Matthew 3

  3:4.  John the Baptist dressed like Elijah   (2 Kg. 1:8; Zech. 13.4).

     3:7.  Cf. Lk. 7:29-30;  20:4 ff.

     3:11.  “He did not mean to distinguish the one baptism from the other, but he contrasts his own person with the person of Christ.”  John Calvin, Institutes.  Calvin says that Christ is the giver of the Holy Spirit.  John is no different than any other minister of the external sign.  Christ is the author of the internal grace.  However, the sign (water) is a means of grace when received in faith.

    Jesus did not baptize with water, but his disciples did (Jn. 4:2).  Both John and Jesus’ disciples baptized for repentance for the remission of sin; not in their own names, but in the name of the Messiah (Lk. 3:3, 16).

     Calvin’s point that the baptisms are the same seems on the face of it to be in conflict with Acts 19:3-5, but see notes there (And see Acts 8:12-17;  10:37-38).

     3:12.  The Temple, as a type, was built on a threshing floor (2 Sam. 24:18ff.).