Why Jesus was Baptized?
Without placing our trust in the baptism of Jesus, salvation is unattainable. This is precisely why the Apostle Peter proclaimed that the water, symbolizing the baptism of Jesus, serves as a "symbolic representation that brings about salvation" (1 Peter 3:21).
Jesus comes to John at the jordan river to be baptized
Matthew 3:13-16
[13]Then Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him.
[14]And John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?”
[15]But Jesus answered and said to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he allowed Him.
[16]When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him.
When Jesus underwent baptism, He spoke to John, saying, "Allow it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness" https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew+3%3A15&version=NKJV
In this context, "for thus" signifies the act of "laying on of hands" to transfer the sins of the world onto Jesus, ensuring the fulfillment of righteousness for all. The Greek word for "righteousness" is "dikaiosune," conveying the meaning of "the fairest state" or "to be just in character or deeds, implying righteousness or suitability."
Through His baptism, Jesus perfectly accomplished righteousness for all humanity in a just and appropriate manner. By taking upon Himself the sins of humanity through baptism, the following day, John the Baptist testified, exclaiming, "Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29).
What does the Baptism mean
Baptism holds multiple symbolic meanings. Firstly, it signifies being cleansed or washed. Secondly, it represents burial or immersion. In a spiritual sense, it denotes the passing on of sin through the laying on of hands, as practiced in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Jesus' baptism by John the Baptist served to cleanse the world of all sins. By being baptized, Jesus took upon Himself the sins of humanity, acting as the representative of all people and the High Priest from the lineage of Aaron. The purpose of His baptism was to remove our sins.
The word "baptism" carries a spiritual connotation of passing on and burial. Hence, "the baptism of Jesus" signifies that all sins were transferred to Jesus, and He was judged in our place. To save mankind, Jesus had to cleanse us of our sins through His baptism and sacrifice His life for them. Consequently, His death represents the demise of all sinners, including you and me, and His resurrection signifies the resurrection of all individuals. His sacrifice serves as the salvation for sinners, while His baptism stands as a profound testament to the cleansing of humanity's sins.
The Bible states, "There is also an antitype which now saves us, namely baptism" (1 Peter 3:21). The baptism of Jesus represents the righteous path to salvation for all of humanity, as it washes away our sins.
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