Automatic Transcript Generated:
Speaker 1
So Robert is asking what was the purpose of Jesus’s baptism?
Speaker 2
That’s one of those really short, but could be in a sense asking for a very long answer. But Robert, I really appreciate get you asking and I think it is an interesting question most people don’t think about why did Jesus get baptized? And let’s start with Matthew three. Matthew, chapter three, verse 13. It reads then Jesus came to Galilee, to John at the Jordan, to be baptized. And John tried to prevent him saying, I need to be baptized by you, and you’re coming to me, right? I mean, it’s crazy, right? Why would Jesus need be baptized? He should be baptizing people. So that’s what John’s saying. But Jesus answered him and said, permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he, John, allowed Jesus to basically john then cave, then agreed to baptize Jesus. So what did Jesus mean that it’s fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness? So let’s start with reason number one. I think first Jesus, everything he did was giving us an example that we should follow. So if Jesus got baptized, we should be baptized. So one, John 216, who says he abides in him ought himself also to walk just as he walked.
Speaker 2
So if you’re going to abide in Christ, you want to be with Christ. We should walk like him. We should be like sheep who follow the shepherd wherever he goes. And then one Corinthians eleven, verse one, it says, imitate me just as I also imitate Christ. So this walking Christ example and imitate Him. So another reason maybe why this was to fulfill all righteousness, is it’s a foreshadowing? It’s sort of Jesus giving people a preview of what is to come. Matthew 21 to 23. So verse 21, it says and he said to her so he being Jesus says, what do you wish? She said to him, Grant that these two sons of mine, they sit one on your right hand and the other on your left in your kingdom. But Jesus answered and said, you do not know what you ask. Are you able to drink the cup that I’m about to drink and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with? They said to him, we are able. So this is John and his brother. We are able. So he said to them, you will indeed drink my cup and be baptized with the baptism that I am baptized with, but sit on my right hand and on my left is not mine to give.
Speaker 2
So Jesus says there is a baptism yet that he would be baptized with and that they would be baptized. What’s he talking about? Romans 63 says, or do you not know that as many of us as we’re baptizing Christ, we’re baptized into his death? This symbolizing of going down and then coming back up, sort of like going down into the grave and then coming back out of it just as Christ did. And in fact we’ll talk about it again shortly. But the concept of water is a very important symbol. I mean, you see all sorts of different types of waters. Sometimes water is a good thing, representing us to say the Holy Spirit. But the very first time we see water is in Genesis and it’s the unformed, unshaped, chaotic world before Christ goes about bringing order and creating the land and all these things. And so there’s this bad negative connotation with the water. Like Jobs 26 five, the dead tremble those under the waters and those inhabiting them. Revelation 20, verse 13 the sea gave up the dead who were in it, and death in Hades delivered up their dead who are in them.
Speaker 2
And if you think just historically too, anytime you go in the water you could be imperiling your death, your boat can go under and it’s over. So there’s very much this aspect too of chaos and death and then coming out of it and you say almost in sense an act of new creation of land or whatever features coming out of the sea. Then we also have this is the third and I think most important parts of why was Christ baptized? And this was because it was his consecration service. If you look at Mark eleven, it says that Jesus was baptized in verse nine. And then verse ten it says immediately coming off the water he saw the heavens parting. So the Holy Spirit comes down. And then verse twelve it says just a couple of verses and it says immediately the Spirit drove him Jesus out to the wilderness. And then verse 14, after Jesus or comes Satan in the wilderness says jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God. So Jesus gets baptized, he has his 40 days in the wilderness, does not get tempted or he’s tempted, but does not fall into sin, and then starts preaching and he’s aged 30.
Speaker 2
And what’s interesting is you also have a high priest in Hebrew times. Hebrews could become a priest at the age of 30 and there was a baptism service for them. So we see this in Exodus 40. Start at verse twelve and thou shalt bring Aaron and his sons unto the door of the tabernacle of the consecration and wash them with water. And then in that whole chapter it’s just emphasizing that they may minister to me, that they minister to me. And in Leviticus eight, four to six, it says Moses did, the Lord commanded him and the assembly was gathered together at the door of the tabernacle. And then verse six says that Moses brought Aaron and his sons and washed them with water, just like how we do it today, right where you locked it in front of church, in front of a large assembly of people. That’s even how it was done for erin and his son. And interesting, Lee, I’m not the only one who says that baptism is a sign of consecration. Martin Luther says, the fact is that our baptism consecrates us all without exception and makes us all priests. And indeed, if you look at God’s sign was that all of the Israelites would be priests.
Speaker 2
It says in Exodus 19 six, and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. And were they baptized? One Corinthians, ten verses, one to two. It says, Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all of our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. And so he takes this language in first Peter. Peter says, you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, referring to all of God’s people today. So we can all, in a sense, be priest, we can all be ministers of the Gospel. We’re all to go out and preach and fulfill the great commission, and baptism could be that moment. We could say we have been set apart, just as God used the red seat to set apart Israel from the rest of the nation. Any thoughts you want to share on there? We actually have another question. We’ll go a little bit deeper, another aspect of baptism, too.
Speaker 3
Sure. And I hope I’m not cutting into that. My only thought, like, when I remember thinking the exact same thing, I’m like, baptism is for cleansing all your sins. So why would Jesus need to do that? Because he was without sin. But what I’ve come to understand. And I don’t know if you already covered this. I was a little bit in and out with some things. But basically. Jesus was also baptized in order to save those or to cover those who aren’t able to be baptized. Basically. Because if you read in John. Chapter three. Verse five. He tells Nicodemus. Jesus answered very I say unto you. Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit. He cannot enter the kingdom of God. So people are like, well, if I’m never baptized, I’m going to be lost. And I think that’s obviously not true because there was a thief on the cross, and Jesus promised him that day he had salvation, he would be in the kingdom, but we know that he couldn’t have been baptized. So I believe that Jesus was baptized in order to because his righteousness covers us. It’s his righteousness that we claim for our salvation.
Speaker 3
And so even if I’m sure any of us who have been baptized, we probably sinned after that baptism, and so we definitely want Jesus’baptism to cover us more than our own as well.
Speaker 1
I had never thought about that before, but that’s amazing.
Speaker 3
Oh, praise God.
Speaker 2
Yeah, I’ve never heard that before either.
Speaker 3
Okay, well, good
Speaker 2
I could have this one out.
Speaker 1
It makes sense to me, though, because if we are in Christ and then we are in a new creation, so then we are covered. It does make sense.
Speaker 2
Have we died with them on the cross, too
Speaker 1
Yeah, it would make sense that.
Speaker 2
He.
Speaker 1
Was that size for us.
Speaker 3
And that’s why I think, like he says, I come to fulfill all righteousness. And definitely fulfilling righteousness was that he was consecrated. It was definitely a symbol that he was just like aaron was a high priest. Jesus is our true high priest. There are so many I love that connection that you brought up. But I remember when I was just like but I remember being like it says you have to be baptized. And it makes sense why some people think, let’s baptize babies right away so they don’t be lost. But it’s like but that goes against God’s character of love and justice and mercy. You know what I mean? Like, what if a baby died before they got to the baptism? Like with God, one of them like, oh, sorry, your parents didn’t get you to church fast enough? No, of course not. God is much wiser and bigger and more loving. And so it’s not our baptism so much that saves us, but rather Christ that saves us and covers us.
Speaker 2
The act of baptism is what saves us. Then we do have now a salvation by works.
Speaker 3
Exactly. And we’re not saved by anything we do or saved by the grace of Jesus Christ.
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In His Service
BibleAsk Team
