Monday, January 28, 2013
Matthew 3:14-15 John would have prevented him, saying, "I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?" But Jesus answered him, "Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he consented.
FOR YOU ... JESUS' BAPTISM
When we bring children to be baptized it is because of sin and for it. We seek forgiveness for our children because they by nature have need of it. We recognize that the benefit of Holy Baptism is not the washing of dirt from the body, but the cleansing of the soul of sin.
When Jesus came to be baptized, He had need of none of these things. He had been perfectly obedient to God's Law. He had kept all of God's commandments flawlessly in perfect love. The Son of God, now our Brother, was a perfectly obedient Son of His Father.
Jesus didn't only come to dwell among men; but to do what we could not do. He came to do God's will, to obey God's every command. In the first place, that included keeping every Godly commandment flawlessly from a heart of love. Second, Jesus came to complete the work of salvation, to do everything that the Father set before him.
Jesus baptism was part of that work. He therefore came to be baptized. He called upon John to do what was commanded of him, namely baptize. He, in turn, would fulfill all righteousness and perfectly do what was commanded of Him.
This He did for you, not merely for Himself.
