The New Testament Witness to Christ and His Kingdom, Mentor's Guide, MG13

/ 2 9

T H E N E W T E S T A M E N T W I T N E S S T O C H R I S T A N D H I S K I N G D O M

2. Indication of the acknowledged penitence of the one who is baptized (i.e., of the desire to change one’s ways and so reorder one’s life back in sync with the ways of the Lord)

3. Baptism was defacto unimportant and unnecessary for Jesus.

a. Jesus was the Lamb commissioned to take the world’s sin away, John 1.36.

1

b. He committed no sin; there was no need for him to repent.

c. John felt the need to be baptized by Jesus, Matt. 3.13-14.

C. The baptism of Jesus Christ: “it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness,” Matt. 3.15.

1. Baptized (submerged) within the Jordan

2. The heavens open, the Spirit of God descends like a dove.

3. The Father’s voice: Matt. 3.17

D. The significance of Jesus’ baptism

1. Fulfilling the righteousness of God