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THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS’ BAPTISM
Each year traditional Western Christianity observes Epiphany January 6. Also known as Theophany, Epiphany, as the name suggests, celebrates the revelation of God as incarnate man in Jesus Christ.[1] The celebration of Epiphany often comes on its eve while the Sunday after (or on) the day is named Epiphany Sunday. Themes and scriptures surrounding Epiphany often include the event of the magi visiting Jesus as a child and Jesus’ baptism since such an event was vital in his revelation of who he is. Jesus’ baptism is the topic of confusion, for why would a sinless man need to be baptized? Baptism was not new in Jesus’ day; in fact, baptism has Old Testament roots for cleansing. In the case of Jesus’ baptism, however, the ordinance holds a different meaning. To answer why Jesus needed to be baptized, I suggest three crucial points.
Jesus’
Role as a Model
In being baptized, Jesus modeled obedience to all people. Not only did the crowd which observed him understand his obedient act in being baptized, generations to come would view the same through the text of recorded scripture. For Christians, baptism is an act of obedience. Those who hold the perspective of believer’s baptism should certainly consider the ordinance as a vital act in Christianity; thus, to forego baptism is to disobey God. Baptism is not salvific; yet, it is crucial to obeying God. Jesus modeled obedience and the proper way to employ it through the ordinance of baptism.
Jesus’
Humility
Jesus was also baptized in humility. While Jesus was sinless, through the ordinance of baptism, he revealed his identification with sinners, i.e. God the man chose to become truly human and walk as flesh on earth. One reason people are perplexed by the Son of God being baptized is his divinity perhaps overshadows his humanity. Jesus, however, is also human and chose to identify with sinful humans in the flesh by facing every struggle humankind does yet without sin. Jesus’ baptism places his deity and humanity side by side, for he was baptized as a man and honored as God when the Father exemplifies his pleasure in the Son saying, “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased” (Matt 3:17). Jesus, therefore, was baptized in humility.
Jesus’
Submission to the Father
In Matthew’s Gospel, John is hesitant to baptize his Lord. In response, Jesus says, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt 3:13). Jesus’ baptism indicates righteousness, for one is baptized into a new way of life; it is a public confession of the righteous life. Baptism is, furthermore, a display of repentance. One might wonder why Jesus would need to repent. Often, there subsists an incorrect understanding of repentance, as it is usually understood as a singular event that occurs in one’s life. Reality is, however, that biblical repentance is a perpetual event, i.e. one must not only repent but continue repenting. Jesus’ baptism then does not include what it does for us: turning from sin. Rather, it includes his submission to the Father in a life of obedience.[2] In displaying such a symbol of righteous submission to the Father, Jesus not only revealed his identification with humanity but also his place as God, for Jesus himself was the only person capable to save humanity. “…central to Jesus’s purpose in being the Savior of the world is his own faithful obedience to the Father. He was obedient even to the point of death on a cross (Phil 2:8, Rom 5:18), thereby securing our salvation.”[3] Baptism, for Jesus, then was not for the purpose of turning from sin but rather exemplifying righteousness and submission to the Father, which is also true of any human baptism. While Jesus did not need to turn from sin, he symbolized repentance in a life that continually honored the Father.
Christ Is the Model
Since
Jesus is the model for anything in life, believers should consider the event of
his baptism as a model as well. Jesus’ baptism was not useless simply because
he was a sinless man; contrarily, Jesus’ baptism points to the way humanity
should submit to the Father in obedience by not only following Christ in
baptism but also living a life of righteousness. Jesus’ baptism was necessary
in its vivid depiction of who he is: namely both God and man.
[1] January 6 applies only to those churches, which
utilize the Julian Calendar. Many churches of Eastern influence utilize the
Gregorian Calendar and observe Epiphany January 19 because of the 13-day
difference between the two calendars.
[2] For all humans except Jesus Christ, repentance
includes both turning from sin and continuing in righteousness.
[3] Jonathan Pennington, “Why Did Jesus Need to Be
Baptized,” The Gospel Coalition, accessed January 5, 2022,
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-need-baptized/.
