The Baptized King

Matthew 3:13-17

February 10, 2002

 

Royal coronations exhibit all of the pomp and celebration that a kingdom can muster. Nothing is spared to express the kingdom's praise and delight in the new monarch. Dignitaries through the realm pay homage to the new king. And other kingdoms display similar tribute by the presence of their own royalty at such events. Proclamations and declarations are made to affirm the grandeur of the new monarch.

 

The baptism of Jesus Christ presents us with an unusual coronation. It is the initiation point of Christ's public ministry as Prophet, Priest, and King. The crowds that gathered represented, not the royalty of Israel, but the common man-sinners every one. John the Baptist's ministry announces the King's arrival, and the consequent effectiveness of His work. He stood as "a voice" from the past representing the long line of prophets, yet with a present tense declaration of the kingdom's nearness, and a future hint of its consummation in blessing and judgment. Most important in the scene of Christ's baptismal coronation were the recognized guests: the Holy Spirit descending as a dove and the Father speaking as a Voice from heaven. Thus the Trinity in Unity affirmed the person and work of Jesus Christ as He was baptized. The balance of the New Testament reflects this same Trinitarian view of Christ and the salvation He wrought for us. Christ's baptism marks His coronation as our Prophet, Priest, and King; and in this the Trinity bears witness to our eternal salvation through Christ. How does the Trinity bear witness to our salvation in Christ's baptism?

 

I. The Son baptized

 

The baptism of Christ is one of the most puzzling acts recorded in Scripture. We think of baptism as an act of public declaration and confession after trusting in Christ as one's Savior and Lord. In Acts 2 we find the massive crowd at Pentecost responding to Peter's gospel preaching with deep, Holy Spirit wrought conviction by repentance and baptism. Luke adds, "So then, those who had received his word [that is, the gospel] were baptized; and that day there were added about three thousand souls" (2:41). And even in the baptism of John that we have studied in the past couple of weeks we find a baptism signifying repentance. The people "were being baptized by him [John] in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins" (Matt 3:6). John said of himself, "I baptize you with water for repentance" or unto repentance.

 

Now do we not agree that this baptism of our Lord is seemingly strange? Here the sinless Son of God comes among the crowds at the Jordan River, publicly, openly going down into the Jordan River at John's hand for baptism. John himself found it puzzling, for he "tried to prevent Him" from being baptized. The language (imperfect tense verb) suggests that John repeatedly attempted to hinder Christ from his baptism. John did not have the full picture concerning Christ in mind, according to the Apostle John's record (John 1:31-34), until he had baptized Christ and witnessed the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Him, but he understood enough about Jesus to know of his blamelessness and virtue. John was a holy man, and he would have recognized moral virtue and holiness in another. He saw that in Jesus Christ. Whatever understanding he had, whatever John discerned in those moments that Christ came John sought to dissuade Him from identifying with the host of sinners gathered at the Jordan River for baptism and confession. But Jesus very simply ordered, "Permit it at this time," or 'give leave now'. And so John "the Baptizing One" baptized Jesus Christ in the Jordan River. This was the first public act of Christ's ministry. It was the coronation for the days ahead when He would make a steady path to the cross. But first, "to fulfill all righteousness" He had to be baptized.

 

Why did He do this? There's a lot of debate and discussion on the part of Bible students concerning the exact reason(s) for Christ's baptism. Some suggest that it foreshadows his death and resurrection by the very same means that believers identify with his death and resurrection as a profession of faith. I believe we can see some merit in this, and certainly some devotional application, but it does not satisfy the idea of fulfilling all righteousness if it is merely a foreshadowing of what is to come. Others suggest that His baptism joined Christ in the priestly practice of ritual washings that initiated their entrance into the priesthood, but while this has appeal, it was a baptism, not a ritual washing. Still others think that Jesus was baptized to identify with Gentiles whom the Jews subjected to proselyte baptism, but again, John's baptism was not the same as Jewish proselyte baptism. What was Christ doing at the Jordan for baptism?

 

1. Humiliation

 

The first issue we must note is the humiliation of our Lord. John had already upbraided the arrogant Pharisees and Sadducees who came for baptism as a show. They were to bring forth fruit worthy of repentance. They were to humble themselves rather than claiming special favor as Abraham's sons (v. 9-10). The exchange between Jesus and John underlies this whole idea of humility.

 

"Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, 'I have need to be baptized by You, and do you come to me?' 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." John quickly discerned the holiness of Jesus Christ. How much he understood at the moment of Christ as Messiah, we do not know, but there was enough grasp in John's mind to cause his objection to Christ being baptized. He saw nothing in Jesus Christ that needed repentance. But Jesus gladly humbled himself before John and the crowds as though He was a sinner like the rest. He was willing to be misunderstood in order to be obedient to the Father's will.

 

The Apostle John expresses the same concept of humility by his choice of words concerning the Incarnation: "And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us" (1:1). "Flesh" is the crudest, coarsest term for humanity. John intentionally sets it forth to show that Christ was not of another race but rather one of us. Paul tells us that Jesus Christ "did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped [or held onto], but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant [the lowest slave in the house], and being made in the likeness of men." Then he adds, "Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross," the worst, most despicable type of execution in the Roman Empire (Phil 2:6-8). The writer of Hebrews used the language of necessity to express this, "Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people" (2:17). He "had to be made like His brethren in all things." That's the ultimate humility for one so perfect, so regal, and so exalted.

 

2. Identification

 

But the humility of Christ goes another step with the sinless Son of God fully identifying with the sinners He came to save. There is a sense that we must insist that Jesus willingly identified with John and his ministry through this baptism. But more so, Jesus identified with John as a sinner, just as He did with every other sinner He came to save. John needed the work of Christ just as we do. He had no merit to commend himself to God apart from the merits of the Messiah, Jesus Christ.

 

How did this baptism fulfill all righteousness? Jesus' reason to John for His baptism, and a reason that must have been completely satisfying for John, was "for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." "Righteousness" in Matthew's Gospel implies doing the will of God, rather than the legal status Paul gives it. It was fitting, therefore, because God had commanded it. John was the prophet of God who spoke after 400 years of silence in Israel. He commanded repentance and baptism demonstrating it. This was not a suggestion, but a command for all who heard him preach. John's baptism not only professed repentance but it confessed a trust in the coming Messiah that John proclaimed. So Jesus was obeying the voice of God through the prophet. Even though Jesus had no sin to repent of and confess, He believed that John's baptism was commanded of all, so He obeyed.

 

Does this not tell us something quite pointed in our own obedience? Jesus Christ did not personally need John's baptism but He received it because God commanded it. Have you tried to ignore or rationalize around baptism or some other area of divine command? Look at the example of Jesus Christ, and follow likewise.

 

A second reason for this baptism being fitting was so that Jesus Christ might be publicly identified with sinners. What was the basic assumption of all the people looking on Jesus as He was baptized? They thought that He was a sinner just like them! Think about that for a moment. Jesus risked His reputation to identify with sinners, so that He might become a merciful and faithful mediator on our behalf. It was "as if he needed to be washed, though perfectly pure; and thus he was made sin for us, though he knew no sin," wrote Matthew Henry [Matthew Henry's Commentary, vol. V, 23]. Here was the "active obedience" of Christ fulfilling all righteousness on our behalf, even though in the course of it His own reputation was sullied by identity with sinners.

 

3. Affirmation

 

Jesus' submission to John's baptism affirmed the validity of what John was doing, as well as the validity of his baptism. We search in vain to find an Old Testament command, "Thou shalt be baptized." But we must remember that John was The Prophet who announced the Messiah. He came bearing the word of God to that generation. After hundreds of years of silence, God had now spoken through John, and He spoke with clarity that men must repent, and believe in the Messiah, and publicly confess this in baptism. John's baptism was a divine institution in contrast to the washings of the Pharisees that were instituted for ceremony and legalistic show. The language of verse 13 helps us to see that Jesus came specifically to John "to be baptized by him" (hup' autou conveys the idea of being baptized 'under his hand').

 

John's baptism was the precursor to Christian baptism. It is true that the Jews practiced proselyte baptism, but only of Gentiles. It was done with the idea that circumcision was not adequate and the Gentiles needed to be washed from their defilement by baptism. But no Jew presented himself for this baptism. That would have been considered degrading. Some of the more zealous Jews, particularly those who were both pious and wealthy, practiced ritual washings regularly. They had baptismal pools built into their homes, known as mitva'ot, in which they would sometimes wash several times a day to cleanse themselves from defilement [see Donald Bridge & David Phypers, The Water that Divides: A Survey of the Doctrine of Baptism (Christian Focus-Mentor imprint, 1998), 17-18]. But neither of these showed any kinship with John's baptism. Both of these first century Jewish practices were for the purpose of cleansing from defilement, not that of confession and public declaration of faith.

 

Jesus gave command to His disciples to baptize those who became disciples in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt 28:18). The book of Acts gives numerous examples of believers being baptized upon their repentance and faith in Christ (2:41; 8:12; 10:47-48, etc.). Paul explained that while circumcision of the heart paralleled Old Testament circumcision, baptism follows as a sign that a person has been buried in union with Christ and raised from the dead by Him (Col 2:11-12).

 

What does this have to do with John's baptism? By divine command, John initiated baptism as a means of outward profession of inward repentance and faith. Jesus Christ affirmed it when John baptized Him. Jesus showed the link of baptism when He commanded His followers to practice baptism for all who believed in Him. Though the baptism of Jesus was certainly unique in that He had no repentance to profess, and He is the Messiah Himself who was the object of all confessions in baptism, He set forth a pattern for all who would be His disciples to follow. Baptism is not an option for followers of Jesus Christ. Though there is no saving merit in the act of baptism, there is every reason for those who call themselves Christians to be baptized in obedience to Jesus Christ. Are you a Christian? Have you followed the Lord's example and command in having been baptized? Jesus identified with us in His baptism. We identify with Him in His death and resurrection when we are baptized. Are you one that needs to enter this watery grave in public confession of Jesus Christ?

 

II. The Spirit descending

 

Isaiah foretold of the Messiah in words that Jesus Christ accepted for Himself, "The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to captives and freedom to prisoners; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord and the day of vengeance of our God" (61:1-2; cf. Luke 4:18-19). After 30 years of relative obscurity, Jesus entered upon His public ministry by the Holy Spirit's descent from heaven to initiate His ministry.

 

1. The heavens open

 

The scene was dramatic for John, the crowd, and affirming to Jesus Christ: "After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he [He] saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him." The language demonstrates that Jesus and John were both down in the water (obviously for the purpose of immersion which is the meaning of baptizo), and then Christ came out of the water, never to waver for one moment from the divine purpose before Him. "Behold, the heavens were opened" reminded all present in vivid fashion that though the way to God had been closed, it was now open through Jesus Christ. Man's sin had made the way to heaven as brass. But the Messiah would open the way for sinners to enter into God's presence with a new righteousness not of their own doing. It was this same theme that the writer of Hebrews brings up at several points of drawing near to God, and entering through the new and living way (10:19-22). It was this same truth that Jesus echoed on the night of His betrayal and arrest, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me" (John 14:6).

 

Though we speak so often of Christ being the only way to God, it may be that some among us have not really believed this. You have thought that you can work out your own means to God. But see the living metaphor set before the eyes of those who witnessed His baptism. "Behold, the heavens were opened." No one else opens the way to God but Christ.

 

2. The Spirit anointing

 

Linguists debate whether the pronoun "he" refers to John seeing this happening or Jesus seeing this happen. Since the emphasis and shift in Matthew's Gospel from this point, onward focuses upon Jesus Christ, I think we have to consider the pronoun focusing upon Jesus Christ, though John certainly witnessed the Spirit's descent as well. "And he [He] saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting [coming] on Him." Was there a literal dove or was the visible descent of the Spirit shaped like a dove or was the descent of the Spirit in the fashion of a dove's graceful fluttering without the shape? Those are good questions, but ones that we cannot answer dogmatically. There was something visible, and that is unquestionable. But "as" or "like" [hosei] implies that it was not a dove but had the resemblance of a dove or at least a dove-like fashion.

 

While the question of literal dove or not may not be answered, the implications can be made. A dove, not an eagle or hawk or other powerful bird symbolized the Spirit's coming. The reason is that we are to see the gentleness in the dove. Though He comes as with the sound of rushing, mighty winds at Pentecost, there is gentleness about the Spirit. He even produces the fruit of gentleness in those who believe (Gal 5:22-23). A dove is symbolizes purity and peacefulness, both apt metaphors for the Holy Spirit purifying the soul and delivering peace that surpasses understanding to the believer.

 

But the coming of the Holy Spirit also tells us of the initiation of Jesus Christ's Messianic work. He is the one who anoints the Messiah to bear the good news to the afflicted and bind up the brokenhearted (Isa 61:1). Isaiah also declared, "The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and strength, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord" (11:2). And in the crowning declaration of the Messiah, the Lord foretold, "I have put My Spirit upon Him" (42:1).

 

Thus we shortly find Jesus "led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil" (Matt 4:1). Afterward, "Jesus returned to Galilee in the power of the Spirit" (Luke 4:14). Everywhere Jesus went, the Holy Spirit anointed Him for ministry. In the beginning the Spirit of the Lord hovered over the face of the creation. But now as the author of the new creation begins His ministry, the Spirit hovers upon Him in power.

 

III. The Father speaking

 

The Father who sent the Son verbally affirms His ministry at this coronation of baptism. On three occasions we hear the divine voice from heaven declaring, "This is My beloved Son" (at the baptism, the transfiguration, and in John 12:27-29 at a point of encouragement to Christ's ministry before His death-"I have both glorified it, and will glorify it again"). Though the words are brief, they are pointed.

 

1. Declaration of Sonship

 

"And behold, a voice out of the heavens said 'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.'" The Greek is more emphatic, "This is My Son-My beloved One, in whom I am well-pleased." Here we have the convergence of the Godhead in rare public display. The Son bows to the baptism of sinners, the Spirit descends in anointing power upon the Son, and the Father declares His eternal love for the Son. The Father's voice is both a declaration to help our weak faith to trust in Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and a designation of Christ as the Messianic King.

 

The language of this verse takes us to the grand Messianic Psalm 2. "I will surely tell of the decree of the Lord: He said to Me, 'You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, You shall shatter them like earthenware.'" He is the Son by eternal generation, begotten of the Father before the worlds existed (Col 1:15). He is the Son by the supernatural conception of the Holy Spirit, so that the angel told Mary, for this reason, He shall be called the Son of God (Luke 1:35). At His baptism He is the Son of God by special designation, as He has been assigned an eternal office of Prophet, Priest, and King, that would carry out an eternally affecting work to redeem His elect [see Matthew Henry, 24].

 

Jesus Christ is the "beloved" of the Father. Contemplate for a moment the Father's love for His Son before the creation. "Beloved" is an endearing term, showing that Christ is the object of the Father's affections from all eternity. He is the One in whom the Father delights. And it is this One that has been sent by the Father as our Redeemer. God did not send anyone less than His own beloved Son to satisfy His own justice so that you might be saved forever.

 

2. Affirmation of pleasure

 

No wonder the balance of the Voice from heaven declared, "in whom I am well-pleased." Isaiah makes a similar Messianic declaration, "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights" (42:1). The Father finds eternal pleasure in the Son. He found pleasure in the Son's Incarnation, in His sinless life, and in His faithfulness. He found pleasure in bruising His Son for us. We cannot fathom such depths of love! Yet, as Isaiah expressed it, "But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief" (53:10). Why all of this grief for His beloved? So that He might be the guilt offering to avert His wrath, and purchase a people for His own possession. If the Father has such pleasure in the Son, shouldn't you?

 

Conclusion

 

Have you believed the witness of the Triune God concerning Jesus Christ? I challenge you to repent and believe in Him, and to confess your faith through baptism.

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