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We have been focusing these last few weeks on John the Baptist and his work in the Jordan wilderness.
We now move our focus from John to Jesus as He enters His ministry.
(NKJV)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
After eighteen years of silence Jesus is brought back to the forefront.
The last time we saw Him was when He was in left in Jerusalem and spent time in the temple.
We find this in :
(NKJV)
48 So when they saw Him, they were amazed; and His mother said to Him, “Son, why have You done this to us? Look, Your father and I have sought You anxiously.”
49 And He said to them, “Why did you seek Me?
Did you not know that I must be about My Father’s business?”
Jesus was in this court with the leaders.
This was a room or area set aside for the teachers and the religious leaders to discuss the things of God.
The religious leaders would use this as an area to share their thoughts and it was known for a place of learning and knowledge.
This was the room Jesus was in and He was discussing theological things with those leaders of His day.
In fact, we read this about the event:
(NKJV)
46 Now so it was that after three days they found Him in the temple, sitting in the midst of the teachers, both listening to them and asking them questions.
47 And all who heard Him were astonished at His understanding and answers.
Jesus as a twelve-year old boy was sitting with the religious leaders of that day and He was astounding them by His wisdom.
Between 12 years old and 30 we have no information about who He was or what He did.
Now Jesus is walking up to John, His older cousin, and seeking to be baptized with the people.
John, if you remember from last week, was talking about the one who would come that was greater than he was.
So much so that John said he was not even worthy to carry His sandals.
We now get to see this forerunner be fulfilled.
Jesus the Messiah has come and we see this all this come together now:
(NKJV)
13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
14 And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?” 15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him.
As we come into this I want to ask, does John know Jesus is the Messiah?
The quick answer is, I do not think John so.
This is what we read in the Gospel of John:
(NKJV)
29 The next day [after the baptism of Jesus] John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold!
The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!
30 This is He of whom I said, ‘After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me.’
[Even though John is older he is saying that He, Jesus has always been]31 I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water.”
32 And John bore witness, saying, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him.
33 I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, ‘Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’
34 And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.”
The day after Jesus is baptized, we see that John and Jesus meet up again.
This time John says to all those who were around “Behold!
The Lamb of God…”.
We also read John say this: “I did not know Him.” John is letting everyone know that he did not realize Jesus was the Messiah.
John knew Jesus they were Cousens.
What he did not know what the Jesus was the Messiah.
He was looking for a very specific sign and that sign was to come after Jesus was baptized.
They grew up together, maybe not in the same town, but they visited, and knew each other at the least.
John had to have known something was so perfect about this young man.
John was just waiting for the sign for the Lord.
So back to our text in Matthew why does John then say that Jesus should be baptizing John.
Jesus’ life was clear, and it seems that Jesus was living in such a way that John thought he was not in need of repentance.
John is looking at Jesus and saying to Him I am not worthy to baptize you.
I find it interesting as well that John tries to prevent Him from being baptized.
Yet Jesus says this:
(NKJV)
15 But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”
Then he allowed Him.
I like the way the Message reads:
(The Message)
15 But Jesus insisted.
“Do it.
God’s work, putting things right all these centuries, is coming together right now in this baptism.”
So John did it.
Jesus knew this needed to happen in order to continue God’s work.
Jesus was not focused on Himself and what He needed, in fact He was never about self he was and is always about you and I and this world.
The question may arise then, Why would a man who was perfect and without need of repentance be baptized?
Jesus says it is to “fulfill all righteousness” so John lets this happen.
Why was Jesus baptized?
There are a few thoughts; one was that Jesus was signifying His new start in this part of His life.
A transition from ordinary life to ministry.
This is what some suggest would happen as a person was called, or a person would take on a new position in ministry they would be set apart for that ministry through a cleansing process.
Another thought is that Jesus was baptized in preparation for the judgment to come.
It was not about Jesus and His sin, it was about the sin that He was going to carry on the cross.
Jesus knew that He was going to carry the sin of the world and this is the beginning of that work.
One other thought is that Jesus was doing this to continue to live as you and I.
We read this in :
(NKJV)
12 …And He was numbered with the transgressors…
Remember at this time no one understood that Jesus was the Messiah, not even John.
John know that Jesus was pure, but who thinks that their cousin is going to be the Messiah.
Jesus, from the onlookers was just as one of the transgressors.
He was fulfilling prophecy in ways they could not see at this point.
Jesus knowing who He was did not care what others thought, He did not come to the crowd and say: I am good, in fact I am perfect, I am doing this for you all.
He did not try and defend his character or His walk with the Lord, He did this in silence, He did it so that He could be numbered among us.
On a side note, do you notice that Jesus never defends himself or His character.
He flees at times for protection, but you never see Him explaining that He is right and the world is wrong.
He just lives and lets the world see who He is.
I mention this because at times it seems many people spend so much time defending who they are and they tell us who they are.
I want our actions and lifestyle to be our defenders.
Paul says this:
(NIV)
14 Do everything without grumbling or arguing, 15 so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.”
Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky 16 as you hold firmly to the word of life.
And then I will be able to boast on the day of Christ that I did not run or labor in vain.
Live a life pure and right and the world will see the light of Jesus.
They may accuse you but you will be without fault because you are walking blameless.
Back to Jesus, His baptism was not about His life or sin it was about identifying with us and sinful man.
Morgan says it this way:
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