John was the forerunner for the coming Messiah or Christ (Luke 1:17). from Nazareth (France, 119)1. One reason for this authority is that what Jesus teaches others, He Himself does. That is also the reason why Christians are encouraged to be baptized. The glorious Son of God obeyed the Father in becoming a man (Phil. Then he permitted Him. When Jesus was baptized, it was to “fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). Baptism symbolized a man’s or woman’s sorrow over his or her sin and the desire to be cleansed from sin. Yet “righteousness” in this text is richer still. 1. He foretells events both near and distant (Matt. The special form meant is not the mere compliance with the ordinance of baptism as administered by an accredited servant of God, but something far deeper, which the new era will unfold. 2:8). Jesus is the Prophet foretold by Moses (Deut. He mourns — not over personal sins (for He has none), but over others’ hardness of heart, stubbornness of will, and bondage to sin. One particular law that was being invoked by John was the washing requirement for all priests. 28:18–20). Copyright © Like The Master Ministries. The remaining two instances of the word have to do with John the Baptist. John the Baptist appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. Jesus was sinless and He did not need to be forgiven. Sadly, the New Testament text provides us no more explanation of this phrase. What is meant by the phrase "fulfil all righteousness” in Matthew 3:15? During Christ’s ministry He used the figurative language of immersion as a symbol of His coming death and resurrection. Matthew 28:19 (NASB). 5:18). And finally, the baptism fulfills all righteousness because it is a sign Christ Himself is willing to take on the role as our Mediator. Then Jesus arrived from Galilee at the Jordan coming to John, to be baptized by him. To be sure, we cannot get any better than that! Then he suffered him. 23:3), He practices what He preaches. 53:11). Hereafter, John should be the receiver and not the giver, but as yet there was a fitness in each retaining his position (the words "it becometh us" seem to refer to both, not to the speaker only).The word and the thought are the same as those of Hebrews 2:10. A non-profit, 501(c)3 corporation. What does tolerate mean in Revelation 2:20? The first reason that we can confidently give for Jesus wanting to be baptized was to prove to John the Baptist that Jesus was the Messiah. so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith.” First, John the Baptist’s baptism was for those who sinned – sinners! (NASB) Luke 12:50. The Bridegroom would be snatched away from the wedding guests, said Jesus early in His ministry, (Matt. 2:7) and His loyal Servant (Isa. Answer: Dictionaries define righteousness as “behavior that is morally justifiable or right.” Such behavior is characterized by accepted standards of morality, justice, virtue, or uprightness. In that same capacity, He prophesied that the temple would be destroyed (24:1–2, 15–21) and replaced by a temple of living stones (John 2:21; Eph. Jesus words and His subsequent baptism by John are an adumbration, or veiled allusion, of the cross, Christ's mission. So then, to fulfill means to obey God’s will as it should be, and to receive of the promises and blessings of God as a result of obedience to the Lord. 10:5–7). In the Greek, righteousness is translated from the word dikaiosyne, meaning integrity, virtue, purity of life, rightness, correctness of thinking, feeling and acting, the condition acceptable to YHVH. Baptism symbolized Christ’s coming death and resurrection for our sins. The phrase "to fulfil all righteousness" is a curious one, practically begging for further explanation and exegesis. Jesus “was obedient to the point of death” (Phil. (NASB) Matthew 3:13-15. He loves the God He commands His followers to love (Matt. The article suggested that Christ's baptisim was a manner of fulfilling all righteousness on [i] [u]our [/u] behalf [/i]. Yet Jesus alone perfectly does so. Matthew 5:10 is especially applicable to Jesus, for He is the uniquely righteous One (Matt. He chose to teach and heal in the temple (Matt. Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? The phrase “righteousness of God” makes perfect sense if it designates the gift of God’s righteousness. The Holy Spirit regenerated us (Titus 3:5). Zondervan. In essence, righteousness is “the state of him who is as he ought to be” (Thayer). 11:27; 22:37), and He commands His disciples to love each other as He has loved them (John 13:34). He preaches the Gospel of God’s dawning Rule, calling listeners to repentance and faith (Matt. 3:6), Jesus had no personal sins to confess. Baptism was a symbolic preparation for the coming King and kingdom. 1:1–2), showed Himself to be Lord of the temple and Judge of its illicit practices (21:12–13). Does the Bible tell us that John's baptism of Jesus fulfilled the law, and that it was completed by Jesus' baptism? 9:15). By sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin, he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit." In each case His active obedience finds expression. Jesus replied, “Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness.” Then John consented. and they were being baptized by him in the Jordan River, as they confessed their sins. '” Jesus got baptized to fulfill all righteousness. But John tried to prevent Him, saying, “I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?” But Jesus answering said to him, “Permit it at this time; for in this way it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” Then he permitted Him. The Next 500 Years: 2017 National Conference, Naming Ligonier the Beneficiary of a Bank or Investment Account, Gifts That Provide Income and Tax Benefits. (John 10:18; Phil. Before appointing others to be missionaries, He has been one Himself. Who is doing the winnowing? “No one takes [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10:18). In 3:15, Jesus says to the reluctant Baptizer, “Let it be so for now; for it is proper for us in this way to fulfill all righteousness.” Baptism is not commanded in the Torah and its connection with ethical righteousness is tenuous, especially in the Jesus’ interpretation of the Law perfectly accords with the progress of God’s saving purpose in history (Matt. Before we answer that question, we need to examine several points. It is indeed “the King of the Jews” who hangs upon the cross (Matt. We see in Matthew how Jesus executed the offices of prophet, priest, and king. He submitted to God’s commands (“born under the law”) to offer perfect obedience where Adam had failed (Rom. In other words, Jesus’ purpose was to establish the Word, to embody it, and to fully accomplish all that was written. Jesus “humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil. The supreme work that the Father requires of the Son (that which above all … Jesus was fulfilling and completing all righteousness. (15) Suffer it to be so now.--The "now" is emphatic, at the present time, in contrast with what was to follow. 2:8); “by one act of righteousness,” by “one man’s obedience” in His death, “many will be made righteous” (Rom. Matthew 3:13-15. But Jesus was baptized by John “to fulfill all righteousness.” This is where Martin Luther’s famous discovery of the New Testament’s use of the use of the word “righteousness” in the book of Romans is help. The key phrase in this passage says that Jesus wanted to be baptized in order to “fulfill all righteousness.”. 123-124. And John bore witness saying, “I have beheld the Spirit descending as a dove out of heaven, and He remained upon Him. Righteousness means to be without guilt … Throughout His ministry He is merciful to the helpless and needy. Christ, the firstborn of many brethren (Rom. Unlike those Old Testament persons who prefigure Him (for example, Moses, David, Solomon and Jonah), Jesus is consistently faithful to the Father’s will. (NASB) Matthew 3:13-15. This is the baptism that fulfills all righteousness. The answer is yes! Now in what sense does Jesus’ baptism fulfill and complete all righteousness? Grant Osborne summarizes the meaning of the phrase “to fulfill all righteousness” with this comment, In short, he “fills to the full” the “right” requirement of God in “the OT pattern and prediction of the Messiah.” He does not need to repent, but by submitting to baptism Jesus begins His messianic work by identifying with the human need and providing the means by which it can be accomplished.”[1]. 18:15; Acts 3:22). 5:17), and thus He merited eternal life for a sinful people. Go therefore and  make disciples of  all the nations,  baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit . When assailed, He does not retaliate or threaten vengeance (Isa. He is poor in spirit: assailed by fierce and unrelenting evil; He trusts in God the Father for protection and power. Was this a hand off of ministry from John to Jesus? Shortly before His death, He, who was not a descendant of Levi but of Judah (Matt. To fulfill something means: to satisfy, to bring to realization, to bring to completion. The Son of God willingly became a man (“born of a woman”) so that He could die as the God-Man. 17:7–9; Neh. The Spirit’s power will undergird the Son for His forthcoming ordeal in the desert (4:1–11), where in face of manifold temptations, He remains faithful to the Father (for example, Jesus’ responses to Satan in Matthew 4:4, 7, 10). 5:18–19). 12:18, 20). Dr. Knox Chamblin was professor emeritus of New Testament at Reformed Theological Seminary in Jackson, Mississippi. The cleansing act is God’s forgiveness of sins. Like those prophets who served God in Old Testament times (Zech. Like Moses, He expounds the Law of God from a mountain (Matt. 9:1–8). 11:12–13). Exodus 29:1-7, “This is what you are to do to consecrate them, so they may serve me as priests: Take a young bull and two rams without defect. 23) show His love for His enemies (Matt. Donations to this ministry are tax-deductible. 21:14–17; 21:23–23:39; 26:55). A sign that God has chosen the Lord Jesus to be Messiah on the part of His people. '”  John 1:32-33 (NASB). Even as a child, Jesus was found serving His Father in the temple (Luke 2:46–49). Unlike the nation’s leaders (Matt. In Matthew 3:15, Jesus says He is going to "fulfill all righteousness," which Protestants have long pointed to as proof that Jesus came to perfectly keep the law in our place. 1:6), Jesus is anointed by the Spirit of God to proclaim the Word of God (Luke 4:18–19). – They tolerated Jezebel. . He solemnly declares that “until Heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished” (Matt. “ To fulfill all righteousness.” If unrighteousness is sin, then righteousness is no sin. The writings of the New Testament, especially the four Gospels, testify that Jesus was faithful to that resolve all His life. Isaiah 42:21. What does it mean that Jesus' baptism fulfilled “all righteousness”? John’s baptism was not for Jesus. So the first and main reason for Jesus to submit to John's baptism was to fulfill God's word—which is God's righteousness—they had to perform what His Word had said to do! . . As the one who supplants Satan’s tyranny with God’s benevolent rule, He atones for His people’s sins and reconciles them to God; He is the peacemaker (Isa. The Jewish high priest had to “offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people”; Jesus, the sinless one, addressed the sins of others exclusively (Heb. The gospel demands that we fulfill all righteousness, and so we must. 7:24–26). . John’s baptism identified Christ as the coming Messiah – the Righteous One. So why did Jesus want to be baptized? He identifies Himself as meek (Matt. 2:6–7). Assuming that we would also like “to fulfil all righteousness,” we need to clearly and more fully understand what this entails. Thus He “fulfills all righteousness.” It symbolized His future death. 49:3; 50:5–8). Moreover, He saves His people from their sins, not by slaying goats, calves and lambs, but by sacrificing Himself and pouring out His own blood (Matt. Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament. The Ligonier Ministries site requires Javascript, but you’ve got Javascript disabled. “He will save His people from their sins,” said the angel concerning the child that Mary would bear (Matt. Like the high priest “appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God” (Heb. The Bible’s standard of human righteousness is God’s own perfection in every attribute, every attitude, every behavior, and every word. The crowds were astonished at Jesus’ teaching because He spoke with great authority (Matt 7:28–29). Moreover, He purchased freedom for a people who stood condemned because of their solidarity with Adam (“to redeem those who were under the law”) (Rom. Unlike the others who came for baptism (Matt. The New Testament tells us that we died to self when we were saved. 27:19; Acts 3:14; 1 Peter 3:18). Jesus replied, ‘Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfill all righteousness. 15:21–22). Jeremiah 9:23-24. The Cross also marks the supreme exercise of Jesus’ passive obedience, of His submission to His Father’s will. For the Christian baptism symbolizes death to our old self and being raised up to new life. John’s Baptism Symbolizes Repentance & Preparation, Isaiah 38:1-5; 2 Kings 20:1-11; 2 Chronicles 32:24-31, Matthew 26:36-58; Mark 14:32-54; Luke 22:39-54; John 18:2-15. What is the meaning of Matthew 3:11-12? Yet “righteousness” in this text is richer still. in all its fullness to as many people as possible. He does not merely assist sinful human beings in securing forgiveness from God; He himself forgives sins (Matt. Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” Matthew 3:2 (NASB). That is God. 5:21). For permissions, view our Copyright Policy. First published in Tabletalk Magazine, an outreach of Ligonier. Without this word our foundation for Christianity falls apart. This great High Priest, “holy, innocent, unstained, separated from sinners, and exalted above the heavens … is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since He always lives to make intercession for them” (Heb. John the Baptist twice called Jesus “the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” The Old Testament tabernacle was a mirror image of how Jesus would save us. The cleansing act is not accomplished by immersion into water or the pouring of water over a person. The Cross marks the supreme exercise of Jesus’ own will, of His active obedience. The answer is that John’s baptism also symbolized preparation for the coming kingdom of heaven. Thereafter, whenever God looks upon us, His children, He sees the righteousness of His beloved Son. The baptism is a sign of God’s approval of the Lord Jesus. 11:29; 21:5); God’s Servant is not quarrelsome, and He deals gently with the weak (Matt. Donate Now. (NASB) Mark 1:4, . Both Pilate’s wife (Matthew 27:19) and the soldier at the foot of the cross (Luke 23:47) acknowledged His righteousness at the very moment when men were condemning Him. “Christ is the culmination of the law” (Romans 10:4). Righteousness originally meant to be straight or right. Mark 10:38-39 (NASB), But I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished! 4:17, 23). Here achieving His greatest triumph through defeat. The Father raised His obedient Son from the dead, bestowed on Him the highest honors and granted Him universal authority (Phil. Righteousness is the quality or state of being morally correct and justifiable. Since John was given a sign, Jesus needed to be baptized. Jesus’ unfailing obedience to the Father cannot be understood apart from the empowering Spirit. 2:8–11; Matt. This word is extremely important and necessary to all Christians. Philippians 3:8–9: “More than that, I count all things to be loss . 5:18–19; 1 Cor. From the time of His birth, the Cross was in view. Righteousness, in human standards, is defined as “the quality of being morally true or justifiable.” The justification is made according to the conformity of behavior with the regulation (or constitution, in the context of a nation). 42:1). Just as the first Servant song (Isa. 3:17) the Father acclaims Him both His royal Son (Ps. Astonishingly, it is by the very means of His lowly service that all earthly tyrants will be subdued, and all nations made His possession (Zech. . (NASB) Romans 6:3-4. It is important to understand the two senses of this Greek word. This text has in view the Law as expounded both by Moses and by Jesus the New Moses. 9:6–7; 49:5–6; Eph. 2:8; Heb.10: 5–10. The supreme work that the Father requires of the Son (that which above all else is right for the Son to do and which will entail utter submission to the Father’s will) is that He, the Lord’s righteous Servant, save His people from their sins (Matt. 1:21; 20:28; 26:26–28). 5:19b). Nothing less than all this is meant by the phrase “thou shalt be saved.” The question which we must now address if we are to make sense of this doctrine that God is “just and the justifier” of them that believe on Christ, is not “what must I do 5:1–7, 29; 19:16–21. The key phrase in this passage says that Jesus wanted to be baptized in order to “fulfill all righteousness.” The Greek word for “fulfill” is pleroo which means “to fulfill” or “to complete.” It is important to understand the two senses of this Greek word. And power for all priests sign, Jesus had no personal sins to confess quarrelsome and... In view the Law of God ’ s baptism identified Christ as the God-Man thereafter, God! 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