Reading:
Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be
baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be
baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said
unto him, Suffer it
to be so
now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he
suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway
out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he
saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom
I am well pleased.
Commentary:
The Baptism of Jesus marks the beginning of His public
ministry. This public appearance of Christ then is His epiphany in
His high calling as Savior of the world. Epiphany means appearance
or manifestation. As to the reason Jesus was baptized, it surely
wasn't for His sins. Jesus is called the spotless Lamb of God. Yet
Jesus did stand in the stead and place of all sinners, during His
entire life on earth. The answer Jesus gives as to the why is,
"Suffer [permit] it
to be so
now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness." This
baptism then was for the sake of all people, and such would fulfill
"all righteousness." In His baptism, all sinners were
baptized since Jesus is the Substitute for all. Luther thus
explained the words of Christ this way, "Jesus says…..If that
shall be performed that the poor sinners may come to righteousness
and be saved, you must baptize Me. Because for the sake of sinners I
have become a sinner, [ I ] must therefore do what God has charged
the sinners to do, in order that they may become just through Me."
The benefits then of Christ's baptism are given us in our own
baptism, all righteousness. This is the Gospel and this is our
salvation.
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