The one thing John hadn’t wanted to do was to baptize Jesus. John’s baptism was for repentance, and John knew that Jesus had no need of that. Nonetheless, Jesus told him to give in, for “it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” (Mt. 3:15) Judging from the use of the term “righteousness” in some other passages, this statement means that it is right to conform in every way to God’s salvific plan.
But why should the Father want His Son to receive a baptism of repentance? Because the Son was sent precisely to identify with sinners. The essence of the Father’s plan is that the Son should identify with sinners so that sinners might identify with the Son, and so be made heirs to the Father’s kingdom.
We too should work hard to identify ourselves with this Jesus who identified Himself with us: This Jesus who is both God and man; this Christ and Lord; this Savior.
--Dr. Jeffrey Mirus
Image source: The Baptism of Jesus, stained glass, St. Simon Zeolites, Chelsea, London, https://www.facebook.com/groups/303462353173920/posts/2921553614698101/
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