The Submission of Jesus Christ As an Example

Matthew 3:13-17 is the section, as we have been seeing in our series through Matthew on Sunday mornings, is the “baptism of Jesus.” We could just say, Jesus was baptized. It’s also the beginning of the ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ. John began his ministry earlier in the same chapter, and then Jesus comes, just like one with think with John being the forerunner. The passage, if anything though, is about the testimony of the Trinity, the Godhead, to Jesus Christ. Jesus testifies to Himself. John the Baptist didn’t want to baptize Him, because it was a baptism unto repentance, and Jesus didn’t need to repent. However, Jesus had a purpose of fulfilling righteousness. That was His testimony to Himself. The Holy Spirit lighting upon Jesus was a second or even third testimony if John’s was the first. Then there was a third testimony from the Father. I want to park briefly on that one. The Father was well-pleased with His Son. Why? His Son was doing what He wanted Him to do. The Son wanted to do the Father’s will. He did it. The Father had given John the Baptist authority. Jesus submitted to that authority, the Father to John to Jesus. This shows the humility of Jesus. He traveled seventy miles to submit to the authority of the Father. Baptism was the right thing to do. Jesus always did the right thing, not the thing that felt good, or that was convenient. I would say He didn’t do what He wanted either, except that He actually did want to do what the Father wanted Him to do.