by Richard Shin
The Christian form of baptism finds its roots with John the Baptist in the Jordan River (Matt. 3:6). It was prophesied in the Old Testament that a “messenger” (also, “Elijah”) would come to prepare the way for the Messiah (Mal. 3:1; 4:5-6). This messenger’s ministry was validated by Jesus Himself in Matt. 17:11-13. John the Baptist’s specific life purpose was foretold by the angel Gabriel that he will “turn many of the children of Israel to the Lord their God, and go before [Jesus] in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared” (Luke 1:16-17). This is undeniable, Biblical proof that John the Baptist was the prophesied messenger that came before Christ.
So, why is John the Baptist’s ministry of baptism with water so important to our understanding of baptism? John preached “Repent, for the kingdom is at hand” (Matt. 3:2), but he did so while people came to him as they “were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins” (Matt. 3:6). His message of repentance and his ministry of baptism came hand in hand. His baptism wasn’t an end in itself, but rather a precursor to Christ (Matt. 3:11). The ultimate stamp of approval for John the Baptist’s legitimacy is the fact that Jesus Himself gives authority to the act of baptism by submitting to it (Matt. 3:13; Mark 1:9-11).
Jesus’ approval of John carried important value for the ministry of Jesus. John’s ministry acted as a launching pad for Jesus to begin His ministry. Indeed, all four Gospels recount the baptism of Jesus prior to His ministry. Jesus’ baptism indicated for Himself, like others, an entire consent of mind and heart to the truth of John’s message that Jesus was “the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29) and that repentance marks the covenant people of God (Luke 13:3). Of course, baptism did not bestow upon Jesus any authority or status that Jesus Himself did not already possess; John himself also recognizes this when He asks Jesus why He is being baptized by someone as lowly as John the Baptist (Matt. 3:13). Unlike us, Jesus did not receive baptism as a testimony to personal salvation, but as confirmation of His personal commitment to effect it for others through his future baptism of suffering and resurrection to glory. He didn’t need to be baptized in the same fashion as we do because He was sinless; His baptism didn’t indicate repentance, but rather initiation of His ministry on earth. It’s interesting to note here that when Jesus was baptized, all three persons of the Holy Trinity were present with the Spirit descending from Heaven like a dove and the Father affirming His Son in an audible voice (Matt. 3:13-17).
We must pay particular attention to the fact that John’s baptism was different in nature than our baptism. We believe that Jesus died and rose from the dead to pay the penalty for our sins. Our faith is based on something that happened in the past. But Jesus had not been crucified before John the Baptist was beheaded (Matt. 14:1-12). So how could he baptize people for their trust in Christ’s finished work on the cross if it wasn’t finished yet? It’s because John’s message clearly demonstrated his trust in Christ’s atoning work. Every believer is marked by faith in God, pre- or post-Christ. John commanded his disciples to repent for their sins (Matt. 3:1-6), and he condemned the Pharisees and Sadducees for their lack of repentance and faith (Matt. 3:7-10). So, it is clear even from John the Baptist’s example that one had to already have faith for their salvation and therefore baptism.
We see from John 3:22-36 exactly what role John the Baptist played in Jesus’ ministry. Specifically from verse 29, we realize he is the “friend” of the bridegroom (Christ) who came to wed His bride (the Church). As he says this, he identifies himself as the friend who “rejoices greatly” and that that joy is “now complete” (John 3:29). As he concludes his ministry, he declares that Christ “must increase, [and he] must decrease” (John 3:30). This verbiage indicated that as John was stepping down from his ministry in baptism of repentance, He was ushering in Christ’s ministry who baptized with the Holy Spirit (John 1:33).