Righteous Baptism
The First Sunday after Epiphany (Baptism of our Lord)
Matthew 3:13-17
Summary
The Gospel writers connect Jesus’ baptism with the ministry of John the Baptist who was already baptizing in the wilderness. The Gospels, we could say (and Jesus’ ministry!) begin with baptism. People were flocking to John, an Elijah figure, who was gathering the true remnant of Israel marked out by repentance and baptism. John preaches against the presumption of those who claimed their Abrahamic lineage as being enough to the people of God. To escape the impending judgment, one would need to bear fruit, repent, and presumably be marked out by John’s baptism.
And John says that one is coming who will bring an even greater baptism, one of fire and the Holy Spirit. John’s baptism is only preparatory for a greater baptism and a greater baptizer.
Each of the Gospel writers record the event Jesus’ baptism by John (Matthew 3:13-17; Mark 1:9-11; Luke 3:21-12; John 1:32-34). Each of the synoptic gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) include the location at the Jordan, the heavens opening, and the Spirit descending like a dove, and the voice of the Father’s pleasure in the Son. But only in Matthew’s account do we have an explicit reason for Jesus’ baptism: “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15).
The particular events of Jesus’ baptism are chock full of typological significance and echoes of other places of Scripture. But what do we make of Jesus’ reason for his baptism that he in being baptized he fulfills all righteousness? The word for fulfill in Matt. 3:15 is the same used in Matt. 5:17, where Jesus says, “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law of the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.” Jesus will bring the law and prophets to their ultimate expression and maturity. Jesus’ life and teaching is the most complete interpretation of the Law and Prophets. So Jesus’ baptism, in fulfilling all righteousness, is telling us something about Jesus being the one in whom righteousness is fulfilled. He’s marked out in baptism as the fulfillment of righteousness.
Isaiah 42 sheds light on Jesus’ baptism and how we should understand what Jesus means when he speaks of fulfilling righteousness.
Perry Hall shows the connections (cited in unpublished notes by Peter Leithart):
A- “This is my Servant; I strengthen Him, this is My Chosen One; I delight in Him (Is. 42:1a)
B- “I have put My Spirit on Him” (Is. 42:1b)
C-“H will bring justice to the nations” (Is. 42:1c)
C-“Allow it for now, because this is the way for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15)
B’-“The heavens suddenly opening for Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming down on him.’ (Mt. 3:17).A’-This is my beloved Son, I take delight in Him.’ (Mt. 3:17).
"Righteousness" in Greek is also the word for justice. So in Isaiah, the promised Servant will receive the Spirit and bring justice to the nations. In Jesus Baptism, he receives the Spirit to bring to bring justice/righteousness to its fullest expression.
So what justice is in view? Whose justice? The Lord’s justice. There are three meanings of justice in Isaiah. God is the just judge who declares himself above all idols. There’s the revealed truth about God through his teachings and commandments. Then, there’s the truth enacted in “righting wrongs” and establishing a just social order.1
At Jesus baptism he’s marked out as the Lord’s servant who will bring justice and righteousness to the ends of the earth. He will tell the truth about God, teach God’s truths, and enact God’s truths, thus showing the way of righteousness to all who follow him—those who will likewise be marked out in baptism as instruments of righteousness.
Baptized for Righteousness
Jesus baptism is different from ours, most notably, in that fact that we are baptized for the remission of our sins. Jesus, of course, didn’t need to be baptized for the forgiveness of sins. But Jesus’ baptism is the headwaters for our baptisms. He identifies with the baptized and prepares the baptism waters for us so that we can follow him who was baptized to fulfill all righteousness.
Our baptisms, too, are baptisms for righteousness. In Romans 6:1-6, St. Paul speaks of baptism as union with Christ in his death and resurrection. That baptized are raised to new life, and in this new life—full of the grace and life of Christ—we are called to offer our bodies as “instruments” of righteousness in our fight against sin.
Our bodies are marked out with the baptismal waters Jesus prepared to be instruments of righteousness and justice.
In your fight against the world, flesh, and all the devil’s vain pomp—all the things we renounce at our baptism—remember your baptism. In baptism, you have been given unending resources and grace to be Jesus’ vessel of good in a world marred by evil.
1 J. A. Motyer, The Prophecy of Isaiah: An Introduction & Commentary (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1996), 319.