a new era, to a place in the Old Testament where new beginnings took place.

V 2.
his theme was: 'Repent; for the kingdom of Heaven is upon you!'
NIV. and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near."
NLT. His message was, "Turn from your sins and turn to God, because the Kingdom of Heaven is near (or has come, or is coming soon)"
Mark 1: 4b. ....proclaiming a baptism in token of repentance, for the forgiveness of sins;
Luke 3: 3.  And he went all over the Jordan valley proclaiming a baptism in token of repentance for the forgiveness of sins,

John's message was of the need for repentance and a warning that God's rule - the day of judgment? - was coming very soon.  He was a real 'fire and brimstone' kind of preacher!

Quest Study Bible note, p 1582.  Jews had a ritual washing for converts to Judaism.  John used baptism to symbolise the washing and freshness that comes when someone repents from sin.  John's baptism was a visual message thaat just being Jewish was not enough: repentance, a radical change of heart, was essential for entering God's kingdom.

Similarly, just being a good church member, or a member of any particular Christian denomination, is not enough.  We need to repent and to turn back to God.  Then it doesn't matter what Christian denomination or what Christian church we worship with - as long as we worship with other Christians and worship with all our heart and mind and spirit.

New Bible Commentary, p 910.  The kingdom of heaven is Matthew's version of  'the kingdom of God' in the other gospels.  It signifies God's effective rule on earth.  Is near is literally ' has come near' and is virtually an announcement of arrival.

V3.
It is of him that the prophet Isaiah spoke when he said, 'A voice crying aloud in the wilderness, "Prepare a way for the Lord; clear a straight path for him" '

Here Matthew is quoting the Old Testament , Isaiah 40: 3:

Quest Study Bible, p 1419.  Isaiah prophesied about God's pattern for saving his people, covering both the deliverance of Israel from Old Testament exile and the deliverance from sin through the Messiah.  John the Baptist 'prepared the way' for the coming Messiah much as citizens of his day would prepare for the coming of a great leader, repairing the roads and cleaning up the towns in anticipation of their royal guest.  John prepared the hearts of the people, removing obstacles or barriers to the coming Messiah and his message of the kingdom of God.

V 4.
John's clothing was a rough coat of camel's hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and his food was locusts and wild honey.
Mark 1: 6.  John was dressed in a rough coat of camel's hair, with a leather belt round his waist, and he fed on locusts and wild honey.

Luke doesn't give any description of John's physical appearance, but Matthew and Mark describe his clothing to be similar to that of the prophet, Elijah.  In this way they are letting us know that John was also a prophet in that great tradition.  John lived in the desert and clothed himself and ate whatever was provided there.  He had a job to do for God, and that was his top priority - not trying to live as comfortably as possible, as so many of us try to do.

Quest Study Bible p 1335. John's appearance was certainly unusual, but it may not have been unique.  Poor people of his day also wore camel hair clothing and leather belts; they too may have eaten grasshoppers and wild honey, more out of necessity than choice. What atteacted the crowds was  not so much what John ate and wore, but his dynamic preaching in the desert.  All these things, taken together, reminded them of the Old Testament prophets.

V 5.
They flocked to him from Jerusalem, from all Judaea, and the whole Jordan valley,
Mark 1: 5 ...and they flocked to him from the whole Judaean countryside and the city of Jerusalem,
Luke 3: 6.  Crowds of people came out to be baptised by him,

People were hoping for a Messiah and many must have wondered if John was the one.  They hadn't had a prophet for hundreds of years, so the emergence of John must have created a great deal of excitement.  So they flocked to hear him preach from all over the country, which must have meant walking many miles, for some, or leaving work-places and families.  Maybe whole families made the trip out to the desert. Modern-day pop stars, eat your hearts out!  John was the latest phenomenon.

V 6.
and were baptised by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.
Mark 1:  and were baptised by him in the River Jordan, confessing their sins.

They may have come to see and hear the 'latest', but many of them listened to John, were convicted of their sins and were baptised as a sign of cleansing in preparation for the coming of the Messiah.

Quest Study Bible note p 1335.  This baptism did not bring about salvation and more than the sacrifices did in the Old Testament.  The ritual served only to illustrate what was happening in the hearts of the people.

V 7.
When he saw many of the Pharisees and Saducees coming for baptism he said to them: 'You vipers' brood!  who warned you to escape from the coming retribution?
Luke 3: 7. ....and he said to them: you vipers' brood!  Who warned you to escape from the coming retribution?

Only Matthew mentions that some of those who came to be baptised were Pharisees and Sadducees. They, later, followed Jesus around too, at first trying to find out what he was on about and later, trying to trap him.  John must have suspected their motives at this stage, too, even though some came to be baptised.  Vipers were poinsonous snakes.

V 8, 9
Then prove your repentance by the fruit it bears; and do not presume to say to yourselves, "We have Abraham for our father."  I tell you that God can make children for Abraham out of these very stones here.
NLT.  Prove by the way you live that you have really turned from your sins and turned to God.  Don't just say, 'We're safe - we're the descendants of Abraham.' That proves nothing.  God can change these stones here into children of Abraham.

It must have been a shock to the Pharisees and Sadducees - and to anyone else who may have been in ear-shot - to hear such a thing.  They were certain that the very fact that they were Jews, God's chosen people, being children  or descendants of Abraham, was enough to secure their place in God's kingdom.  But John challenged them to show by the way they lived their lives every day that they were obedient to God.  John was telling them - as Jesus also did - that the keeping of all the religious rules and law were not good enough.  Their lives must show the influence of God present in their behaviour and attitudes.  In his letter to the scattered Jewish Christians, James also wrote, what use is it for a man to say he has faith when he does nothing to show it? ......So with faith; if it does not lead to action, it is in itself a lifeless thing. (James 2: 14, 17).  John points out that God, who is the creator, can easily create more children of Abraham to be his chosen people if these Pharisees and Saducees were not obedient to him.

And we know that's just what God did!  Paul pointed out that those who believe in Christ, even gentiles, are adopted into God's family and have the right to be called children of God - and therefore children of Abraham.(Galatians 3: 14, 26: NLT. Through the work of christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, and we Christians receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith ....... And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham.  You are his heirs, and now all the promises God gave to him belong to you.)

V 10
Already the axe is laid to the root of the trees; and every tree that fails to produce good fruit is cut down and thrown on the fire.
NLT. Even now the axe of God's judgement is poised, ready to sever your roots.  Yes, every tree that doesn not produce good fruit will be chopped down and thrown into the fire.

John continued his warning  - that God's judgement was about to begin, so if their repentance was not genuine, they'd better look out!  The Jewish people thought that by keeping the law and bringing sacrifices to the temple when they could, that was enough.  But John was telling them that, no, it wasn't. The same applies to us.  Luke, in 3: 10 - 14, spells out the kind of behaviour that God would consider 'good fruit' - generosity, honesty; no bullying, blackmail or sculduggery and scheming to get 'further' in life!

V 11.
I baptise you with water, for repentance; but the one who comes after me is mightier than I. I am not fit to take off his shoes. He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
NLT.  "I baptise with water those who turn from their sins and turn to God.  But someone is coming soon who is far greater than I am - so much greater that I am not even worthy to be his slave.  He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.
Mark 1: 7.  His proclamation ran: 'After me comes one who is mightier than I. I am not fit to unfasten his shoes.  I have baptised you with water; he will baptise you with the Holy Spirit.'
Luke 3: 15, 16.  The people were all on the tiptoe of expectation, all wondering about John, whether perhaps he was the Messiah, but he spoke out and said to them all: 'I baptise you with water;  but there is one to come who is mightier than I.  I am not fit to unfasten his shoes.  He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and with fire.

John's message was so different from the kind of message they were used to receiving, that many poeple wondered if he was the coming Messiah.  They expected the Messiah to be a revolutionary, but in a very different way from that of Jesus.  John was aware of the conjecture and quickly refutes it by telling them that someone is coming who is stronger, better and the person they've been waiting for - so much better than John, he implies,  that John would pale into insignificance!  This person who was coming would baptise, not just with water as John did, but with the Holy Spirit.

New Bible Commentary, p 910.  The contrast between water and the Holy Spirit leaves no doubt that it was in Jesus' ministry that real spiritual renewal would be found.

Quest Study Bible note  p 1335. ..........the phrase (with the Holy Spirit and with fire) also suggests a figurative baptism, one where believers woiuld be baptised with the Holy Spirit and non-believers would be baptised with the fire of judgement.

V 12.
His shovel is ready in his hand and he will winnow his threashing floor; the wheat he will gather into his granary, but he will burn the chaff on a fire that will never go out.'
NLT.  He is ready to separate the chaff from the grain with his winnowing fork.  Then he will clean up the threshing area, storing the grain in his barn but burning the chaff with never-ending fire."

John continues to warn about God's judgement on those who do not turn back to him. He uses the analogy of the farmer winnowing the grain to sort the usable wheat from the husks.

Quest Study Bible note, p 1335.  John used this image to illustrate the dual nature of Jesus' minsitry: he would separate humanity, some to judgement and some to reward.

We need to think carefully about our response to Christ and how we express it in our daily life.