Why Was Jesus Baptized?

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Even after reviving answers to this question it still doesn't make sense to me. Jesus was sinless so there was no point of getting baptized,.. what was the purpose for it anyways?

Sabertooth · Aug 29, 2020

IIRC, it was to initiate His ministry.

Friedrich Rubinstein · Aug 29, 2020

I also think that Jesus didn't need to be baptized, but I see two reasons why it happened:

1) Jesus is our role-model, he lived a life as we are supposed to live. I think he got baptized because God wants us to be baptized as well.

2) God used the event of Jesus' baptism as a sign to show publicly that Jesus is who he claimed to be

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Friedrich Rubinstein said:
I also think that Jesus didn't need to be baptized, but I see two reasons why it happened:

1) Jesus is our role-model, he lived a life as we are supposed to live. I think he got baptized because God wants us to be baptized as well.

2) God used the event of Jesus' baptism as a sign to show publicly that Jesus is who he claimed to be

I understand the first reason but I don't understand the second. How does the baptism of Christ show who He is? :scratch:

Friedrich Rubinstein · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
I understand the first reason but I don't understand the second. How does the baptism of Christ show who He is?

There were quite a few people around when Jesus got baptized, and they all saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove and heard a voice from the sky.
You could call it a miracle, and John the Baptist for example knew with certainty then that Jesus is the Messiah.

Der Alte · Aug 29, 2020

I think He said to fulfill all righteous. Jesus was sinless but He chose to be baptized. Therefore nobody can claim "I don't sin so I don't need to be baptized." or words to that effect.

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Friedrich Rubinstein said:
There were quite a few people around when Jesus got baptized, and they all saw the Holy Spirit coming down like a dove and heard a voice from the sky.
You could call it a miracle, and John the Baptist for example knew with certainty then that Jesus is the Messiah.

Oh yeah that's right, now I understand what you're talking about. That could happen at any time though, why did it happen at the moment of His baptism?

Sabertooth · Aug 29, 2020

"Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
And John tried to prevent Him, saying,

'I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?'

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." Matthew 3:13-15 NKJV

Rose2020 said:
I understand the first reason but I don't understand the second. How does the baptism of Christ show who He is?

"When He had been baptized,

Jesus came up immediately from the water;
and behold, the heavens were opened to Him,
and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.

And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying,

'This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.' ” Matthew 3:16-17 NKJV

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Der Alte said:
I think He said to fulfill all righteous. Jesus was sinless but He chose to be baptized. Therefore nobody can claim "I don't sin so I don't need to be baptized." or words to that effect.

Yeah, but who else besides Jesus is sinless? If anybody else tells you that they're sinless other than Him than they're lying.

Sabertooth · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
That could happen at any time though, why did it happen at the moment of His baptism?

That is when Jesus officially began His ministry.

Friedrich Rubinstein · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Oh yeah that's right, now I understand what you're talking about. That could happen at any time though, why did it happen at the moment of His baptism?

To be honest, I can only speculate on this. God's timing is always perfect, but we don't always know the exact reasons.
In this case I would assume that it highlights the importance of baptism. Showing that baptism actually serves a purpose.

Der Alte · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Yeah, but who else besides Jesus is sinless? If anybody else tells you that they're sinless other than Him than they're lying.

There are folks who think that once they become Christians they no longer sin.

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Der Alte said:
There are folks who think that once they become Christians they no longer sin.

Then they would be wrong.

Running2win · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Even after reviving answers to this question it still doesn't make sense to me. Jesus was sinless so there was no point of getting baptized,.. what was the purpose for it anyways?

He needed a bath.

April_Rose · Aug 29, 2020

Running2win said:
He needed a bath.

No He didn't lol

eleos1954 · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Even after reviving answers to this question it still doesn't make sense to me. Jesus was sinless so there was no point of getting baptized,.. what was the purpose for it anyways?

Matthew 3:15
English Standard Version
But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented.

Isaiah 42:21
The LORD is well pleased for his righteousness' sake; he (Jesus) will magnify the law, and make it honourable. AND HE MOST CERTAINLY DID.

1 Corinthians 1:30

English Standard Version
And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption,

Jesus was baptized on behalf of humanity as whole.

When Jesus came up out of the water the Father was heard saying,

This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Matthew 3:17

When the Father was saying He was well pleased with His Son, His Son was representing the entire human race (as a human). So by accepting His Son, He was accepting the entire human race that through Him (Christ) all who believe in Him will be saved and that was going to be by Him living a perfect righteous life, dying on the cross and being resurrected ... which all of course is symbolized by baptism by submersion.

He made us accepted in the Beloved. Ephesians 1:6

Baptism is an outward symbol of the commitment you've made in your heart.

BrotherJJ · Aug 29, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Even after reviving answers to this question it still doesn't make sense to me. Jesus was sinless so there was no point of getting baptized,.. what was the purpose for it anyways?

A lot happens at Jesus baptism, none of which had anything to do with Jesus repenting or forgiveness of sin. Jesus was SINLESS! (2 Cor 5:21, Heb 4:15, 1 Jn 3:5 1 Pet 1:19, 1 Pet 2:22) & had zero to repent from.

When John the Baptist, God's chosen High Priest lay's his hands on Jesus. He passed/transferred (see Lev 16:20-21) all the sins of humankind onto the LAMB of God. When Jesus comes up: A 2nd voice coming from Heaven (Matt 3:17) gives confirmation & a FlyingDove = HOLY SPIRIT, falls anointing Jesus.

Moses anointed Aaron with olive oil & full Mikveh/water baptism, a requirement for priestly ordination. Jesus was anointed with the Holy Spirit from heaven & water baptized, at His Melchizedek priestly ordination.

Find additional info here: From The Levitical Priestly Order To: The Order Of Melchizedek

prodromos · Aug 30, 2020

In Jesus baptism, He sanctified the waters for the subsequent baptism of believers after Pentecost

thecolorsblend · Aug 30, 2020

Rose2020 said:
Even after reviving answers to this question it still doesn't make sense to me. Jesus was sinless so there was no point of getting baptized,.. what was the purpose for it anyways?

Our Lord's baptism is the only instance I can think of which depicts the entire Trinity in one place. It illustrates a unity of purpose between Father, Son and Holy Spirit that cannot be imitated by anybody else. It is a powerful indication of who Our Lord is.

Additionally, today we have a sacramental baptism based on belief in Our Lord. It is an expression of faith and obedience on the part of the faithful. In the Catholic understanding, baptism is a soul-transforming sacrament which allows the faithful to receive graces which are not usually offered to man otherwise.

However, that does not seem to have been the promise or the purpose of the penitential baptism offered by John The Baptist. Rather, the baptism he offered was intended to begin preparing Israel for their promised Messiah. In that sense, it's fairly logical for Our Lord to receive John's baptism. He is a member of Israel Himself. The meaning of His baptism isn't so much penitence, as it was for the Israelites, but instead signaled the beginning of His public ministry. The same basic promise but a different context for Him based upon His identity and His mission.

BlackChocoChip · Sep 9, 2020

Hey !

In Malachi 3:1, there is a the following prophecy recorded:

“I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come,” says the Lord Almighty."

Through this prophecy, God promised that He would send 2 types of messenger: the messenger who prepares the way, and the messenger of the covenant; and that the messenger of the covenant had to come to the temple of the messenger who prepares the way.

JTB was the reality of the messenger who prepares the way, and Jesus was the messenger of the covenant. So in order to fully fulfill this prophecy, Jesus HAD TO go to JTB and let himself be baptized by him (which is the meaning of "come to his temple" = refering to the ministry of JTB).
If Jesus had not let himself be baptized, this prophecy would not have fulfilled, and God would have become a liar. That is why Jesus said he had to "fulfill all righteousness".

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