Why did Jesus want to be baptised by John the Baptist?

When John the Baptist saw Jesus coming to him, he said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!"

Why did John use the words "the Lamb of God"? Why didn't he say, "Behold! The Lion of Judah who takes away the sin of the world"?

It is because the Lamb facet of Jesus speaks of His death. He is the final sacrifice -- the true Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. His one perfect sacrifice brought an end to the repeated animal sacrifices of Judaism, which served to point the Israelites to the true Lamb, who was to come at the appointed time.

What did the people behold?

John said, "Behold!" If you were there at the Jordan river, what would you have beheld?

The baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist.

You would have seen Jesus go into the water of the Jordan river and then rise out of it. What is this a picture of? It is a picture of His death, burial and resurrection. We know that water baptism speaks of our death and burial with Jesus, as well as our resurrection with Him into a new life. (Romans 6:3-11, Colossians 2:11-14, 2 Timothy 2:11)

So today, how do we behold the Lamb who takes away the sin of the world? We remember and meditate on the Lord's death and resurrection for us. And one of the most biblical ways we do that is by partaking of the Holy Communion, for when we partake of the Communion, we proclaim the Lord's death till He comes. (1 Corinthians 11:26)

Jesus was also glorified

Right after Jesus was baptised, the heavens were opened to Him and the Holy Spirit in the likeness of a dove descended and remained on Him. God the Father then spoke audibly, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased."

This is a picture of the glorification of Jesus. Our Lord wasn't just raised from the dead by the Father. He was also glorified. The Father "seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come". (Ephesians 1:20-21)

To fulfil all righteousness

Now, John's baptism was a baptism for sins. People who came to him to be baptised also confessed their sins. (Matthew 3:5) So why did Jesus go to John to be baptised when He was without sin?

Jesus gave this answer to John, who was puzzled as to why Jesus would want to be baptised by him: "Let it be so now; it is proper for us to do this to fulfil all righteousness." (Matthew 3:15, NIV)

Jesus was not being baptised for His sins, but for the sins of the whole world -- "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world." In order for the righteous requirements of the law to be fulfilled, and in order for us to be able to receive freely the gift of righteousness apart from our works, Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins. Hence, He received John's baptism, which is a picture of Him dying for our sins, a most necessary sacrifice to "fulfil all righteousness"! 


Post revelation note:

There is another beholding of our Lord in the Bible. It is found in the Old Testament. I am talking about the bronze serpent on a pole in the wilderness. The Israelites had been bitten by fiery serpents and many were dying. God told Moses to make a bronze serpent and put it on a pole. Those who beheld it instead of their wounds were healed.

The bronze serpent (bronze speaks of judgment and the serpent symbolises the curse) on the pole is a type of Jesus becoming a curse for us on the cross. (More on the bronze serpent on the pole here.) He redeemed us from the curse of the law (Galatians 3:13), which includes being redeemed from all kinds of diseases. (Deuteronomy 28:61)

So one is a "wet" beholding while the other is a "dry" beholding, in the sense that one took place in water and the other in the desert under the scorching sun. The "wet" one took away sins while the "dry" one took away diseases.

What is my point? When you take the Holy Communion, there are also two elements to behold. One is the "dry" scorched bread (the matzah bread must be made with burnt marks) for our healing and the other is the "wet" wine for the forgiveness of sins.

So when you hold the bread in your hands, behold Jesus on the pole cursed with your disease. See your disease taken away from you and placed on His body. Surely He has borne your sicknesses and carried your pains. (Isaiah 53:4, YLT) And when you hold the cup of wine in your hands, behold Jesus going into the watery grave of the Jordan river -- behold the Lamb who shed His blood to take away your sins!