Matthew 3 jumps forward 30 years as Jesus begins to be public in ministry. Jesus grew up in Nazareth, the son of Joseph and Mary, but Joseph is no longer in the story. We know that Jesus was trained by Joseph to be a carpenter. [1] Yet Matthew spends no time (and neither do any of the other Gospel writers, except Luke [2] ) telling us about the years he lived in Nazareth. The time had come that Jesus would reveal himself and begin his public ministry, but it was not Jesus who announced his coming at first, but rather, his cousin, John, the Baptizer. In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah when he said, “The voice of one crying in the wilderness: ‘Prepare the way of the Lord; make his paths straight.’” Now John wore a garment of camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, and his food ...