"Why did Jesus insist on being baptized?"

Some answers from St. Justin Martyr, St. Irenaeus, St. Hippolytus, St. Gregory of Nyssa, and St. Ephrem

Readings for Sunday, Jan. 10, 2016:
• Is 42:1-4, 6-7 or Is 40:1-5, 9-11
• Ps 29:1-2, 3-4, 3, 9-10 or Ps 104:1b-2, 3-4, 24-25, 27-28, 29-30
• Acts 10:34-38 or Or Ti 2:11-14; 3:4-7
• Lk 3:15-16, 21-22

If baptism is necessary for the forgiveness of sins, why did Jesus insist on being baptized by his cousin, John? And if baptism, as St. Peter wrote, “now saves you … through the resurrection of Jesus Christ” (1 Pet 3:21), why would the Messiah deem it appropriate, even necessary, to be baptized? What, was the point of the Lord’s baptism in the Jordan River?

These and related questions fascinated and perplexed many of the early Church fathers and theologians. The baptism of Christ, writes Fr. Kilian McDonnell, O.S.B., in his study of the topic, The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan: The Trinitarian and Cosmic Order of Salvation(The Liturgical Press, 1996), “was widely discussed in all the currents of theological reflection” in the early Church, “without doubt partly because of the problems it posed.” From this discussion emerged many helpful theological insights.

St. Justin Martyr (d. 165), one of the first great apologists, addressed the baptism in his Dialogue with Trypho. He emphasized that the Son had no need to be baptized—just as he had no need to be born, to suffer, or die—but did so in order to reveal himself to mankind; the baptism, in other words, was the messianic manifestation, a sign for the Church first, and then the world. When Jesus came to the waters, St. Justin wrote, “He was deemed a carpenter,” but the proclamation of the Father and the descent of the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove showed him to be far more than a mere worker of wood.

In his famous work, Against Heresies, St. Irenaeus (d. c. 202) focused on the participation of those who believe in Christ in the anointing of the Savior. The connection between the baptism and anointing—itself an essential Messianic concept—is already evident in the New Testament, as heard in today’s reading from the Acts of the Apostles: “…how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power.” This same anointing, St. Irenaeus wrote, is given to those who are baptized into Christ. The Holy Spirit, having descended upon the Son, has become “accustomed in fellowship with Him to dwell in the human race, to rest with human beings, and to dwell in the workmanship of God, working the will of the Father in them, and renewing them from their old habits into the newness of Christ.”

Others delved into the mystery and meaning of the Jordan River, which was already, at the time of Christ, the site of many key events in the history of Israel. St. Hippolytus (d. c. 236) referred to “the Grand Jordan”; Origen (d. 254) wrote that just as “no one is good, except the one only God, the Father,” likewise “no river is good except the Jordan.” St. Gregory of Nyssa (d. c. 394), in his treatise, On the Baptism of Jesus, wrote, “For Jordan alone of rivers, receiving in itself the first-fruits of sanctification and benediction, conveyed in its channel to the whole world, as it were from some fount in the type afforded by itself, the grace of Baptism.” Just as Joshua had entered the Promised Land by crossing the Jordan, Jesus opened the way to heaven by entering and dividing the same waters.

St. Ephrem (d. 373) wrote a beautiful hymn in which he connected the baptism of Jesus with the womb of Mary and the sacrament of the Eucharist: “See, Fire and Spirit in the womb that bore you! See, Fire and Spirit in the river where you were baptized! Fire and Spirit in our Baptism; in the Bread and the Cup, Fire and Holy Spirit!” Christ, the Light of the World, dwelt first in the womb of the Virgin—who was thus “baptized” by her Son—and then in the womb of the Jordan; he emerged from both as the Incarnate Word, the Savior of mankind. Those who are baptized thus become the children of Mary and partakers of the body, blood, soul, and divinity of her Son.

**We shouldnâ€™t be interested in a manâ€™s opinion on this subject.**

A very good example of man’s opinion, is picking verses that either leave out ‘the rest of the story’, or taking the teaching out of context.

**Acts 16:30-31**

The rest of the story:

32. “And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were IN his house”.

We can see that between vs 31 and 32, Paul, Silas, the keeper of the prison have left the prison and entered into the man’s house.

33. “And he TOOK them the same hour of the night, and washed there stripes; and was baptized, ha and all his straightway.”

He took them somewhere. Somewhere where there was plenty of water, for he washed their stripes, and was baptized along with his household.

34. “And when he had brought them INTO his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house”.

They came back from somewhere and went back into his house

**Ephesians 1:12-14**

The context is that Paul was writing to people that ALREADY had been born again.....

1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will of God, to the SAINTS which are at Ephesus, and to the FAITHFUL in Christ Jesus.”

He wasn’t writing to people that hadn’t been preached to and converted yet.

**John 10:27-30**

Here is more of the Lord’s instruction:

John 7:38,39: “He that believeth on me as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. (But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.)”

**Romans 10:9-10**

Another epistle; this one sent to those in Rome, “beloved of God, called to be SAINTS” (Rms 1:7). They too, already knew the gospel, and the Lord’s instructions on rebirth. The first verse of chapter 10 also makes that clear:

“Brethern.....”

Their status as born again believers is made clear here as well:

Rms 6:2,3 “Know ye not, that as many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him in baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the death by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of like.”

**John 6:29**
**John 11:25**

Believing on Jesus Christ includes believing his commandments for conversion. Look at Luke 22:32, where Jesus tells Simon (Peter), “But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and WHEN thou art CONVERTED, strengthen the brethren.”

Remember, that’s the same Peter that, if only for a moment, had enough faith to walk on water.

The Lord commanded them “.. that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his NAME among all nations BEGINNING at Jerusalem.” Lk 24:47

That was first initiated in Peter’s instruction to those that were told of the Lord’s sacrifice, and had asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do? Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:37,38

**And you cherry pick one or two verses about â€œbaptismâ€ and throw out the rest of the Bible on real salvation.**

Then I suggest that you read post #14. There’s a lot more than two verses about baptism in that one.

What am I throwing out?...I’ll tell you what I’m throwing out. I throwing out the notion that people can believe on Jesus Christ and ignore his commandments on baptism.

**The jailer was clearly saved before being baptized.**

How can you be sure?...you reference Acts 16:30,31, and stop short of 32, where the WORD of the LORD is preached to them (which probably included baptism, because in 33 that’s what happened).

**Baptism is done in obedience for Jesus, it has NOTHING to do with being saved.**

Then here is a revised version of Acts 2:38, which imo is more suited to your belief system:

Repent for the remission of sins, and you will have received the gift of the Holy Ghost, and when convenient, be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ.

**Keep believing and deceiving others that you must â€œworkâ€ for your salvation.**

If, with that comment, you hadn’t chose to judge what I believe, I might not have bothered to reply.

Works? Then do not allow anyone to make any effort to go and hear a preacher.

Folks like to quote Romans 4:3 (”..Abraham believed God..”), but fail to notice that Paul was quoting Genesis 15:5, a verse where God counted Abraham as righteous, AFTER:

-hearing God’s call,
-traveling over 400 miles (the old fashioned hard way) with all his company and possessions,
-built two altars (and most likely offered sacrifices on them),
-met Melchizedek, after a 150 mile round trip, complete with warfare and retrieval of captured friends and family.

The Devil believes in God. He just can’t obey God. Believing on Jesus Christ includes obeying his commands.

Walk a mile to hear a preacher teach the word of the Lord is fine, right? But if the preacher teaches you to be buried with the Lord in baptism for the remission of sins, that’s ‘our own works’?...Not if it wasn’t our own idea.

I’m sure I’m saved, Baptized or not. Sealed by the Holy Spirit Forever. John 10:29

It’s obvious that not only are you a Calvinist, but you’re also a works-based salvation promoter. The devil is a liar and a thief. You and everybody who listen to him fall for his “works based” theology nonsense.

I don’t need some works-based believer telling me otherwise and neither do other Christians saved only by the Holy Blood of Christ.

You want to believe you’re saved by works and something you have to do? Fine. Based on that, you can also lose your salvation in the blink of an eye. Since to you it’s what you do that saves you, what you do can also “unsave” you.

Ephesians 1:13

What a horrible way to go thru life and I pity you....

**Itâ€™s obvious that not only are you a Calvinist, but youâ€™re also a works-based salvation promoter.**

Well, you’ve probably offended any FR Calvinists that are following this back and forth. I was a Calvinist from my childhood through my 28th year. They don’t regard water baptism any higher than your belief system.

I promote the Word as it is written. Jesus Christ commanded rebirth, and instructed his disciples on how this was to be accomplished. Before his ascension, only his disciples were made aware of his DETAILS for conversion (see the Lord’s commissions at the end of the gospels). Remember, even Peter was not converted until his upper room infilling on Pentecost. For Jesus had told them that he had to physically leave before the promise of the Spirit could come.

**Ephesians 1:13**

Aren’t you aware that the first Ephesians to hear the truth were baptized pronto by Paul, right after hearing his instructions? (Acts 19:1-5, with verse 6 showing them that they then received the Holy Ghost). You reference verses, like Eph. 1:13, but fail to notice that the context is this: Paul was writing to people that were ALREADY born again.

Eph. 1:1 “Paul, an apostle of Jesus Christ by the will God, to the saints which are at Ephesus, and to the faithful in Christ Jesus.”

**Christians saved only by the Holy Blood of Christ.**

I’m see that we both agree that the blood of Jesus Christ washes away all sin. I’m sure we agree that it is spiritually applied to our souls. The difference is WHEN his blood is applied to one’s soul.

The scriptures, when taken in context and as a whole, show repentance, and baptism in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. That’s when the Lord applies his blood on you.

The Word is complete with types and shadows of this conversion. With the institution of the Law, it wasn’t enough that the sacrifice and shedding of blood take place; the blood had to be applied to all concerned (Heb. 9:18-23).

Consider, when Paul reminded those converts in Corinth of the dangers of falling into the same sinful behaviors, as the Israelites did in the wilderness, he said:

“Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were BAPTIZED unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea;” 1Cor. 9:1-2

Using that type and shadow, under your belief system (as was with my Calvinist teaching), crossing the Red Sea would not have been a life saving requirement for the Israelites.

If nothing else, this type of discussion will further our study of the Word. Something good always comes from that.

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