Matthew 3:13-17

¹³ Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, at the Jordon, to be baptized by him.

¹⁴ John attempted to prevent him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and yet you come to me?”

¹⁵ But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John agreed.

¹⁶ And when Jesus was baptized, while he went up from the water, see, the sky was opened, and the Spirit of God was descending like a dove and coming to rest on him;

¹⁷ and see, a voice from the sky says, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

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The symbol and the task

Even John the Baptizer did not quite get it when Jesus asked to be baptized. He knew that baptism did not save anyone from their sins – it wasn’t that. But he did understand that baptism was a symbol of repentance, and he knew that Jesus did not need to repent. So, for John, everybody else was a candidate for baptism except Jesus. That’s why he did a double take when the Messiah himself was standing before him asking for a dunking. Jesus explained to John that his baptism was not to be a sign to God, but a sign from God. By submitting to the symbol, Christ was saying, “I accept the task that this symbol points to.” That task was his crucifixion and death.

By his statement identifying Jesus as his beloved Son, the Father’s voice from heaven also identified this coming task as the Messiah’s role.

By our water baptism, we both identify with Christ’s death and resurrection for us (1 Peter 3:21), and our death to sin (Romans 6:3-4).

Jesus, thank you for taking upon yourself the water baptism, and the cross that it symbolized for you.