Saturday, August 12, 2006

The Baptism of Our Sinless Savior!
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The Mode and Meaning of Our Lord's Baptism



I. Jesus Baptism An Official Act For Public Ministry

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Q. Was the baptism of Jesus an official act? A. Yes, It was an official act as was His temptation and crucifixion.
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(NOTE: The official acts are those Old Testament requirements that God had ordained for the setting aside of people for the priesthood and other holy offices.)
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Q. Are Christians commanded anywhere in the Bible to follow the official acts of Jesus? A. No, they are commanded to follow His moral acts.
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Q. If the baptism of Jesus was an official act are those good people wrong who contend that Jesus was baptized to set an example to His followers? A. Yes.
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Q. Is there any evidence in the Bible that Jesus was baptized to set an example to His followers? A. We have never found any such evidence.
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Q. For what reason did Jesus say He should be baptized? A. "Thus it becometh us (John and Jesus) to fulfill all righteousness."( Num. 4:3; Luke 3:21-23; and Matt. 3:13-15) .
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Q. What was meant by fulfilling righteousness? A. Righteousness among the Jews had always meant conforming to the law, the doing things in a commanded way, now there is no evidence that it meant anything else in this instance. ( Deut. 6:25 ).
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Q. Was there any New Testament law that Jesus could fulfill by baptism at thirty years of age, or any other age? A. No.
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Q. Where in the law of the Old Testament is it required a Jew to be thirty years old before he could minister the Holy things? A. Yes. (Num. 4:2-4, 35, 39, 47; Num. 16:8-9; Num. 8:14-15, 21, 22.)
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Q. Was Jesus to minister publicly in Holy things? A. Yes.(Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; Heb.3:1; Heb.9:11; Rom. 15:8) .Q. How old then was Jesus when He was baptized? A. Thirty years old. (Luke 3:23) .
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Q. What law required Him to be thirty years old before He could fulfill it? A. The law of public ministry, the only law of the kind in the Old Testament. ( Num. 43-4, 35, 39, 47; Heb. 9:15-17)
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Q. Was the ordination or induction of Jesus into His public ministry different from other priests of His time? A. Not in any essential feature.
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Q. Could any one perform the duties of a public minister until he had been baptized? A. No (Num. 8:7, 14, 15, 21-22.)




Jesus’ baptism was to fulfill the Scriptures


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John the Baptizer inherited his office of priest from his father Zacharias. It was necessary for a priest to perform baptism, therefore John, being a priest (Lev. 16:32-34) baptized the thirty year old Jesus (Num. 4:3, 35, 39, 47). Jesus Christ then being baptized and officially set apart began His earthly ministry.


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II. The Biblical Way Which Jesus Was Baptized

Q. What mode of baptism was prescribed by for inducting one into Holy office? A. Sprinkling. Num. 8:7.
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Q. Then if Jesus was inducted into His public ministry at baptism, what mode must have been used? A. Without question the mode of baptism was that of sprinkling.
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Q. If Jesus had been baptized by another mode, would He not have broken God's law for public ministers? A. Yes, when the law said sprinkle, no other mode would suffice.
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Q. What did Jesus say about the law? A .He stated that He would not break the law! "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets. I am not come to destroy, but to fulfill." Matt. 5:17
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Q. Do not further acts of Jesus show fully that He complied with the law at baptism? A. Yes, there is no record that He preached, chose apostles, performed miracles, healed the sick, raised the dead, or performed any other part of His public ministry until He had been baptized.
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Q. Who baptized Jesus? A. John the Baptist. Matthew 3:13-17
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Q. Who was John the Baptist? A. He was the last of the Old Testament prophets. "The law and the prophets were until John."
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He was also a priest in the regular order. His father was Zacharias, the officiating high priest of his time, and his mother was Elizabeth of the daughters of Aaron. We are reasonably assured that he was circumcised at eight days old, presented in the temple at forty days old, confirmed at twelve years of age, and we know that he was about thirty years old when he began his ministry.
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Q. If John was a prophet, how did he baptize? A. In the same manner that all other prophets baptized--sprinklings.
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Q. Was there ever a question raised that John had departed from the law of Moses in his baptism? A. No.
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Q. Did John baptize publicly? A. Yes, Jerusalem and Judea, and all the region round there attended his baptism. ( Matt. 3:5)
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Q. Were those who came competent to judge as to what the law was? A. Yes. The Pharisees and Sadducees came to his baptism. (Matt. 3:7) .
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Q. Why was no complaint ever raised against John? A. Because he was baptizing just like Moses and all the prophets said he should baptize-- sprinkling people. .
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Q. If John had been immersing when those Pharisees and Sadducees came to him, would he not have been pronounced an impostor and violator of law? A. Yes
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Q. If Jesus had failed to do all the prophets said about Him, or had not fulfilled all the law required Him to do, would He have been thought the promised Redeemer? A. "What think ye?" NO!.
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Q. Since John was six months older than Jesus, and began his ministry six months earlier than Jesus, or when he was thirty years old, how was John set apart to his ministry? A.Set apart by being sprinkled according to Old Testament law?
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Q. If John was sprinkled at thirty years old, how did he baptize Jesus at the same age? A. By Sprinkling. Note: Would there not be a striking contrast, if John was sprinkled, and Jesus was immersed?
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A believer does not follow the Lord Jesus in Baptism. Our baptism is not to fulfill righteousness, but Jesus was under the law and all the law had to be righteously fulfilled. Our Baptism is not to take on a public ministry but the baptism upon Jesus was the “ordination” for His taking upon Him the public ministry at age thirty thereby fulfilling all righteousness."( Num. 4:3; Luke 3:21-23; and Matt. 3:13-15). Righteousness among the Jews had always meant conforming to the law, the doing things in a commanded way. In all investigation completed there is no evidence that it meant anything else. ( Deut. 6:25 ) If Jesus sought to do His public ministry without proper baptism being administered He would have sinned and He would not have accomplished redemption for His people. His baptism was a must for the working of his Holy work (Matt. 20:28; Mark 10:45; Heb.3:1; Heb.9:11; Rom. 15:8)


A believer does not follow the Lord Jesus in Baptism

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Is it any wonder that there was “celebration” and an announcement from the Father within the Godhead! Mat 3:15-17 But answering, Jesus said to him, "Permit [it] now, for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness." Then he permits Him. (16) And having been baptized, Jesus went up immediately from the water. And look! The heavens were opened to Him, and he [i.e. John] saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming upon Him. (17) And listen! A voice [comes] out of the heavens, saying, "This is My Son-the Beloved-in whom I am well-pleased!"
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Jesus baptism:


a. Not baptized for repentance – he was sinless

b. Not a baptism as our example – we are not to wait until 30 years old;


c. Not a baptism preparing Immanuel for the Lord - he was God;


d. Not a baptism for an answer of a good conscience toward God – He was pure and sinless;


e. Not a baptism for remission of sin – He never sinned.


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Celebrate my Friends…… CHRIST IS RISEN! HE IS RISEN INDEED! ……. The Messiah has accomplished His work and is at the Right hand of the Father! WE ARE REDEEMED!
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Q. Do not some claim that it makes no difference which mode of baptism is used, nor as to the age of Jesus at His baptism? A. Yes, but Jesus was under the law and all the law must be fulfilled.
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Q. Are you glad that our Savior fulfilled all the law required of Him? A. Yes for Jesus would not have fulfilled the law, if He had been circumcised at ten days old, or baptized at twenty years old?
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Q. When John the Baptist baptized in Jordan, does that necessarily mean in the river by that name? A. No. The country had the same name as the river. John 1:28 says: "These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan, where John was baptizing."
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Q. What did Jesus understand in Jordan to mean? A. When they were near, or at the brink of Jordan, the Jews understood that to be in Jordan. Joshua 3:3 says: "When ye are come to the brink of the water of Jordan, ye shall stand still in Jordan."
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Q. Did John live at Bethabara when he baptized Jesus? A. Yes, and was there the next morning after the baptism, when he pointed out Jesus as the Lamb of God.
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Q. What kind of water is at Bethabara? A. A spring. .Q. Do ministers ever immerse in springs nowadays?
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Q. If John baptized the multitude by sprinkling, how did he baptize Jesus? .
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Q. Was it a novel scene in Israel for men like John the Baptist to go to streams for baptism? A. No, all priests did so.
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Q. Was John the Baptist the only priest that ever baptized "in Jordan"? A. No. His fathers and grandfathers had baptized in the region.
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Jesus’ baptism was to fulfill the Scriptures, God ordained in the law sprinkling, and had by prophet after prophet inscribed the ceremony. To do anything less would have been sin. Jesus would have failed His calling. Suffice us to end here in saying that Jesus DID NOT ignore the very Scriptures He was fulfilling. To God be the Glory!

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