SUMMARY
Jesus comes from Galilee to the Jordan wilderness to be baptized by John. At Jesus’ request John acquiesces and baptizes JesusJesus is the Messiah whose life, death, and resurrection are God's saving act for humanity. in fulfillment of all righteousness. After the baptism a voice from heaven announces that this Jesus is God’s beloved Son.
ANALYSIS
Just when the Baptist’s activity seems so successful, it is “then” that Jesus first appears on the scene in a surprising turnabout. John has said that the one who is to come will baptize with the Holy Spirit and with fire. Instead, Jesus comes seeking to be baptized by John. Matthew alone seeks to address the problem by having John attempt to avoid Jesus’ request. If, after all, baptismJesus was baptized (literally, "dipped") in the Jordan River by John the Baptizer, at which time he was acclaimed from heaven as God's Son, the Beloved. Much later baptism became one of the sacraments of the Church, the action by which a person is incorporated... has to do with repentance and with bearing fruit that befits righteousness, why should Jesus have to be baptized? But the threefold reference to baptism in this passage and Jesus’ response to John both serve to emphasize the importance of this event coming at the beginning of this narrative of the good news about Jesus.
Jesus says that this baptism must take place to “fulfill all righteousness,” and with his words the reader begins to realize that righteousness has to do with much more than simply human ethical response, but rather has to do with the whole plan of God in this one who comes as savior, and thus is a sign of Jesus’ obedient submission to God’s marvelous grace. The unique reference to the opening of the heavens “to him” and the clear public announcement of God’s good pleasure name Jesus as God’s beloved Son (Mark says, “You are…”; MatthewA tax collector who became one of Jesus' 12 disciples. writes, “This is…”) and mark this event as revelatory of God’s presence and approval.
