•3:14 PM
Why was Jesus baptized? John the Baptist baptized people who had sinned; does this mean Jesus was a sinner?
Topic(s): Jesus, Baptism
Let's begin by answering the latter question.
First, Jesus was not a sinner.
There are a number of scriptures that address this directly. Among them: 2 Corinthians 5:21; 1 Peter 1:18-19; 1 Peter 2:21-22; Hebrews 4:14-15; Hebrews 7:26; and 1 John 3:5.
Now, why was Jesus baptized by John the Baptizer?
When Jesus came to Jordan to be baptized by John the Baptizer, John tried to discourage Him from doing so. Jesus assured John that such was indeed the will of God, not because Jesus was a sinner, but in order to "fulfill all righteousness." But what exactly does that statement mean?
In Psalm 119:160, the Psalmist declared, "The sum of Thy word is truth" (ASV, NASB). In Matthew 21:23-27, the Pharisees challenged the teaching and authority of Jesus. In response, He asked them to make a determination as to the teaching of John the Baptizer; was his teaching from heaven or from men? Realizing their difficulty, they refused to answer Jesus. The truth was, John's teaching came from God. He was said to be full of the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb (Luke 1:15).
Conclusion: Because John's teaching came from God the Father, and because Jesus always did those things that were pleasing to His Father (John 8:29), Jesus was obliged to obey the teaching of John the Baptizer.
