The Baptisms of Jesus

During Bible study last night, we spoke about Noah releasing birds from the ark after the flood to see if the waters had abated from the earth.  After the tops of the mountains were seen from his window for 40 days, Noah sent out a raven and a dove.  Genesis 8:9 reads, "But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot, and she returned into the ark to him, for the waters were on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took her, and drew her into the ark to himself."  Noah waited seven days and then released the dove again, and this time she returned carrying an olive leaf in her beak.  Seven days later he sent out the dove again, and that was the last Noah saw her because she did not return.

One way Jesus was identified as the Messiah to Israel and the world was when John baptised Jesus.  He said this was one reason the prophet John baptised people in water in John 1:31-33:  "I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." ³² And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. ³³ I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, 'Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit.'"  After Jesus was baptised the Holy Spirit descended and remained on Jesus in the form of a dove, and the voice of God declared from heaven Jesus was His beloved Son, and in Him God was well-pleased.  John the Apostle (who wrote the Gospel of John) affirmed himself to be an eyewitness in John 1:34, "And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."

John the Baptist addressed those who came to see John in wilderness of Christ's baptism that was mightier than baptism in water in Matthew 3:11-12:  "I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. ¹² His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire."  John showed Jesus was infinitely greater than he--though he was the greatest prophet among men--because Jesus would baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  By faith in Jesus believers are spiritually regenerated, having repented of sin, and are born again by the Holy Spirit who takes up residence within each Christian.  Jesus also will baptise with fire, and this speaks of eternal judgment.  John explained how Jesus will gather to Himself all who trusted in Him, and all who reject Him will be burned in the unquenchable fires of hell forever.

God holds accountable all who have heard of Jesus to believe in Him or to reject Him.  As human beings who have personal preferences, we like to keep all options available to us.  We can resent the lack of options with the narrow way Jesus provides to go to heaven and that all other paths lead to eternal damnation.  Jesus asked the chief priests and elders in Matthew 21:25-27:  "The baptism of John--where was it from? From heaven or from men?" And they reasoned among themselves, saying, "If we say, 'From heaven,' He will say to us, 'Why then did you not believe him?' ²⁶ But if we say, 'From men,' we fear the multitude, for all count John as a prophet." ²⁷ So they answered Jesus and said, "We do not know." And He said to them, "Neither will I tell you by what authority I do these things."  The simple question Jesus asked threw the religious rulers into a quandary.  They realised if they took a clear position they would incriminate themselves, so they pleaded ignorance.  Jesus wisely exposed their hypocrisy and refused to answer their question concerning His authority, for they would not believe Him even though He spoke the truth.

After Christ's death and resurrection, Matthew 28:17-20 details an interaction of Jesus with His disciples:  "When they saw Him, they worshiped Him; but some doubted. ¹⁸ And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. ¹⁹ Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, ²⁰ teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Amen."  Jesus has all authority in heaven and earth, and He alone has the power to baptise with the Holy Spirit and with fire.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  Even genuine disciples can have doubts, but God's word puts it plainly beyond doubt that Jesus is the Son of God, the Saviour of the world.  Those who receive Him by faith and are born again will gathered to Him in glory forever, and those who reject Him or claim ignorance will be gathered together to be burned with unquenchable fire.  Praise the LORD He has made a way of salvation through faith in Jesus, and what a privilege it is to worship and serve the KING OF KINGS who baptises us with the Holy Spirit.