Matthew 3:13-17

Matthew 3:13-17

Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan

to be baptized by him.

John tried to prevent him, saying,

“I need to be baptized by you,

and yet you are coming to me?”

Jesus said to him in reply,

“Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us

to fulfill all righteousness.”

Then he allowed him.

After Jesus was baptized,

he came up from the water and behold,

the heavens were opened for him,

and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove

and coming upon him.

And a voice came from the heavens, saying,

“This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.”

Opening Prayer: Lord God, it is good that I recall the gift you have given me through Baptism. I am now your child. I am now a member of your Son’s mystical body. I am now a temple of your Spirit. Washed free from the stain of sin, I want to fully live your divine life in works of merciful charity.

Encountering the Word of God

1. The Baptism of Jesus according to Matthew: All four Gospels narrate the Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan River, but only the Gospel of Matthew records John’s objection and Jesus’ response. John, we are told, tried to prevent Jesus from being baptized and said that he needed to be baptized by him. Jesus answered John: “Allow it now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Matthew 3:15). What does this scene and “fulfilling all righteousness” mean? First, John’s objection recognizes that Jesus doesn’t need a baptism of repentance for himself and implies that Jesus is without sin. Second, Jesus’ response about fulfillment means that there is a prophetic dimension to Jesus’ baptism. It fulfills salvation history in some way. Third, when Jesus refers to the “fulfilling all righteousness,” he is referring to the Jewish idea that our righteous actions fill up the heavenly treasury and satisfy the debt we have incurred with God through our sinful actions.

2. The Debt of Sin and the Credit of Righteousness: In ancient Judaism, sin was referred to as a debt. This is found in the Lord’s Prayer, when we ask: “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors” (Matthew 6:12). Sin is likened to a debt that we build up against God and others. In the prayer Jesus taught us we humbly ask God to forgive the debt we have incurred due to our sins promising to forgive the debt that others have incurred against us through sin. While sins are debts, righteous deeds as seen as credits and wages and heavenly treasure. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus not only told us to pray for the forgiveness of debt, but also to avoid performing righteous deeds to be seen by others. If we do that then we will have no recompense (wage) from God our Father (see Matthew 6:1). The idea here is that God will pay us for righteous deeds with heavenly treasure. That is why Jesus encourages us to “store up treasures in heaven” (Matthew 6:20). We either rack up debt through sin or build up heavenly credit through righteous deeds like giving to the poor (Matthew 19:21).

3. Grace as a Gift: When Jesus says that he should be baptized by John in order to fulfill all righteousness, he is saying that when he eventually goes down into the waters of baptism at his crucifixion, his righteousness will be so great that he will be able to fill up the measure of righteous deeds and pay off the debts of sin of all humanity. Jesus doesn’t need to be baptized for his own sake or to pay the debt of his sin. He is being baptized for us. It is an act that anticipates the righteousness of his sacrificial death, an act that will pay off the entire debt of sin of all humanity. Our righteous deeds are meritorious only when they are empowered by divine grace. Grace is given to us as a gift with the expectation of a return. God is not indifferent to how we use his gifts. We make this return to God not only through proper praise and thanksgiving and honoring him through worship, but also through acts of charity and mercy.

Conversing with Christ: Lord Jesus, you associated yourself with sinners by going to the Jordan River to be baptized by your cousin, John. You know my struggles and how I am tempted daily by sin. Have mercy on me and grant me your forgiveness. 

Living the Word of God: What are the highlights of my spiritual business plan this year? How will I store up heavenly treasure through grace-empowered righteous deeds?