Fruit in Keeping with Repentance

What a strange phenomena - the Pharisees and Saducees together submitting to baptism by John! It doesn't make any sense whatsoever...unless they were afraid of the people...afraid of isolation from the new spiritual reality that was growing in the heart of their nation.  But, think about this. By allowing John to baptize them, they were lending an amazing amount of credibility to his ministry...and to his witness of Jesus. 

John, however, sees into their dark hearts and discerns the true motive behind their actions and he challenges them.  Here is the take away for us in our age and time. Just "belonging" in the midst of the crowd isn't enough. being seen with other repentant believers guarantees them nothing. Instead, the act of submission needs to be born out of both a desperate desire for repentance and a complete change of behaviour towards those among whom they (we) have been called to minister.

That was not the case with this lot. The image John used to describe them, "brood of vipers" (Mat.3:7) could not have been more vivid. Those who act in this way...mixing with the crowd...getting along...jumping through the hoops without any real heart change, are snakes...demon spawn who hide in the dark places waiting for a chance to strike at their prey.  Jesus had an even stronger image for them.  The Lord described the Pharisees and teachers of the Law as "white-washed sepulchers" (Matthew 23:27)...that is, looking great on the outside, but full of hypocrisy and putrefying on the inside!  

So, what is fruit in keeping with repentance?   John doesn't say, except to point to Jesus, the one whose sandals he is unworthy to untie.  Jesus, later in Matthew's gospel, does.  Fruit in keeping with repentance attends to what he describes as, "the weightier matters of the Law...justice, mercy & faithfulness." (Mat.23:23)... humility, integrity & servant-hood (23:1-11, 26, 28).  In short, a changed life that turns away from concern for self and focuses instead of the needs of others.