Category: Water Baptism

Jesus is Baptized- Part 2

1/14/2021

9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” Mark 1:9-11 NASB

Questions to consider:

1. What does it mean to you personally that Jesus was baptized in the same manner as sinful humans?

2. What are some differences between the baptism of John the Baptist and being baptized in the name of Jesus? (See Acts 19:1-7)

What was Jesus demonstrating by getting baptized? We read yesterday that John was confused as to why Jesus was wanting to be baptized by him. Jesus tells John that through His baptism it is fitting to fulfill all righteousness (Matthew 3:14-15). The question that needs to be asked (and was asked) is: 'How can the baptism of Jesus fulfill all righteousness?' And whose standard of righteousness is it fulfilling?
We find a clearer answer when we look at the Old Testament prophecies concerning the Messiah. "He was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors." Isaiah 53:12 We know that this prophecy was also fulfilled at the death of Christ in Mark 15:28 (and He was numbered with the transgressors). But what Jesus is doing here at His baptism is He is prophetically showing the purpose of why He came. He came to save sinners by taking their sin upon Himself and offering them the righteous requirements of God. He is counted as being with a group of people that are repenting from sin, even though He had no sin. He is getting into the same waters where sin has been symbolically washed away from the transgressors, thus taking their sins upon Himself.
So imagine, the greedy man came to John to repent of his sin; he gets baptized and the sin of greed is symbolically ‘washed away’ from him into the Jordan River. This is wonderful, but tomorrow this same man will have additional sins that will need to be 'washed away'. John's baptism of repentance was extremely important for the 'washing away' of sins, but he did not have the power of Christ to 'take away the sins of the world' (John 1:29). The baptism of Jesus is a picture of two extremely important doctrines in the church. Substitutionary Atonement and Imputed Righteousness. Jesus took our place upon the cross, incurred the penalty and wrath of God for our sin, and offered the righteousness of God to be imputed or credited to the account of those who have faith in the Son of God.
Jesus goes down into the water signifying His death. He rises up out of the water signifying His victory. But what happens next displays that He is no mere man like the rest that were being baptized. The heavens opened, the Spirit descended and the Father speaks; all signifying His glory and majesty. Men did not esteem Him, but the Father of all creation did. The baptism of Jesus is significant because it is the first of many times that we see 2 Corinthians 5:21 on full display. "God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God."

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Jesus is Baptized

1/13/2021

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9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 Immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came out of the heavens: “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.” Mark 1:9-11 NASB

Questions to Consider:

Whose standard of righteousness is this act of baptism fulfilling?

How can one event of Jesus being baptized fulfill all righteousness?

Theology & Apologetics:
One of the objections to Jesus being the Messiah is the fact that Jesus was baptized by John. Why would the Son of God, the Messiah, the King of all the earth be baptized by a man who was conducting a baptism of repentance? What would that baptism accomplish if He is the spotless Lamb of God without the need of repentance? When Jesus comes to John to be baptized, John has the same questions in his heart. The gospel of Matthew gives us a clear cut answer as to why Jesus was baptized.

13 Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. Matthew 3:13-15 NASB

Jesus understands the confusion in the heart of John and tells him to 'permit it at this time'. What Jesus is saying is this is a one time event that is going to have extraordinary benefits. Jesus tells John in verse 15: 'for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.'

How can Jesus being baptized fulfill all righteousness? Because through Jesus being baptized He is revealing the reason why He came. To save sinners. This was a picture of what He would accomplish almost 3 years later when He would take the sin of the world upon Himself and in exchange, offer the righteousness of God that is imputed unto us by faith in the Son of God.

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Jesus is Baptized

1/12/2021

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Mark 1:9-11 (NASB) 9 In those days Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan. 10 And immediately coming up out of the water, He saw the heavens opening, and the Spirit, like a dove, descending upon Him; 11 and a voice came from the heavens: “You are My beloved Son; in You I am well pleased.”

Tuesday Jan 12, 2021
Cross references to read and meditate on:

Matthew 3:13-17 (NASB) Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. 14 But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” 15 But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. 16 After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, 17 and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.”

What do you think Jesus meant in Matthew's account when He told John the Baptist to "permit it at this time"?

Luke 3:21-22 (NASB) Now when all the people were baptized, Jesus was also baptized, and while He was praying, heaven was opened, 22 and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in bodily form like a dove, and a voice came out of heaven, “You are My beloved Son, in You I am well-pleased.”

Luke's account describes the dove coming down in 'bodily form'. This means that others besides John and Jesus may have seen the dove descending from heaven. What do you think the people were thinking when they saw this event take place?

John 1:24-28 (NASB) Now they had been sent from the Pharisees. 25 They asked him, and said to him, “Why then are you baptizing, if you are not the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” 26 John answered them saying, “I baptize in water, but among you stands One whom you do not know. 27 “It is He who comes after me, the thong of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” 28 These things took place in Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

The Pharisees asked John if he was the Christ or Elijah or the Prophet. What do they mean by 'the Prophet'? (See Deuteronomy 18:15-22, Deut. 34:10-12, John 1:45 & John 6:14)

Isaiah 9:1 (NASB) But there will be no more gloom for her who was in anguish; in earlier times He treated the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali with contempt, but later on He shall make it glorious, by the way of the sea, on the other side of Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles.

Why would God decide to send the Messiah from Galilee of the Gentiles? What does this say about God?

Big Idea: Jesus steps onto the scene in a way that would have went unnoticed. He came from Nazareth in Galilee without a parade or entourage with Him. Humbly He enters into the narrative. Then to make it even more head scratching, He is baptized by a man that has been baptizing and preaching repentance to groups of sinners! The difference between the men who came to John and Jesus is revealed when the heavens open, the Spirit descends and the Father speaks. This is no ordinary man, but He is, as John declares: 'the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world!'

Additional Reading: Isaiah 53
2 For He grew up before Him like a tender shoot, And like a root out of parched ground; He has no stately form or majesty That we should look upon Him, Nor appearance that we should be attracted to Him. 3He was despised and forsaken of men, A man of sorrows and acquainted with grief; And like one from whom men hide their face He was despised, and we did not esteem Him. Isaiah 53:2-3

7 He was oppressed and He was afflicted, Yet He did not open His mouth; Like a lamb that is led to slaughter, And like a sheep that is silent before its shearers, So He did not open His mouth. Isaiah 53:7

12 Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12

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Jesus is Baptized- Part 2

Jesus is Baptized

Jesus is Baptized

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