Why Was Jesus Baptized?
Baptism is an act of obedience that God commands of Christians after we put our faith in Him. There’s a lot of debate in the Church on how and when to baptize, but it is clear from Scripture that baptism is to be performed by full immersion on individuals of sound mind (not babies) who know and understand that they have trusted in Christ as their Lord & Savior. This is a picture of our death to sin (going under the water) and resurrection to new life through the blood of Jesus (as we rise out of the water). There were no infants ever baptized in the New Testament. And the Greek word that we translate as Baptism, means full immersion - like a pickle in a pickle jar or a piece of cloth fully dipped in dye. Even Jesus was baptized by full immersion (Mark 1:10).
Baptism is an outward sign of the inner change within us when we become Christians. It is like my wedding ring that I have worn for over 42 years to symbolize my marriage to my devoted and loving wife Dare. Baptism is not required for salvation (unlike some denominations teach), as evidenced by the criminal on the cross next to Jesus who placed his faith in Jesus just before his death, and Jesus told him that he would be with Jesus in Paradise that very day! (see Luke 23:39-43). In addition, Ephesians 2:8-9 tells us that our Salvation is by God’s grace alone, through our faith alone, in Jesus Christ alone, not because of any works so that we can’t boast. So, people who believe that baptism is required for salvation, are adding works to Jesus’ Gospel, which is not biblical. However, Jesus does command us to get full immersion baptism (just like Jesus did as well as the new Christians in the New Testament when they came to faith) after we have become Christians. We get baptized out of obedience to Jesus in gratitude for what He has done for us, not to earn your salvation.
The story of Jesus’ baptism by John the Baptist is relayed in all four Gospels, signifying its significance to the story of Christ. Furthermore, the baptism of Christ is an example of a theophany in Scripture, meaning all three members of the Trinity were present. Jesus was obviously there, but the audible voice of God the Father is recorded as He said where others could hear: “This is my beloved Son. In You, I am well pleased.” Additionally, the Holy Spirit descended from Heaven in the form of a dove, completing the presence of the Trinity.
If baptism is a picture of our salvation, why was Jesus, who never sinned, baptized? There are several reasons this was an important act in His ministry.
To Anoint Jesus with The Spirit and Announce His Ministry
Jesus was baptized when He was about 30 years old at the start of His ministry (Luke 3:23). John the Baptist, as his name alludes, had been baptizing Jews as a sign of their repentance and readiness for the coming Messiah. Baptism was traditionally reserved for Gentiles converting to Judaism, so for a Jew to be baptized signified their understanding of their sin and need for a Savior. When Jesus was baptized, God visibly and audibly anointed His ministry, by both His voice as described above, and when the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove, showing that the time of waiting for the Messiah was at an end.
Because God Told Him To
In John’s Gospel account of Jesus’ baptism, we see that John the Baptist was reluctant to baptize Jesus, understanding that He is the Savior and without sin, and did not need to repent. However, Jesus responded to John, basically saying, “Just do it, because God the Father told me to do it.” Coincidentally, this is the model we should follow. A lot of debate could be solved by just realizing that we don’t need to fully understand why God commands us to be baptized after we place our faith in Jesus as our Lord and Savior. We just need to do it in obedience to God’s command, just like Jesus did!
To Authenticate His Role as Messiah
There are literally hundreds of fulfilled prophesies that prove Jesus is the promised Messiah, and His baptism is one of these instances. In John 1:33-34, John the Baptist explains (and I paraphrase), “God said to me, ‘The One upon whom you see the Holy Spirit descending and remaining upon Him, He is the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.’” John the Baptist said: “I saw this happen. I have seen and I am bearing witness that Jesus is the Son of God.” The appearance of the Holy Spirit at Jesus’ baptism was a completion of the promise given to John the Baptist so that He would know when He saw the Messiah, and be further proof of Jesus’ deity.
To Foreshadow His Future Death and Resurrection
When we are baptized now, we are pointing back to Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection as the atonement for our sins. Jesus was baptized as a way to identify with us as sinners, and that He would bear the penalty for our sins if we would place our faith in Him as our Lord and Savior. Our baptism is a way for us to publicly proclaim that His actions on the Cross are the only means by which we are saved. When Jesus was baptized, He was pointing to the future. God the Father and the Holy Spirit had just authenticated His Divinity, and He was displaying what His mission on earth would be--to save sinners who believe in Him and pay the debt for our sins that we could not pay if we would just accept His free gift by grace that we don’t deserve.
If you love Jesus and have trusted in Him as your Savior, you need to be baptized. Baptism is not necessary for salvation, but it is necessary if you want to obey what Christ told us to do after becoming a Christian. I was sprinkled as an infant arranged by my loving parents (something they called baptism, which was not biblical), but when I further studied in Scripture what Jesus really commanded us as Christians, I made the decision to be baptized by immersion as an adult in obedience and in gratitude to Jesus Christ. If you have questions about baptism, feel free to email me at larry@larryodonnell.com. If you live in the Austin, Texas area, I’ll be happy and honored to baptize you myself!