Matthew 3:16 (KJV) 16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mark 1:4 (KJV) John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.
If baptism was for sinners, why did Jesus get baptized?
This is going to sound a little esoteric, but my belief is that He was doing things backwards compared to the way we do them to symbolize His coming to us. The way we come to God, we first come to the faith, and then accept His sacrifice. Afterwards we get baptized, and then the Holy Spirit tabernacles with us. I'm using this language for a reason. It's the pattern of the tabernacle. At the entrance is the altar for sacrifice. Beyond that is the laver, for washing. Finally, is the Holy Place. Kohens would first sacrifice, then wash, and finally enter the Holy Place.(Exodus 30:18-21) It was how men came to God. What Jesus did when He came to us, was first leave the Holy Place (Heaven), then wash (baptism), and then sacrifice Himself - once and for all - so that we may come into the presence of God by His sacrifice.
There are several reasons why Jesus was baptized. I will explain two reasons which will include Jesus' answer to John as to what " to fulfill all righteousness means" (Matt 3:15).
First, it was Christ's public anointing as King. John the Baptist (JTB) came in the spirit of Elijah, but it's hard to miss the similarities of his and Samuel's ministry. Author A. W. Pink alludes to this in his book The Life of David Vol I:
It is a remarkable fact that David was anointed three times. First, privately at Bethlehem (1 Sam. 16:13). Second, by the men of Judah (2 Sam. 2:4). Third, by the elders of Israel (2 Sam. 5:3). So also was that august One whom he foreshadowed. This will appear the more evident if we quote the following: "Then Samuel took the horn of oil, and anointed him in (or "from") the midst of his brethren: and the Spirit of the Lord came upon David from that day forward" (1 Sam. 16:13). Concerning our Lord, His humanity was miraculously conceived and sanctified by the Spirit and endowed with all graces in the Virgin’s womb (Luke 1:35). Second, (see Isa. 6) He was publicly "anointed with the Spirit" (Acts 10:38) at His baptism, and thus equipped for His ministry Is 61:1). Third, at His ascension He was "anointed with the oil of gladness above His fellows" (Ps. 45:6, 7).
Just as the priest Samuel anointed an unknown and seemingly weak shepherd named David from Bethlehem as king of Israel, JTB (who was also of priestly line) anointed the King of Kings. What should grab our attention are the subsequent events immediately after Jesus is baptized. John sees the Holy Spirit descend upon Jesus, and he hears the Father's voice identify Jesus as His Son. The same son who is decreed a kingdom in Psalms 2:7:
Psa 2:6 Yet have I set my king upon my holy hill of Zion. Psa 2:7 I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Psa 2:8 Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession.
A second reason why Jesus passed through the waters of baptism, and one more specific to Matthew's account of, and aim of his gospel, which was to represent Jesus recapitulating the historical events of OT Israel. We find Matthew using the fulfillment formula throughout his book. For example, Matt 2:15 reads:
Matt 2:15 and was there until the death of Herod; that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Matthew used a portion of scripture from Hosea 11.1, which textually applied to the nation of Israel and applied it to Christ. Theologians differ as to the reasoning of the fulfillment passages, but most agree that Matthew's gospel goes through great lengths to prove Christ as the preeminent Son of all creation, One whose life was foreshadowed in Israels history as people, places, and objects. Consider these passages when you have a moment: Matt 12:49. Jn 1:14, 2:19, 3:14, 6:35.
In Matthew we find Jesus fully identifying with the nation He came to save by undergoing the OT ordinances like circumcision as a child, (Luke 2:21) and abiding by OT law and customs. He passes through the waters of baptism fulfilling the second exodus motif found in Isaiah chapters 40-55, and just as OT Israel passed through the Red Sea to identify with their mediator Moses (see 1 Cor 10:2) Jesus undergoes baptism because he was the way of salvation. True, Christ is sinless, but he identifies with sinful man by dying which only sinful man short of God's grace should do.
Following baptism, Matthew records Jesus immediately going through the wilderness for forty days to be tempted, just as Israel was put to the test for forty years. Instead of failing to reach to kingdom as the first generation of wilderness bound Israelites after the exodus, Jesus defeats Satan by the word of God (interestingly by using verses from Deuteronomy) and seals the entrance into His kingdom by His death, burial and resurrection. So Jesus' response to JTB in regards to fulfilling righteousness was about completing the righteous requirements set forth by His Father to obtain the throne that was His before the earth's foundation. Christ not only righted the wrong of Adams sin, but He righteously fulfilled the failings of Israel. This was to prove himself as the "firstborn" of creation (Col 1:15). The true Son of God. Meaning not physically born first according to natural order, but the Son who would receive His Father's inheritance by promise (Gal 3:16).
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The Bible answers that question a few verses earlier in Matt. 3:15, as it is written,
And Jesus, answering, said to him, "Permit it now, for thus it is fit for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permitted him.
Ἀποκριθεὶς δὲ ὁ Ἰησοῦς εἶπεν πρὸς αὐτὸν, Ἄφες ἄρτι οὕτως γὰρ πρέπον ἐστὶν ἡμῖν πληρῶσαι πᾶσαν δικαιοσύνην Τότε ἀφίησιν αὐτόν (TR, 1550)
The real question is, what does it mean to "fulfill all righteousness," and how did Jesus and John (notice the 1st person plural pronoun ἡμῖν; however, see this question) cooperate to accomplish that?
The answer to your question lies in what the origin of baptism actually is. Baptism, as it is called by many Christian groups, and as the New Testament mentions in several places, is actually the Jewish ritual of immersion in a ritual bath called a miqveh (Heb. מׅקְוֶה). Ritual immersion, in it of itself, does not necessarily denote good or evil. For example, Jewish women immerse themselves upon completing their menses, as is alluded to in this verse from Leviticus:
וְאִם טָהֲרָה מִזּוֹבָהּ וְסָפְרָה לָּהּ שִׁבְעַת יָמִים וְאַחַר תִּטְהָר:
"And if she be purified from her discharge and counts for herself seven days then afterwards she will be purified (from all contamination)."
In this case, immersion is simply a natural fact of life. Immersion may represent something very positive. When non Jews convert to Judaism, they are required to immerse themselves in a miqveh. On the other hand, immersion can be associated with a negative sin. If a Jew engages in certain types of forbidden sexual relations or eats flesh from an animal which died from natural causes, he is liable to immerse himself in a miqveh. In these cases, certain sins were the cause necessitating immersion. However, the act of immersion by itself does not necessarily imply sin.
Jesus of Nazareth, who was fairly well versed in Jewish law, also must have been familiar with the laws of immersion. In addition to the scenarios mentioned above, immersion was also a requirement for an Israelite to enter the Temple. Jesus entered the Temple on a number of occasions, and this would have been cause for immersion (Baptism).
Why was Jesus baptized?
Firstly we will look into , why John the Baptizer baptized.
John's baptism was for the repentance of sins committed against the Law Covenant, they were baptized in the Jordan river as they confessed their sins.
Mark 1:4-5 (NASB)
4 "John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness [a]preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. 5 And all the country of Judea was going out to him, and all the people of Jerusalem; and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, confessing their sins."
John’s baptism was a baptism in token of repentance, Thus John’s baptism prepared those repentant persons for the coming of Jesus.
Acts 19: 4 The New Testament, An American Translation
“John’s baptism was a baptism in token of repentance,” said Paul, “and he told the people to believe in him who was to follow him, that is, in Jesus.”
Why was then Jesus baptized? Since he was perfect, sinless and had no sins to repent?
Jesus Baptism was a Symbol of Dedication,
When Jesus approached John and requested him to baptize him, John tried to dissuade him , saying: “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?”(Matthew 3:14 NASB.) Jesus insisted and was baptized.
Matthew 3:16 (KJV)
16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Paul quoting Psalm 40:6-8 explains why Jesus was baptized, Jesus was baptized to fulfill his desire to do his Father's will.
Hebrews 10:4-7 (NASB)
4 "For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5 Therefore, when He comes into the world, He says, “Sacrifice and offering You have not desired, But a body You have prepared for Me; 6 In whole burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin You have taken no pleasure 7 “Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come (In the scroll of the book it is written of Me) To do Your will, O God.’”
I think any answer to this question will be necessarily interpretive. There isn't an explicit explanation in scripture unless you just take Jesus at his word when he says, 'But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.”'
There are however, some clues as to why. Here is my thought process, and if it's not in the right format, or isn't correct to post as an answer I welcome the critique.
John the Baptist came as the forerunner to Christ. Confirmed as the Elijah prophesied in Isaiah by Jesus. In Matthew 11:10 Jesus says, “This is the one about whom it is written, ‘Behold, I send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.'"
Jesus was aligning himself with John's ministry, therefore putting himself in the position of that person who John was charged with preparing for. John's baptism of Jesus inextricably links him to John's ministry.
Jesus by being baptized by John, was identifying with those who were coming to repent. John's baptism was characterized in Luke 3:3 as a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus, by being baptized foreshadows his ultimate fulfillment of the prophesy in Isaiah 53:12,
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, And He will divide the booty with the strong; Because He poured out Himself to death, And was numbered with the transgressors; Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.
And nearly fulfilled in Luke 22:37,
It is written: 'And he was numbered with the transgressors'; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfillment."
The cultural significance of baptism at the time is important to examine, but it shouldn't overshadow what the text itself says about John's baptism. It was a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Any explanation of it's significance should include this.
I wrote this as an exercise in my own understanding. I trust that all you are more knowledgeable than I and will educate me on what I have missed.
To fulfill all righteousness and to be born in the spirit and receive power from on high, John 3:5 Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. Acts 1:8"But you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you;" Matthew 3:15 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.
I believe that the best explanation of Jesus' baptism may be that He was being ordained as High Priest and this was "the fulfillment of righteousness." Hebrews presents Jesus as the ultimate High Priest, superior to the Levitical priesthood established in the Old Testament and in order to start a priestly ministry a Levite would be ordained at the age of 30.
In the Old Testament, at the age of 30 Levites who were qualified to become priests were washed and anointed for their service (Exodus 29:7). For example, Mosses washed or "baptized" Aaron and his sons and then anointed them with oil.
Lev 8:6 And Moses brought Aaron and his sons, and washed them with water,
7 And put upon him the coat, and girded him with a girdle, and clothed him with the robe, and put the Ephod on him, which he girded with the broidered girdle of the Ephod, and bound it unto him therewith.
8 And he put the breastplate thereon, and put in the breastplate the Urim and the Thummim.
9 Also he put the miter upon his head, and put upon the miter on the forefront the golden plate, and the [a]holy crown, as the Lord hath commanded Moses.
10 (Now Moses had taken the anointing oil, and anointed the [b]Tabernacle, and all that was therein, and sanctified them,
11 And sprinkled thereof upon the altar seven times, and anointed the altar and all his instruments, and the laver, and his foot, to sanctify them.)
12 And he poured of the anointing oil upon Aaron’s head, and anointed him to sanctify him.
Similarly, Jesus' baptism and the anointing of the Holy Spirit can be interpreted as the ordination of His priestly ministry.
We know that Jesus is the High Priest from our reading in Hebrews 5:1-6, where Jesus is depicted as a high priest appointed by God.
5 For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. 2 He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. 3 Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people. 4 And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was. 5 So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”;
Melchizedekian Priesthood: Hebrews emphasizes Jesus' priesthood in the order of Melchizedek, a priestly order separate from the Levitical priesthood. Melchizedek was a priest-king who blessed Abraham in Genesis 14:18-20. Hebrews connects Jesus' priesthood to Melchizedek, highlighting its superiority over the Levitical priesthood.
Sinless High Priest: According to Hebrews 4:15, Jesus is described as a high priest who is "without sin." Unlike the Levitical priests who had to offer sacrifices for their own sins before offering for the people, Jesus, as the sinless High Priest, offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice once and for all (Hebrews 7:27).
John the Baptist, whose father was a serving priest and whose mother was a "daughter of Aaron" would establish John as a priest. John washes Jesus and then God does the anointing. Jesus then begins His ministry as the true High Priest.
A public manifestation of the Trinitarian Godhead as stated in St. Matthew’s Gospel 3:16 and his command to the disciples as found in the same Gospel 28:19..
