The driving message of both Jesus and John the Baptist was “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2; 4:17), echoing the prophets’ proclamation that “the day of the Lord is at hand” (Isa. 13:6, kjv; cf. Ezek. 30:3; Joel 1:15; 2:1; 3:14; Obad. 15; Zeph. 1:7, 14). 

Such phraseology was tremendously fearful, since the day of the Lord was understood to initiate the kingdom of God (cf. Matt. 10:14f.; Luke 10:11f.). Thus many came out to receive John’s “baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins” (Luke 3:3). 

The question was never about the nature of the kingdom, but rather about who would be “considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead” (Luke 20:35). Such was the general tenor of Jesus’ preaching (cf. Matt. 5–7; 10:5–40; 11:7–30; 12:25–45; 15:3–20; 16:23–28; 18:3–35; 21:28–44; 23:1–39; 24:4—25:46). - John P. Harrigan