Why did Jesus get baptized? Even John the baptizer protested against it. Jesus certainly didn't need forgiveness of any sins, so why go through that?
The Church's main traditional reason for it is that he had to institute the sacrament of Christian baptism, just as he had to institute the Sacrament of the Eucharist at the Last Supper. In fact, Jesus instituted all the sacraments in his ministry, for example Holy Matrimony at the Wedding at Cana - though it's clear from this that Jesus didn't need to get married in order to make marriage a sacrament. So why did he need to get baptized? Because by doing so, he sanctified water as the sacramental element of baptism. In other words, the water didn't baptize him, he baptized the water! (Well, that's not exactly the way the theologians would say it, but you get the idea.)
Basically, by submitting to baptism, Jesus invented holy water! We could also say that in a way, his baptism was his ordination to his ministry. He did not receive his anointing at that time, or receive the Holy Spirit, since he had both of these always, but he did, in a sense, receive the Father's stamp of approval, as we discussed in The Journey. This was the moment when the Father announced that the Son came with His authority.
I'm back on the road for a couple days - going to get to have dinner tonight with Mike Aquilina. Please pray for me, and my family, as we travel.
I'm back, up and running, and ready to go - I should have a new JOURNEY episode within the next week or so - and because you are my loyal peeps, here is an exclusive, just-for-you, behind the scenes SNEAK PEEK into my new office:
This was for March 24th, recorded for the Ascension App
Thanks for your patience - here is our next installment of The Journey - it's session # 96, but I'm also calling it PART 1 of a "miniseries" on John chapter 6.
Whoever watches it first, please let me know if it looks good or if there are any problems with it - I get through the first two sections of the text on the feeding of the 5,000.
Enjoy!
I mentioned in The Journey that I wrote a song based on Isaiah 2, which is one of my favorite OT passages:
In days to come, the mountain of the Lord’s house
shall be established as the highest mountain, and raised above the hills.
All nations shall stream toward it. Many peoples shall come and say:
“Come, let us go up to the Lord’s mountain, to the house of the God of Jacob, That he may instruct us in his ways, and we may walk in his paths.” For from Zion shall go forth instruction, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.
He shall judge between the nations, and set terms for many peoples.
They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; One nation shall not raise the sword against another, nor shall they train for war again. House of Jacob, come, let us walk in the light of the Lord!
I hope you like the song!
