Our Scripture for today, from the Lectionary of the Book of Common Prayer, tells of an important event in the life of the Lord Jesus, one that is among a small handful that was spoken of in all four Gospels. This event was the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist. Not only does this event begin Jesus’ public ministry, it is also one of only a few times when God’s Voice is audibly heard as He publicly affirms His Son, and is also a key time when the Trinity is revealed. Let’s take a look at our Scripture.
Jesus had spent the first thirty or so years of His life in the village of Nazareth, in Galilee, and the adult years working in His foster father Joseph’s carpentry shop, learning that trade. It is believed that Joseph died before Jesus reached thirty, so He took over running the shop. Jesus heard the Holy Spirit speak to Him, and He left Nazareth and headed south to the Jordan River, where John the Baptist’s ministry of preaching repentance and baptizing was underway. Jesus came to the Jordan River to be baptized by John (vs. 13). We have to wonder, though, why Jesus was baptized by John when his baptism was one of repentance from sin? Jesus had no sin (Hebrews 4:15), so why would the sinless Son of God submit to a baptism meant for sinners? That is the question we will answer here.
John the Baptist actually asked the same question (vs. 14). He felt that Jesus should baptize him, not the other way around. He recognized Jesus’ superiority and sinlessness, and knew he was unworthy. Jesus, though, told John that His baptism would “fulfill all righteousness” (vs. 15). What did that mean?
First, Jesus’ baptism was not about repentance but about identification. Jesus identified with the very sinners that He came to save (Isaiah 53:12). When He was baptized, He was not repenting of sin. Instead, He was aligning Himself with the mission of bearing our sins. Jesus stood in our place as the one Man who represents all humanity before God. He is not a sinner, but we are. He was baptized for our sake so that the blessings of baptism come to us. Jesus, at His baptism, stands where sinners stand, not because He needs cleansing from sin, but because we do.
By being baptized, Jesus was also submitting to the Father’s will. Jesus obeyed the Father perfectly in every detail (Psalm 40:7-8; John 8:29). By being baptized by John, Jesus also affirmed that John the Baptist’s ministry was from God.
Next we read how as Jesus came out of the water, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove (vs. 16). This was a divine revelation for all to see. The Holy Spirit descended like a dove, symbolizing purity, peace, and God’s approval of Jesus. This is not Jesus becoming divine. He has always been divine. Instead, the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus then, anointed Him for His Messianic work (Isaiah 61:1).
It was here that God the Father spoke in an audible Voice that those present actually heard (vs. 17). He publicly affirmed Jesus’ identity. He said that Jesus was His Son, and that He was well-pleased with Him. What is very important in this Scripture passage is that the Trinity is unmistakably present. God the Father audibly spoke. God the Son is baptized and is acknowledged by the Father. And the Holy Spirit comes down in the form of a dove. This is a powerful refuting of the belief that God only exists as one singular person, but in different forms at different times (Modalism) and other anti-Trinitarian errors. Instead, this is one of the clearest Trinitarian passages in Scripture, essential to orthodox Christianity.
Looking back over this passage, we learn that Jesus obeyed God the Father, even when John didn’t understand. We need to always obey God’s Word, even when others might question us. Jesus was baptized when He had no sins to confess in order to fully identify with sinners. Now, all those who have accepted Jesus as their Savior, are identified with Him. During His baptism the heavens were opened to Jesus then, and now they are opened to all who are saved.
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