ArchivedWhy was Jesus baptized by John?This is all good stuff, but there are a few other issues we should consider. Lets’ take a survey of the landscape! 1) John was baptizing at “Bethabara beyond Jordan”(John 1:28), an area at the southern end of the Jordan River close to the Dead Sea, and facing what was once Jericho. This is where Joshua led the Israelites to cross the Jordan, and where the tabernacle was set up before they moved it to Shiloh. Just South/East was Mt Nebo where Abraham and Moses looked across to the Promised Land, and due East is where Elijah was taken up to heaven on the fiery chariot, and the springs that flow down from Elijah’s hill could be the very place Moses broke open the rock in the wilderness the second time. This is where God gave final instructions to Moses and Joshua before the Israelites entered the Promised Land. Ever wonder why the Jews asked John if he was the Elijah or the Prophet? This was the place of their final hours, and they were both known for crossing the waters! This may also be the location of Atad’s threshingfloor, where Joseph stopped with the Egyptian Funeral procession before he took his fathered embalmed remains back to Hebron. As a final note, if Eden was originally in the land we know as Israel as so many Rabbi’s contend, this may be where Cain and Abel sacrificed to God, just east of Eden. So . . . next to Mt Zion itself, this may be the most Holy ground in all Israel. 2) John was a “voice of one shouting in the wilderness” to . . . a) Prepare the way for the Lord (Mat 3:1, Luke 3:4), and b) make his paths straight (Mat 3:1, Luke 3:4, John 1:23). So how does the identity with John’s baptism of repentance make the messiah’s “paths straight”? I think the real key to this mystery is found in the fact that the Jews thought that John was the Christ. 3) Jesus didn’t enter into ministry after his baptism to be a spokesman and advocate for this baptism of repentance, he went into the wilderness to be tested. It is when he comes back from the wilderness 40 days later that John proclaims, “Look, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” 4) Baptism wasn’t just used for conversion, before a Priest could participate in the sacrificial system - they had to be washed in water (Leviticus 8:6), Before the Israelites could enter the Promised Land - they had to pass through the waters of the Jordan River (Joshua 3), When Elijah humiliates the four hundred & fifty prophets of Baal, he poured out water on the alter of God (1 Kings 18), When Elisha asked for double Elisha's spirit, they walked through the waters together (2Kings 2). From the washing of animals about to be sacrificed, to the ceremonial cleansing of diseased people, water can be seen running throughout the pages of scripture. Anyone have any thoughts about this? |
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