Gospel of Matthew Chapter 3 Vs. 9

John the Baptist Prepares the Way

 

Matthew 3:9 “And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to [our] father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

John was telling these people not to expect to be saved, just because they had Abraham as an ancestor in the flesh. As we will read in Paul’s writings later on, not the physical ancestors of Abraham will inherit salvation but those who are of the spirit (believers in Christ). Those, who by faith, have been grafted into the family line of Abraham by the shed blood of Jesus Christ.

We are related to Abraham through our faith, just as he was accounted worthy by his faith. We also see a message to these self-righteous people; that God can take from the things they count as unimportant, and make of them a family for Abraham.

They believed that they, as physical sons of Abraham, were automatically qualified for Messiah’s kingdom. John completely repudiated Pharisaic Judaism and said that God, if necessary, could raise up… stones to become His children.