“When He Was Baptized”
The Baptism of Christ
THE DOOR OF the carpenter’s shop swung shut for the last time. Never again would children on their way home from school, drawn by the irresistible charm of the Carpenter, pause to listen to one of His inimitable stories.
Leaving the humble cottage (Mark 1:9), Jesus made His way toward the river Jordan, where unprecedented crowds were flocking. The center of interest was an ascetic and unorthodox preacher who was preaching repentance and administering baptism for the remission of sins. “Repent,” he commanded, “for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 3:2). Here was a prophet after the order of Elijah, and as fearless too.
Unostentatiously pressing His way through the milling crowds seeking baptism at the hand of the prophet, the erstwhile carpenter humbly took His place among the candidates. When John the Baptist saw this holy and radiant face, he who had baptized so many others upon repenting of their sin, was suddenly overwhelmed with an acute sense of his own sin and personal unworthiness. Not long before he had thundered at the Pharisees, “O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” (Matthew 3:7). Now in abject humility he is saying to Jesus, “I have need to be baptized by thee, and comest thou to me?” (Matthew 3:14). It was incongruous that the Messiah should ask baptism at his hands. He had refused baptism to the Pharisees because of their impenitence. Now he desired to refuse to administer it to Jesus because of his own sinfulness.
Although tacitly acknowledging John’s impulse to be correct, Jesus replied in words that assured him of the appropriateness of His submitting to this ordinance. “Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered him” (Matthew 3:15). The fact that Jesus had done nothing needing repentance did not relieve Him of the obligation to do this act of righteous obedience. True, He had no sins to confess, but He was a child of Abraham, and to submit to John’s baptism was something God expected Him to do. It was an act of submission on the part of the perfect Man that was in complete harmony with the rest of His life. John then withdrew his opposition and administered the ordinance.
So the record runs. How much John previously knew of Jesus is not easy to ascertain, but there seems slender basis for the artists’ legends that they were companions in early life. Nazareth and Hebron were widely separated. It is not impossible that they may have met on the annual Jerusalem pilgrimages. Be that as it may, he had been given a sign by which he could identify the Messiah. “Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33). Was it the contrast between His strong, pure, attractive face and the sin-lined faces of the other candidates that convinced John this was indeed the Messiah?
This was the last act of our Lord’s private life. Emerging from the waters of Jordan, He set out on His public ministry, empowered by the Spirit and assured of His Father’s approval.
Why did Jesus seek baptism at the hands of John, whose baptism was primarily a purifying rite? In what sense could Jesus have part in a baptism involving repentance, when He had nothing of which to repent? Here is mystery indeed.
To the other candidates it carried a double meaning. It involved the acknowledgment and abandonment of their old sins. It signified entrance into the Messianic era. To Jesus, the former element was absent. Baptism to Him was not the sacrament of repentance, nor is it so represented. With reference to the latter, it signified His entrance upon the new epoch of which He Himself was to be the Author, for His baptism was nothing less than “a sacramental recognition of Him as Messiah.”
In His baptism and the attendant circumstances we may see at least four implications.
His identification with the world’s sin. By this act He allied Himself with the race He had come to redeem—the preliminary and necessary step to becoming the sinner’s substitute. It signified His complete dedication of Himself to be the world’s sin-bearer, yielding Himself without reserve to His Father’s will even though it involved a cross. It was the public exhibition of His willingness to assume the burden of the sin of the whole race.
His baptism involved no acknowledgment of sin, but only His purpose to be “made like unto his brethren” (Hebrews 2:17) in all things. Must the Levitical priest wash at the laver before he could minister at the altar? Then so will Jesus, for the new economy has not yet begun. Is it prophesied of Him that He is to be “numbered with the transgressors” (Isaiah 53:12)? Then He will take His place with them in that symbol of death, even as He would finally associate Himself with them in actual death. Though sinless Himself, He was able to sympathize with His brethren in their struggle with sin.
His introduction into the messianic office. It was eminently fitting that so revolutionary a public ministry should be inaugurated by some such public ceremony as would clearly mark the watershed of His private and public life. By administering baptism to Him, the forerunner of the Messiah set Him apart to His mission of redemption, and sanctioned His claims.
With His knowledge of the Scriptures, it is impossible that Jesus did not realize the awful implications of the symbolism of this rite, foreshadowing as it did His own death and resurrection. Did He not say, “I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how am I straitened till it be accomplished” (Luke 12:50)? Yet, knowing all, He gladly consecrated Himself to His costly life task.
His Father’s approbation of the silent years. Who can measure what the rending of the heavens meant to the Son of Man at this epochal hour? With what balm would His Father’s approving words fall on His spirit as they broke the silence of eternity: “Thou art my beloved Son; in thee I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22)? Jesus was thus marked out as the One in whom the psalm found its fulfillment: “The Lord hath said unto me, Thou art my Son….” (Psalm 2:7), and was declared by God to be perfectly qualified to embark on His public ministry.
His anointing for service. “The Holy Ghost descended in a bodily shape like a dove upon him” (Luke 3:22). This was no meaningless display. From the moment of His conception until His self-oblation on the altar of the cross, everything was achieved “through the eternal Spirit” (Hebrews 9:14). Indeed that dependence on the Spirit characterized His entire ministry. According to James Stalker, His human nature was enabled to be the organ of the divine (John 3:34) by a peculiar gift of the Spirit bestowed on Him without measure at His baptism.
The phrase “in bodily form as a dove” may be rendered with equal propriety “in appearance as a dove.” James Kitto suggests that as fire is the most usual symbol of the divine presence, the Holy Spirit descended on Him as a flame of fire, darting on Him from heaven in the manner of a dove, encircling and resting on Him. Whether this is so or not, the symbolism of the dove was entirely appropriate to the meekness and purity of the One on whom it rested—not a rapacious eagle but a gentle dove. Christ had come to conquer, not by might of arms but by love and humility.
Addressing the group gathered in the house of Cornelius, Peter recounted “how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him” (Acts 10:38). Thus he linked this anointing with His baptism by John, for the anointing of the Spirit synchronized with His water baptism. By it He was endued with extraordinary power and the gifts necessary for His public ministry. Doubtless this event marked a distinct stage in His spiritual history as the Son of Man. Although in His case there was no need of cleansing, there was the necessity to learn “obedience by the things which he suffered” (Hebrews 5:8).
In this connection G. H. C. McGregor writes: “He was always well-pleasing to the Father; but I cannot read my New Testament without feeling that after this wonderful gift of the Spirit, His knowledge of the Father, His sympathy with the Father’s purpose, His delight in His Father’s will were deeper than ever. There was, of course, no change in His character, but there was growth, and it was this that fitted Him for His work. It was in virtue of what He became through His anointing at His baptism that He was able to do what He did.”
This enduement was not for himself alone. It was for the sake of all who should believe on Him. “He that sent me to baptize with water,” says John, “the same said unto me, Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” (John 1:33). This was a gift, not for Christ alone, but also for His church. We should therefore inquire of ourselves whether we are living in the foil enjoyment of this heavenly Gift. Have we through a similar submission and dedication to the Father’s purpose experienced a comparable anointing for service?
It should be noted that in this incident there is clear revelation of the cooperation of the Trinity in preparing the way for our Lord’s mediatorial work. The incarnate Son stands in the waters of Jordan, identifying Himself with sinful humanity. The Father opens heaven to voice His approval of His Son whom He had selected for this task. The Spirit descends from heaven to empower the Son to fulfill the purpose of the Father.