Atlanta tri-weekly journal. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1920-19??, 1924-07-15


Jesus had grown up in the family
OF a poor man in = small town in
We north. John had grown up in
the hill country OF Judea in the
south, and had gone into the wilder
ness and lived the life of a recluse
They mav possibly have seen each
other as boys once a year when the
family gatherings took place at Je-
doubtful. 1t is highly improbable
that they had seen each other at all
since they had grown up. John was
six months the elder, and as a boy
he probably was told by his mother
the circumstances surrounding his
own birth and those during the visit
of Mary. He was told also in all
certainty the events concerning the
birth of Jesus and His presentation
at the temple. But beyond that
there probably was no acquaintance
between them.
Under these circumstances it is
rather noticeable that when Jesus
came to John to be baptized, John
demurred, saying: Il have need to be
baptized of Thee, and contest Thou
to me?" What was there in Jeses
that made that impression on John?
Was it that His face radiated the
purity of His life? or was it, an inn
preston created in him by the Spirit
of God that this Man was He that
should come?
Jesus reply was significant: "Suf
fer it to be so now, for thus it be-
cometh us to fulfill all righteous
ness Thus" is the word to be
emphasized. In no other way could
all the conditions be met. John
seemed to appreciate that, or at least
not to rebuff it, and SO John bap
tizSd Jesus.
Previous to this God had commu-
nicated in some unrevealed way to
tie with the Holy Ghost, the One
whose forerunner he was, would be
indicated to him in this way: He
should see the Holy Spirit in the
form of a dove descending upon One
on Him. This should be to him a
whose coming he had been announc-
ing.
SO when Jesus of Nazareth was
baptized, John saw this sign and
bare record that this Man is the Son
of God. For there was more than
just the appearance of the dovelike
Spirit-there was a Voice from heav-
en-, saying, This is my beloved Son,
in Whom l am well pleased"
Why?
Why was God well pleased? Why
"a
singless Son of God tell John to suf-
fer it to be so now? Why was this
necessary to fulfill all righteousness?
Well, the answers to these ques.
tons require some careful think
ing. The baptism of Jesus by John
was a different thing from Johns
baptism. Johns baptism was the
baptism of repentance unto remis-
sion of sins, but Jesus had never
sinned and had no need of repent
ance. Neither in fact nor in figure
could this be true of Him. Baptism
by John was also different from
Christian baptism which had not
been instituted and was not for at
least three years thereafter. 1t rep
resents-according to the view of it
taken by different denominations
either the cleansing which is the
work of the Holy Spirit, producing
neWness of life, or the burial of the
old life and rising into newness of
life. This is. clearly different from
Johns baptism which was unto re-
pentance for the remission of sins.
and which he, as the prophet of the
law, used to refer them back to the
premise of restoration in the land
given by Moses.
The baptism Of Jesus therefore by
John-being neither of these-was
unique and particular. 1t was the
means of inaugurating Him into the
work which He had come to do as
the lIessiah. For thirty years He
had been waiting for this day-now
the clock was struck and Gods
hour had come, and He comes forth
to begin His work as the Servant
of Jehovah. Baptism as an invita-
ton into the mystery was well
known and. frequently practised.
The baptism of Jesus had this sig
nific nee. Therefore the Voice from
heaven, attesting Gods acceptance
of Him for this new work.
But there was a deeper signifi-
canoe than this. In the old dispen-
'sation, the paschal lamb was chosen
and presented and then tested to see
whether it would be acceptable. And
here was Jesus, who had come to
bear the sin of many, to offer Him.
self as the One on whom the Lord
might lay the iniquity of us all, to
receive the stripes on His back
which should fall on ours, and to
give His life as a ransom for many.
In order to fulfill righteousness
1t was necessary for Him as the
slnless One to identify Himself with
sinners in baptism, which He did.
lie had no sin of which to repent:
but He identified Himself thus right
at the beginning of His ministry as
the S1nbearer with us who are reek-
ing with the vileness of it. There
fore, the Voice from heaven saving,
rms is my well beloved Son. in
whom [ am we'll pleased; And there
fore, Immediately the next day,
Johns testimony as He passed by,
Behod the Lamb of Gods provid-
ing!
Has the humiliation to which
Jesus Christ the Son of God sub
1ected Himself been made effac+ix,e