Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. “I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,” he said, “so why are you coming to me?” But Jesus said, “It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.” So John agreed to baptize him. After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.” Matthew 3:13-17 NLT
Since baptism is not what saves us, and Jesus was completely sinless and did not need saving anyway, why was He baptized? John the Baptist wondered that too. There are numerous reasons. It was a multi-layered event serving as a foundation for His earthly ministry, revealing aspects of God's nature, and providing a model for believers to follow.
Jesus came to earth to identify with us to save us. In our baptism we identify with Him.
Jesus' baptism fulfilled God's commands and foreshadowed His ultimate act of righteousness – His sacrifice on the cross.
The baptism marked the start of Jesus' public ministry.
The baptism was a clear demonstration of the presence and the interaction of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. They all are God and work for our salvation and transformation.
Baptism symbolized Jesus' future death, burial, and resurrection. Believers celebrate these events through their own baptism.
Jesus' willingness to be baptized by John, a commoner, highlights His humility and obedience to God's will. We, too, come to baptism with humble obedience.
The baptism of Jesus is profoundly meaningful, recorded in all four gospels. Though completely sinless, He humbled himself to identify with us. He appeared to the crowd as a sinner needing John’s baptism of repentance even though John proclaimed Him “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” No wonder John questioned Him. But as 2 Corinthians 5:21 puts it, “For our sake God made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” The love of God for us is beyond comprehension. It is a holy honor through baptism to identify with the One who so completely and humbly identified with us.
- Perhaps you have never truly recognized the depth of meaning in the privilege of baptism. It is far more than a command – it is the holiest of honors and our joy. Thank God now for all you have received.