Mathew 3:13-17
Why did Jesus allow himself to be baptized? That’s a question that people have asked from the beginning of Christianity. Matthew attempts to give an answer here -- Jesus insists that John baptize him so that “they would fulfill all righteousness”. Mark and Luke tell the story a little differently and this dialogue is not heard in the other accounts. What does this mean, to fulfill all righteousness?
Matthew uses that word about seven times in his gospel. In all cases, it refers to the act of trying to be in complete accord with the Law of Moses. So is being baptized by John something from the law of Moses? In Jesus' time under the influence of the Pharisees, being washed in water for religious reasons became a practice associated with purification. In today’s world the Orthodox Jews still practice a ritual like this when someone converts to Judaism, but again it doesn’t mean what it means for Christians to be baptized. John’s baptism seems to have been somewhere in between the baptism of cleansing to relieve impurity and the baptism that is a sign that you have become a son or daughter of the Father and an adopted sister or brother of Jesus.
John’s baptism was “ of repentance" It doesn’t mean being sorry for one’s sins in the sense that we Catholics bring to confession. Repentance really means to change one’s approach to the world. John himself shows what this means in the gospel of Luke, when after calling his followers a brood of vipers, many ask, “What then shall we do?” John’s answers are surprising -- if you have two coats and your neighbor has none, give him a coat, likewise with food. IF you collect taxes for a living, collect only what you are owed. If you are a soldier, don’t use your power to take advantage of people. In other words, John’s idea of repentance doesn't involve going off into the desert and living on bugs, but just doing what you are supposed to do, and looking after your neighbor.
The other thing about John’s baptism that made it so popular among the people was that it took place in the Jordan river. In the days of Joshua, the man who succeeded Moses in leading the people of Israel, there was a point in their wanderings when they came to the Jordan river and Joshua parted the waters like Moses had done at the red sea, and the people crossed over into the Land of Israel. Washing in Jordan was symbolic of one’s desire to get back to basics, to recommit to the nation of Israel.
So Jesus is not being baptized to remove original sin -- that’s a Christian idea. Jesus is being baptized to commit to a life of righteousness, a life of repentance - it doesn't mean Jesus changes in any way, but like all the other baptized people it’s a symbol of his intention to live righteously for the rest of his life. And like the other people being baptized Jesus is signifying his desire to be part of the chosen people -- kind of a recommittment. In other words John recognizes that Jesus is the Messiah and doesn’t need his baptism, but Jesus wants to fulfill what the baptism is all about -- a commitment to live as an ideal Israelite.
After Jesus is baptized, Matthew, Mark and Luke speak of the spirit descending in the form of a dove, and the voice from heaven. Only Matthew implies that this was only apparent to Jesus. In any event at his baptism Jesus commits himself to a life of righteousness, a life of living exactly according to God’s true law; and the Father in heaven confirms and accepts this, giving Jesus the Holy Spirit and calling him Son. And this was the point at which Jesus began his earthly mission.
Jesus’; baptism in the Jordan has nothing to do with original sin, but instead is the moment Jesus commits to his ministry, receives the spirit, and is acknowledged by the Father as his Son. Jesus was always the Son of God and a human being, not the Son of God living in a human body. Saint Paul tells us he was like us in all things but sin, so he had to grow,to develop, to be educated, and dare I say it, make mistakes -- because all these things are human. When we remember that Jesus was as human as you and I, a lot of questions are no longer questions - like why on earth did he pick Judas for an apostle? Maybe the answer was that he made a mistake. Why did he knock over the money changer’s tables and whip them with a whip made of cords? Maybe that day his temper got the better of him. Jesus never committed a sin, but he was totally human.
In addition to being in solidarity with his people, the Israelites, Jesus by being baptized is in solidarity with you and iI as well, because our baptism, in addition to being the means by which God removes original sin, is also a baptism of repentance -- when we are baptized we also commit to trying to live a life of holiness; and when we are baptized we also receive the holy Spirit to help us, and if we had ears to hear, we also will hear God telling us “this is my child, in whom I am well pleased."
