Matthew 3:13

Baptized of him.

The baptism of our Saviour

I. The circumstance of title.

1. Seasonable. Men were at this time being baptized and confessing their sins. People were expecting the Christ (John 1:19). Let man be diminished, but let God arise. The truth is revealed that the servant may not rob the Master of His honour.

2. This adverb of time points to the age of Christ. Mature age. He taught the need of well-seasoned timber to make pillars for the Church of God. As Christ attained perfect age in nature, His servants should be perfect in grace and glory.

II. After what manner he would be baptized.

1. Upon what ground did John begin this new ceremony: It betokened the end of the old ceremonies. Superstitions turned into a blessing. Heathen used washings. Turned into an immortal laver.

2. The dignity of John’s baptism. It was the baptism of repentance. It did not lack grace. But Christ’s ministry is better than man’s.

Distinctions between the two baptisms.

1. John baptized in the name of the Messiah. Christ bade His disciples use another form.

2. They differ in extent-John baptized in the regions of Judaea, Christ bade His disciples to except none.

3. Christ’s baptism transcends John’s in the variety of persons.

4. Christ’s baptism is more operative since He has gone to His Father.

5. John’s baptism was good, Christ’s is necessary to the end of the world. (Hacket.)

1. John was jealous of our Saviour’s honour.

2. He confesses his vileness and inferiority. (Hacket.)

Faith is nothing else but a long-continued astonishment, which knows not how to utter itself, because the Lord hath done such marvellous things for us. (Hacket.)

Christ baptized

What so Divine an instigation to press us all to come unto the flood of living waters, to thirst for that immortal spring of grace than this, that the Son of God Himself did not decline to be partaker of the baptism of repentance. To make the sacrament virtuous and powerful for them that should take it after Him. That by His example, to undergo a new rite and ordinance, men might be drawn from old customs to newness of life. (Hacket.)

The baptism of Christ no degradation

As Caesar did not lessen his own dignity, because he would both command as General, and yet work in the trenches like the meanest pioneer, Dux confilio, miles exemplo; and as Helen, the mother of Constantine, was not under the honour of a princess, because she would dress the blains and ulcers of poor cripples in the hospital; so the mighty Son of God was not diminished in His glory, because He put Himself into the rank of abject ones by His own yielding and accord, not by compulsive necessity. (Hacket.)

I. We should sincerely feel the want of a divine redeemer. When Jesus demands baptism of John, the latter -publicly declares: “I have need to be baptized of Thee.”

II. We should acknowledge the wise counsels of God.

III. We should admire the grandeur and majesty with which jesus was encompassed. “We beheld our Saviour encompassed by a glory which transcends the most enchanting pageantry of nature. (From the Danish of Dr. Balle.)

The baptism of Jesus by John

I. The office of John was to awaken the conscience of mankind.

II. John had a ministry of separation.

III. John was a forerunner in pointing to Christ.

IV. John was to identify Christ. (Sermons by the Monday Club.)

The significance of our Saviour’s baptism

We can only allude to meanings which have been discovered in it; all of them, it may be, parts of its largest import. It “was to ratify the mission of John; it was to purify the water of baptism. Christ was ceremonially unclean, as representing sinners. St. Bernard sees in the baptism the exhibition of perfect humility; and Meyer, of perfect obedience. Still others look upon the baptism as an inaugural announcement, a formal identification, of His Person as the Messiah-an inauguration of His Messianic ministry. It is important to notice certain respects in which the baptism was unlike that of the people.

1. It was at the close of the day. He waited until all the penitents of that day had been baptized; in this, as in all else involving sin, separate from sinners.

2. John did not treat Christ as a sinner. He gave Him the remarkable testimony, “I have need to be baptized of Thee.”

3. At Jesus’ baptism there was no confession of sin. In the place of confession was a prayer.

4. The promised token, the descent of the Spirit as a dove, which abode upon Him, while a voice from heaven said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” (Sermons by the Monday Club.)