Seventh Day Baptist
Christian Education Council
PO BOX 1678
Janesville, WI 53547
—Matthew 3:13-17
by: Jo Anne Kandel.
Why would Jesus, who was without sin, need to be baptized? The New Jerome Biblical Commentary offers three reasons.
First, in contrast to the Pharisees and Sadducees who wanted to distance themselves from the common folk, Jesus may have wanted to identify himself with the people who had come to John to be baptized. Second, Jesus was fulfilling God’s will by being obedient to his command. Third, Jesus was establishing a model of Christian baptism for his believers to follow.