Matthew 3 introduces us to John the Baptist, who preached in the wilderness as prophesied in the OT book of Isaiah. He preached that the Jews should "repent" (which literally means "return") for the people to return to God's covenant.
John must have cut quite a character, as he wore a garment made of camel hair and subsisted on locusts and wild honey. So don't be so quick to dismiss some of those street preachers that look and act wild, I suppose. Despite his urging, he refuses to baptize Pharisees and Saducees (two competing Jewish sects).
John preaches that one greater than he will come. When Jesus comes, John initially refuses to baptize Jesus as well, saying that John is unworthy to do so. However, he does so at Jesus' urging.
Asimov, referring to the lineage of Jesus in Matthew 1, says that Matthew, as a Jew, would show that the Messiah is as well. Therefore, the Messiah must have a direct bloodline from David.
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