The Jews are coming for repentance. Mt 28:19). I think it's important that we realize John didn't just come up with this baptism idea on his own. While righteousness in the new age will continue to mean conduct that is in accordance with the law, it will be conduct in accordance with the law as expounded and interpreted by Jesus (cf. Mark and Q are sources common to the two other synoptic gospels; hence the name the Two-Source Theory given to this explanation of the relation among the synoptics. The tensions between Jewish and Gentile Christians there in the time of Paul (see Gal 2:114) in respect to Christian obligation to observe Mosaic law are partially similar to tensions that can be seen between the two groups in Matthews gospel. 2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!". In our context, a proselyte is a Gentile becoming a Jew. 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: 17 And lo a . Hebrew/Greek Matthew 3 New International Version John the Baptist Prepares the Way 3 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, And, it begins the launch sequence of Jesus toward His eventual crucifixion.That makes it really powerful to think about. [B]ehold, the heavens were opened to him. The opening signifies in visual form the opening of the way to God. Why did he resist, and why did he change his mind? It is clearly not Christian baptism, as it does not signify initiation into the body of Christ; neither is it symbolic of a work of the Holy Spirit, as John himself refers to it as a work of Christ. This is often designated M, written or oral tradition that was available to the author. John tried to make him change his mind, but Jesus. He is willing to be our Redeemer. The record of John the Baptist and his baptism of Jesus occurs not only in Matthew 3:1317, but in Mark 1:911 and Luke 3:2122. A reading for the gospel according to Matthew 3:1-12. Back when God was getting this whole thing started, He had a conversation with Abraham where He said, "I am God Almighty. John is preparing people for the coming of Jesus by his call to repentance. The unknown author, whom we shall continue to call Matthew for the sake of convenience, drew not only upon the Gospel according to Mark but upon a large body of material (principally, sayings of Jesus) not found in Mark that corresponds, sometimes exactly, to material found also in the Gospel according to Luke. At his entrance into the city he is hailed as the Son of David by the crowds accompanying him (Mt 21:9). The kingdom of God is more specific and does not seem to include any but true believers who are born again. In all three . To ensure you receive the best experience on Lifeway.com, we use cookies to process information about your visit. The discourse following this narrative (Mt 18:135) is often called the church order discourse, although that title is perhaps misleading since the emphasis is not on the structure of the church but on the care that the disciples must have for one another in respect to guarding each others faith in Jesus (Mt 18:67), to seeking out those who have wandered from the fold (Mt 18:1014), and to repeated forgiving of their fellow disciples who have offended them (Mt 18:2135). God has always been ruling over the world (Ps 103:19), but the kingdom of heaven comes when God climactically exerts his power to accomplish the salvation of his people. It reminds me of the story of the drunk who stumbled upon a baptismal service one Sunday afternoon down by the river. It was His coming out party - His grand opening, so to speak. She said, 'Do you think I'm nuts' and the groom said, 'I do' and it all really went downhill fast from there.". The background of this history is found in Genesis 13, in the events of creation and the fall. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness." The narrative culminates in Jesus denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees, reflecting not only his own opposition to them but that of Matthews church (Mt 23:136), and in Jesus lament over Jerusalem (Mt 23:3739). It probably comes as no surprise that the most common words in the English language are. We hear the voice of God the Father, who calls us sons in union with Christ the Son (Rom 8:1417; Gal 4:47), and who is pleased with us on account of his being pleased with his eternal Son (Eph 1:410). 14 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" 15 But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.". The painting was completed by Verrochio in collaboration with his apprentice, Leonardo Unquestionably, he was attacking the established religion of his day and demanding sincerity and repentance instead of hypocrisy and religious rites. Although he knew Jesus, as his mother, Elizabeth, was a cousin of Mary, at this time he had not identified Jesus as the Messiah, although he may have had some knowledge of His call as a Prophet. He has nothing to repent of. It's all sort of gruesome really. The narrative section that follows the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 8:19:38) is composed principally of accounts of those merciful deeds of Jesus, but it is far from being simply a collection of stories about miraculous cures. Jesus does this because God requires it. "I've been with her all week." Your family. He is the one appointed to prepare the way for Jesus (Matt 3:3). The Jewish people were looking for a deliverer to make things right in their country. But what does that mean for me and you? Sign up now for the latest news and deals from Bible Gateway! Finally, Jesus' was a baptism of identification: he affirmed John's ministry and identity with the people He'd come to save. Mt 16:28). Hebrew/Greek Your Content John 1:29-34 New Life Version The Baptism of Jesus 29 The next day John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him. It describes the descent of the Spirit on Jesus (verse 33), which took place when Jesus was baptized. Isaiah 42:1 describes Jesus beforehand as my servant, whom I uphold. In Isaiah 53, the servant is the one who brings salvation to the people by dying for their sins. In this third chapter of Matthew, three baptisms are mentioned: (1) that of John the Baptist, a baptism of repentance; (2) a baptism of the Holy Spirit, which would be brought and administered by Christ; (3) a baptism with fire. Sermon: The Baptism of Jesus and Our Baptism - Matthew 3 - Lifeway 2023 United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. Matthew 3:13-17 NIV - The Baptism of Jesus - Then Jesus came - Bible The kingly ancestor who lived about a thousand years after Abraham is named first, for this is the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the royal anointed one (Mt 1:16). This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased (Matt 3:17). Leonardo painted an angel who was holding some garments; and despite his youth, he executed it in such a manner that his angel was far better that the figures painted by 3. The Introduction and Baptism of Jesus | Bible.org In his baptism, he consents to be counted as if he were a sinner, along with everyone else. People will expect you to walk the talk. He must be taken to Egypt to escape the murderous plan of Herod. But the Yankees win and people buy their stuff. The Baptism of Christ | Reformed Bible Studies & Devotionals at So, the Bible gives us an understanding of the unique role of John the Baptist in the history of redemption. Some people think it's the event that makes one a Christian. In response, God the Father acts in approval. These are mysteries because they were not anticipated in the Old Testament doctrine of the kingdom. Humble obedience and commitment to God and identification with God always lead to His affirmation . . These two aspects are expressed by an Old Testament theme that occurs often in the narrative, i.e., the portrait of the suffering Righteous One who complains to God in his misery, but is certain of eventual deliverance from his terrible ordeal. Verrocchio. Mt 26:28). He is our representative when he rises from the dead, thereby providing new, resurrection life for those who are his. You are the church, and Lifeway is here to serve you with biblical resources for everything life brings your way. Suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, came John the Baptist preaching in the wilderness of Judea (cf. When you're baptized and people see you, the expectation level goes way up. CSB Experiencing God Bible, Hardcover, Jacketed. Matthew 3:13-17 NRSVUE - The Baptism of Jesus - Then Jesus came - Bible 5. He then went into the water naked, and dipped himself under water making sure to fully immerse his entire body, being careful that not one bit of flesh remained dry. It surveys the Gospel record of Jesuss baptism and its emphasis on the coming of the Spirit and the Fathers voice of approval. Jesuss baptism is an act of humility. It'll be fun!" along with da Vinci. The next was cir-cumcision, the cutting away of a piece of flesh from a man's body. The position of the Gospel according to Matthew as the first of the four gospels in the New Testament reflects both the view that it was the first to be written, a view that goes back to the late second century A.D., and the esteem in which it was held by the church; no other was so frequently quoted in the noncanonical literature of earliest Christianity. We receive the Holy Spirit, who descends on us when we have faith in Christ (Rom 8:910). The coming of Jesus will bring with it the great judgment by which the everlasting destiny of all will be determined (Mt 25:3146). Je-sus humbles Himself to do what God asks - it's obedience to God. It was a people whose relationship with God had grown cold. Jesus complains of the lack of faith of this generation of Israelites (Mt 11:1619) and reproaches the towns where most of his mighty deeds had been done for not heeding his call to repentance (Mt 11:2024). No other, before or after, can share this baptism. The Old Testament also describes ceremonies that use water as a symbol for washing and cleansing from sin: Leviticus 1:9; 8:6; 11:32; 15:533. The attribution of the gospel to the disciple Matthew may have been due to his having been responsible for some of the traditions found in it, but that is far from certain. 3 It was of him that the prophet Isaiah had spoken when he said: A voice of one crying out in the desert, Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths. "Have you found Jesus?" Both he and the other disciples must know not only that Jesus will have to suffer and die but that they too will have to follow him on the way of the cross if they are truly to be his disciples (Mt 16:2425). The world is a confusing place right now. Affiliate disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases on Amazon.com. Did Jesus not have the Spirit before this point? I would think this would've prevented anyone from jumping into this without a great deal of thoughtful consideration. He stands on the cusp of a new era, the era when Gods saving rule will be exerted and salvation will be accomplished by Jesus, once and for all. These ceremonies point forward to Christ, whose blood cleanses us (Heb 9:1222). In addition, what is the significance of the opening of the heavens, the descent of the Spirit, and the voice from heaven? When I see someone wearing something Detroit Lionish I know you're . Righteousness means doing the will of the heavenly Father (Mt 7:21), and his will is proclaimed in a manner that is startling to all who have identified it with the law of Moses. The baptism of Jesus is not directly narrated in John's Gospel, but it is evoked in the testimony of John the Baptist in John 1.29-34 ('I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it remained on him', v. 32). God the Son is the one addressed by the voice of the Father. The person stripped off all of his clothes. Jesus does this because God requires it. And because God had always provided a deliverer in the past, people like Moses and David, there was great anticipating for the next manifestation of deliverer. This was also a baptism of commitment. The Baptism of Christ - by Leonardo da Vinci His central message is, Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand (Matt 3:2). (A) 14John would have prevented him, saying, I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me? 15But Jesus answered him, Let it be so now, for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness. Then he consented. There are incredible benefits to following Jesus: unreserved acceptance, limitless love, God's unmerited favor - grace, forgiveness for all our sins, and purpose in life. Peter, who has been praised for his confession, protests against this and receives from Jesus the sharpest of rebukes for attempting to deflect Jesus from his God-appointed destiny. Baptism Of Jesus John 1:32 KJV. Observe that John the Baptist is filled with the Holy Spirit, even from his mothers womb (Luke 1:15). What is the importance of Jesus' baptism? Why was He baptized? All of the baptisms signify initiation into a new situation of separation to God for the righteous or separation unto judgment for the wicked. Definition Jesus's baptism is an act of humility.