13 Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him. 14 John would have prevented him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” 15 But Jesus answered him, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he consented. 16 And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matthew 3: 13-17 ESV
Matthew 3: 13-17 Baptism of Jesus
“I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. 12 His winnowing fork is in his hand, and he will clear his threshing floor and gather his wheat into the barn, but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.” Matthew 3: 11-12
Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to John, to be baptized by him - So at some point after John describes the One "whose sandals I am not worthy to carry", He shows up to be baptized.
John would have prevented Him - Why? John knew Him to be, or thought Him to be the Messiah, the coming king and judge of all the earth, and so logically he would question this. "Is this Him, is He showing me a sign that He is not Who I think He is, how can this be?" I have heard some weird and ridiculous takes on this passage, like God did this to show His approval of John's ministry, or that Jesus did it because His mother and brothers thought it was a good idea. Let's remember some things, John was Jesus's cousin, and he recognized Jesus womb to womb. His father was a priest, and his mother had been barren before John. They were visited by an angel, and so this would have left a rather lasting impression upon a boy who was brought up to be the prophet, the voice of one crying in the wilderness, saying, "prepare ye the way of the Lord, make His path straight." But again, we are very fortunate to have four gospels, and we read in the gospel of John, written by the Apostle John, we read that John the Baptist called Jesus the Lamb of God. The gospel of Matthew is very focused on Jesus kingship, and He is the Messiah, the Deliverer of Israel, but He is also the Lamb without spot, the Holy and righteous One, the only pleasing sacrifice.
5In the time of Herod king of Judea there was a priest named Zechariah, who belonged to the priestly division of Abijah, and whose wife Elizabeth was a daughter of Aaron. 6 Both of them were righteous in the sight of God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and decrees of the Lord. 7But they had no children, because Elizabeth was barren, and they were both well along in years.…
…8One day while Zechariah’s division was on duty and he was serving as priest before God, 9he was chosen by lot, according to the custom of the priesthood, to enter the temple of the Lord and burn incense. 10And at the hour of the incense offering, the whole congregation was praying outside.…
…11Just then an angel of the Lord appeared to Zechariah, standing at the right side of the altar of incense. 12When Zechariah saw him, he was startled and gripped with fear. 13But the angel said to him, “Do not be afraid, Zechariah, because your prayer has been heard. Your wife Elizabeth will bear you a son, and you are to give him the name John.… Luke 1: 5-13
28All this happened at Bethany beyond the Jordan, where John was baptizing. 29The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world! 30This is He of whom I said, ‘A man who comes after me has surpassed me because He was before me.’… John 1: 28-30
You see, John's baptism, from the Greek word baptizo, which means to dip, immerse, submerge, was a baptism of repentance, a cleansing, not just washing my hands, but wash all of me. Repenting is more than just changing one's mind about sin, acknowledging there is such a thing as sin, but to repent is to turn away from sin. So, looking at Christ, he must wonder, logically, how is this fitting, for me, a sinner, to baptize someone Who is without sin? Peter took issue with Jesus, his Lord, his Messiah, washing his feet, and he also took issue with the Messiah speaking in terms of the cross, because it was undeserved, and that's just it, it had to be.
…22Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him. “Far be it from You, Lord!” he said. “This shall never happen to You!” 23But Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me. For you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men.” 24Then Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone wants to come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow Me.… Matthew 16: 22-24
I need to be baptized by You - John needed to be washed by Christ. This is true, and remember, He is the Lamb of God, the once for all sacrifice, the blood that atones for all His sheep. Everything else was a picture, all the millions of animal sacrifices before this, a picture, a shadow, but here, standing before John and this crowd, is the reality, the fullness, the Lamb, Who takes away the sins of the World, for without the shedding of blood there is no remittance of sin. John's knowledge of Who Christ is is growing in this encounter. The Lion of Judah, the Messiah, is also the Lamb of God.
…31I myself did not know Him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that He might be revealed to Israel.” 32Then John testified, “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him. 33I myself did not know Him, but the One who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit descend and rest is He who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’… John 1: 31-33
For thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness - It may help you to understand that all history up until this point has pointed to, and hung upon, the promise of this very sacrifice. Since it is mankind that had fallen, then the sacrifice would have to be an unfallen man. Since sin is against an eternal and infinitely Holy God, the sacrifice will have to be of His very eternal nature. You can see the perfect bridge between God and man in the person of Jesus Christ. These were the first two requirements, but then there is more, He would have to live a perfect life, which was our reasonable service, that we did not live, for there is none righteous, no, not even one. We also see in Scripture that Messiah would have to be rejected, the King of glory refused. We know from the OT that He will be betrayed, and even for 30 pieces of silver. We know that God did not delight in the blood of bulls and rams, but that it pleased the Lord to bruise His Son. We know that He is to be tested, as gold is, to reveal the purity of His life, and part of that is coming in the next chapter of Matthew. Christ is walking in the way we ought, only doing what He sees the Father doing, fulfilling all righteousness. I could be stuck in these few verses for days.
14Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to what we profess. 15For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who was tempted in every way that we are, yet was without sin. 16Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.… Hebrews 4: 14-16
Then he consented - John is trusting the One that is truly before him, though here, in time and space, Jesus was born after him. Look what happens.
The heavens were opened - This reminds us of Stephen's vision when he was getting stoned. The Bible is fairly quiet about Jesus's life up until now, except for His going to the temple when He was 12, even then being about His Father's business. However old He is now, some think 30, His ministry begins, and it is on course at a very fast pace towards the cross.
And behold, the heavens were opened - The opening of heaven is a frequent apocalyptic motif found in the giving of revelation (Read Ezek 1:1; John 1:51; Acts 7:56; 10:11; Rev 19:11.) as is a voice from heaven. (Read Isa 6:4, 8; Ezek 1:25, 28; Rev 4:1; 10:4, 8; 11:12; 14:13.). It is interesting that the heavens were opened to mark the inauguration of Jesus' earthly ministry to accomplish redemption of mankind, while in Revelation 19:11+ the heavens are opened to mark the return of Jesus to accomplish His redemption of the earth (cf Rev 5:9-see commentary = Garland writes "the redemption in view [in Rev 5:9] is both soteriological -- individual souls are reconciled to God and eschatological -- the original creation will be restored at last.") - Precept Austin
He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove - The dove has represented peace in the Bible, and He is the Prince of Peace. It was the dove that brought back the olive branch of peace to those still waiting in the Ark, after God had destroyed the earth by the flood. Doves were the offering of the poor, every poor person in Israel would be able to identify with the dove, for they could not afford a bull to offer, so here is His commissioning, He is our peace.
34I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God.” 35The next day John was there again with two of his disciples. 36When he saw Jesus walking by, he said, “Look, the Lamb of God!”… John 1: 34-36
20The shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, which was just as the angel had told them. 21 When the eight days until His circumcision had passed, He was named Jesus, the name the angel had given Him before He had been conceived. 22And when the time of purification according to the Law of Moses was complete, His parents brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord…
…23(as it is written in the Law of the Lord: “Every firstborn male shall be consecrated to the Lord”), 24and to offer the sacrifice specified in the Law of the Lord: “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.” 25Now there was a man in Jerusalem named Simeon, who was righteous and devout. He was waiting for the consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.…
…26The Holy Spirit had revealed to him that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. 27 Led by the Spirit, he went into the temple courts. And when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for Him what was customary under the Law, 28Simeon took Him in his arms and blessed God, saying:…
…29“Sovereign Lord, as You have promised, You now dismiss Your servant in peace. 30For my eyes have seen Your salvation, 31which You have prepared in the sight of all people,… Luke 2: 20-31
Coming to rest on Him - This fulfills a prophecy, and here we will see or hear all three members of the Trinity.
Comment - Note the description that the Spirit "remained upon Him." Was this "remaining" something that was visible, like a "halo" over Jesus' head??? There is nothing in the NT which would suggest that Jesus walked around with a halo or an aura or a dove-like glow over His head. The idea if that the Spirit's abiding presence was with the Man Jesus, continually empowering His ministry. In that sense the Spirit remained upon Jesus. Notice also that this statement by John in essence fulfills the prophecy uttered by Isaiah...
The Spirit of the LORD will rest on Him (Lxx = anapauo used figuratively here of the Spirit's resting in place, remaining -- anapauo is used in this same sense in 1 Pe 4:14+), The spirit of wisdom and understanding, The spirit of counsel and strength, The spirit of knowledge and the fear of the LORD. (Isaiah 11:2+) (Isaiah's point is that that He would be supernaturally energized by the Spirit!)
The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me, Because the LORD has anointed me To bring good news to the afflicted; He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, To proclaim liberty to captives And freedom to prisoners; (Isaiah 61:1+ quoted in Luke 4:18+)
“Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. (Isaiah 42:1)
NET NOTE - Isaiah 42:1–7 contain the first of Isaiah's "servant songs," which describe the ministry of a special, ideal servant who accomplishes God's purposes for Israel and the nations. This song depicts the servant as a just king who brings justice to the earth and relief for the oppressed. - Precept Austin
This is My beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased - We see the Son in His commissioning, the start of His ministry, but also to be the Lamb of God, the Spirit bearing witness, descending upon Him, to stay with Him, and now we hear the Father identify Him, but this is also acknowledging Him as the sacrifice.
9He was assigned a grave with the wicked, and with a rich man in His death, although He had done no violence, nor was any deceit in His mouth. 10Yet it was the LORD’s will to crush Him and to cause Him to suffer; and when His soul is made a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the LORD will prosper in His hand. 11After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.… Isaiah 53: 9-11
…4because it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5Therefore, when Christ came into the world, He said: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You prepared for Me. 6In burnt offerings and sin offerings You took no delight.… Hebrews 10: 4-6
So did you see it, He did this to identify with sinners, to be the way, living a righteous life, a pleasing life to God, and not repenting for His own sin, since He had none, but so that He could become sin for us. So when God sees me, He sees me through the lens of His Son, the Holy sacrifice, the payment owed to justice, the cost of love.
…20Therefore we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ: Be reconciled to God. 21God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5: 20-21
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