By The Rev. Ron Purkey
Guest Columnist

See Matthew 3:1-17

“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him.” Matthew 3:13

The Rev. Ron Purkey

Keep in mind that the kingdom is being offered to Israel. As the forerunner of the king, John is asking the people to repent (change their minds) and prepare for the king. Jesus preached this message (Mathew 4:17) and so did the disciples (Matthew 10:7). When the nation rejected the king, the kingdom was taken from them (Matthew 21:42-43).

John fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 40:3. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets (Luke 16:16). No prophet had been heard for 400 years!

John was humble and rustic in manner and dress. His dress reminds one of Elijah (2 Kings 1:8). In Malachi 4:5-6, God promised that Elijah would come before the dreadful day of the Lord. The Jews asked John if he was Elijah and he denied it (John 1:21). Yet, if the Jews had received their king, John would have been that Elijah (Matthew 11:14). John came in the spirit and power of Elijah (Luke 1:17).

John’s baptism was not Christian baptism (see Acts 19:1-7), but rather baptism unto repentance (see verse 11). His baptism was from heaven (Matthew 21:25-27) for two purposes: (1) to introduce Christ to the nation of Israel (John 1:31) and (2) to prepare their hearts for the coming of the King.

Why was the sinless son of God baptized? We suggest six reasons: Jesus was not baptized to confess any sins (verse 5), since he was sinless. His baptism was his presentation to Israel (John 1:31) as well as a picture of his future baptism on the cross when “all the waves and billows” of judgment would go over him (Matthew 20:22; Psalm 42:7). The baptism of John looked forward to the coming of Messiah (Acts 19:1–7). Christian baptism today looks back to the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and witnesses of the believer’s identification with him (Colossians. 2:12; Acts 10:47–48).

The Holy Spirit was the sign God had promised to give John to identify the Messiah (John 1:31-34). Though Jesus and John were related (Luke 1:36), it is likely they had not seen each other for years. Even if John did know Jesus in the flesh, he would want the divine assurance from heaven. The symbol of the Spirit as a dove is important: the dove is a clean bird; it is faithful to its mate in love; it is peaceful and gentle. Christ was born through the power of the Spirit (Luke 1:34-35) and was also empowered by the Spirit for his life and ministry.

We have the Trinity revealed in Matthew 3:16-17: the son is baptized, the Holy Spirit descends like a dove, and the God the Father speaks from heaven. As he entered his ministry, the son was approved by the father; as he approached the cross (Matthew 17:5), he received that commendation again.

Read Ron Purkey’s free Bible study outlines at rcpbibleoutlines.com. Purkey has been an ordained Baptist minister for 50 years.