Why Jesus was Baptized by John
John was the son the priest Zechariah (a Levite). So, by the Law, he was able to be a priest. John also had taken the vow of the Nazarite. This was a strict code of obedience and behavior that demonstrated an additional level of dedication. He was, in effect, a super-priest (if you will).
Jesus was the Lamb of God. All sacrifices needed to be inspected by the priests before they were offered to God.
When Jesus told John to baptize Him “to fulfill all righteousness” He was talking about the ceremonial law of inspecting the sacrifice: the priest (John) must inspect the Lamb (Jesus). In the ceremonial Law, the sacrifices were washed and presented without spot or blemish. Jesus, a living sacrifice, was washed in this same way. John, accepting the sacrifice as worthy, washed Jesus in the water. By this, both men, John and Jesus, fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Law.
Also, this was the actual moment Jesus gave His life up for us. His Father (Our Father) confirmed this from heaven and declared “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” In the tradition of the time, the Father would take a son to meet his creditors. The father would introduce the son to the creditors and say "This is my son, in whom I am well-pleased". The father did this to show who would represent him in business from that point on. It was like declaring, "In all manner of my business this son represents me. When you see him you are doing business directly with me as he is now executor of my estate”. Jesus gave His whole life to the Father: although He had the ability to live His own life, He lived only in the way His Father (our Father) showed Him.
This example of grace extends to believers: we are called to be living sacrifices within the estate of God, our Father: not choosing our own way but only the way of the Father. When WE give up our lives to God, we can then be baptized in water and declare the death of our life in Adam. This is done as a witness to both men and angels. When we do this as a living sacrifice, God, our Father, raises us to life with the same Spirit with which He raised Christ from the dead. The order of these things is not important but the outcome is always the same: we are living sacrifices to God.
John was the son the priest Zechariah (a Levite). So, by the Law, he was able to be a priest. John also had taken the vow of the Nazarite. This was a strict code of obedience and behavior that demonstrated an additional level of dedication. He was, in effect, a super-priest (if you will).
Jesus was the Lamb of God. All sacrifices needed to be inspected by the priests before they were offered to God.
When Jesus told John to baptize Him “to fulfill all righteousness” He was talking about the ceremonial law of inspecting the sacrifice: the priest (John) must inspect the Lamb (Jesus). In the ceremonial Law, the sacrifices were washed and presented without spot or blemish. Jesus, a living sacrifice, was washed in this same way. John, accepting the sacrifice as worthy, washed Jesus in the water. By this, both men, John and Jesus, fulfilled the righteous requirement of the Law.
Also, this was the actual moment Jesus gave His life up for us. His Father (Our Father) confirmed this from heaven and declared “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” In the tradition of the time, the Father would take a son to meet his creditors. The father would introduce the son to the creditors and say "This is my son, in whom I am well-pleased". The father did this to show who would represent him in business from that point on. It was like declaring, "In all manner of my business this son represents me. When you see him you are doing business directly with me as he is now executor of my estate”. Jesus gave His whole life to the Father: although He had the ability to live His own life, He lived only in the way His Father (our Father) showed Him.
This example of grace extends to believers: we are called to be living sacrifices within the estate of God, our Father: not choosing our own way but only the way of the Father. When WE give up our lives to God, we can then be baptized in water and declare the death of our life in Adam. This is done as a witness to both men and angels. When we do this as a living sacrifice, God, our Father, raises us to life with the same Spirit with which He raised Christ from the dead. The order of these things is not important but the outcome is always the same: we are living sacrifices to God.
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