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The baptism issue (Mk 1:8-11; Mt 3:13-17; Lk 3:21-22; Jn 1:29-34)
This passage records that Jesus came all the way from his hometown Nazareth to Jordan river for the special purpose of receiving John’s baptism. In the process of Jesus’ baptism, there appeared such a marvelous scene: “And straightway coming up out of the water, he saw the heavens opened, and the Spirit like a dove descending upon him. And there came a voice from heaven, saying, Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (v10-11) This miraculous scene is also recorded in Mt 3:16-17, Lk 3:21-22 and Jn 1:32. And this baptism of Jesus was certainly the most unique among all the past baptisms that John took for the people. What does Jesus’ baptism really mean to us?
(Did Jesus need water baptism?)
First of all, let us ask this question: Did Jesus really need to receive John’s baptism? According to Matt 3:13-14, “There cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbade him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me?’ ” John’s strong reaction tells us that even he himself thought that he was not qualified to baptize Jesus. Why?
1. We know that John’s baptism is for those who confessed their sins so that they would repent from their sins. Jesus is Christ, the Son of God. He has no sins. He doesn’t need water baptism, a symbol of repentance of sins. So, he did not need John’s baptism at all. From this perspective, John’s baptism carried no meaning to him at all since there was no need for him to confess himself a sinner in public and to express his willingness to repent from sin. If he chose to receive John’s baptism, he would be mistaken for being a sinner like others.
2. John has said clearly that he himself baptized with water and Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit (v8). When John attempted to refuse Jesus’ request of letting John baptize him, he said reversely that he needed to receive Jesus’ baptism. (Mt 3:14) John had a very proper reaction. He himself was also a sinner. Jesus was the Christ, who was no doubt more qualified to offer baptism for John. So, while John was amazed at Jesus’ request, he immediately felt the need to be baptized by Jesus. On the other hand, he understood that water baptism was only a symbolic ritual, preparing people’s heart of repentance to receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit. It did not carry much value, unless it was later followed by Jesus’ baptism of the Holy Spirit. What he himself desired was baptism of the Spirit, not baptism of the water. Frankly, John needed the baptism of the Spirit far more than Jesus needed water baptism from John.
The above points give us a conclusion: Jesus did not need John’s baptism. So why did Jesus choose to be baptized by John? Matt 3:15 gives us the answer. When John intended to stop doing baptism for Jesus, Jesus said, “Suffer it to be so now, thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness.(你暫且許我，因為我們理當這樣盡諸般的義。)” Jesus’ answer implied that he agreed with John’s view that he did not need the baptism from John. It was simply to “fulfill all righteousness” that he asked to be baptized by him. Exactly what did Jesus mean by “fulfilling all righteousness”? All four Gospels have recorded Jesus’ baptism but only Matthew recorded such discourse between Jesus and John. There was no further interpretation for Jesus’ saying in the same passage or anywhere in the N.T. All we can do is to make some inference regarding the meaning of Jesus’ saying.
(the meaning of Jesus’ baptism)
If we look at the amazing effect of John’s baptism upon Jesus, we can see some important revelations from the baptism of Jesus:
1. John said in Jn 1:31-34 that God was to reveal to him the Messiah that he was waiting for all along through this particular scene. John testified: “And I knew him not; but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, ‘Upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.’ And I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.’ ” (Jn 1:33-34) Jesus wanted to prove to John that he was the Christ who “baptizeth with the Holy Ghost” that John waited for in his preparatory gospel ministry.
2. Jesus was to prove the validity of John’s saying that John himself was not the Christ. Instead, Jesus was to reveal to the people of Israel that he was the true Christ and the Messiah they had been waiting for. That’s why the Father uttered His voice from heaven to declare that Jesus was His beloved Son. This was to fulfill what John said in Jn 1:31, “And I knew him not; but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”
3. By this water baptism, the Holy Spirit was to descend upon Jesus.
Jesus was the Son of God. Hasn’t he had the Holy Spirit dwelling in him already prior to his baptism? What’s the point of the Spirit descending upon Jesus at this time? Was it the moment when the Spirit descended upon him like a dove and the Father declared that Jesus was His beloved Son that he legitimately became the Son of God? Of course not!
If we examine the Bible on Jesus’ childhood, we are certain that Jesus already had the Spirit prior to his baptism. When the angel Gabriel announced to virgin Mary about the birth of Christ, the angel said to her, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” (Lk 1:35) Mary could not have conceived without the descent of the Holy Spirit upon her, as Matt 1:18 said, “she was found with child of the Holy Spirit (馬利亞就從聖靈懷了孕)”. While she was carrying the baby in her womb, the Holy Spirit had been with the womb. After Jesus was born, Luke 1:80 said, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit.” The Spirit was with him as he grew up. At the age of twelve, Jesus was found by his parents to be among the teachers in the temple. He responded to his parents who had earnestly searched for him, “How is it that ye sought me? Wist ye not that I must be about my Father’s business (豈不知我應當以我父的事為念嗎)?” (Lk 2:49) If he had not had the Holy Spirit, he would not have said that. All these past records are sufficient evidence to support the argument that Jesus had the Holy Spirit with him all along since he was inside his mother’s womb. If this is the case, why would the Spirit descend on him during his baptism?
John baptized with water and Christ baptized with the Holy Spirit. Now, Jesus was baptized with water and simultaneously baptized with the Holy Spirit as the Spirit descended upon him. Originally, John was not qualified to baptize with the Holy Spirit. However, he would have never expected that he was baptizing with the Holy Spirit “indirectly” as he baptized Jesus with water! This was certainly the delicate arrangement of the Father, which paved the way for Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit afterward. As the Holy Spirit descended on Jesus, the Father immediately declared, “Thou art my beloved Son.” This fantastic scene seems to show us that as we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit, we shall become God’s children right away.
So, in my opinion, “to fulfill all righteousness” has the implication of Jesus’ “bodily” illustration of the baptism of the Holy Spirit, which carries a very important spiritual meaning to us: the moment we believe in Jesus Christ, we shall be baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit. By being baptized with the Spirit, we shall receive the Holy Spirit and immediately become the beloved sons of God. Jesus’ act certainly has a profound meaning for all the believers. The presence of the Holy Spirit in us is an evidence of our godly identity: “In whom (Christ) ye also trusted, after that ye heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise.” (Ephe 1:13) As soon as we have the Holy Spirit, we are naturally given the identity of the children of God. “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs, heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” (Romans 8:14-17) At the moment we receive the Holy Spirit, our spirit and God’s Spirit immediately connect together. Our spiritual relationship with God is thus established. This is similar to the computer connecting to the Web and starting communication immediately across the network.
Henceforth, the outcome of Jesus’ water baptism by John carries a very important symbolic meaning—to show the effect of Jesus’ baptism with the Holy Spirit, which is the descending of God’s Spirit and the Father’s declaration that we are His beloved sons.
4. “Fulfill all righteousness” also includes “fulfilling God’s righteousness”, which means to meet the requirement God sets for “righteousness”. The righteous God “will by no means clear the guilty” (萬不以有罪的為無罪) (Exo 34:7), and the sinners must be punished.
Who shall be the “lamb” that bears our sins? Only the guiltless Jesus can fulfill God’s righteousness by his sacrifice on the cross, as Romans 3:25 says, “Christ Jesus, whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation (神設立耶穌作挽回祭) through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness (要顯明神的義) for the remission of sins that are past (寬容人先時所犯的罪).” Furthermore, Paul has such interpretation regarding the meaning of water baptism: “Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death, that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” (Rom 6:3-5) This sound interpretation is in accordance with the entire process of Jesus’ being baptized first with water and then with the Spirit. Baptized with water means “baptized into his death”; baptized with the Spirit means “his resurrection”. When Jesus said “to fulfill all righteousness”, we can comprehend his word as such: The incarnated Lord was to foretell his death and burial through the water baptism and his resurrection through the baptism of the Spirit after coming out of water. Jesus answered Nicodemus in Jn 3:5, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.” Then he said in Jn 3:7, “Ye must be born again.” His answer indicates the close connection between baptism with water and baptism with the Spirit. As a matter of fact, he himself has demonstrated the manner of how a sinner is “born again”.
In summary, Jesus’ baptism with water and with the Spirit is an illustration of the “born again” process of the sinners. It also manifests God’s righteousness through his death and his resurrection.
5. Receiving the Holy Spirit has the implication of being sent by God to fulfill His ministry.
After receiving the Holy Spirit, Jesus began his preaching ministry.
According to Jn 20:21-22, after Jesus was resurrected, he appeared to the apostles on the same day at evening and said, “ ‘Peace be unto you; as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you.’ And when he had said this, he breathed on them, and saith unto them, ‘Receive ye the Holy Ghost.’ ” John preached the baptism of repentance for preparing the heart of sinners. Only the baptism of the Holy Spirit can bring about the forgiveness of sin. As we receive the Holy Spirit, our sins are forgiven and we become the children of God. At the same time, we are sent by the Lord to preach the gospel of the forgiveness of sin, and to call on people to believe in Christ and receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit.
The apostles waited for the descent of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost and began to preach the gospel by the power of the Holy Spirit. According to Acts 1:5 & 8, the Lord said to the disciples prior to his ascension, “For John truly baptized with water, but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence…But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you; and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.” Each and every disciple of the Lord shall receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit and be sent to be the Lord’s messenger like John the Baptist. (Mk 1:2)
In conclusion, Jesus’ saying of “fulfill all righteousness” can contain any of the above five purposes. His baptism definitely is closely related to our spiritual life and is the delicate arrangement of God.
(reflection)
Even the Lord Jesus had to be baptized with water in order to “fulfill all righteousness”. As his disciples, we have no excuse not to follow his act. In fact, the Lord in his Great Commission (大使命) has charged his disciples: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.” (Mt 28:19) Water baptism is a command of the Lord for all the believers. Therefore, all the Christian churches require the believers of Jesus Christ to receive the baptism as instructed by the Lord. In general, if the believers truly understand their faith and firmly believe in the Lord, there is no reason why they should not publicly confess their belief, unless they still have doubt about their belief, or they are under pressure not to do so, or for some other individual cause.
Generally speaking, water baptism is a ritual for the believers to make public confirmation before the church as well as the relatives and friends that they have truly believed in Jesus Christ. By making a public confirmation of their Christian faith, they express a strong commitment to be the followers of Jesus Christ, entrusting their lives to the Lord and living a God-pleasing life. Also, they express their willingness to join the church and be a member of the Christian family. Just like in the wedding ceremony, the loving couple expresses before everyone their commitment to their marriage life afterward. By virtue of the ceremony, they entrust themselves to each other and mutually agree to live together and build up the family together. Without baptism, there shall be a lack of commitment to be the faithful disciples of Jesus Christ.
Peter said to the multitude of audience on the day of Pentecost, “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins (叫你們的罪得赦), and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” (Acts 2:38) Peter absolutely does not mean that water baptism generates the outcome of the forgiveness of sin and the receiving of the Holy Spirit. It is by receiving the baptism of Jesus with the Holy Spirit that we receive the grace of the forgiveness of sin as well as the gift of the Spirit. Water baptism is only a ceremony to symbolize the determination to die to sin and repent from sin, which is the pre-condition for believing in Christ. No one knows exactly when he receives the baptism of the Holy Spirit, as Jesus described in Jn 3:8, “The wind bloweth where it listeth (風隨著意思吹), and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth; so is every one that is born of the Spirit.” The moment you are willing to repent and believe in Christ, you will have the born-again experience, which does not come from water baptism for sure.
The born-again Christians, after receiving the Holy Spirit and becoming the children of God, should have the sense of being sent by the Father to preach the gospel like John and Jesus. They should also live a holy life that pleases God, so that our Father can proudly proclaim, “Thou art my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (v11)
Note:
1. Does the believer have to receive the kind of “baptism” that immerses oneself in water in order to be “formally” baptized?
Since water baptism is only a symbolic ceremony for all who have decided to accept Christ Jesus as their personal savior and have an understanding of their sins being forgiven, I believe there is no need to care that much in what form of baptism we are to be baptized--sprinkling of water on our head or immersing the whole body in water. The person who is baptized has already confessed his belief in public. The key thing is that he has accepted Christ and received the Holy Spirit as a born-again experience, which takes place before he receives baptism. In fact, by the time he is approved for water baptism, he is supposed to have been baptized by Jesus with the Holy Spirit and should already have the Spirit in him. Water baptism is merely an announcement before the church that he has accepted Christ. In this regard, which form of baptism, in my opinion, is really not so critical. What we need to do is to explain to them orally the symbolic meaning of baptism as well as its spiritual meaning as stated in Rom 6:3-5.
In general, the Baptist church ministers are very persistent regarding the form of baptism. They insist that we should have our whole body immersed in water. Other forms of baptism are not acceptable. They emphasize that it is the real biblical meaning of baptism. John’s baptism was immersing people in water. So was Jesus in his baptism as recorded in Mark 1:10. Since Jesus served an example of water baptism, the Baptist church insists that we must follow the same manner. Even for some believers who have received “water-sprinkling” baptism, some churches still demand that they receive “water-immersing” baptism again for being a member of their church. Does it mean that other forms of baptism are not baptism at all?! I very much cast doubt on this kind of view as reflected by their church policy. Can’t sprinkling of water on the head serve the meaning as stated in Rom 6:3-5? It is the real baptism of the Holy Spirit that makes the process meaningful, not the ritual itself.
2. As for the incident of John’s baptism for Jesus, is there any contradiction between the records of Matthew and John?
According to Jn 1:31-34, John did not recognize Jesus as the Christ before baptizing him, until he saw the Holy Spirit descending on Jesus like a dove--the sign of revealing the identity of Christ that God foretold him. However, Mt 3:13-15 implied that John had already known the Christ identity of Jesus before he baptized Jesus. It was because he knew that Jesus was Christ that caused him to attempt to stop from baptizing Jesus. There seems to be contradiction between these two passages. The question is: Did John know that Jesus was Christ before or during his baptism? Whatever the answer is, it does not affect our discussion on the spiritual meaning and implication of Jesus’ baptism.