Jesus’ baptism

It’s not a silly question at all. Baptism itself was not performed until the time of John the Baptist, and Jesus did not command baptism until the time of his ascension into heaven. What was available for Jesus as an infant was circumcision, and the Bible tells us that Joseph and Mary followed God’s directive of having Jesus circumcised when he was a week old (Luke 2:21). It was at that time that the Lord was given the name “Jesus,” just as the angel had instructed Mary (Luke 1:31) and Joseph (Matthew 1:21).

But more than baptism not being available at the time of Jesus’ birth is the unique reason for Jesus’ baptism. You and I have every reason to be baptized very early in life because we are conceived and born in sin and we need forgiveness of sins through saving faith in Christ. Jesus entered our world as “the holy one” (Luke 1:35). Through his conception by the Holy Spirit and birth of the virgin Mary, Jesus became a human being without a sinful nature, without a trace of sin. So, even if baptism had been available at the time of Jesus’ birth, he did not need baptism for the reasons that you and I have.

So, why was Jesus baptized? And why was he baptized when he was about thirty years of age? (Luke 3:23) Jesus answered those questions when he told John the Baptist to baptize him “to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Jesus, the Son of God, became a man to fulfill all the prophecies of the Messiah; Jesus came into the world he created to carry out everything in his Father’s plan of salvation. Being baptized was part of that plan.

“Messiah” and “Christ” both mean “the anointed one.” Jesus’ baptism was an anointing as he was about to embark on his public ministry of teaching and preaching and displaying his power (Isaiah 61:1-2). Jesus’ baptism clearly identified him as the Son of God (Matthew 3:16-17) who came into the world to live and die in our place, to win our forgiveness. For that reason Jesus’ baptism is important to us—as is our own baptism.