The Baptism of Jesus

The Baptism of Jesus

Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-23a; John 1:29-34

John’s Deference to Jesus

Jesus coming to John

After John had for some months been challenging the nation to pursue a way of life truly pleasing to God, Jesus came from Galilee to John in the wilderness.

29 The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

30 This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

31 And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.

- John 1:29-31 -

When John saw Jesus approaching, he recognized who He was. After all, their families had undoubtedly come together many times for fellowship before Jesus and John reached adulthood. John announced to the people nearby that the person walking toward them was actually the “Lamb of God” who would “take away the sin of the world.” It is therefore evident that he already knew the exalted identity of Jesus. He was no less than the sacrificial lamb who would be willing to undergo all of the suffering necessary to pay for the sins of mankind. As Peter later affirmed,

18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;

19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

- 1 Peter 1:18-19 -

When Jesus arrived, John learned that Jesus wanted to be among those baptized by John. John was apparently shocked by His request.

13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.

14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?

- Matthew 3:13-14 (see also Mark 1:9a) -

John protested, “I should be baptized of you.” Notice that the man chosen by God for the high honor of baptizing Jesus was the man who, as we showed earlier, felt unworthy even to untie Jesus’ shoes (Luke 3:16). It should be obvious that the main requirement to please God is humility.

Jesus’ baptism was a milestone in His ministry because at that time He entered one of His offices; not the office of a priest, as some have said, but of a prophet to the Jewish nation. He would indeed be the very prophet “like unto” Moses that Moses himself had predicted would someday come to the nation of Israel.

The LORD thy God will raise up unto thee a Prophet from the midst of thee, of thy brethren, like unto me; unto him ye shall hearken;

- Deuteronomy 18:15 (quoted in Acts 3:22) -

Jesus took the role of a prophet by proclaiming the Word of God. His mission was to challenge the nation’s self-righteousness and to offer true righteousness through repentance and faith. But it was a mission destined to fail. The nation's own leaders would reject Him and applaud His crucifixion.

The first reason for Jesus’ baptism

Jesus chose to be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness.”

And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.

- Matthew 3:15 (see also Mark 1:9b; Luke 3:21a) -

What Jesus meant by this has perplexed commentators throughout the ages. Two possible interpretations can be decisively set aside.

1. He certainly did not mean that He must go through baptism to provide a public testimony of His repentance from sin. He had no sin to forsake.

14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.

15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.

- Hebrews 4:14-15 -

2. Likewise, He certainly did not mean that He must go through baptism to qualify for the office of priest. He was indeed a prophet, priest, and king. Also, He was about thirty years old, the age when the male descendants of Aaron entered the priesthood, and part of their initiation was a ritual washing. When the Lord instructed Moses concerning how he should prepare Aaron and his sons for the office of priest, He said,

And Aaron and his sons thou shalt bring unto the door of the tabernacle of the congregation, and shalt wash them with water.

- Exodus 29:4 (see also Exod. 40:12; Lev. 8:6) -

But Jesus did not belong to a priesthood created by the law of Moses. Rather, He was a priest after the order of Melchisedec.

14 For it is evident that our Lord sprang out of Juda; of which tribe Moses spake nothing concerning priesthood.

15 And it is yet far more evident: for that after the similitude of Melchisedec there ariseth another priest,

16 Who is made, not after the law of a carnal commandment, but after the power of an endless life.

17 For he testifieth, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchisedec.

- Hebrews 7:14-17 -

The author of Hebrews is informing us that Jesus fulfilled David’s prophecy in Psalm 110.

1 The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool.

2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion: rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent, Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.

5 The Lord at thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

- Psalm 110:1-5 -

Notice in verse 1 the reference to two beings who are called “Lord.” Since they are both qualified to sit on thrones in the heavenly throne room, they are obviously persons of the Trinity. The first name (v. 4), spelled as “Lord” with all letters capitalized, is a translation of “Jehovah,” a name for God.¹ Since He is the being who is obviously in command of all things, He must be God the Father. The second name (v. 1), spelled with only the first letter capitalized, is a translation of Adon, which in Scripture often denotes a human lord or master.² Yet when the second Lord reappears in verse 5, He is called Adonai, a common name reserved for God alone.³ It must therefore be a reference to God the Son. Who else would be qualified to sit next to God the Father and use His enemies as a footstool? The obvious meaning is that He would absolutely prevail over them. The psalm identifies Him as “a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek.”

Who was Melchizedek? He was a “priest of the most high God” who came to Abraham after he rescued his nephew Lot from an army that had plundered Sodom, the city where Lot dwelt.

18 And Melchizedek king of Salem brought forth bread and wine: and he was the priest of the most high God.

19 And he blessed him, and said, Blessed be Abram of the most high God, possessor of heaven and earth:

20 And blessed be the most high God, which hath delivered thine enemies into thy hand. And he gave him tithes of all.

- Genesis 14:18-20 -

The meaning of verse 20 is that Abraham gave tithes to the king. Melchizedek’s kingdom, Salem, was the same as Jerusalem (Ps. 76:2).

When the psalmist asserts that Jesus would be a priest forever after the order of Melchizedek (Ps. 110:4), he is obviously implying that the person seen by Abraham was an eternal being. If so, he must have been no less than a preincarnate manifestation of Christ. After all, God in human form also visited Abraham together with his wife Sarah on a later occasion, shortly before the destruction of Sodom.

1 And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;

2 And he lift up his eyes and looked, and, lo, three men stood by him: and when he saw them, he ran to meet them from the tent door, and bowed himself toward the ground,

3 And said, My Lord, if now I have found favour in thy sight, pass not away, I pray thee, from thy servant.

- Genesis 18:1-3 -

Since Scripture identifies the visitor as “the LORD,” translation of “Jehovah,”⁴ we deduce that He was God in the flesh, and since Scripture gives us no reason to suppose that God the Father has ever lowered Himself by assuming a human appearance, we must suppose that the leader of the three men seen by Abraham was God the Son; that is, the same preincarnate manifestation of Christ that Abraham saw earlier. The manlike beings who accompanied Christ were doubtless angels in human form.

Therefore, if Jesus did not need baptism to testify of repentance from sin or to qualify for the office of priest, what did He mean by His cryptic declaration that He must be baptized to fulfill all righteousness? He expected us to recognize the symbolism in baptism. His baptism by immersion presents us with two profound pictures.

First, it is a picture of death, burial, and resurrection.

3 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death?

4 Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.

- Romans 6:3, 4 -

Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.

- Colossians 2:12 -

Therefore, Jesus’ baptism portrayed what He would endure in order to save us from our sins. He would fulfill all righteousness by being obedient even unto the death of a cross.

And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross

- Philippians 2:8 -

Later in His career, Jesus explicitly referred to His coming ordeal on the cross as a baptism. He asked His disciples James and John,

Are ye able to drink of the cup that I shall drink of, and to be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with?

-Matthew 20:22 -

The second reason for Jesus’ baptism

Jesus’ baptism furnished another profound picture of His role as the Savior of mankind. It portrayed His baptism by the Holy Spirit.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

34 And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.

- John 1:32-34 -

Lest we fail to see the significance of Jesus' immersion, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove came down and rested upon Jesus after He walked out of the water.

And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:

- Matthew 3:16 (see also Mark 1:10; Luke 3:21b-22a) -

Why did Jesus need to be baptized by the Spirit? Because when Jesus left heaven and took the form of mortal man, He set aside His own divine powers. Before His conception, Jesus had from eternity past existed in heaven as the second person of the Triune Godhead. He was God the Son. But He left His heavenly abode and assumed human form. He emptied Himself of divine attributes.so that He could become a true man.

5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:

6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:

7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

- Philippians 2:5-8 -

The phrase “made himself of no reputation” in the KJV can be rendered “emptied himself.” He did not give up the possession of these attributes, but rather their exercise. Therefore, in His prophetic ministry He could not use His own divine power and knowledge. To reach beyond ordinary human knowledge, He had to rely on the Father’s instruction during times of communion as well as on Scripture and on the inner witness of the Holy Spirit. To perform miracles, He had to depend on the Holy Spirit’s power.

The Father’s purpose at His baptism was to prepare Him for His ministry by supplying all that He lacked in His reduced condition. The Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove and lit upon Him, an outward sign that He now had full access to the Spirit’s supernatural resources. Also, Jesus needed certainty as to His calling, so the Father spoke from heaven, assuring Him that He was indeed His Son and authorizing Him to proceed in His prophetic ministry. For Jesus, as for us, the knowledge that He was the Christ rested on faith in the Word of God. One of Jesus’ purposes in becoming human was to give us an example of how we should live. Therefore, as we should, He lived by faith and by the power of the Holy Spirit.

It was the Spirit who provided Him with supernatural wisdom and strength and who empowered Him to perform miracles. When Jesus said that He must be baptized “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15), He meant that only through the Spirit could He complete His appointed work on the earth. Even the culmination of His work—His death on a cross—was done with the Spirit’s enabling.

How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

- Hebrews 9:14 -

Jesus’ dependence on the Spirit serves as an example for us. It is our duty to follow Christ, but we are tempted to shirk our duty with the excuse that it is too hard, for whereas He was divine, we are only human. Yes, but He relied not upon Himself, but upon the Spirit, and the same Spirit is available to help us. He will enable us to do whatever the Father calls us to do.

There is yet another dimension to Jesus’ saying that He must be baptized to fulfill all righteousness. Scripture elsewhere portrays the Spirit as living water.

37 In the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried, saying, If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink.

38 He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water.

39 (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)

- John 7:37-39 -

When a person turns to Christ and as a result becomes indwelt by the Holy Spirit, the living water that he has received need not remain confined within himself. By sharing the gospel with unsaved people, he creates opportunities for that living water to flow outward from his own soul and to fill their souls as well. The work of bringing souls into the kingdom of God is certainly another way of fulfilling all righteousness.

Notice how well Jesus’ baptism pictured the true source of Jesus' ability to serve God and to reject sin. The very form assumed by the Spirit is significant. He became a bird because a bird is not bound to the earth, but flies down from above and rests wherever it wills. Likewise the Spirit comes from heaven and indwells whomever He chooses. The Spirit became a dove in particular because a dove pictures a creature that is gentle and loving—qualities that mark the Holy Spirit. In Scripture, a dove represents peace. After the Flood, Noah knew the waters had abated when he sent out a dove and the dove returned with an olive branch (Gen. 8:10-11). The dove was the creature who brought the good news that judgment had run its course, restoring peace between God and man. Likewise, the Holy Spirit reveals to us the good news of salvation from eternal damnation.

Matthew’s account leaves no doubt that the mode of Jesus’ baptism was immersion, for afterward He “went up straightway out of the water” (Matt. 3:16). Therefore, during His baptism He must have been standing on the bottom of a pool or river allowing immersion of His whole body. Such a location would hardly have been necessary to permit a mere sprinkling of water upon His head.

The Divine Witnesses

After Jesus left the water, the full Trinity manifested itself. The Son was the man Jesus. The Spirit visibly descended in the form of a dove and lit upon the Son. And the Father announced His presence by speaking in an audible voice.

And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.

- Matthew 3:17 (see also Mark 1:11; Luke 3:22b) -

The spatial separation of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit was intended to show us that they are separate persons, albeit united in one Being.

The declaration that Jesus was the speaker’s beloved Son recalled the words of a psalmist.

I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee.

- Psalm 2:7 -

A verse in the Book of Isaiah was recalled by the heavenly speaker's affirmation that He was well pleased with Jesus.

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.

- Isaiah 42:1 -

Both of these texts come from prophetic passages that speak of a conquering king who will exercise authority over all the nations of the world. The Father’s words of approbation at Jesus’ baptism were therefore a warning not to mistake the identity of the prophet who had now appeared to the nation of Israel. Though He seemed to be an ordinary man, He was far greater. Though He had come in humility, He was by nature an exalted figure on the world stage. He was a king. Also, He was the One known both as God's Son in Psalm 2 and as God's Servant in Isaiah 42. These titles describe His subordination to the Father, but this is not a subordination forced upon Him. Rather, by His own choice He accepted a secondary position in the Godhead, where He exhibits perfect submission to the Father’s will. Therefore, His placement under the Father has not lowered Him in the grand scheme of things, but has elevated Him to enjoyment of the Father’s unparalleled favor. The Father demands that all pay homage to the Son and kiss Him.

10 Be wise now therefore, O ye kings: be instructed, ye judges of the earth.

11 Serve the LORD with fear, and rejoice with trembling.

12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

- Psalm 2:10-12 -

Also, as we have seen in Isaiah 42:1, the Father has appointed the Son to be the judge of all Gentiles.

The Father’s reference to Isaiah 42:1 calls our attention to another fulfillment of prophecy. Isaiah anticipated that the Father would someday say of the Son, “I have put my spirit upon him.” Perhaps this utterance resounded in heaven, beyond the hearing of men, when the Spirit descended upon Jesus after His baptism.

Yet some of the Father’s words on this occasion were heard by men as well—at least by Jesus Himself and perhaps also by John and others nearby. According to Matthew’s account, the Father’s declaration assuring Jesus that He was indeed the beloved Son was spoken in an audible voice. The reason perhaps is that Jesus needed certainty about His calling. For Him in His human form, as for us, the knowledge that He was the Christ rested on faith in the Word of God. Long before His baptism, Jesus had known His identity. God first revealed it to Mary and Joseph through angels. Then, in a lifetime devoted to meditation upon Scripture and to fellowship with other members of the Trinity, Jesus had seen it confirmed in many ways. But full vindication of His identity perhaps did not take place until He heard the Father speak at His baptism. Jesus no doubt accepted the words from heaven as authorization to proceed upon His redemptive ministry.

Age of Jesus at the Outset of His Ministry

At exactly what point in Jesus’ life did His baptism take place? Luke provides the answer.

And Jesus himself began to be about thirty years of age, . . . .

- Luke 3:23a -

This statement appears directly after Luke’s account of Jesus' baptism. Its precise wording is full of significance.

1. He says that the baptism occurred when Jesus “began to be about thirty years of age.” Elements of the ancient church, as well as countless expositors down through the centuries, have inferred from the word “began” that the baptism fell near Jesus’ birthday.

2. Yet we need not conclude that at His baptism Jesus was exactly thirty years old. Rather, as we discover in a literal translation, Luke says that He was “about years thirty beginning.”⁵ The word “about” signals an approximate number. For example, whereas Matthew and Mark state that the Transfiguration fell six days after Jesus’ gave His disciples a foreview of the coming kingdom (Matt. 17:1; Mark 9:2), Luke gives the interval as “about an eight days” (Luke 9:28). By inclusive reckoning, eight days is a week. So, what Luke means is that the Transfiguration came about a week later.

If Jesus' age was not exactly thirty years at His baptism, how old was He?

1. The first consideration is the actual date of His birthday. Elsewhere we have presented strong evidence that He was born on January 6th in 5 BC.⁶

2. The second consideration is the calendar year of His baptism. In the account provided by John, the baptism of Jesus takes place before the first Passover in His career.

32 And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him.

33 And I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.

- John 1:32-33 -

11 This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.

12 After this he went down to Capernaum, he, and his mother, and his brethren, and his disciples: and they continued there not many days.

13 And the Jews' passover was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem,

- John 2:11-13 -

If, as we asserted earlier, He was crucified in AD 33, the first Passover in His career was doubtless in AD 30. Its exact date was Nisan the 14th, which in AD 30 fell on April 7th,⁷ about three months after January 6th. Three months of separation between His birthday and Passover are consistent with the Gospel narrative, for immediately after their account of Jesus' baptism, the first three Gospel writers record His retreat into the wilderness, where He fasted for forty days before Satan targeted Him with temptations (Matt. 3:13-4:2; Mark 1:9-13; Luke 3:21-22; 4:1-2). Then, as John affirms, Jesus returned to Galilee where, within a matter of days, He gathered disciples, attended a wedding, and visited Capernaum before proceeding to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover.

Our best judgment therefore is that Jesus was baptized in or near January of AD 30, when He turned thirty-four years of age.

Application

We showed in a previous lesson that John the Baptist was outstanding in his humility. But at the baptism of Jesus, when He permitted the hands of a mere mortal to submerge Him in the cold waters of an earthly body of water, we see a self-denial and humility of immense proportions. Yet just as He descended to the depths of humility, He would later rise to the heights of exaltation.

Are we willing to humble ourselves? Do we gladly perform thankless tasks and unpleasant duties that help others even though we receive no benefit? What is really important to us? Is our conduct guided mainly by a desire to make ourselves safer and happier, or mainly by a desire to help other people? Is the love filling our hearts self-love or selfless love?

3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.

4 Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.

- Philippians 2:3-4 -

Selfless living is a daily discipline, acquired only by faithful commitment to regular ministries out of the limelight. We must understand that unless we choose to be small, we will never be tall. Unless we make ourselves last, we will never be first. Unless we become servants, we will never be rulers.

44 And whosoever of you will be the chiefest, shall be servant of all.

45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.

- Mark 10:44-45 -