The Baptism of Christ: Reverence, Righteousness, and the Voice from Heaven

When Jesus came from Galilee to the Jordan to be baptized by John, He was not merely participating in a religious ceremony. He was taking His first public step into the work He had come to accomplish. This moment, quiet, humble, and yet thunderous with glory, marks the beginning of His earthly ministry and reveals profound truths that steady the soul and instruct the church.

The Humble Beginning of a Great Ministry

Matthew tells us that Jesus came to John “to be baptized by him” (Matt. 3:13). John, rightly startled, protested: “I need to be baptized by you, and do you come to me?” (v. 14). John understood something essential: Jesus had no sin to confess and no repentance to perform.

Yet Jesus answered, “Let it be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (v. 15).

Here we see the humility of our Savior. He did not come insisting on His rights, but submitting to His Father’s will. As the great High Priest, He identified Himself with the people He came to redeem. Just as the priests of old were ceremonially washed when entering their office, so Christ publicly submitted to baptism as He began His mediatorial work. He did not need cleansing, but He willingly stood where sinners stand.

This is no small thing. The sinless One steps into the waters not for His sake, but for ours.

Baptism: Neither Magic nor Neglect

Because Christ Himself submitted to baptism, it ought never to be treated lightly. An ordinance honored by the Head of the Church must be honored by His people. And yet, Scripture calls us to walk a careful path, avoiding two dangerous errors.

First, we must beware of superstition. Baptism is not a charm, nor does the water itself convey saving grace automatically. Scripture nowhere teaches that all who are baptized receive equal spiritual benefit, regardless of faith or repentance. To suggest otherwise is to confuse the sign with the reality it points to. Grace is received by faith, not by ritual.

At the same time, we must beware of dishonor. Baptism should not be pushed to the margins of church life, treated as a mere formality, or quietly ignored. Christ ordained it. Each baptism marks the visible admission of a person into the community of God’s people. Such moments ought to stir prayer, gratitude, and sober joy. The more convinced we are that baptism and regeneration are not inseparably tied together, the more earnest our prayers should be whenever baptism takes place.

Baptism is not everything, but it is never nothing.

Heaven Opened and the Trinity Revealed

The baptism of Jesus was unlike any other. As He came up from the water, the heavens were opened. The Spirit of God descended like a dove and rested upon Him. Then a voice came from heaven:

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” (Matt. 3:17)

Here, for a brief and glorious moment, the veil is pulled back. Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all publicly present. The work Christ is about to undertake is no afterthought, no divine improvisation. Redemption flows from the eternal counsel of the Triune God.

At creation, God said, “Let us make man.”
At the beginning of the gospel, it is as though heaven declares, “Let us save man.”

The voice from heaven had not been heard since Sinai. The law was introduced with divine thunder; the gospel now begins with divine pleasure. The Father publicly affirms the Son not only as obedient, but as appointed. Jesus is declared to be the Mediator, the Substitute, the Ransom-Payer for sinners.

“In Whom I Am Well Pleased”

These words are rich beyond measure.

The Father is pleased with the Son because His law will be perfectly obeyed, His justice fully satisfied, and His mercy gloriously displayed. In Christ, God will be both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom. 3:26).

And here is where the comfort overflows: all who are united to Christ by faith share in this pleasure. Though sinful in themselves, believers are counted righteous in Him. The Father sees them as members of His beloved Son. For Christ’s sake, He is well pleased.

This is not sentimental optimism. It is solid gospel ground.

A Word for the Weary Soul

If you have fled to Christ for refuge, if you have entrusted your soul to Him, these words from heaven are for you. They speak peace to the guilty conscience and rest to the anxious heart. Your standing before God does not rise and fall with your performance. It rests securely in the beloved Son.

Christ stepped into the waters so that sinners might one day stand before God, clean and accepted. The heavens opened for Him, and in Him, they are opened for us.

May we ponder these things often, with reverence, gratitude, and steady hope.