Let’s begin with a question; Why did Jesus need to be baptized, if John’s baptism was for the repentance of sins? Jesus didn’t need to repent because he had not sinned, nor would sin, so, again why the baptism? I believe the answer is simple. The baptism of Jesus was not for the repentance of sin but was for the inauguration of Jesus’ ministry. It was the beginning point of the message of the gospel that Jesus would preach. Christ had come to bring about the full redemption of humanity (that is those who have trusted in Christ) through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus the Messiah. Not only was it the beginning of the ministry but was the proclamation of Jesus as the Divine Son, who would have the Holy Spirit rest upon in His earthly ministry. We see the interaction of the Trinity here at the baptism of Jesus. The Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit (One God in Three Persons). (If you have any questions about the Trinity, here is great article for resource on the Trinity. What does the Bible teach about the Trinity? | GotQuestions.org) So, Jesus was baptized to begin the ministry and mark the Divine nature of the work that be done through Christ Jesus.
One other important thing that must be pointed out here is that Jesus saw this act of baptism as a fulfillment of scripture and pointed to the righteousness of God. The call of all who follow Christ is the call and command to live a righteous life. Paul says it this way in Romans 12:1-2 “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” Living lives that are renewed and transformed by the gospel and the work of the Holy Spirit, is living a righteous life. Our baptism is a marker of our repentance of sins and trust in Christ as Lord and Savior, and our desire to be righteous in our living.
In the sermon this week, Pastor Tony had three main points, let’s take a deeper dive into those points and apply them to our daily lives.
Point 1: The Submission of the Son (v.9)
Paul writes these words in Ephesians 1:3-4; “ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” Before the foundation of the world, God the Father, ordained the work of the Son and the Son desired the work that was set before Him. The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit are all at work throughout redemptive history and they are certainly at work here at the baptism of Jesus.
As mentioned in the beginning of this commentary, Jesus was not coming to confess His sins but was coming to follow in full agreement with the plan of the Father. It was now time for the ministry of Jesus to begin, and the Son desired to submit to the plan of the Father. We need to understand something about submission here. Jesus is not saying that the Father is more God than He is as the Son, but He is saying that the Father’s role in creation and redemption is the planner.
John understood that he was not qualified to baptize Jesus and submitted to the authority of Jesus and baptized Him. Again, this baptism marked the beginning of the ministry of Jesus and the proclamation of Jesus as the Divine Son.
As Tony mentioned yesterday in the sermon, it is 70 miles to the Jordan River from Nazareth, which means it took effort and time to get there. Just as Jesus walked 70 miles to get to the Jordan, God the Father worked throughout redemptive history, to get this time and place for Christ to begin the ministry and work towards the cross and resurrection.
Application Question: In what areas of your life do you need to work on submitting to the will and work of God?
Point 2: The Seal of the Spirit (v.10)
Jesus is immersed under the water and the moment that He comes up, He sees the heaven being torn open. The picture here of the heavens being torn open is that the sky was opened and there was great chasm. It was if Jesus was looking into Eternity and could see the Father on the throne. This was again a sign or declaration of the Divinity of Jesus and the connection of Him with the Father in Eternity.
Not only was the Heaven opened, but the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus like a dove. It is interesting that Mark uses the word like a dove, and not as a dove. A dove flying in the sky is often depicted as a serene and peaceful creature, gracefully soaring through the sky. It was that kind of movement that the Holy Spirit descended upon Jesus. The Spirit will gracefully move in the ministry and work of Jesus for the next several years as Jesus heals, preaches, feed, and ministers to the people.
What we see here is that the Holy Spirit seals the work and ministry of Jesus and confirms that He is the Messiah. “The appearance of the Holy Spirit descending like a dove has other implications besides confirming Jesus as the Messiah. This scene in which heaven opens, the Spirit descends, and the voice of God speaks is reminiscent of Old Testament prophetic commissioning (e.g., Ezekiel 1:1–14, 26–28; Isaiah 6:1–8). The commissioning of a genuine prophet always occurred in God’s presence, underscoring the significance of this baptismal event and connecting it to the narrative of the Old Testament.” (What does it mean that the Holy Spirit descended like a dove (Matthew 3:16; Mark 1:10; Luke 3:22; John 1:32)? | GotQuestions.org)
Application Question: If you are follower of Christ, you have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, so in what ways are you needing to be refreshed by the movement of the Holy Spirit in your life today?
Point 3: The Satisfaction of the Father (v.11)
The last thing Mark mentions about the baptism of the Jesus is the words of the Father. The Father is declaring and confirming Jesus as the Divine Son. “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Let’s look at few of these words as we examine the satisfaction of the Father.
The word that the Father uses for beloved is ἀγαπητός (agapētos), which means “beloved, dear; worthy of love.” The Father’s love for the Son is eternal and one of complete satisfaction. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were in complete harmony and agreement as God.
The next word that I want to look at is εὐδοκέω (eudokeō), which is the word used for well pleased. It means to think well, approve, consent, take delight or pleasure in. The Father is saying that He takes full delight in the Son. This delight is not based upon the work of the Son but is directly tied to the Sonship of the Son. Each member of the Trinity delights in each other simply because He is God.
“The happiness of the Father consists in the enjoyment of His Son, in whom He sees His own perfect image and glory.” Jonathan Edwards
Application Question: Would you say that the Lord is pleased with the life you are living for Him and if not what areas need to be improved?
In conclusion:
I want to conclude today, with a simple thought. Jesus the Divine Son came to be the Son of Man, so that you and I could have a relationship with God. As you and I meditate on the acts of Jesus throughout the gospel of Mark, the call and command are for us to have an Encounter with Jesus daily in the Word.
Take time today and read the account of the baptism of Jesus in each of the gospels and reflect on each account.
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