Why did Jesus get baptized? Why did our sinless savior need to be immersed in water? Wasn’t John the Baptist right when he says, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” Or as one commentator put it, “Why should one who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and fire submit to one who merely baptizes with water? Should it not be the other way around?” When we first look at this event we may wonder what was the purpose of such a baptism.
Before we can answer that question, we need to explore the idea of Jewish baptism. What were the baptismal practices of the time, which had prevailed for centuries? I must admit, before preparing for this sermon, I did not see baptism as a Jewish practice. But it was, and in its broadest sense baptism included the process of becoming ritually clean, by being immersed in water so that one could rejoin the community. This would include women being immersed each month after her period, and men and women made clean before holy days. But in it’s most narrow sense, baptism was only something pagans would receive before converting to Judaism. It was a way of cleansing them of all their sins before they joined the faith. The baptismal water was referred to as the womb of the world in rabbinic literature, noting how a convert was considered a new birth separating him from the pagan world. A Jew, however, would never be baptized, for he or she would already be part of the community and repentance was woven into the culture and faith. Repentance, the turning away form sin and toward God is foundational to the Jewish faith. One writer states, “That God fully and freely remits the sins of the penitent is a cardinal doctrine of Judaism.”
So repentance was central and every one was familiar with baptism, but that was only for other people, the new people, definitely not a devote Jew. William Barclay wrote, “It was natural that the sin-stained, polluted proselyte should be baptized, but no Jew had ever conceived that he, a member of the chosen people, a son of Abraham, assured of God’s salvation, could ever need baptism. Baptism was for sinners, and no Jew ever conceived of himself as a sinner shut out from God.” With that understanding, John the Baptist’s words that precede this passage are remarkable. Not only is he asking for repentance, but calling the leaders a brood of vipers, basically calling them out, saying the ways of the old are not cutting it and we need a new way. That new way is found in baptism. John says, “I baptize you with water for repentance, but one who is mightier that I will baptize with the Holy Spirit” (Mt. 3:11). John has just baptized hundreds of people from great distances, who were responding to his message.
It is into this amazing scene, this conflicted, intense and powerful time that Jesus seeks to be baptized. Jesus seeks out his cousin John to baptize him in the Jordan River. With a great crowd, and before John consents, we hear the very first words of Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel, “Let it be so now; for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (3:15). Matthew is the only one to give us a reason for this baptism. This phrase to fulfill righteousness is used to demonstrate the link between Jesus’ life and ministry and the work and promises of God. Jesus’ baptism is the beginning of Jesus’ ministry as God’s faithful servant.
Isaiah speaks of a selfless, chosen and bruised servant whom the Lord has called in righteousness. God’s Spirit is upon him and he will be the light to all nations. When we read this along side a passage of Jesus we see him as the fulfillment of God’s promise, and indeed Jesus is. But the servant is never named and might have a wider meaning. I want us to hear Isaiah’s words as our baptismal calling, the claim which God has upon our hearts. Hear God saying to you, “Here is my servant, whom I uphold, my chosen one in whom my soul delights…. I am the Lord, I have called you in righteousness I have taken you by the hand and kept you” (1,6) In your baptism you have been claimed by God in such a loving and amazing way. God has taken you by the hand and delights in who you are. Bask in the light and wonderful way that our Creator loves and adores you. But we can not neglect the challenge found in Isaiah, to bring forth justice, help the blind and liberate those in darkness. God’s amazing love leads us to strive to make these a reality. So it is fitting that we ordain and install officers today as we all reclaim our baptismal promises.
Now we are starting to get at the question why was Jesus baptized. First to fulfill God’s righteousness then we get to second. Have you ever tried to teach something you could not do? Or have you ever discovered the power of modeling behavior to show those around you the way something is to be done? Most parents have learned that telling our children, “Do what I say and not what I do” is not a very good way to teach. Experience and modeling are dynamic ways of sharing values and teaching. The reason that Alcoholics Anonymous works is because the people who have been in the despair of addiction are teaching others how to rely on God, how to change their lives, how to give their lives to God, because they have walked the path. They know the pain, they know the struggle and they are a witness that a life can be transformed by a Higher Power, by the grace of God.
Jesus did not need to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins, but he did need to be baptized to set an example for us, to declare his ministry, to be acknowledged by God. The reason that Presbyterians only have two sacraments, as compared to the 7 in the Catholic faith is because baptism and communion are the two that Jesus actually set forth, Jesus actually did, Jesus made as examples for us. Jesus entered the cosmic waters, not to be cleansed but to birth a new way we could be connected to God, to share in Christ’s death and resurrection, to be claimed in the living waters of God’s love.
This living waters idea is one of the reasons that baptism was done in rivers where the water was alive and vital. The person being baptized would squat down and submerse oneself completely. The person would not be touched by anyone else so that the water could reach the entire body. And according to Jewish law the immersion had to require a witness. So the phrase, “in the name of” has a long history, but usually referring to a witness or the one who baptized. In scripture we have in the name of John or in the name of Paul as examples to such witness. Yet of course to this day when we baptize, we say “I baptize you in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit.” We baptize in the name of the trinity, all aspects of God witness our baptism. For baptism is recognition of what comes from above, and is only a sign of the claim God has already done.
So when Jesus stands up out of the water an inspiring and amazing thing happens. Suddenly the heavens were opened to him and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, the Beloved, with whom I am well pleased.” The Spirit of God descending like a dove harkens back to the dove finding land after the flood, and being a symbol of the new creation. Jesus’ baptism is the start of a new creation in God’s relationship with humanity. God’s relationship with us. Then the words from heaven are really two separate quotes from the Old Testament defining who Jesus is with his baptism. “This is my beloved Son” is part of Psalm 2 which describes the Messiah, the mighty King of God who is to come (v. 7). So in this Jesus is declared the messiah, so that there would be no doubt about his being sent from God. While the second part is from our Isaiah passage, with whom I am delighted. But this not only speaks to God’s pleasure with Jesus, but also connects Jesus from the beginning of his ministry with the suffering servant from Isaiah. Jesus will bring righteousness and justice, Jesus will endure what is to come to follow God’s purpose, Jesus is the Messiah.
Jesus was identifying himself with all the faithful who were following John who were seeking me, seeking a brand new way to repent, and new way to be in relationship with God by their willingness to be baptized. Jesus joined before he led. This is totally out of the box for them. Jesus modeled the practice of baptism. Jesus set an example of baptism for us as his disciples to follow. Sometimes to follow means we need to make difficult decisions, especially when we are following Christ. And where was it that Christ was led right after his baptism but into the wilderness. Christ followed the Spirit’s leading into the darkest place, the place of testing and trial, and we see that Jesus is obedient. Yet at this moment Jesus is living in the glow of God’s presence, Jesus is being declared the Messiah, Jesus is celebrating the holy mystery of baptism. Many of us do not remember our baptism, but let us celebrate and live from our sacred baptismal moment when we face our trials, when we enter dark places, for we know that Jesus has walked the path before us, that Jesus found strength in his immersion, Jesus is with us now.
As we honor the Baptism of our Lord, let us also honor and be encouraged by our own baptism so that we can be obedient and faithful to Christ. Amen.
