One of the most certain historical facts recorded in the gospels is that John baptized Jesus. Each Gospel, however, presents a different significance or interpretation of this fact.

Seasons

In first-century Israel there were two seasons: rainy (from late September to late April) and dry (early May to early September). During the rainy season people stayed indoors. During the dry season, people could be out and about, a very important Mediterranean activity. People there love to see and be seen. In this regard, Jesus and his disciples were typical Mediterraneans.

That Jesus and others could be “dipped” in the Jordan indicates it was the beginning of the dry season, when the Jordan and its streams would have been filled with the winter rains and the sun had warmed the shallow waters to a comfortable temperature.

In Matthew’s Gospel Jesus’ ministry lasts one dry season. He dies at Passover, a harvest feast celebrated at the beginning of the next dry season. In John’s Gospel, Jesus’ ministry covers a period of three dry seasons because he makes three trips to Jerusalem to observe the springtime feast of Passover.

Jesus’ Identity

In Matthew, the voice from heaven announces: “This is my beloved Son with whom I am well pleased.” Hasn’t the evangelist already made this point in the first two chapters of his Gospel?

Remember that in this honor-driven society, one must establish that value at every opportunity. In the baptism, a public event witnessed by everyone present, God personally proclaims a relationship of father and son, patron and client, with Jesus. Without this public declaration, Jesus would have been unable to initiate his ministry. Even so, Jesus’ hometown neighbors remained skeptical: “Is this not the carpenter’s son? … Where did he get all of this?” (Mt 13:54-58).

Significance of the Dipper

From the earliest times, the followers of Jesus were embarrassed by his submission to John’s baptism. John, after all, explained that his baptism was for the purpose of repentance (Mt 3:11). Being superior to John (Mt 3:11-12), Jesus did not need to repent.

Matthew’s account offers two explanations to ease the embarrassment. One is common to all three accounts of Jesus’ baptism, namely, the voice from heaven. In the Hebrew Scripture, this voice is called the “daughter of the voice” (bat qol), that is, the “echo” of something God has spoken.

The voice from heaven in Matthew says that Jesus is baptized because God wills it. God is pleased by Jesus’ obedience, which in turn suggests that Jesus deserves obedience from his followers.

The second explanation which is peculiar to Matthew’s Gospel is Jesus’ claim that he must “fulfill all righteousness.” Scholars understand this to mean that, like many people, Jesus was intrigued by John’s reputation and went out to see him. Then John’s exhortation to repentance caused a change of heart in him, a conversion.

Jesus was an artisan. While there is no evidence to indicate that he ever cheated clients, he recognized the risks entailed in his profession and accepted John’s call to “produce good fruits.” Jesus was baptized in order to please God. As a result, he became John’s disciple and shared in the dipping ministry. (See John 3:22 which reports Jesus’ baptizing ministry, and contrast John 4:1-2, the later Christian tradition, which denies it.)

How refreshing for American believers to realize that Jesus, too, had to discover his identity, discern God’s will for him, and pursue his destiny. Jesus’ beliefs helped him. How do our beliefs help us?