A night-blooming cereus in a cedar tree.
Friday, 30 August 2024
and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. Matthew 3:6
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“and they were immersed in the Jordan by him, acknowledging their sins” (CG).
The previous verse noted that Jerusalem, all Judea, and the region around the Jordan went out to John the Baptist. With that remembered, the thought now continues with “and they were immersed.”
The word baptizó, to baptize, is now used for the first time in the New Testament. It is a transliteration of the Greek word. Its English meaning is “to submerge.” It is unfortunate that the word was transliterated and not translated because a lot of very poor theology could have been avoided.
However, that is the reason the word was not translated. Nobody at the time wanted to get stuck in a theological argument about sprinkling vs. immersion, or whether child baptism is acceptable. Wars could have started over such a thing. As for the meaning, a few commentaries will be given –
HELPS Word Studies says, “properly, ‘submerge’ (Souter); hence, baptize, to immerse (literally, ‘dip under’). 907 (baptízō) implies submersion (‘immersion’), in contrast to 472 /antéxomai (‘sprinkle’).” So, no sprinkling. Got it.
Thayer’s Greek Lexicon says, “properly, to dip repeatedly, to immerge, submerge (of vessels sunk, Polybius 1, 51, 6; 8, 8, 4; of animals, Diodorus 1, 36).” So, when a ship sinks, it gets baptizo’d. Got it.
Strong’s says, “From a derivative of bapto; to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. Fully wet); used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution, especially (technically) of the ordinance of Christian baptism — Baptist, baptize, wash.” Whelmed… I see. Fully wet. Got it.
This issue of John’s immersion was that of completely submerging those who came to him. A sign was thus being made that the people were wholly devoting themselves to return to the Lord, reconsidering their ways. If they came out and John sprinkled a little water on them, it would have signified something entirely different.
Further, John’s baptism, being a baptism of reconsideration of one’s ways, would not apply to little children because they had nothing to reconsider. Until they were old enough to know what was right and reject what was wrong, they were under the care and direction of their parents.
When Jesus initiated the New Covenant, the same truths would exist, but the immersion He directed now has a different purpose –
“And it happened, while Apollos was at Corinth, that Paul, having passed through the upper regions, came to Ephesus. And finding some disciples 2 he said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?’
So they said to him, ‘We have not so much as heard whether there is a Holy Spirit.’
3 And he said to them, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’
So they said, ‘Into John’s baptism.’
4 Then Paul said, ‘John indeed baptized with a baptism of repentance, saying to the people that they should believe on Him who would come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.’
5 When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. 6 And when Paul had laid hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied.” Acts 19:1-6
In Acts 2, like John’s immersion, the immersion directed by Peter was one of reconsideration (Acts 2:38), but it was for a different reason. They had just rejected Jesus and crucified Him. They had to reconsider their actions first, believing on the name of Jesus.
So, each account in Acts needs to be considered carefully to understand what is happening. The main point for now is that baptism signifies full immersion. Got it? Got it! John was immersing them “in the Jordan by him.”
The Jordan was first mentioned in the previous verse. It means The Descender. Everything about the Jordan forms a picture of Jesus. John was symbolically preparing them for the coming of their Messiah by submerging them in the waters of the Descender. This was because they were “acknowledging their sins.”
Sin comes about through law. Where there is no law, sin is not imputed (Romans 5:13). The law is not something that is given for righteous people. Rather, Paul explains the purpose of the law in 1 Timothy –
“But we know that the law is good if one uses it lawfully, 9 knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless and insubordinate, for the ungodly and for sinners, for the unholy and profane, for murderers of fathers and murderers of mothers, for manslayers, 10 for fornicators, for sodomites, for kidnappers, for liars, for perjurers, and if there is any other thing that is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust.” 1 Timothy 1:8-11
These are the type of people that were coming forward, acknowledging their state and reconsidering it before the Lord.
It is hard to figure out why people today would want to return to the law that Jesus fulfilled. By doing so, they are admitting that they are not righteous. Instead, they are reflected in the words of Paul above.
Rather, those who have come to Christ today are now deemed as righteous before God, not because of what they have done, but because of what He has done.
Life application: It was noted above that the Jordan, the Descender, pictures Christ. A portion of that will be explained so that you can understand how God has taken even the natural layout of the land of Israel to tell us about the coming of Christ Jesus.
The Descender starts at Mount Hermon, which means “Sacred.” It is a three-peak mountain, each peak of which is essentially the same size and height. That is a reference to the Trinity. Hermon is capped in snow all year, signifying purity. It is emblematic of heaven, the Sacred place.
The water descends from Mount Hermon springing up in the very northern areas of Israel, just as Jesus sprang up from the land in His incarnation. The waters first pass to and through the area of Dan, or Judge. Christ descended from heaven to the world to be the Judge of sin and to have sin judged in Him.
The waters flow south into the Galilee, where they linger before passing south, again into the Jordan. Christ’s life and ministry were centered on this area where He lingered, spending most of His recorded time there. The Jordan then travels in a very long zigzagging path along the border of Canaan. Christ, the Descender, went through all Israel, traveling and preaching.
The Jordan terminates in the Salt Sea, the Sea of the Arabah (Sea of the Pledge). It is the Dead Sea. Christ, the Descender, went to His death. But there was no corruption found in Him, typified by the salt of the Salt Sea – the salt being a picture of incorruption. In His death, the pledge, typified by the “Sea of the Pledge,” is given. It refers to the Spirit, the pledge (arrabon – from the Hebrew eravon) of Ephesians 1:13, 14 –
“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, 14 who is the guarantee [arrabon] of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14
From this sea, the waters do not continue on. Rather, they evaporate – a picture of the resurrection and ascension. As for the fulfillment of the typology, Jesus Himself expressly tells us that He is the fulfillment of what the Jordan pictures –
“For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me.” John 6:38
Though modern New Testament Hebrew is different from biblical Hebrew, there are overlapping words. In the Sar Shalom Hebrew translation of Jesus’ words, v’yaradti, “and I have come down,” is used. The name Jordan is from the same word, yarad. Jesus is the Descender.
These are but a few of the many pictures that can be drawn from a study on the Jordan. For example, Joshua 3 and 4 tell of the time when Israel passed through the Jordan on dry ground. Both passages give amazing insights into the future redemption of Israel when they come to God through acknowledgment of Jesus Christ. To understand these pictures, the sermons from the Superior Word are available in a variety of different formats for you to read, watch, or listen to.
Each time the Jordan is mentioned in Scripture, information about the Person of Jesus is seen. Be sure to consider what you are reading as you go through the Bible. It is all telling us of Jesus.
How precious is Your word, O God! It is telling us wonderful stories about what has been, what is currently going on, and what is coming in the history of the redemption of man, and it is all centered on the giving of Your Son for us. Thank You, O God, for Jesus Christ our Lord. Hallelujah and Amen.