Gobbets

But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to

where he was baptising, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who

warned you to flee from the coming wrath? Produce fruit in keeping with

repentance.”

(Matthew 3:7–8)

Context: At the start of the Gospel, John has begun his baptism ministry and is preparing for the start of Jesus’ ministry. Just before Jesus comes to be baptised.

Points of interest and difficulty:

• ‘he’ is John the Baptist

• the last prophet who bridges the Old and the New Testaments

• John fulfilling his role as the ‘preparer of the way’

• who are the Pharisees and Sadducees?

• John the Baptist pronounces an attack on these religious groups –

parallels with Matthew 23 and Jesus’ attack on them also

• message of repentance

“You don’t know what you are asking.” Jesus said to them. “Can you

drink the cup I am going to drink?”

“We can,” they answered.

(Matthew 20:22)

Context: Following Jesus’ prediction of his death, the mother of James and John makes the request of Jesus for her sons to be seated at his right and left hand in the kingdom.

Points of interest and difficulty:

• ‘them’ refers to James and John

• ‘You don’t know what you are asking’ – ‘You’ refers to the mother’s request. Shows her misunderstanding of Jesus’ mission and the nature of the kingdom.

• shows the ambition of the mother for her sons

• the cup Jesus is referring to is his suffering and death. He is asking if they can suffer the way he is going to suffer. They misunderstand this suffering

• shows the cost of discipleship

• Jesus predicts his suffering and death