GOD’S WORD FOR YOU
LUKE 3:21a
John Baptizes Jesus
21 When all the people were being baptized, Jesus was baptized too.
First, to answer a few arguments, we should notice a little Greek in this verse (readers who are not fascinated by Greek verb tenses may want to jump down to the next paragraph). The verbs “when…being baptized” and “was baptized” are both in the aorist tense, which is to say, they only describe the fact that this baptism happened at this time. Someone might argue, doesn’t an aorist passive verb, such as we have here in baptisthenai (βαπτισθῆναι) indicate a preliminary action, so that Luke is saying that Jesus was baptized “after” all the people were baptized—that is to say, that Jesus was the last one John baptized? The answer is: No. The aorist passive baptistheni is an infinitive following the preposition en (ἐν), which means “in” or “during the time when.” The point Luke makes is that Jesus was baptized at the same time as everyone else, that is, while he was baptizing everyone, not after. Jesus was part of the crowd that came down to the Jordan to be washed.
Second, it needs to be pointed out that the Bible never stresses the mode or method of baptism. Even here, in what surely is the most important baptism ever to take place, we are only told the “where” and not the “how.” The Greek dative case with the preposition en (ἐν, this is in Mark 1:5) only tells us that this washing happened in the Jordan. Another passage (Mark 1:9) substitutes another preposition (eis, εἰς) with no change in meaning. What about Jesus coming up “out of the water” (Matthew 3:16)? Matthew says apo (ἀπό) “away from.” Mark says ek (ἐκ) “out from, away from.” In his Grammar, Robertson (p. 597, 577 and 561) points out that this means that Jesus had been “in” the water, but by no means that he had been “under” the water. Neither apo nor ek describe the Lord’s baptism, but only describe Jesus stepping out of the river following that baptism.
It is an utter fallacy to insist that “baptize” by definition means to immerse. As we have already discussed, to “baptize” can mean to wash the dishes, or the furniture, or the merest portion of a hand or finger (Luke 16:24). The root meaning is to wash, without ever stressing the method. We should note the story of the Jailer of Philippi (Acts 16:27-34), who washed Paul’s wounds and then was baptized immediately, right there in the jail (καὶ ἐβαπτίσθη αὐτὸς καὶ οἱ αὐτοῦ πάντες παραχρῆμα). It is doubtful, even improbable, that an immersion baptism could have taken place there in the county lock-up.
It is to our shame that we need to quibble about such things. Lutherans only bring the matter up because others insist on one mode or another, and we want to be clear that the Bible says no such thing. Baptism is not a matter of Law, but of Gospel, and the devil shows where he has done his mischief when Christians are left discussing these things when we should be looking elsewhere, at the point of the story. What is the point of Jesus’ baptism? Jesus did not need to be baptized to have his sins washed away, since Jesus had and has no sins. But he identified himself with sinners. He bore our sins, and by this action, he was anointed as our Messiah, the Christ. He was anointed by the Holy Spirit (see verse 22), but he was also anointed by his baptism. In this way, we are connected to him through the very same baptism. In the rest of this verse and the one that follows, the Father and the Holy Spirit will show their approval. But here, as John lifts the water of the Jorden over Jesus’ head and baptizes the Savior of the world, we can say: “I was baptized, and Jesus was baptized, too. I was baptized into his name, and he gave his life for me.” Here Jesus is inaugurated into his office as our Prophet, Priest, and King.
As I remember my own baptism, I’m invited by the Bible to remember Jesus’ baptism, too. Paul explained: “We were buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead, through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection” (Romans 6:4-5). Since our sinful nature has been drowned in baptism, let’s strive to live, today, a righteous and pure life, loving our families and neighbors and serving God with joy and peace.
In Christ,
Pastor Timothy Smith
Archives by Wisconsin Lutheran Chapel: http://www.wlchapel.org/worship/daily-devotion/
Pastor Smith serves St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, New Ulm, Minnesota