The question sometimes arises to the thoughtful student of the Word, Why was the Lord Jesus Christ baptised? He had no committed sin to repent of, or be cleansed from, so why was it necessary?
The answer, we believe, is the fact that the Baptism of Jesus marked the beginning of his mortal ministry, and it demonstrates a number of significant features of that ministry. John chapter 1 recounts the words of John the Baptiser: “I knew him not, but that he should be manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptising with water” (Jno.1:31). This making him “manifest to Israel” is again shown from Hebrews chapter 10, in a way which is most helpful in answering our question:
“Wherefore, when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me: in burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure, Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me), to do thy will, O God” (Heb.10:7).
This chapter then, describes a prayer of the Lord when he came “into the world”. This clearly cannot refer to his birth, as then he would not have been able to offer any prayer, or speak any words. The best explanation, is that this was a prayer offered by Messiah when he was made “manifest” to Israel (see also John 17:18). Luke records his baptism, and how that he prayed at that time: “Now when all the people were baptised, it came to pass that Jesus also being baptised, and praying …” (Lu.3:21). Also it would be fitting that he did pray for the anointing with the holy spirit; and that without measure, which made him “The Christ”; as John the baptist testified: John 3:34 “For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.”
The prayers of the Lord included “a body hast thou prepared me”. This was something that he demonstrated in his baptism. The descent and reemergence from the baptismal waters is the way in which believers associate themselves with the death and resurrection of Christ:
“Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection” (Rom. 6:4-5).
Notice that here, Baptism for believers is defined as being “planted together in the likeness of his death” – and we submit that when Jesus was baptised, he was also demonstrating the likeness of his death as the body “prepared” for sacrifice: which being accepted by God, enabled Him to give Christ the victory over sin and death by a glorious resurrection, which brought the destruction of the diabolos, the resident evil in the flesh.
This is in harmony with the Master’s own words to John regarding his baptism:
“Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness” (Mat. 3:15).
Here, the reason that Jesus himself gives for being baptised, is to “fulfil all righteousness”. How so? Christ had to do “all” the right things required of him, including baptism into his forthcoming sacrifice for sin. Of which we read: “whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past … to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness, that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Rom.3:25-26). The Righteousness of God was demonstrated through the offering of his body and the shedding of his blood, as a willing sacrifice. In this way God condemned (judged against) sin in the flesh (Rom. 8:3). This judgement declared the righteousness of God, which must be acknowledged through baptism into Christ’s death. In baptism Christ foreshadowed his personal cleansing by sacrifice (Heb. 9:12), that is, when he would pass though the grave to victory. And being an accepted representative, he is able to make intercession for his brethren, who are also baptised in the likeness of his death. Indeed, faithful brethren seek only to do the Will of God also, by which Will we can be saved (Heb. 10:10).
Christopher Maddocks
