The baptism of Jesus
(Mat 3:13-17 ESV) 13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”
15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”
All four Gospels also record John’s baptism of Jesus. If we consider the symbolism of the Jordan River, it makes sense: Jesus was entering into his mission, announcing the Kingdom of God. Passing through the Jordan suits the imagery powerfully.
But if we look at John’s baptism as for repentance for the remission of sins, well, it doesn’t fit at all. Jesus had nothing to repent of and nothing to be forgiven of. Rather, the symbolism is surely far more about the commencement of the mission of Jesus.
The voice from heaven is generally taken to be paraphrasing Isaiah 42:1, combined with Psalm 2 —
(Psa 2:6-8 ESV) 6 “As for me, I have set my King on Zion, my holy hill.” 7 I will tell of the decree: The LORD said to me, “You are my Son; today I have begotten you. 8 Ask of me, and I will make the nations your heritage, and the ends of the earth your possession.”
(Isa 42:1-7 ESV) Behold my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen, in whom my soul delights; I have put my Spirit upon him; he will bring forth justice to the nations. 2 He will not cry aloud or lift up his voice, or make it heard in the street; 3 a bruised reed he will not break, and a faintly burning wick he will not quench; he will faithfully bring forth justice. 4 He will not grow faint or be discouraged till he has established justice in the earth; and the coastlands wait for his law. 5 Thus says God, the LORD, who created the heavens and stretched them out, who spread out the earth and what comes from it, who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it: 6 “I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness.
Both are Messianic prophecies, and both speak of the worldwide scope of the Kingdom to come. Neither, though, speaks about a washing or cleansing of the Messiah. Indeed, John announced Jesus by saying,
(John 1:29 ESV) 29 The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
This is surely a reference to —
(Isa 53:7-11 ESV) 7 He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth. … 11 Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.
And yet, we are left to wonder why a perfect lamb must be baptized? Beasley-Murray suggests these reasons —
1. To endorse the work of John, which included that the Kingdom was dawning, with consequent judgment for some and the outpouring of the Spirit for others.
2. The Messiah of prophesy both represents God to the people and the people to God. Therefore, his baptism is, in a sense, the baptism of Israel. Not everyone could enter the Jordan to be immersed by John, but all who enter into the Messiah would receive the benefits of his baptism for the remission of sins. He argues from several passages, including —
(Jer 30:21-22 ESV) 21 “Their prince shall be one of themselves; their ruler shall come out from their midst; I will make him draw near, and he shall approach me, for who would dare of himself to approach me? declares the LORD. 22 And you shall be my people, and I will be your God.”
(Isa 49:5 ESV) 5 And now the LORD says, he who formed me from the womb to be his servant, to bring Jacob back to him; and that Israel might be gathered to him– for I am honored in the eyes of the LORD, and my God has become my strength–
Of course, the substitutionary and mediatorship roles of Jesus are plainly described in the New Testament.
Jesus’ baptism is thus a type of our own. As was true for Jesus, when we are baptized —
a. God declares us a beloved son.
b. God declares himself well pleased with us.
c. We receive the Spirit.
It’s not just that Jesus set an example; in effect, he did this for us. His ability to achieve these things perfectly allows him to achieve these things for us. Indeed, we are only sons of God and well pleasing, because these things are true of Jesus. It would make sense that we only qualify to receive the Spirit because Jesus qualifies.
(Point 2 combines Bealey-Murray’s second and third points.)
Now, the fact is, though, that Jesus makes our baptism effective by virtue of his death and resurrection, not his baptism. But yet it’s true that John’s baptism was for repentance and forgiveness, and Jesus as our mediator perfects our repentance and as our substitute perfects our forgiveness. Moreover, the scriptures quite plainly teach that we are baptized “into” Christ and so enjoy the blessings God gives him — including being credited with his sonship and sinlessness. So there’s a sense it which it all fits together.
Some would argue that Jesus’ did it foremost as an example for us, but that would mean we should be baptized into the baptism of John, which is plainly an insufficient baptism (Acts 19). Rather, the sufficiency of the baptism comes from the sufficiency of Jesus, not John, the water, or the rite.
Actually stumbled into something that had been hiding in plain sight. In John 1:32-34 the Immerser tells us that the Spirit remaining on one John baptized was the sign of the Messiah. Now John had known Jesus and knew who He was and yet God had said forget that. I will give you a sign. It occurs to me that this may be what Jesus means when He is quoted as saying "We have to do this to fulfill all righteousness." Forget sin or repentance God said it had to happen this way for Messiah to be revealed. Unless Jesus submitted to John's baptism the sign would not happen.
Jay-
The answer to the question is to be found, I believe, in the fact that in beginning His ministry Jesus was coming to be Prophet, Priest and King. All three, in the OT, were prededed by annointing, dedication and consecration to the work of those offices. We probably have more information about the priestly aspect than the others; thus in Exodus 29 we find that Aaron and his sons were washed with water from the laver before the tent of meeting. They were then clothed and anointed with the anointing oil.
Jesus came to John knowing that He would be anointed with the Holy Spirit. Thus, to fufill all righteousness, He to was washed in the same manner as the OT priests, but by baprism, before He received the anointing with the Holy Spirit.
By submitting to baptism He did validate John and his baptism and Christian baptism also.
Although it is not much discussed in the Churchs of Christ, we too are anointed with the the Holy Spirit in preparation and consecration to the office we perform as spokesmen for God and the royal priesthood to which we have been called. In our case the baptsm really is a baptism unto repentance for the forgiveness of our sins. For consideration.
In an early blog you quoted Thomas Campbell as saying we are not saved by baptism. Of course Peter says we are saved by batism. Don't you think that Thomas Campbell meant that we are not saved by baptism in the same way that the blood of Christ saves us? Grace is the foundation and ground of salvation. Salvation is by grace to those that believe, We are saved by faith because faith gives us access to grace, but not saved in the same way. Faith is not the the ground of salvation.
We are saved by love for God, because faith when combined with love motivales and energizes us to obey. Faith that avails, works through love . producing the obedience of faith. Faith without love is nothing. Christ is the author of salvation to those that obey. Among other things baptism is the parameter God uses to test the perfecting of our faith. We are saved by a perfected faith and baptism saves us because it indicates when faith is complete. Thus James could say that we are justified by works in that our works perfects faith. Faith without works is dead and useless. For consideration.
I must admit many reservations about this imperfect baptism. Let God be God, He will take care of any exceptions. We only have what He has revealed to us. I am beginning to post about this imperfect baptism on Plain Talk.
In Christ,
Arland Pafford
Todd, I think I agree with what you said. Jesus was indwelt by the Holy Spirit at conception so his baptism certainly was not for the forgiveness of sin….there was no sin to forgive….
Arland…wasn't Jesus conceived, and indwelt by the Holy Spirit at birth?
Arland, to you, is baptism a "work" in the James 2:24 sense?
Jay,
Without minimizing many good points that have been made in your post and other posters, could it be the case that Jesus’ baptism is a “Holy Spirit” centered event? The Spirit would come upon some of humanity at times in the OT (prophets, even John the Baptist), but this was not a “continuously filling” event. The Spirit certainly brought about the miraculous conception of the God-Man, Jesus Christ within Mary. However, Jesus was not “continuously filled” until the baptismal event with John.
Many see Jesus’ baptism as a prototype, a bridge, etc, to Christianity, but perhaps the bridge, prophecy, and fulfilling all righteousness is paving the way for the outpouring of the Sprit that will come with the Kingdom/Pentecost (Acts 2)? The promise of the “coming” Holy Spirit by John the Baptist and by Jesus, is fulfilled with the reception and “new outpouring” as the universal promise of the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39). Water baptism was nothing new, but the outpouring of the Spirit was (like Jesus’ baptism by John). Christians are continuously indwelt by the Spirit.
Price, Bless you, but "No He wasn't." According to my understanding of what Paul wrote in Phil. 2 when the Word became flesh He emptied Himself of His divine power so that He would trully be fully God and fully man. My understanding is that He lived the first 30 years (give or take) as a "normal" man knowing our pain, suffering, joy and loss and that at His baptism He was reinvested with the power He had otherwise possessed throughout eternity. This is how He was tempted in every way we are, yet without sin. This is how He was made like us in every way so He could be a faithful and merciful High Priest. This is the power of His sacrifice – He lived perfectly because He chose to do so, not because He had a divine leg up. The divine aspect is that having done so He could be like us and condemn everyone who made other choices or He could do what He did and allow poor sinners like us to share in His righteousness.
This is the foundational mystery of our faith. The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.
HistoryGuy,
I agree that Christian baptism differs from John's baptism primarily because the receipt of the Spirit is associated with it. I also agree that Jesus' baptism portends the outpouring the Spirit anticipated by the prophets and which began at Pentecost.
Jesus was also baptized to FILL baptism with HIS righteousness. Peter says that baptism saves us. It saves us because we REQUEST what baptism promises: A holy spirit or A good conscience.
Pleroo fill full, to be filled full of a thing. Consecrate, filled with breath, make full or complete. let the figure be completed. to be fulfilled, of prophecy, Ev.Matt.1.22, Ev.Jo.13.18.
[29] Moses said, "Consecrate yourselves today to Yahweh, yes, every man against his son, and against his brother; that he may bestow on you a blessing this day.
Aesch. Eum. 566 Athena
Herald, give the signal and restrain the crowd; and let the piercing Tyrrhenian1 trumpet, filled with human breath, send forth its shrill blare to the people! For while this council-hall is filling, [570] it is good to be silent, and for my ordinances to be learned, by the whole city for everlasting time, and by these appellants, so that their case may be decided well.
In the Great Isaiah Scroll, Christ spoke what Mark 16 records
17. my soul hates, they are a burden to me, I am tired of bearing them. (15) And when you spread your hands I will hide my eyes
18. from you, also when you multiply prayer I will not listen, your hands are full of blood. [+and your fingers+] [Aramaic]
19. [+of iniquity+] (16) Wash and make yourselves clean and turn away the evil of your habitual practices from before my eyes, stop doing evil. (17) Lear
20. to do well, pursue judgement, bless the oppressed, judge the orphan, contend for the widow. (PP)
21. Please come and let us reason together says YHWH, if your sins are like scarlet they shall be white as snow
22. if they be as red as crimson they shall be as wool. (19) If you are obedient and you give heed then of the good of the Land [{you shall eat.}]
23. (20) But if you refuse and you rebel you will be devoured by the sword because the mouth of YHWH has said it.