HE IDENTIFIED HIMSELF WITH SINNERS … FROM THE START

Christ does not deny that John had need to be baptized by him, yet declares He will now be baptized by John. Christ is now in a state of humiliation. In and through Christ, the heavens are opened to the children of men. This descent of the Spirit upon Christ, showed that he was endued with his sacred influences without measure. The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance. At Christ's baptism there was a manifestation of the three Persons in the sacred Trinity.

The Father confirming the Son to be Mediator; the Son solemnly entering upon the work; the Holy Spirit descending on him, to be through his mediation communicated to his people. In Him our spiritual sacrifices are acceptable, for He is the altar that sanctifies every gift, (1Pt. 2:5). Out of Christ, God is a consuming fire, but in Christ, a reconciled Father. This is the sum of the gospel, which we must by faith cheerfully embrace.

Why, you might ask, Jesus wanted to be baptized, considering that Jesus was the Son of God? First, it would give approval to John’s ministry. Secondly, He identified Himself with publicans and sinners, the very people He came to save.

But most important of all His water baptism was a pre-figurement of His future baptism on the cross (Matthew 20:22). It is for certain that Jesus was not baptized because He was a repentant sinner because He had never sinned (II Cor. 5:21).

On three special occasions the Father spoke from heaven. Here at Christ’s baptism, at the transfiguration, (Matthew 17:3) and as Christ went to the cross (John 12:27-30). As Jesus went out of the water (which indicates immersion) the spirit of God came down on him in the form of a dove and said; “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (vv. 16-17). There can be no doubt that all three persons of the Trinity were present and actively involved in this event. The Father speaks, the Spirit descends and the Son is baptized. This is a fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophesy where it says that the Spirit would rest on the Messiah (Isaiah 11:2)