Why Was Jesus Baptized?
Last week I wrote about John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness. He answered the questions from the religious leaders sent from Jerusalem sent to check him out. Scripture does not tell us how they reacted after John told them a greater one than he was coming. I assume they went back to Jerusalem and reported on what John said.
The next day, John looked up and saw Jesus approaching. Jesus wanted John to baptize Him.
“I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” Matthew 3:14.
“But Jesus answering said to him, ‘Permit it at this time for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he permitted Him.” Matthew 3:15.
Why did Jesus come to be baptized? After all, He was the sinless Son of God, the long-awaited Messiah.
Everything Jesus did fulfilled Old Testament prophecies. That is what Jesus meant when He told John it was “fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness”.
John’s job was to be the forerunner of Christ. But the time had come for the ministry of John to give way to the ministry of Jesus, the Christ. John had done his job well, but it was drawing to a close. John understood, “He must increase, but I must decrease.” (John 3:30.)
The transition from the public ministry of John to the public ministry of Jesus happened when Jesus was baptized.
Let’s look at the details and how His baptism fulfilled prophecies.
Jesus was immersed in the Jordan river. Luke 3:21 tell us that after Jesus came out of the water, he began to pray.
“And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Sprit like a dove descending upon Him; and a voice came out of the heavens ‘Thou are My beloved Son, in Thee I am well-pleased.’” Mark 1:10-11. (Mark 1:9, Luke 3:22)
Let’s imagine this for a moment. Jesus stood in the Jordan river with water dripping from His hair. Then He began to pray. Don’t you wonder what Jesus prayed? Then while Jesus was praying, the heavens opened up. The word Mark used which is translated “opening” in Mark 1:10 means to split, to divide, to tear apart. It is the same word used in Mark 15:38 when the veil of the temple was torn in two after Jesus breathed His last breath on the cross.
At Jesus’s baptism, the veil of heaven tore apart and out of heaven came the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove. The Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus.
Then the voice of God the Father spoke. Even though He allowed John the Baptist to hear it, God spoke the words TO JESUS. Notice God says, YOU are my beloved Son. In YOU I am well-pleased.
All three parts of the trinity were present at the baptism of Jesus. Jesus the Son of God, the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove, and the voice of God the Father.
What prophecies were fulfilled by the baptism of Jesus?
“Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Isaiah 7:14.
“For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us . . .” Isaiah 9:6
“And the Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him . . .” Isaiah 11:2.
These prophecies were fulfilled in Jesus. In an audible voice, God the Father declared that Jesus, was THE SON, HIS SON.
Jesus begins His ministry with His baptism.
Carla Killough McClafferty