Scripture: Matthew 3

John the Baptist comes on the scene as the forerunner of Jesus, to prepare the way for Him. (Malachi 3:1) And then in a surprising turn of events, Jesus asks John to baptize him! John can’t believe it…who is he to baptize God?! Yet, Jesus says, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.”

Jesus’s baptism serves to fulfill multiple purposes. One of which is to continue fulfilling the story of Israel in the Old Testament. Remember the exodus, when God brought Israel out of captivity through the Red Sea (see Exodus 14)? And the book of Joshua, when the priests brought God’s presence and His people across the Jordan River into the Promised Land (see Joshua 3)?

Well here, Jesus is baptized in the Jordan River as a way to signify that He is the One who will fully and completely deliver all God’s people, forever, from their exile and slavery to

sin, and bring them into the fullness of His promise, namely, the outpouring of His Holy Spirit into the hearts of those who follow Him.

Matthew 3

1 In those days John the Baptist came, preaching in the wilderness of Judea 2 and saying, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven has come near.” 3 This is he who was spoken of through the prophet Isaiah:

“A voice of one calling in the wilderness,

‘Prepare the way for the Lord,

make straight paths for him.’”

4 John’s clothes were made of camel’s hair, and he had a leather belt around his waist. His food was locusts and wild honey. 5 People went out to him from Jerusalem and all Judea and the whole region of the Jordan. 6 Confessing their sins, they were baptized by him in the Jordan River.

7 But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to where he was baptizing, he said to them: “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Produce fruit in keeping with repentance. 9 And do not think you can say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ I tell you that out of these stones God can raise up children for Abraham. 10 The ax is already at the root of the trees, and every tree that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with[c] the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor, gathering his wheat into the barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.”

The Baptism of Jesus

13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

Reflective Practice

Think back to when you were baptized. How might the Lord be calling you to renew your focus to walk “in the newness of life” as a baptized member of His people?