Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan, to be baptized by him. John would have prevented him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?’ But Jesus answered him, ‘Let it be so now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he consented. And when Jesus had been baptized, just as he came up from the water, suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, ‘This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.’ (Matthew 3:13-17, NRSV)
The problem a lot of us Christians have with this text is why did Jesus have to be baptized?
Even Matthew struggles with this.
I mean reread the text, John says to Jesus, “I should be baptized by you, yet you come to me?” Matthew is struggling with this need for Jesus to be baptized. And we do to…
If baptism is for the forgiveness of sin why does the Son of God, who is sinless need to be baptized?
Maybe we have missed the point a little on what baptism is about…
I think all of the gospel writers would agree that Jesus’ baptism is not about Him needing forgiveness of sin, but rather is about His beginning His ministry here on earth. It is the inauguration of His ministry here. He is publicly, in Matthew, announced as the Son of God, the beloved, in whom God is well pleased.
So Jesus’ baptism is not about forgiveness of sin and about His being named and claimed by God, a promise that God will always be with Him.
What do you think would happen to us, if we looked upon our baptism that way?
As the time that God named us and claimed us, called us His own, and promised He would always be with us?
If our baptism was seen as our inauguration into the ministry of God?
aSacredRebel 