What Jesus said. Part One. Matthew Chapters 3-4.
The New Testament doesn’t tell us everything Jesus ever did or said, but it does give us everything God wants us to know in order to trust Him and follow Him. In this series I’m simply walking through the actual words of Jesus as the Bible records them—listening carefully, one passage at a time, and asking what they mean for us today.
I’m starting in the Gospel according to Matthew and working right through it, taking all that Matthew records Jesus saying. Some posts will cover just a few verses; others will gather a larger section of His teaching together. Where Matthew has a saying that also appears in Mark, Luke, or John, I won’t usually write a separate post on every parallel—I’ll treat it once and mention the other places it appears.
After Matthew, I plan to look at what is unique in the other Gospels: the sayings of Jesus in Luke that aren’t found elsewhere, then the unique material in John, and then in Mark. Finally, I’ll finish with His words in the book of Revelation. The aim is not to chase every theory, but to pay attention to the words Scripture actually gives us.
This series is written for both long-time believers and honest seekers. Whether you’ve followed Jesus for years or are only just beginning to wonder about Him, my hope is that you’ll meet Him here in His own words. Unless otherwise noted, Bible quotations are from the ESV (2007 edition).
The opening chapters of Matthew usher us into a landscape of anticipation, questions, and decisive movement. Before Jesus teaches crowds or heals the sick, Matthew draws our attention to two deeply human moments: His baptism and His temptation. Both scenes reveal a Saviour who steps fully into our world—not distant, not detached, but present, purposeful, and willing to walk the path we walk. Whether you come to these passages as a lifelong believer or someone cautiously exploring faith, Matthew 3–4 offers a story big enough to hold your questions, your curiosity, and your hope.
The Moment Jesus Steps Into the Water.
Matthew describes crowds travelling to the Jordan River to be baptised by John, a prophet calling people to turn from old patterns and move toward God. Then Jesus appears—quietly, unexpectedly—asking to be baptised too. John hesitates. Why would the sinless one stand in a place meant for sinners?
Jesus answers with a gentle insistence: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfil all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15,). His choice to step into the water is not about His need but about His mission. He identifies with us—fully, willingly, lovingly. The God who created humanity chooses to stand among humanity.
For seekers, this moment pushes against the image of a remote or uninterested God. Jesus does not wait on the riverbank for people to sort themselves out; He steps into the water with them. For believers, His humility invites us to rethink what strength and holiness truly look like. They are not cold or aloof. They are deeply compassionate, deeply present.
The Wilderness and the Weight of Temptation.
Immediately after His baptism, Jesus is led into the wilderness—a barren, silent place where physical hunger and spiritual testing converge. For forty days He goes without food, and Matthew tells us simply that He was hungry. It’s a detail so ordinary it’s almost startling, We are meant to notice it. Jesus, who Christians confess as fully God, is also fully human, experiencing vulnerability that many of us know all too well.
In that place of hunger, the tempter comes. Each temptation is sharp, intelligent, and aimed at Jesus’ identity. And each time, Jesus responds not with clever arguments but with Scripture. His first reply is: “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God’” (Matthew 4:4,).
To someone exploring faith, this may sound poetic but distant. Yet Jesus’ point is remarkably practical: physical needs matter, but a life fuelled only by what we can touch, or taste will always fall short. There is a deeper nourishment—a voice that speaks meaning, direction, and hope into the human heart.
The second temptation presses Jesus to test God’s care, and again He responds: “Again it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test’” (Matthew 4:7,). Jesus refuses to turn faith into spectacle or power into self-protection. Many of us have cried out, “If God is real, prove it!” Jesus models a different posture: not blind trust, but relational trust—trust grounded in knowing who God is.
The third temptation is blunt: authority, power, mastery of the world—if Jesus will bow to evil. Jesus replies with fierce clarity: “Be gone, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God and him only shall you serve’” (Matthew 4:10,). Here the story invites both believers and seekers to consider what (or who) shapes our allegiance. We may not face the offer of ruling nations, but we do face daily decisions about the values we embrace, the voices we follow, and the stories we believe about ourselves.
The Beginning of a New Kingdom.
When Jesus leaves the wilderness, He does not return weakened or defeated. Instead, Matthew says, “From that time Jesus began to preach, saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand’” (Matthew 4:17,). The word repent can sound heavy, even accusing, but in Scripture it means to turn—to reorient, to recognise where we are and where we’re going, and to change direction. Jesus is not scolding; He is inviting. Something new has drawn near. A kingdom marked by restoration rather than domination. A kingdom where God’s presence meets ordinary lives.
For someone exploring Christianity, this message may feel both hopeful and daunting. What does it mean that a kingdom is “at hand”? Jesus is saying that God’s nearness is not theoretical or far-off. It has entered the world in His person. And with that nearness comes the possibility of transformation—not forced, not demanded, but offered.
The Call That Changes Everything.
Walking beside the Sea of Galilee, Jesus calls two fishermen with a sentence both simple and world-altering: “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men” (Matthew 4:19, ESV 2007). These men were ordinary, rough-handed workers. They were not scholars, leaders, or spiritual elites. Yet Jesus calls them first.
This call—follow me—is one that echoes through history. For some, it becomes a lifelong commitment; for others, it begins as a quiet curiosity. But in every case, it is an invitation to walk with Jesus, not an instruction to fix ourselves first. He promises transformation, but He also promises to be the one who accomplishes it: “I will make you…”
For believers, this reminds us that our identity and purpose flow from Him, not from our achievements. For seekers, this call is an open door rather than a checklist. Following Jesus begins not with certainty but with willingness—a step taken in honesty rather than perfection.
A Story That Meets Us Where We Are.
Matthew 3–4 describes a Jesus who enters our world, faces our struggles, speaks into our hunger, and offers us a place at His side. The story does not demand that we arrive already convinced. It simply invites us to look, consider, and respond.
If you’re exploring faith, this may be your moment to pause and simply ask, “What if Jesus really is who He claims to be?” You don’t need to have all the answers. Many first-century followers didn’t. They started with a step—a conversation, a question, a willingness.
And if you are a believer, these chapters call you back to the heart of the story: a Saviour who identifies with us, stands with us in temptation, speaks truth that frees, and calls us into a life of purpose.
Wherever you stand today, His invitation is gentle, honest, and full of hope. The kingdom is near, and the path is open.
In just these two chapters, we already hear Jesus say: “Let it be so now…,” “It is written…,” “Repent…,” “Follow me….” Together they sketch a picture of a Saviour who stands with us, speaks truth to us, and then calls us to walk with Him.
In the next post, we’ll keep following what Jesus actually says as Matthew’s Gospel unfolds.
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