| Author | Message | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
I have my thoughts, but would like some of yours  | ||
| Freeatlast (Freeatlast) |
Matt. 3:15 "And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer [it to be so] now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him." My understanding is that it was in fulfillment of prophecy. Another thing to keep in mind is that baptism is our entrance sign into the New Covenant. Jesus initiated the New Covenant when He was "anointed" at His baptism, as we also enter that Covenant when we are baptized. I'm real interested in the responses here too! | ||
| Loneviking (Loneviking) |
The reason that I see is related to the 'New Covenant'. I have my Bibles packed away as I'm moving so I can't give you exact quotes, but Hebrews talks about covenants and explains that a covenant is like a will. The contents, what is going to happen upon death---all of this is set down BEFORE the person dies, then once the person dies the will/covenant goes into force and cannot be changed. Christ then, had to be baptized and participate in the communion supper as both of these were to be used in the New Covenant. Once He died, these symbols came into their true, symbolic meaning and are now in force as part and parcel of the New Covenant, and we are to use them. | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
I had an interesting insight into Christ's baptism from Elizabeth Inrig at our women's Bible study leadership meeting a few weeks ago. We've been studying the life of Christ using a harmony of the gospels, and it's been wonderful. She pointed out that in every way Jesus represented Israel and the Jews. For example, when he went into the wilderness for 40 days, he represented the nation wandering in the wilderness for 40 years. The difference, however, was that Jesus went into the wilderness and rebuked Satan. He returned without sinning. Jesus' life represented the perfection which God required of Israel but which Israel never could accomplish. As Thomas Torrence, the Scottish theologian, said, Jesus's life redeemed our lives as well as his death redeeming us. Elizabeth further explained that John the Baptist's baptism was a baptism of repentance. Baptism was not new to the Jews. They had been practicing it for probably hundreds of years at least. It was part of what a gentile would do when he converted to Judaism. The Pharisees and the common people who watched John baptize were not surprised by baptism. They were, however, convicted by the repentance it required. Further, John's mission was not to Gentiles. He was sent to prepare the way among the Jews for the arrival of Christ. While undoubtedly many Gentiles heard and responded to J the B, the Bible records his interactions with the Jews and Jewish leaders. They were his primary audience and mission field. He was calling them to repentance so they would be prepared to recognize and accept Jesus. When Jesus asked John for baptism, he did so as the Jew of all Jews. He was baptized as a way of identifying with the Jews and identifying himself to the Jews. John immediately knew who he was and didn't want to baptize him. But when he did, all those watching had the opportunity to see that Jesus was God's son. They saw John demur; they heard him say he was unworthy to baptize him; they saw the dove come down from heaven. Those with eyes to see and ears to hear could recognize him as a Jew whom even J the B did not want to baptize because he did not need repentance. His baptism was his first public identification as the Son of God as an adult. It was also where Jesus publicly identified himself with the Jews to whom John was preaching. Jesus' baptism gave those Pharisees who knew the prophesies much reason to reflect on what they knew and to see that Jesus was more than the "illegitimate" son of Joseph and Mary. Today, just as Jesus's baptism marked the beginning of his public ministry, so it marks our entrance into the new covenant as children of God born of the Spiritóthe brothers and heirs of the Lord Jesus! Colleen | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
I wonder what the people thought when the Spirit decended on Him and God spoke! I think that has some significance to the New Covenant being establish only through Him and the new connection to pray directly to God without an earthly intercessor. Thank you all for your thoughts! | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
I think I just "got it"! The priests in the OT had to immerse in tubs of water before entering into the sanctuary and since Jesus became our High Priest, this was part of the fulfillment of the law, along with Cephias tearing his clothes, and an interesting point that I had heard is that when Jesus came out of the water and the dove descended on Him, it represented the annointing of the priests that was done from ear to ear with oil. I heard that doves are the only bird that's wings go forward instead of behind, if the dove descended facing Him the wings would be from ear to ear. Hebrews 7:12 says, "For when there is a change of the priesthood, there must also be a change of the law." | ||
| Doug222 (Doug222) |
Sabra, That is interesting, and plausible. Do you have the OT reference that required the immersing of the High Priest? What you described seems to make more sense thant Jesus being baptized so in order to cover all those who would not have the opportunity. When you think about it, that makes baptism a requirement for salvation--which it is not. I know that when John protested baptizing Jesus, he said that this needed to be done so that all would be fulfilled, so it makes sense that he would be referring to either an OT prophecy or a ceremonial ritual. Thanks for sharing that. In His Grace Doug | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
Exodus 29:4 "And Aaron and his sons you shall bring to the DOOR of the tabernacle of meeting, and you shall wash them with water. also Ex. 40:12 and Lev. 8:6) Preparation of the High Priest Lev. 16:.....therefore he shall wash his body in water and put them (holy tunic and trousers)on. I saw something on TV where archeologists had uncovered what they believed to be the basins where the cleansing took place, they looked like baptismals, with the steps going down! | ||
| Colleentinker (Colleentinker) |
Sabra, great point! I'd never thought of it quite that way. When you stop and think, everything Jesus did was to illustrate to those who might have "eyes to see" that he was the Messiah, the one all those rituals pointed toward. When the priests were cleansed,they then went into the tabnernacle, house of the Lord. When Jesus was baptized, the Lord Himself descended upon him. He was IT! What a great insight, Sabra! Colleen | ||
| Sabra (Sabra) |
...and I think it's awesome that it says they went into the "door"! He is the door !! | ||
| Flyinglady Registered user Username: Flyinglady Post Number: 124 Registered: 3-2004 |
Dear Friends on this forum, Because I have accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and want to serve only him, I am being baptized on Wednesday June 30, 2004. As an SDA I was baptized for all the wrong reasons. At 12 I was baptized because i was thankful I did not die from polio the winter before. Then after my divorce and my "drifitng away from the true church" I wanted to rededicate my life to Christ and was rebaptized. No one ever explained that all I had to do was to respond to Jesus love for me and accept that Jesus died on the cross and was resurrected so that I might have eternal life. So, rejoice with me as I am baptized for all the right reasons this time. I do not know any of you, but all of you have been so supportive as I have left the SDA church and started learning what the Bible really teaches. God bless all of you and keep each of you in His arms. Diana | ||
| Colleentinker Registered user Username: Colleentinker Post Number: 303 Registered: 12-2003 |
Diana, your news exciting! Praise God for how he is leading you. Colleen | ||
| Sabra Registered user Username: Sabra Post Number: 104 Registered: 10-2001 |
Praise God, Diana!! I'm so happy for you. | ||
| Dennis Registered user Username: Dennis Post Number: 95 Registered: 4-2000 |
Diana, Your commitment to Christ is contagious. Truly, He is worthy! Dennis Fischer |
