Matthew 3:13-17 parts 1 & 2

DAYS 16 & 17

Dates: 8-18-24 & 8-25-24

The King’s Baptism

parts 1 & 2
Scripture Matthew 3:13-17

Pray

Read scripture

Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John. But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on him. And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

The Holy Bible: New International Version (Mt 3:13–17). (1984). Zondervan.

OVERVIEW of PASSAGE

The King’s Baptism

Jesus takes the necessary steps – according to God – to begin His public ministry.

The MAIN POINT

The importance of the humility and obedience of Jesus in identifying with us sinners as our example. (See 1 Cor 11:1)
See John (I do only what the Father tells me to do) 

Let go to p 39 in our commentary. 

1st pp.
Our commentary, on p 39, mentions the “identifying twice in the third chapter. It also speaks of Jesus as our “representative and model.”
And in the last sentence in that third paragraph it says, “(Holman Commentary) Jesus would not have been fully obedient if he had bypassed this step”

I have a little story, a parable if you will, to illustrate some of these truths from our passage today. 

The Michael Jordon Parable

Early in his career, he was a “solo artist“, so to speak, playing the game of basketball as an individual, to prove that he was the best. He was playing for himself and his own glory.

But they weren’t winning any championships. And you needed championships if you wanted to considered great.

So, the team brought in a new coach with a new master game plan (sort of like a New Covenant). The new coach somehow convinced Jordon to give up playing for himself and to play for the team, as a teammate. He believed in the new coaches vision, was – if you will – obedient to it. He humbled himself by playing with the team as a team player, and he began to identify with them. He started making the other players around him better. Then, they started winning championships. But it wasn’t until he decided to be obedient to the coaches vision, the coaches master game plan, and humbled himself by identifying with his teammates that they had true success. 

In these verses today, I see Jesus doing pretty much the same thing. Humbling Himself by identifying with sinners in an effort to obey the Master’s game plan. But one real difference between Jordon and Jesus is that Jesus was totally on board with the master’s plan from the very beginning. Jordon turned from his own plan, and toward the master’s plan, and, in a real sense, repented, turning from one master (himself) to another master (his coach). And his career showed the fruit of his turning, or “repentance”, whereas Jesus had no need to repent. 

Another huge difference between Jordon and Jesus (there are many!), Jordon did it to fulfill his destiny as a basketball player, and Jesus did it to “fulfill all righteousness” for the sake of lost, broken and hurting people. 

Ok, so keep this little story, this parable, if you will, in mind as we walk thru these verses today. 

Today’s verses:

V. 13 (NIV) Then Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John.

Q: What stands out in this verse?
A: Intentionality. Focus. Jesus came intentionally, for a specific purpose: To be baptised.

APPLICATION: Are we intentional and focused if following Jesus?

Relevant Verses: 

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Today’s verses:

V. 14. (NIV) 14 But John tried to deter him, saying, “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?”

Q: What do you think this verse means?
A: The focus so far on baptism has been mainly a baptism of repentance, but the last two verse of last week’s section hinted at a new and different kind of baptism. This new baptism last week was a baptism of the Holy Spirit and fire. So – Jesus clearly did not need a baptism of repentance because the NT clearly teaches that He was the sinless son of God. Also, Jesus’s baptism with the Holy Spirit did not begin until Pentecost. 

Q: So, what baptism did Jesus receive? And when did Jesus receive the Holy Spirit? 
A: ? At birth? (His “biological Father” was the Spirit.) Or when John baptized Him as an adult and the dove came upon Him?

APPLICATION:

Relevant Verses: 

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Today’s verses:

V. 15  (NIV) 15 Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented.

Q: What stands out in this verse?
A: For one thing, Jesus’ determination to follow His Father’s master plan for the salvation of lost men and women. His determination to be obedient. 

To me, the big question of this verse, and of our whole section today, is not only ‘why” did Jesus need to be baptised (the answer is given: to fulfill all righteousness),  but “how” did Jesus baptism fulfill all righteousness? 

It seems like every commentator has a different opinion.

The Life Application Commentary gives us a list of five good, potential answers to “how” Jesus’ baptism fulfilled all righteousness needed. These will be listed on our website, but in our short time here today, I would like to focus on just two answers that are in our book on page 39, both of which are also mentioned in The Life Application Commentary.

The first is to identify with sinners. And the second is to set an example, to be a model.

The Life Application Commentary says,
“Although Jesus did not need forgiveness, he was baptized for the following reasons: (1) to confess sin on behalf of the nation, as Isaiah, Ezra, and Nehemiah had done (see Ezra 9:2; Nehemiah 1:6; 9:1ff.; Isaiah 6:5); (2) to accomplish God’s mission and advance God’s work in the world; (3) to inaugurate his public ministry to bring the message of salvation to all people; (4) to show support for John’s ministry; (5) to identify with the penitent people of God, thus with humanness and sin; and (6) to give us an example to follow.”

I think these answers are all good answers, but in our short time, I would like to focus on #5 and #6 for a minute; identying with sinners and setting an example.

Identifying with sinners

Did you notice that in this verse, Jesus does NOT say, it is proper for ME to do this to fulfill all righteousness – but, rather He says, “it us proper for US… Think about that for a minute. Now, do you remember in the beginning of Matthew (1:23) one of the names of Jesus is Immanuel? Do you remember what that word means? (God with us)

I think that is truly amazing, that God loves us so much that He would want to be “with us.” 

(Tell Phillip Yancy goldfish story)

For me, one of my favorite pictures of Jesus modeling a “team” mentality, or His identifying with us, is found in the Lord’s Prayer.
Notice all the “team” verbiage, like our, we, us, compared to the “individual verbiage, like I me, mine.

(NIV) “Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
10 your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
11 Give us today our daily bread.
12 And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
13 And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.”

Score
Team: 8
Individual: 0

This is other-centeredness. This is Christianity. This is Christ-likeness!

In Jesus’ baptism, we see incredible humility. He stoops so low to be with us. He gets baptised in a river full of sinners who are repenting of their sins. Unlike the Pharisees, He show no signs of being embarrassed by them or ashamed to be with them. He does not condone, but He identifies with sinners.

F. D. Bruner says,
“The first thing Jesus does for the human race is go down with it into the deep waters of repentance and baptism. Jesus’ whole life will be like this. It is well known that Jesus ends his ministry on a cross between thieves; it deserves to be as well known that he begins his ministry in a river among sinners. From his baptism to his execution Jesus stays low, at our level, identifying with us at every point,“
Bruner, F. D. (2007). Matthew: A Commentary: The Christbook, Matthew 1–12 (Revised and Expanded Edition, Vol. 1, p. 101). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.

Setting an example
Another way that The Life Application Commentary says that Jesus’ baptism fulfills all righteousness is Jesus giving “us an example to follow.” The Life Application Commentary doesn’t immediately say what that example is, so I will take a shot at it. It is, in my opinion, an example of obedience to the Father’s will, of obedience to the Father’s master game plan of salvation for lost people. It is Jesus’ total, complete and unswerving and unquestioning obedience to God the Father in everything. To me, that is what Jesus is really modeling for us. 

The Gospel of John says in 8:28, “(NIV) 28 So Jesus said, “…  I do nothing on my own but speak just what the Father has taught me.”

And again in John12:49-50, Jesus says, “(NIV) 49 For I did not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me commanded me to say all that I have spoken. 50 I know that his command leads to eternal life. So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say.” See also John 14:10 and 24b. And in John 14:31, Jesus says, “(NIV) 31 but he comes so that the world may learn that I love the Father and do exactly what my Father has commanded me.”  

Just as Jesus stoops low to identify with us in His baptism, He equally stands tall in His obedience to the Father. He has truly come to love us, AND do His Fathers will.

In these verses today, we are beginning to see what righteousness looks like from God’s perspective.

So – what can we learn from this verse?

Q: Do we identify with the lost people around us as Jesus did all thru the Gospels?
A: The Pharisee’s MOCKINGLY called Him a friend of sinners. And He was!! We need to be “in the world,” but not “of the world.” What does that mean?

Q: Are we unswerving, unreservedly and unquestioningly obedient to God? Do we diligently seek to know and understand His commands so that we can obey them?
A: See Jn 14:15, 21 and 23. 

APPLICATION: See 1Jn 2:3-6 and 1Jn 5:3

Relevant Verses: 

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Today’s verses:

V. 16-17. (NIV) 16 As soon as Jesus was baptized, he went up out of the water. At that moment heaven was opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting on him. 17 And a voice from heaven said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”

This verse beautifully shows us the Trinity, all working and celebrating together at the inauguration of Jesus public ministry, where the long awaited plan and purpose of God, since before the world began, is finally getting underway. 

Jesus was right with God, and He subsequently enjoyed a very special, wonderful and joy-filled relationship with God. 

Q: How do we have a relationship like that with our Heavenly Father. 
A: Love and obey, for there is no other way …

APPLICATION: As we love and obey God, we can expect the same kind of love response from God and joy-filled relationship with God. This is absolutely amazing!

Relevant Verses: 

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APPLICATION

Every week close with SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT: A QUESTION

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After class notes

There is a description of a righteous man in Ezekiel 18:5-9

John the Baptist in the Gospel of John (NIV) John1:31-34 “I myself did not know him, but the reason I came baptizing with water was that he might be revealed to Israel.”

32 Then John gave this testimony: “I saw the Spirit come down from heaven as a dove and remain on him. 33 And I 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 come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.’ 34 I have seen and I testify that this is God’s Chosen One.”