Why was Jesus Baptized?

I. Introduction: Refuting false claims.

In the gospels we have the record of Jesus being baptized by John the Baptist, the most details being in Matthew and Luke. We know that John’s baptism was a baptism of repentance to prepare the way for Christ, a baptism in which people were owning their sin and desiring to be cleansed before God. We also know that Christ was ‘tempted in all things as we are, but without sin’, therefore He had nothing to repent of. What then did He mean when John objected to baptizing Him and Jesus replied;

Let it be so for now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. (Matthew 3:15)

Many have offered various reasons for Jesus being baptized publically, ranging from it being proof of original sin to the idea that He was born again at baptism. Both ideas are absurd. If sin is inherited, it is argued, and Jesus was ‘made like His brothers in every way’ (Hebrews 2:17), then although He didn’t actually sin, He still needed to wash away the sin nature He inherited. This logic is held by those who wish to make a distinction between inheriting sin, and actually committing sin. This is a form of semi-calvinism by those who admit they agree with Romans 1:3 that Jesus was of the ‘genome’ and ‘spermatos’ of David, according to the ‘flesh’. To be frank, this is just another example of the confusion which reigns when the foundation, namely total depravity, is false.

To the second idea, it is claimed that when Jesus came up out of the water He was born again as the Holy Spirit descended upon Him as a dove. Some of those who teach regenerational baptism suggest that Jesus was symbolizing this doctrine at His baptism. The truth is that regeneration, being born again, is when we become partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4), however, Jesus was ‘in very nature God’ (Philippians 2:6). Although He set aside His right to use His divine power and submitted fully to the Father as a human being, He never ceased for a moment to be God.

In this video/article we will explore why Jesus was baptized and how that relates to us. 

II. Jesus affirmed John’s ministry, John affirms Jesus as Messiah.

Jesus and John are intrinsically linked in Scripture. When Mary went to visit Elizabeth she was just a few weeks pregnant. On hearing Mary’s voice, the unborn John leaped in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:39-41. The angel had told Zechariah that his son John would be filled with the Holy Spirit while still in the womb. Even before he was born, John recognized the Lord of glory within the womb of Mary. 

The Old Testament foretold that God would send the prophet ahead of the Messiah to prepare the hearts of the people. Luke quotes the Septuagint version of Isaiah 40:3-5. 

A voice of one calling in the wilderness: Prepare the way for the Lord, make straight paths for him. Every valley shall be filled in, every mountain and hill made low. The crooked roads shall become straight, the rough ways smooth. And all people will see God’s salvation. (Luke 3:4-6)

And Malachi 3:1 states:

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty. (Malachi 3:1)

The Jews knew these Scriptures well and there was no doubt that they foretold the coming of the Messiah. He is the ‘Lord’ who will come to His temple, the one they are seeking and desire. He is the salvation that all people will see. It is for this reason that the Jewish leaders sent priests and Levites to question John about who he was. He denied being the Messiah and denied being Isaiah reborn, however he replied by affirming that he was the prophet of Isaiah 40:3 (John 1:19-28).

John testified publically that Jesus was ‘the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’ and that he saw the Spirit come down from heaven onto Jesus, just as God had revealed to Him. He stated, ‘I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One’ (John 1:29-34). Here, I believe, John is making a direct reference to Isaiah 42:1 which reads:

Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom I delight; I will put my Spirit upon him, and he will bring justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)

In Luke 7:24-35 Jesus publically testified that John was the one who was sent by God ahead of Him. In going to John to be baptized, He physically testified to John’s ministry, affirming that John’s testimony of Him was true. At that moment, God also testified, firstly by the Spirit alighting upon Jesus, and the voice which said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased” (Luke 3:16-17).

In order to understand what Jesus meant regarding fulfilling all righteousness, I believe we must examine the many ways He identified with us in our humanity, and also laid the foundation of His coming Church.

III. Identification with us in the corruption of death.

Hebrews 2:9-10 declares that Jesus was perfected through His suffering and that He was crowned with glory and honor because He suffered death, tasting death for everyone. Then in 2:14-17 we read these words.

Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death – that is, the devil -15 and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death. 16For surely it is not angels he helps, but Abraham’s descendents. 17 For this reason he had to be made like his brothers in every way, in order that he might become a faithful and merciful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the people. (Hebrews 2:14-17)

The words, ‘shared in our humanity’ and ‘had to be made like his brothers in every way’ are important to this discussion. The earliest theologians, especially Justin and Irenaeus, taught that Christ took upon Himself the corruption of death. They argue that the ‘incorruptible One’, Christ, united Himself with our corruption in order that we who are corrupted by death could be united with Christ’s incorruption and conquer death through Him.

What were they referring to as the corruption of death? Neither Justin nor Irenaeus taught inherited sin, that was a later invention of Augustine who inserted this idea into Romans 5, a chapter in which Paul contrasts death and life.  Romans 5:19 states the following:

For just as through the disobedience of the one man the many were made sinners, so also through the obedience of the one man the many will be made righteous. (Romans 5:19) 

Augustine, and his followers, claim that this verse is speaking of inherited sin, although Paul has already stated that ‘the many died by the trespass of the one man’ (v15) and that ‘by the trespass of one man death reigned’ (v17), etc. What then is meant by the phrase, ‘the many were made sinners’?

Physical death is the consequence of sin. Adam and Eve were warned, ‘if you eat of the fruit of the tree you will surely die’. They ate, and they began to die, they became mortal, subject to death. Their children also became subject to the penalty of sin, death, as if they had also disobeyed. Every person who is born mortal carries the corruption of death as if they had sinned in Eden, and in this sense we are ‘made sinners’. This is Paul’s point!

Jesus took upon Himself this same corruption of death, this same mortality. If He had not set His divinity aside, that which makes Him immortal, He could not have died in our place, for immortality literally means that which cannot be destroyed. Was Jesus in coming to John for baptism, symbolizing the washing away of the corruption of death that He too inherited when he ‘was made like His brothers in every way’, tasting death for all? We do not know if that was the case, but we do know that Christ most certainly took upon Himself this corruption of death in the same way as all of us who are included in Romans 5:19.

IV. Christ’s example of perfect humility.

John’s baptism was a call for sinners to own their sin and humble themselves publically as a sign of genuine repentance. Humility and repentance are fundamental criteria for new birth in order to receive forgiveness of sins, they are, as it were the foundation of ‘fulfilling all righteousness’. Jesus began His ministry with the words, ‘The kingdom of God is near. Repent and believe the good news’ (Mark 1:15).

Philippians 2:6-8 tells us to have the same attitude as Christ;

Who being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness, 8 and being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death – even death on a cross! (Philippians 2:6-8)

Christ did not stand on the shores of the Jordan as others were baptized. If He had, He may have been perceived as the Pharisees were perceived, those who were self-righteous and refused to make a public display of submission and humility. Rather, Jesus identified with sinners although He had never committed sin, He humbled Himself that we might understand what is required to approach the holiness of God. 

Consider also, that when His disciples were arguing about who is the greatest in God’s kingdom, the Lord called a little child to stand before Him and said that ‘whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’ (Matthew 18:4). 

Christ set an example of perfect humility and submission to the Father, the very foundations of true righteousness.

V. Powerful symbolism for His imminent Church.

In being baptized, Jesus displayed several very power symbols regarding the Church He was about to establish.

Firstly, He was symbolizing His own death, burial and resurrection by which He would make atonement for the sin of humanity. Baptism by immersion symbolizes a grave. He told Lazarus’ sisters that He is the ‘resurrection and the life’, but there is no resurrection without death and He was laid in the tomb and resurrected to life.

Secondly, He was symbolizing the new birth for all who trust in Him as Lord and Savior. The old self which is in rebellion to God must be ‘crucified with Christ’ (Romans 6:6). Paul tells us that we are united with Christ in His death in order to be united with Him in His resurrection (Romans 6:5). In baptism a new born again believer is lowered into a grave, the old self is left behind, it has ‘passed away’, is buried there, and a new creation emerges (2 Corinthians 5:17). In His baptism the Lord was demonstrating the path we must follow, the death to self in total submission, and being raised to life, empowered by the divine nature to live for Him. 

Thirdly, Christ was showing by His obedience to fulfill all righteousness through baptism, that we must also obey His command to baptize and make disciples (Matthew 28:19). Baptism is never a request but rather a command. For those in the persecuted Church around the world it is the moment they place a target on their backs, a target which may lead to imprisonment and even death. In this sense, obedience to public baptism may be seen as the fruit of true regeneration, that new birth has occurred. 

VI. In Summary

The baptism of Jesus has many facets. Firstly, He authenticated John’s mission as the one who came to prepare the hearts of people to receive His message to repent and believe. In like manner, both John, the Holy Spirit and the Father confirmed Jesus’ mission at His baptism.

Secondly, Jesus identified with our fallen condition, taking upon Himself the same corruption of mortality as every other human being. In being ‘made like his brothers in every way’ (Hebrews 2:17) Jesus was mortal, He united Himself with the corruption of death in order to free us from that corruption. It was fitting, therefore, that He symbolized His identification with our condition through water baptism.

Thirdly, Jesus demonstrated his absolute and perfect humility, submitting to the Father and showing us what is required to approach the holiness of God. In response, the Father proclaimed, ‘This is my Son, in whom I am well-pleased’. Christ humbled himself, even to death on a cross and we are commanded to have the same attitude as He.

Fourthly, in being baptized He symbolized His own death and resurrection and the pattern we must follow if we are to be united with Him in that same death and resurrection, death to self, and resurrection to new life. Furthermore, by submitting in perfect obedience to the Father, He was both confirming and establishing His right to call us to the same obedience He would require of those who would be His disciples. 

I pray this article has been enlightening for you. Please share with those who you feel may benefit from its message.

God bless

Steve Copland